Talbenny YB Nat - Monday 02/09/19

[willie reynolds]

Bertie Blair wins the Premier YB National from Talbenny -

What a young bird season Bertie Blair is having at present and to top it all off he goes and wins the NIPA Talbenny young bird National in some style. Not only did he win 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 1st Section B and 1st Open NIPA but also took 8th, 11th and 12th section B, 57th, 91st and 92nd open NIPA 2218 birds. First bird clocked at 12.12hrs flying 219 miles to the lofts in Chichester Park was a blue w/f hen. This super hen five days previous scored 1st Ballymena & Dist and 2nd Mid Antrim Combine from the INFC Skibbereen YB National 260 miles. The sire a direct Danny Dixon Lambrechts and was given to Bertie by MDC Magill of Harryville HPS. The dam is a red Frans Myers hen from Paddy McManus of Ahoghill. This No 1 stock hen has now bred at least 16 x 1st including 5 x 1st Combine winners, 1st Open NIPA Mullingar 2016, and his 1st MA Combine & 24th Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National pigeon this season. You need two hands to count the number of 1st Open's Bertie has won while racing with the NIPA but this latest winner and his first major National win ices the cake. Bertie was close on a couple of occasions before when in 1974 he won 1st Section B and 2nd Open NIPA Haverfordwest YB Derby with a chequer hen "Doreen's Choice" and more recently 2nd Open INFC Penzance YB National in 2011. A well-deserved win, for a top, and very popular fancier. Mervyn Eagleson PO.

In 1974 we were not long in the sport and if I remember right Rankin & Blair were racing to Brooke Park and were in fact neighbours before we ourselves set up at the Moat Road in the same house where Matt Wray now lives. Bertie Blair was married to Doreen the late Billy Rankins sister, at that time Billy helped out on the NIPA transporters when helpers were employed with the driver. From what I can see in that particular season was that racing from Southern Ireland was not available and the young bird programme seemed to be Belleek (1), (2) and (3), followed by Holyhead (1) and (2) and then two Young Bird Derbies what they were in those days from Haverfordwest.

I have recovered the result from that race and also a photo of Rankin & Blair. NIPA Open Haverfordwest (2) 804/1876 – W V Troughton Bleary 1138, Rankin & Blair Harryville 1123, B McNeice & Sons Lurgan Social 1123, N Rea Crumlin 1115, Fleming Bros Crumlin 1090, S Montgomery Muckamore 1087, J Hylands Donacloney 1086, McGuinness & Quinn Millvale 1084, R Hunter & Son Limavady 1047 R Williamson & Son Bondhill 1038, M/M N Girvan Newry Clan 1037, G Eagleson Kells & District 1032, R Patton Muckamore 1030, S Halliday Milltown 1025, R Dickey & Son Broughshane 1020, R Balmer Cullybackey 1016, K Russell Cullybackey 1015, McCartney Bros Moira 1009, W Livingstone Ahoghill 1005, Horner Bros & Duncan Ballyclare 1005.

We had in those days Sections A, B, C, D & E, just the five. NIPA Sect B Haverfordwest (2) 168/435 - Rankin & Blair Harryville 1123, N Rea Crumlin 1115, Fleming Bros Crumlin 1090, S Montgomery Muckamore 1087, G Eagleson Kells & District 1032, R Dickey & Son Broughshane 1020, R Balmer Cullybackey 1016, K Russell Cullybackey 1015, W Livingstone Ahoghill 1005, A Cooke Ballymena & Dist 981, Yarr Bros Crumlin & Dist 967, W Neill Ballymoney 933, W & J Smyth Ballymena & Dist 917, S D Parker Kells & Dist 915, E Ross Randalstown 900.

Rankin & Blair won the Open & Section Nomination and the winnings were £273.

NIPA Sect B Talbenny 54/344 – Blair & Rankin Ballymena & District 1468, Sam Maginty Muckamore 1446, R H Clements Harryville 1430, Fleming Bros Crumlin 1425, Fleming Bros 1424, Surgenor Bros Kells 1421, J Millar Randalstown 1420, Blair & Rankin 1394, L Mullan Harryville 1388, C & R McIntyre Cullybackey 1370.

Ahoghill Centre Talbenny YB Nat 39/239 – Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1468, R H Clements Harryville 1430, Surgenor Bros Kells 1421, J Millar Randalstown 1420, Blair & Rankin 1394, L Mullan Harryville 1388, C & R McIntyre Cullybackey 1370, Blair & Rankin 1369, Blair & Rankin 1369, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1367.

Mid Antrim Combine Talbenny – Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1468, R H Clements Associate 1430, Surgenor Bros Kells 1421, J Millar Randalstown 1420, Blair & Rankin 1394, Blair & Rankin 1369, Blair & Rankin 1369, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1367, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1356, J Millar 1352, Surgenor Bros 1345, Gregg Bros Kells 1325, Young McManus & Sons 1319, Young McManus & Sons 1318, D Dixon Rasharkin 1317.



Photo Caption

Bertie Blair from Ballymena holding his 2nd and 3rd MAC Skibbereen, the Blue Pied hen then wins the NIPA Talbenny YB National.

Bertie Blair 1st Ballymena & District and 1st Open NIPA Talbenny YB National.


Ballymena & Antrim Club Results Talbenny Nat

Ballymena & District HPS 6/26 – Blair & Rankin 1468, 1394, 1369, 1369, W & J Smyth 1367, Blair & Rankin 1205, W & J Smyth 1181, 1137, G & A Eagleson.

Muckamore HPS 4/43 – Sam Maginty 1446, S & J Bones & T Yates 1319, Sam Maginty 1318, S & J Bones & T Yates 1299, T Patterson & Son 1001, D J Thompson 963.

Harryville HPS 7/57 – R H Clements 1430, L Mullan 1388, 1308, K & K Kernohan 1253, J Rock 1248, A McBride 1246, W & D Rodgers 1207, L Mullan 1147, K & K Kernohan 1121, J Rock 1088.

Crumlin & District – Fleming Bros 1425, 1424, S Thompson 1354, Fleming Bros 1322, S Thompson 1309, Fleming Bros 1207.

Kells & District 4/31 – Surgenor Bros 1421, 1345, Gregg Bros 1325, H Turkington 1289, Surgenor Bros 1193. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – Surgenor Bros 1193. Geoff timed the same blue hen bred from Marion, already a winner of 1st Club Fermoy (1) and 3rd Club Fermoy (2).

Randalstown HPS 3/25 – J Millar 1420, 1352, 1265, Stewart Bros 777.

Cullybackey HPS 7/60 – C & R McIntyre 1370, M/M M Sempey 1215, J & J Greer 1182, A Darragh 1156, 1155, 1154, C & R McIntyre 1105, A Darragh 1037, N & S Anderson 948, D Robinson 922, 890.

Ahoghill Flying Club 6/31 – Young McManus & Sons 1356, 1318, 1318, 1272, J Smyth & Son 1135, W Livingstone 917, J Balmer 781, M/M Robinson 771, Balmer T Young & Son 692.

Rasharkin & District 4/21 - W & J McLean 1310, F Barkley 1307, H Cubitt 1299, 1282, W & J McLean 1103, F Barkley 1023. D Dixon – 1317, 1310, 1217, 1197.