Pigeon Network

The East Down Combine enjoyed a fast race starting last weekend in Tullamore, County Offaly, birds were liberated at 9.00am in a helping South West wind. Best reported was in Cloughey where winners Harper & Young were recording a velocity of 2157 yards per minute.

Club Results Tullamore

Cloughey – Harper & Young 2157, 2145, 2144, H & A Keenan & Partners 2144, Harper & Young 2134, 2133.
Killyleagh Central – McComb Bros 2144, 2096, 2094, C J Healy 2085, 2084, T Smith 2083.
Donaghadee RPC – Ferguson & Wilkinson 2138, A & P Trimble & Sons 2132, E D & K Allan & Sons 2122, Angus Son & McConkey 2091, Ferguson & Wilkinson 2087, A & P Trimble & Sons 2081.
Ballywalter SPC 7/249 – W McMaster & Son 2138, S Regan 2109, W McMaster & Son 2097, J & T Palmer 2080, S Regan 2073, 2072.
Tyrella 6/157 – C McManus & Daughter 2130, P Byrne & Son 2105, 2065, 2084, C McManus & Daughter 2081, 2081.
Bangor – R Moore & Son 2124, 2123, 2123, 2122, 2105, 2094.
Comber Social – F Gilmore 2122, R Johnston 2073, 2072, 2071, 2067, 2060.
Portavogie – R & G Thompson 2120, 2118, B Young 2115, 2114, J & R Young 2112, J Keenan & Sons 2104.
Newtownbreda – B Hogg & Sons 2118, 2108, 2099, 2098, 2087, 2060.
Millisle & District – McCormick & Muckle 2116, 2111, J & J Hollinger 2077, J Rankin 2074, R N & L Brown 2071, 2067.
Dundonald – M Foulis 2101, 2099, Cowan & McCartney 2097, M Foulis 2094, Cowan & McCartney 2094, 2093.
Downpatrick – R Connolly 2090, J Crossan 2082, J Quinn & Son 2074.
Ballylesson – J Patterson 2080, S Casement & Son 2071, 2069, J Kirk & Son 2069, J Patterson 2069, M & A Johnston 2067.
Ballynahinch – J & V Abernethy 2078, R Hunter 2072, 2067, 2057, 2042, 2040.
Annalong 11/242 – K Rooney Son & Daughter 2077, J Trimble & Son 2059, 2058, 2053, 2021, K Rooney Son & Daughter 2005.
Crossgar – McCartan & Woodsides 2076, A & A Cheevers 2056, T Horner & Sons 2024, 2023, McCartan & Woodsides 2006, 2002.
Hillfoot – A Cousins & Sons 2052, D Brennan 2046, 2034, 2033, W & L Robinson 2009, A Cousins & Sons 2004.
Newcastle – W McNeilly 2033, E & A Rogan 1970, 1860, 1846.
Dundrum – M/M Young 1811, A McNamara & Partners 1807, 1714, M/M Young 1657, 1609, A McNamara & Partners 1597.

East Down Combine race result with Clifford Browne

2015 Season off to a fast start from Tullamore

HARPER & YOUNG TAKE TOP THREE IN EDC OPEN

After a period of unsettled weather at the end of March and the first few days of April which had put training on hold we then a week of the most glorious weather leading up to the first race on April 11th when the birds were released for the first race of the season in Tullamore in a SW wind and a fast race was on the cards ,which was probably all to the good as it gave the birds a help to the start of the season .
Given the wind direction the early birds were expected to be out on the East Coast and this was indeed the case with the Cloughey club taking the top four in the open and the partnership of Drew Harper and Martin Young got their 2015 season off to a great start with the top three birds in the open and East Section closely followed by the H & A Keenan & ptnrs at 4th Open . Donaghadee, Ballywalter, Killyleagh Central ,Tyrella and Bangor all have birds in the top twenty in the open and all these feature in the East section result.
Over in the West section Brian Hogg& sons take the top two followed by Dundonald’s Mark Foulis and then it was two more for Brian Hogg & sons . The provisional top places in the open and sections are:

Open
Position Member Club Velocity
1 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2157.16
2 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2145.92
3 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2144.88
4 H&A Keenan & Ptnrs Cloughey HPS 2144.64
5 McComb Bros Killyleagh Central HPS 2144.15
6 Ferguson & Wilkinson Donaghadee RPC 2138.78
7 W McMaster & Son Ballywalter SPC 2138.
8 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2134.11
9 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2133.77
10 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2133.42
11 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2132.73 -
12 A & P Trimble & Sons Donaghadee RPC 2132.
13 C McManus & Dtr Tyrella HPS 2130.58
14 H Gordon & Ptnrs Cloughey HPS 2126.39
15 M Adair & Sons Cloughey HPS 2125.63
16 R Moore & Son Bangor RPC 2124.17
17 R Moore & Son Bangor RPC 2123.50
18 R Moore & Son Bangor RPC 2123.17
19 E D & K Allan & Sons Donaghadee RPC 2122.92
20 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 2122.70

East
Position Member Club velocity
1 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2157.16
2 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2145.92
3 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2144.88
4 H&A Keenan & Ptnrs Cloughey HPS 2144.64
5 McComb Bros Killyleagh Central HPS 2144.15
6 Ferguson & Wilkinson Donaghadee RPC 2138.78
7 W McMaster & Son Ballywalter SPC 2138.37
8 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2134.11
9 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2133.77
10 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2133.42
11 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 2132.73
12 A & P Trimble & Sons Donaghadee RPC 2132.48

West
Position Member Club Velocity
1 B Hogg & Sons Newtownbreda HPS 2118.58
2 B Hogg & Sons Newtownbreda HPS 2108.52
3 M Foulis Dundonald HPS 2101.41
4 M Foulis Dundonald HPS 2099.68
5 B Hogg & Sons Newtownbreda HPS 2099.26
6 B Hogg & Sons Newtownbreda HPS 2098.90
7 Cowan & McCartney Dundonald HPS 2097.65
8 M Foulis Dundonald HPS 2094.52
9 Cowan & McCartney Dundonald HPS 2094.23
10 Cowan & McCartney Dundonald HPS 2093.89
11 M Foulis Dundonald HPS 2093.83
12 B C T Foulis & Gill Dundonald HPS 2091.55

The Best from Around the Combine Clubs

Annalong 1st K .Rooney, Son & Dtr 2077.3 2nd J Trimble & Son 2059.3 3rd J Trimble & Son 2058.4

Annsborough 1st M Croskery & Son 2096.4 2nd R.J Keown 2089.1 3rd D Croskery & Son 2077.1

Ballylesson 12 Members sent 205 Birds
1st J Patterson 2080.5 2nd S Casement & Son 2071.3 3rd S Casement & Son 2069.5

Ballynahinch 1st J Abernethy 2078.6 2nd R Hunter 2072.6 3rd R Hunter 2067.4

Ballywalter The first race of 2015 sees Winston and Hugh McMaster start the season with a bang, clocking their excellent four year old Blue hen for yet another win on her C.V. on 2138 and timed a two year old Blue Pied Hen on 2097 for third. Runner up went to Sam Regan on 2109 with a yearling Blue w/f Cock a Lambrecht/Cattrysse cross

Bangor 1st R Moore & Son 2124.1 2nd R Moore & Son 2123.5 3rd R Moore & Son 2123.1

Cloughey 1st Harper & Young 2157.1 2nd Harper & Young 2145.9 3rd Harper & Young 2144.8

Comber 1st F Gilmore 2111.9 2nd R Johnson 2073.0 3rd R Johnson 2072.0

Crossgar 1st McCartan & Woodsides 2076.3 2nd A&A Cheevers 2056.9 3rd T Horner & Sons 2024.9

Donaghadee 1st Ferguson & Wilkinson 2138.7 2nd A & P Trimble & Sons 2132.4 3rd E D & K Allan & Sons 2122.9

Downpatrick 1st R Connolly 2090.7 2nd J Crossan 2082.0 3rd J Quinn & Son 2074.4

Dundonald 1st M Foulis 2101.4 2nd M Foulis 2099.6 3rd Cowan & McCartney 2097.6

Dundrum 1st Mr & Mrs Young 1811.7 2nd A McNamara & Ptrs 1807.03rd A McNamara & Ptrs 1714.3

Hillfoot 1st A Cousins & Sons 2052.9 2nd D Brennan 2046.9 3rd D Brennan 2034.4

Killyleagh Central 1st McComb Bros 2144.1 2nd McComb Bros 2096.1 3rd McComb Bros 2094.3

Millisle 1st McCormick & Muckle 2116.9 2nd McCormick & Muckle 2111.2 3rd J.& J Hollinger 2077.0

Newcastle A Good first win of the season for the wild forest lane lofts with E&A closely behind
1st W McNeilly 2033.6 2nd E & A Rogan 1970.7 3rd E & A Rogan 1860.1

Newtownbreda 1st B Hogg & Sons 2118.5 2nd B Hogg & Sons 2108.5 3rd B Hogg & Sons 2099.2

Portavogie 1st R & G Thompson 2120.4 2nd R & G Thompson 2118.73rd B Young 2115.8

Tyrella 1st C McManus & Dtr 2130.5 2nd P Byrne & Son 2105.4 3rd P Byrne & Son 2085.1

Well that is the start of the 2015 season and this week it’s back to Tullamore but if the forecast is right it will be an East wind for this event so that will probably make it a different type of race . Combine news photos etc welcome as usual .