The penultimate Nipa race of the season was flown from Roscrea on Saturday 7th September. Liberation took place at 14.00pm in light north-westerly winds. Best two birds in the local area were timed by Cullybackey fancier Gary Gibson at 17.01 & 17.02pm to record 1403ypm and win 1st & 2nd Mid Antrim Combine & 1st & 2nd Section B. Gary's winning blue hen was 2nd Section bblm from Roscrea a few weeks ago and is bred from the best of the Willy Van Hercks. This pair have bred 2 x 1st Section winners and 3 x 2nd Section winners and are also the grand parents to 1st and 2nd Section and 2nd Open Nipa. Gary's second bird a blue cock is full brother to his Mid Antrim Combine young bird of the year 2021 and half-brother to his 5th Open Nipa Penzance Classic bird a few season's ago.
Danny Dixon of Dunoly was next best with four good birds placed 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th Combine. The first bird is off Danny's 'Centre Cock' a two time winner of Ballymoney Centre and one time Coleraine Centre winner when paired to a granddaughter of Dixie Chic. Danny's second bird is off a son of Gary Gibson’s Golden Couple when paired to Danny's direct Stickers Doncker hen which is mother of his 2022 Nipa Open winner. Keith Kernohan and Sons had the best bird in Ballymena & District on 1384 and also won the Mid Antrim Combine knock out beating Jimmy Smyth & Son of Ahoghill in the final. The cock now named 'Knock Out' won 2nd club & 41st Open Dale young bird National the previous week. The sire was on loan from clubmates Johnston Eagleson & Sons and is a Koopman cock from the late Billy Smyth. He won two races on the road and 2nd Combine etc. The dam is the last daughter Keith had from a pigeon he call's 'Doing 90' Belg06/6329290, a son of 'Annemie' super breeder for Vermeerbergen & Van Reet mother of Ollie & Danni sire of 1st Nat. 'Gueret' her dam is inbred to the lines of 'The Daniel' & 'Grote Tom'. Some of the best pigeons he has acquired from Mol in a friendship now running over 20 years with Luc Vermeerbergen.
Jimmy Smyth & Son were best in Ahoghill on 1342 closely followed by Paddy & William McManus on 1336. Jackie Steele had the Rasharkin winner on 1316 with a mealy cock bred from a son of Danny Dixon's good Stickers Donckers Open winner and Jonathan Barkley & Laura Surgenor were best in Kells on 1295, their winner from a Laycock cock and the dam from clubmate Geoff Surgenor.
Mid Antrim Combine Roscrea 31/543 - G Gibson Cullybackey 1403, G Gibson Cullybackey 1403, D Dixon Rasharkin 1386, D Dixon Rasharkin 1385, D Dixon Rasharkin 1385, D Dixon Rasharkin 1384, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1384
D Dixon Rasharkin 1367, G Gibson Cullybackey 1347, A Darragh Cullybackey 1342, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1342, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1340, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1336, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1335, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1335, G Gibson Cullybackey 1334, G Gibson Cullybackey 1320, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1319, A Darragh Cullybackey 1318, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1316, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1315, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1313, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1313, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1305, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1304, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1304, G Gibson Cullybackey 1298, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1298, A Barkley & Son Kells 1295, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1295, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1295
R Service & Son Ballymena 1294, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1293, J & J Greer Cullybackey 1290, C & R McIntyre Cullybackey 1287.
Mid Antrim Combine YB Points - Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 397, Gary Gibson Cullybackey 359, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 295, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 293 , J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 221, Danny Dixon Rasharkin 210. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
NIPA Section B 3rd Roscrea 61/1030 – G Gibson Cullybackey 1403, G Gibson 140, J Hutchinson & Son Ballymoney 1394, D Dixon Ballymoney 1386, 1385, 1385, 1384, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1384, D Dixon 1367, S & N Maginty Muckamore 1365.
NIPA Sect B Clubs
Ahoghill Flying Club 5/86 – J Smyth & Son 1342, Young McManus & Sons 1336, J Smyth & Son 1315, 1313, Young McManus & Sons 1295, 1279.
Ballymoney HPS 9/169 – J Hutchinson & Son 1394, D Dixon 1386, 1385, 1385, 1384, 1367.
Broughshane & District 3/44 – M Neilly 1238, J Getty 1221, M Neilly 1215, 1214, 1197, 1183.
Ballymena & District HPS 3/77 – K & K Kernohan & Sons 1384, Blair & Rankin 1340, K & K Kernohan & Sons 1335, 1335, 1319, 1313.
Cullybackey HPS 16/245 – G Gibson 1403, 1403, 1347, A Darragh 1342, G Gibson 1334, 1320.
Crumlin & District 3/67 – Fleming Bros 1332, S Thompson 1318, McConville Bros 1308, 1299, 1299, Fleming Bros 1290.
Kells & District HPS 2/34 – A Barkley & Son 1295, 1271, 1239, 1231, H Turkington 1196, A Barkley & Son1183. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – H Turkington 1167.
Muckamore HPS 6/87 – S & N Maginty 1365, Knocker & Bill 1329, S & J Bones 1319, 1319, Knocker & Bill 1301, S & J Bones 1297.
Randalstown HPS 4/53 – W & W Gilbert 1165, J Millar 1160, W & W Gilbert 1159, Stewart Bros 1015, J Millar 931, N Percy & Son 887.
Rasharkin &District HPS 5/64 – Steele & McNeill 1316, 1305, Harold Cubitt 1295, 1287, 1286, Steele & McNeill 1269.
Gary Gibson with his 1st & 2nd Combine & Section winners from 3rd Roscrea.