St Malo National 24/06/16 -

[willie reynolds]

Difficult race from St Malo –

As it sometimes does the NIPA Old Bird Nat from St Malo in France turned out the most difficult of the season to date. Birds were race marked in Cullybackey on Tuesday and released as planned in St Malo at 6.15am on Friday 24th June, favourable conditions were forecast for most of the route but there were lots of severe weather around. At the home end we had late evening sunshine and a handful of birds made it into Mid Antrim.

Borough of Ballymena – Cullybackey had most birds away among the local clubs and they recorded the best bird from St Malo with just four day arrivals in the Cullybackey Centre. Alan Darragh is no stranger to top success and has been at the top in Cullybackey for several years, his winning 2 year old Blue cock was timed at 8.07pm in late evening sunshine to be best in Cullybackey and 1st in the NIPA Sect B. He recorded a second arrival after returning from the Cullybackey Centre at 11.00pm, just before the hours of darkness. Willie Livingstone from Ahoghill will be well placed having timed at 9.03pm and will be runner-up in MAC behind J & M Milliken of Rasharkin who have had a Golden Season of top success, their best ever.

MAC St Malo – J & M Milliken Rasharkin 965. W Livingstone Ahoghill 945, D Dixon Rasharkin 750, W & J Smyth Ballymena 683, W Livingstone 645, D Dixon 644, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 516.

Club Results -

Rasharkin & District 7/19 – J & M Milliken 9.00pm on the day longest flying bird in the NIPA. Doing velocity 965 the loft finish 1st MAC, 2nd Sect B & 20th Open NIPA.

Ahoghill Flying Club 10/34 – W Livingstone 945, 645. William Livingstone 9.03pm on the day and another on second day. Willie has a good record out of France racing a small team, he will be pleased with the result and will be looking forward to the big France races with the INFC which he has joined this year for the first time.

Ballymena & District HPS 8/24 – W & J Smyth 683, J Eagleson & Sons 516. W & J Smyth 8.14am second day. J Eagleson & Sons before 3.00pm second day are twice winners of the OB National. Hard race in Ballymena with birds recorded by two lofts that have been prominent all season. W & J Smyth are always around in the longer harder races and J Eagleson & Sons are having the best season since their return to the sport, they have been the lofts to beat each week.