Best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine was timed by Rasharkin fancier Harold Cubitt. Harold's only entry in the race was timed at 15.25pm after flying the 483 miles to the lofts on the Finvoy Road in Rasharkin. The winning 2 year old blue chequer cock was feeding chicks just hatched two days before basketing. The cock had four races as a young bird and three races as a yearling. Before the derby it had Talbenny were it was placed 4th club. The sire was a gift from John McConaghie of Ballymoney and the dam another gift bird from Harry Richmond of Ballymena. The winning bird also wins 2nd Section B and 24th Open NIPA National 2714 birds. Harold a small team racer was winning his 6 x 1st of the season.
Mid Antrim Combine St Malo - H Cubitt Rasharkin 1589, R H Clements Associate 1518, Harry Boyd Kells 1509, D Dixon Rasharkin 1485, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1485, H Turkington Kells 1483, D Houston & Son Associate 1481, A C & T Tweed Rasharkin 1461, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1451, John Miller Randalstown 1427, A C & T Tweed Rasharkin 1388, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 1387, D Dixon 1368, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1362, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 1344, John Miller 1343, D Dixon 1330, Harry Boyd 1321, M Graham Ballymena 1307, A C & T Tweed 1300, Hugh Boyd Randalstown 1297, Hugh Boyd Randalstown 1274, J Eagleson & Sons 1235, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1218, McFarlane & Agnew Kells 1210, M Graham 1208, Stewart Bros 1177, McFarlane & Agnew 1163 Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1160, McAlonan Bros Associate 1158.
Danny Dixon of Rasharkin is the new winner of the Mid Antrim Combine OB Points Fancier of the Year. Top Ten - D Dixon Rasharkin 206, J Rock Associate 147, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 136, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 135, Harry Boyd Kells 108, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 85, R H Clements Associate 80, John Miller Randalstown 68, A McBride Associate 63, R Service & Son Ballymena 55.
Mid Antrim Combine K/O Diploma - At long last the members names were gathered up and listed for the seasons Old Bird Knock-Out competition. I sorted out the names into a list and PO Mervyn Eagleson supplied the numbers as matched pairs for the competition. It was the best arrangement available in the season’s unusual circumstances. I hope to shortly publish the details used for the Champions League. As far as the OB Knock-Out goes we used four inland races, Tullamore, Gowran Park, Corrin (1) and Corrin (2). With the Penzance birds brought back we used Talbenny for the semi-final and then Bude for the final.
Just short of 64 lofts competed and after two rounds we had the following for the Lat 16 at Corrin (1). Gary Gibson v Danny Dixon, Houston Bros v Blair & Rankin, Young McManus & Sons v J Millar & Son, R Service & Son v Harold Cubitt, Allen McBride v Jimmy Rock, F & J & G Dickey v Stewart Bros, J Smyth & Son v R H Clements, John Millar v W & J Smyth. For Corrin (2) quarter final the matches were Gary Gibson v Blair & Rankin, J Millar & Son v R Service & Son, Allen McBride v Stewart Bros and R H Clements v W & J Smyth. The semi-final was flown from Talbenny Blair & Rankin v R Service & Son and Allen McBride v W & J Smyth. The final from Bude turned out a hard race and not much between the finalists, Blair & Rankin vel 923 v Allen McBride vel 978. The winner for 2020 was Associate Member Allen McBride, well done and a great competition.
Harryville Centre – R H Clements Harryville 1518, Harry Boyd Kells 1509, Henry Turkington Kells 1483, D Houston & Son Broughshane 1481, Harry Boyd 1321, McFarlane & Agnew Kells 1210, 1163.
Ahoghill Centre – Alan Darragh Cullybackey 1518, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1485, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1451, John Millar Randalstown 1427, M/M Robinson Ahoghill 1387, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1362, A Darragh 1346, M/M Robinson 1344, John Millar 1343, Martin Graham Ballymena 1307.
Ballymena Area clubs
Rasharkin & District HPS – Harold Cubitt 1589, A C & T Tweed 1461, 1388, 1300, Trevor Whyte 1049. Danny Dixon – 1485.080, 1368.59, 1330.63.
Harryville HPS – R H Clements 1518.
Cullybackey HPS - A Darragh 1518, 1346, C & R McIntyre 1293, J & J Greer 1252, A Darragh 1230, McAlonan Bros 1158, A Darragh 1118, 1053.
Kells & District – Harry Boyd 1509, Henry Turkington 1483, Harry Boyd 1321, McFarlane & Agnew 1210, 1163.
Randalstown HPS 5/30 – J McNeill & Son 1485, J Millar 1427, 1343, H Boyd 1297, 1274, Stewart Bros 1218, 1177, W & W Gilbert 1084.
Broughshane & District HPS – Davy Houston & Son 1481.
Ahoghill Flying Club 3/18 – J Smyth & Son 1451, Mr & Mrs Robinson 1387, 1344, J Smyth & Son 1096, W Livingstone 1001.
Ballymena & District HPS 7/23 – J Easgleson & Sons 1362, Martin Graham 1307, J Eagleson & Sons 1235, Martin Graham 1208, Blair & Rankin 1160, R Service & Son 1134, J Eagleson & Sons 1076, G & A Eagleson 659, 537. Johnston Eagleson & Sons who are twice overall winners of this race have the winner in the club. The 2 year old blue w/f Lambrechts hen was sitting on eggs. The dam was "Channel Queen" 1st Combine Talbenny YB National and 1st Combine & 6th Open INFC Penzance YB National. "Channel Queen" was one from a kit of youngsters from Jackie Steele of Rasharkin in 2017.
