End of Season Report - Ballymena 2024

[willie reynolds]

Top Season for Ballymena & District Pigeon Fancier's

It was another top year for Ballymena & District members winning 11 x 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 10 x 2nd Mid Antrim Combine, 4 x 1st Section B, 2nd Open INFC National and a host of awards at Combine, NIPA and National level.

Johnston Eagleson & Sons were the club's top prizewinners with 12 first club wins and also won 5 x 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 3 x 1st Section B. At Combine level they won Old Bird Inland Points, Old Bird Inland Average and Old Bird Points Fanciers of the year. They also won the NIPA Section B Old Bird Inland Faciers of the year award and Champion Old Bird of the year award with 'William's Choice' A two year old blue hen that topped the Section on two occasions from Roscrea and Fermoy.

Bertie Blair was runner up in the prize list and had 10 x 1st club wins and topped the Mid Antrim Combine on four occasions, all with young birds and also won the Mid Antrim Combine young bird average and Champion young bird of the year with a cock that won the Combine twice and was also beaten by a loftmate for 1st on another occasion. Bertie was also the NIPA Section B young bird fancier of the year and won the New North Cup for best average Penzance Old Bird and Dale young bird National.

Martin Graham again had the big National result in the club this season from the INFC Penzance young bird National were he scored 2nd, 8th, 23rd, 60th & 66th Open and also won the De-Scheemaecker Cup for the best two bird average in the Irish National Flying Club.
Third in the list was Keith & Ken Kernohan & Sons with 3 x 1st and they also won the Mid Antrim Combine young bird Knock Out.

Shane Johnston & Son had 3 x 1st club wins and topped the Mid Antrim Combine in both the Fermoy & Fermoy 5 Bird old bird races, Robin Service had 1 x 1st in old birds and former INFC National Champion Joey Wright had the club winner from the INFC Penzance Friendship National. The Ballymena club won the Mid Antrim Combine points shield in the young bird racing and were runner up in the old bird racing.

Highest Prizewinner List
J Eagleson & Sons 12 x 1st, Blair & Rankin 10 x 1st, K & K Kernohan & Sons 3 x 1st, S Johnston & Son 3 x 1st, M Graham 1 x 1st, R Service & Son 1 x 1st, J Wright 1 x 1st

Ballymena Cups & Trophies 2024

J EAGLESON & SONS win Harper Cup - Highest Prize-winner, 1st Roscrea OB, 2nd Roscrea OB, 1st Fermoy OB, 2nd Fermoy OB, Skibbereen OB Inland National, Slemish Cup 1st Dale, 2nd Dale cup, Bude cup, Skibbereen NIPA Yearling National cup, 4th Fermoy cup, Cloughmartin YB cup, Penzance OB Classic Cup, OB Inland Average cup, Best Average 2nd Talbenny & Penzance, Bill Carney Rose Bowl - Old Bird Of The Year - GB23B18208 'Blue 08', Mooney Cup - Best Individual Old Bird Performances - GB22B31058 'William's Choice' (2 x 1st Combine & 2 x 1st Section B)

BLAIR & RANKIN won - Kilbeggan OB, Carnvale Cup - INFC Penzance Yearling National, Penzance OB cup, Bobby Law Cup - 1st Yearling in Penzance OB, McCrory Cup - Best Average 1st Roscrea, 1st Fermoy, 1st Dale & Penzance, 1st Kilbeggan YB, 2nd Kilbeggan YB, 1st Roscrea YB, Roger King Cup - Fermoy YB, Fermoy 5 Bird YB, Ruddell & Vintage Cup - Dale YB National, Dunmanway YB National cup, Bill Carney Shield - Best Average INFC Penzance & Skibbereen YB Nationals, INFC Points Cup, Victory Cup - YB Average, YB Inland Average, Flamingo Cup - Best Average Nipa Dale & Skibbereen YB Nationals, Young Bird Of The Year - GB24A43431 80 Points.

MARTIN GRAHAM won - INFC Penzance YB National Cup, Best Individual Young Bird Performance - GB24B24144 'Dark Delight' 2nd Open INFC Penzance YB National.

K & K KERNOHAN & SONS won - 2nd Roscrea YB, 3rd Roscrea YB, YB Knockout, INFC Skibbereen YB National.
S JOHNSTON & SON won - INFC Skibbereen OB Inland National, Livingstone Bros Cup - Best 2 Bird Average Penzance INFC Yearling National, 3rd Fermoy OB cup, Fermoy 5 Bird OB cup.

R SERVICE & SON won - 3rd Roscrea OB. JOEY WRIGHT won - INFC Penzance OB Friendship National.

Old Bird Race Winners

Kilbeggan OB - Blair & Rankin - 6th & 9th Combine, 23rd & 31st Section 72/1794 birds
1st Roscrea OB - J Eagleson & Sons - 1st, 2nd, 6th, 9th & 11th Combine, 1st, 2nd, 6th, 9th & 11th Section & 39th, 42nd, 59th, 66th, 74th Open 658/19875
The second race of the season was from Roscrea in County Tipperary on Saturday 27th April. Liberation took place at 9.30am in excellent conditions with light northerly winds. Taking 1st and 2nd positions in the Mid Antrim Combine this week were Johnston Eagleson & Sons of Ballymena & District with two birds timed at 12.31pm doing 1424ypm. The first hen to time was a two-year-old blue hen sitting eggs and was bred from stock acquired from top racing and breeding lofts of Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill. The sire is Van Den Brande and is half-brother to Martin Graham's 1st Open Infc Penzance young bird National winner "Sammy's Girl" having the same dam. The second bird timed a two-year-old blue Van Den Bulck hen has won twice before including 3rd Section and 25th Open Fermoy as a youngster. The dam was from Jackie Steele and is down from "Pussy Cat" The Eagleson loft had a great team performance from their birds winning 1st, 2nd, 6th, 9th & 11th Section B and 40th, 43rd, 60th, 67th & 75th Open Nipa with 19,875 birds competing.
2nd Roscrea OB - J Eagleson & Sons - 2nd Combine & 4th & 44th Section 92/2831
1st Fermoy OB - J Eagleson & Sons - 10th & 16th Combine & 35th & 50th Section 92/3050
2nd Fermoy OB - J Eagleson & Sons - 1st Combine & 2nd, 35th, 36th & 37th Section 100/3158

The birds were back in Fermoy in County Cork for the fifth race of the old bird season on Saturday 18th May. The liberation took place at a later time of 13.30pm to allow the mist and fog to clear. The pigeon's having to contend with fresh north westerly winds en route had a hard fly in front of them and many birds not making home at dark spent the night on the roof tops. Thankfully Sunday was a better day giving them a chance to return home. Best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine was recorded by Johnston Eagleson & Sons of Ballymena & District on 1096 ypm, they also had the best bird in the local Town for the past four weeks. The yearling chequer cock was timed at 18.53pm after flying the 201 miles to the loft's on the Cullybackey Road. The sire was a gift from Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill and is Van Den Brande x a daughter of Danny Dixon's Champion Heartbreaker while the dam is a self bred Heremans Ceusters x Van Den Bulck. The winning cock is half brother on the sire's side to last season's 1st Section & 3rd Open Nipa Penzance OB Classic cock. That's the second Combine win of the season for the Eagleson loft have won both the Combine and Section from 1st Roscrea.

NIPA Skibbereen OB Inland National - J Eagleson & Sons - 6th Combine & 11th Section 47/294
3rd Roscrea OB R Service & Son - 22nd Combine & 41st Section 65/1352
Robin Service timed his first winner to his new loft in Ballykeel. Robin won Ballymena & District on 1737 with a 2yo blue hen broken in from his old home loft's in Drumtara. Sire is his good 38 Soontjen cock, a winner of 5 firsts plus 1st Section and the dam a blue pied Soontjen hen from Dave Stone of Derbyshire. She to is a 1st Section winner.
Skibbereen INFC OB Inland National - S Johnston & Son
1st Dale - J Eagleson & Sons - 6th, 10th & 18th Combine & 6th, 11th & 20th Section 84/1363
2nd Dale - J Eagleson & Sons - 1st, 2nd, 8th, 12th & 19th Combine & 1st, 2nd, 10th, 15th, 24th & 46th Section & 20th, 83rd, 119th, 149th, 231st Open 494/6850

The second channel race of the season was again from Dale in Wales. Liberation took place on Saturday 8th June at 8.15am in north north westerly winds. Like the previous week it turned out another tough race and again the returns were very good. Best in the Mid Antrim Combine for the third time this season were Johnston Eagleson & Sons of Ballymena & District. They timed their yearling chequer pied hen at 13.38pm flying 222 miles to the lofts on the Cullybackey Road to record 1212ypm, and win 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 1st Section B and 20th Open Nipa 6850 birds. Sire of their latest Section winner is a Lambrecht cock brought in from England and the dam, a double Combine winner is the best of Paddy & William McManus's old lines of Louis Thijs and Van Der Wegen. The dam's cv now reads winner of 2 x 1st Combines and 2 x 3rd Combines and dam of 3 x 1st Combine winners plus many more top ten positions. The Eagleson loft was also runner up in both the Combine and Section with their second arrival 11 minutes later on 1172. This 3yo blue cock has now been twice 2nd Combine having been beaten by half a yard from Roscrea last season. Sire Van den Bulck x Herman Custer and dam Vermeerbergen from clubmate Keith Kernohan and is from one of Keith's top stock cocks "Speedy". That's three 1st Combine winners and two 1st Section winners for the loft this season.
3rd Fermoy - S Johnston & Son - 1st & 9th Combine & 3rd & 11th Section 65/1071
Fermoy 5 Bird - S Johnston & Son - 1st & 7th Combine, 2nd & 8th Section 39/178

Double Combine Winner For Shane Johnston & Sons of Ballymena –
The Fermoy race and the 5 Bird event were held on Saturday 8th June. Liberation took place at 9.30am in north westerly winds. Another tough race followed but like Dale the returns were very good. Best bird locally was Shane Johnston & Son of Ballymena & District who timed at 13.53pm flying 202 miles to the lofts at the Doury Road to record 1351. Shane's yearling chequer hen finishes 1st Mid Antrim Combine & 3rd Section B and in the 5 Bird event again 1st Mid Antrim Combine & 2nd Section B. Earlier in the season this hen won 2nd club and 3rd Combine from Roscrea and the hens nestmate won 1st club and 3rd Combine from a young bird race last season. Shane's winner a van herck is bred by good friend Gary Gibson of Cullybackey.
INFC Penzance Yearling National - Blair & Rankin - 8th Combine & 102nd Open 455/3086 Joey Wright 12th Combine & 150th Open
Bude - J Eagleson & Sons - 7th, 9th, 11th & 14th Combine, 10th, 12th, 16th & 25th Section & 137th, 141st, 185th, 332nd Open 374/4014
Skibbereen NIPA Yearling National - J Eagleson & Sons - 1st, 6th, 10th, 16th, 17th & 18th Combine & 4th, 10th & 14th Section & 105th Open 261/2228

The Nipa Skibbereen Yearling National was flown on Tuesday 18th June when the birds were liberated at 9.30am in north north easterly winds. It turned out another tough race with the local velocities in the 1100's. Winning the Mid Antrim Combine for the fourth time this season were Johnston Eagleson & Sons of the Ballymena & District club. They timed their cheq cock at 15.59pm flying 260 miles to the Cullybackey Road loft's to record 1176 ypm. Their first three birds timed winning 1st, 6th & 10th Combine and 4th, 10th & 14th Section were all the same way bred, the second bird won the Combine from 2nd Fermoy and the third bird has been placed 3rd, 4th, 6th, 10th, 16th & 23rd Combine this season. The sire was a gift from Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill and is Van den Brande x a daughter of Danny Dixon's Champion Heartbreaker while the dam is a self bred Herman Ceuster x a Van Den Bulck granddaughter of Kittel.
Penzance - Blair & Rankin - 2nd Combine, 3rd Section & 19th Open 366/4080 Bertie Blair had the big winner in Ballymena & District on 1390 and finished runner up in the Combine, 3rd Section and 19th Open. Bertie's winning 4yo blue hen is bred from his own family of birds. This was Bertie's third win of the season. Johnston Eagleson & Sons were best in the Penzance Classic event with their Dale Combine & Section winner from a fortnight ago.
Penzance OB Classic - J Eagleson & Sons

Fermoy (4) - J Eagleson & Sons - 1st, 2nd & 9th Combine & 1st, 6th, 20th, 45th, 46th & 47th Section, 85th, 118th & 250th Open 274/3492
"William's Choice" wins Combine & Section For Eagleson Loft Of Ballymena
The final inland race of the old bird season was flown on Saturday 22nd June from Fermoy in County Cork. The strings were cut and the birds released at 7.30am in southerly winds. Johnston Eagleson & Sons had the best two birds in the local area winning 1st & 2nd Mid Antrim Combine and 1st & 6th Section B on 1829 & 1814. The first bird timed at 10.43am was a 2yo blue hen winning the Mid Antrim Combine and Section B for the second time this season having won it in late April from Roscrea. This hen also won the club from 1st Fermoy and was placed 10th in the Combine. The hen has been named "William's Choice" after William McManus of Ahoghill who selected the parents from his stock loft a couple of years ago. The sire is a stunning blue Van Den Brande cock and the dam is Lambrecht x Paddy & Williams best Karel Laenen cock which is responsible for dozens of winners. The loft's second bird timed was a yearling chequer Van Den Bulk hen bred from one of their top stock cocks "Dirk". That's 5 x 1st Combine wins and 3 x 1st Section wins for the Eagleson loft this season.
INFC Penzance Friendship National - Joey Wright.

Young Bird Race Winners
1st Kilbeggan YB - Blair & Rankin - 3rd Combine & 3rd Section 70/2242
2nd Kilbeggan YB - Blair & Rankin - 1st, 6th,10th & 11th Combine & 1st, 7th, 11th & 12th Section 76/2398
Bertie Blair Of Ballymena Wins 1st Combine & 1st Section from Kilbeggan
The second young bird race of the season was again from Kilbeggan in County Westmeath. Liberation was 9.45am in south westerly winds and leading birds took just over one- and three-quarter hours to return to their local loft's. The best pigeon was timed by the popular Ballymena & District fancier Bertie Blair to win 1st Mid Antrim Combine 44/1332 and 1st Section B 76/2398 on velo 1858. Bertie timed his dark cheq cock at 11.32am flying 113 miles to Chichester Park in Harryville. The winning youngster purchased in a kit of six from the Delaney O'Roory Hill Stud is off the best of their Willy Jacobs, Van Den Bulck and Luc Vervoort family's. The sire is a grandson of Willy's Pride and Diamond Princess and dam is off the 34 hen from Luc Vervoort. Another top result from one of the Town's top flyer's Bertie Blair.
1st Roscrea YB - Blair & Rankin - 25th & 26th Combine 43/1047
2nd Roscrea YB - K & K Kernohan & Sons - 19th Combine, 26th Section 83/2527
Cloughmartin YB - J Eagleson & Sons - 3rd Combine & 8th Section 73/2046
Fermoy YB - Blair & Rankin - 1st, 2nd,11th & 12th Combine, 5th, 6th, 27th, 28th, 38th & 47th Section & 16th & 55th Open 414/9986
Fermoy 5 Bird YB - Blair & Rankin - 1st Combine, 2nd Section & 6th Open 188/885

The Nipa were in County Cork for their Fermoy and Fermoy 5 Bird duplicated races on Saturday 31st August. Birds were released at 9.30am in light south easterly winds. The ever popular Bertie Blair of Ballymena & District had the best two birds in the Mid Antrim Combine and finished 5th & 6th Section and 16th & 54th Open Nipa 414/9736 velocity 1532 & 1521. Bertie timed his first two birds at 13.20 and 13.22 pm flying 201 miles to his Chichester loft's in Ballymena. Bertie's first bird a cheq cock was purchased in a kit of six from the Delaney O'Roory Hill Stud. The sire is Jacobs and the dam is Luc Vervoort x Philip Baadjou. Bertie also had the cock entered in the 5 Bird event winning 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 2nd Section B and an excellent 6th Open Nipa. Bertie's second bird timed is a full sister to last seasons 2nd Section and 13th Open Nipa Skibbereen young bird National. Breeding is Heremans-Ceuster, with the sire purchased from the late Lexie Mullan at his dispersal sale. That's 6 x 1st club, 3 x 1st Mid Antrim Combine wins and 1st Section Kilbeggan in the young bird season for the ever consistent Bertie Blair

Dale Young Bird National - Blair & Rankin - 3rd, 15th, 16th & 18th Combine, 3rd, 20th & 21st Section & 24th, 118th, 119th & 141st Open 259/2997 Bertie Blair of Ballymena & District was 3rd Combine on 1488 and placed 3rd Section B & 24th Open National. The dam of Bertie's winner is 'Faith' 1st Open Nipa Talbenny yb national for Bertie in 2019. The sire was on loan from good friend Geoff Surgenor of Kells. This cock bred Geoff his 1st Open Nipa Talbenny YB National winner in 2020. K & K Kernohan & Sons 2nd club, 9th Section, 41st & 143rd Open.
3rd Roscrea YB - K & K Kernohan & Sons - 7th Combine, 8th Section & 89th Open 363/8374 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' 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.

Nipa Dunmanway YB National - Blair & Rankin - 1st & 2nd Combine, 2nd & 3rd Section, 67th & 70th Open 248/2719
The final race of the Nipa pigeon racing season was flown on Friday 13th September. The birds were liberated at 10.00am in southerly winds and a fast race followed. Best two birds at the top of the Cullybackey Centre sheet belonged to the loft on form Bertie Blair of Ballymena & District. Bertie timed two birds at 14.09pm to win 1st & 2nd Mid Antrim Combine, 2nd & 3rd Section B and 66th & 69th Open National velocity 1741. Bertie's first bird a cheq cock is Sticker Doncker. The sire from Gary Gibson and the dam purchased from D C & P McArdle of Armagh is a full sister to their Nipa Skibbereen YB National winner in 2021. Bertie's second bird a cheq cock has been racing well all season. It was his first bird last week 12th Combine & 14th Section and the week previous 1st Combine, 2nd Section & 6th Open Nipa Fermoy 5 Bird and 1st Combine, 5th Section & 16th Open 9861 birds Fermoy. The cock was in a kit of six from Delaney's O'Roory Hill Stud. The sire is Jacobs and the dam is Luc Vervoort x Philip Baadjou. Thats 4 x 1st Mid Antrim Combine wins for Bertie with the young birds this season. K & K Kernohan & Sons 4th, 7th, 12th & 13th Section and 70th, 99th, 116th & 122nd Open
INFC Penzance YB National - Martin Graham - 2nd, 4th, 9th, 14th, 15th Mid Antrim Combine & 2nd, 8th, 22nd, 51st, 55th North Section, 2nd, 8th, 23rd, 60th & 66th Open INFC 181/1084
Martin Graham Ballymena & District 2nd, 8th, 23rd, 60th & 66th Open 329 miles velo 1512 timed 14.53pm

Another fancier with a outstanding CV in National and Derby racing is Martin Graham of Ballymena, this years runner up in the Penzance YB National. Martin is also a four time National winner having won1st Open Nipa Skibbereen OB Inland National in 2004, 1st Open Sennen Cove Yearling National 2018, 1st Open Penzance Yearling National 2023 and 1st Open Penzance YB National 2023. I had the pleasure of waiting with Martin for the Penzance birds this season and spotted the first bird arriving at 14.53pm. Sammy Steele then made an appearance having missed the first bird and then Martin's father inlaw Denis Craig arrived half an hour later having missed all five birds. Coffee was on tap, the crack was good and it turned out a very enjoyable watch. In total Martin timed five birds at 14.53, 14.59, 15.04, 15.18 & 15.20pm to win 2nd, 8th, 23rd, 60th & 66th Open.

Martin's darkness young bird national team were raced up to and including Cloughmartin. They then had 10 x Portstewart tosses around 30 miles, plus two 50 Mile tosses all into head winds. The 2nd Open hen was feeding a 5 day old chick when she was basketed. Just like last season Martin and Sammy Steele again bought a kit of youngsters from one of the top racing and breeding lofts in Ireland Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill. All five birds timed are from this kit. William sent me some info of the breeding. Sire of the 2nd Open hen 'Dark Delight' is a self bred Vandenbrande/Louis Thijs, the lines of 'Sneeuwitje' and 'Olympiade 003' The sire was a top racing cock before retired to stock and was winner of many first prizes in club and Combine plus 2nd, 4th, 7th, 23rd Section etc. The dam is again a self bred C & C Lambrecht being an inbred granddaughter of 'Superman' She is also the mother to 2nd Section Roscrea. Sire of Martin's 8th Open hen is an Alex Docx and is a grandson of the base breeding pair 'The 158' and 'The 330'. Dam is also Alex Docx and is a daughter of the No1 cock 'The 242'. Sire of the 23rd Open hen is from Syndicate lofts and the Dutch dam is from Ivo Van De Veen. That's 1st Open last season and 2nd & 8th Open etc this season with Paddy & William McManus youngsters. Well done again Martin, another top class performance from one of the top National racers in Ireland.

INFC Skibbereen YB National - K & K Kernohan & Sons - 2nd Combine, 67th North Section & 81st Open 137/1623
Runner up in the Combine were the Ballymena & District winners Keith, Ken, Callum & Lewis Kernohan on 1155 and finished 81st Open. Their winner was the second bird last week from Nipa Dunmanway National winning 7th Section & 99th Open. This one was in a kit from O'Roory Hill Stud and is Jacobs x Ver Voort / Baadjou. Mervyn Eagleson PO.