Kings Cup Grand Nat St Allouestre INFC - 2019

[willie reynolds]

The 2019 Grand National of pigeon racing in Ireland was flown from Saint Allouestre in France on the appointed day of Friday 5th July, race marking was in Lisburn as planned on the Tuesday. Some 605 members from across Ireland had entered 2578 pigeons which were competing for £29,639.00 in pools and prizemoney in the Blue Riband event. The pigeons were released in France at 6.00am, the wind at the release site was a light north easterly. The race was again sponsored by Frazers Animal Feeds in Banbridge and we are very grateful to them for their continued sponsorship of this race.

It was a hard enough race with just 42 first day arrivals, just five of those in the local Muckamore Station where the best bird was returned by the top East Antrim loft of Jimmy Burrows of Eastway timing his 4 year old Blue cock at 19.05hrs flying 486 miles into Belfast. James Walker of the Ballymoney HPS was at 21.25hrs flying 523 miles into Dervock winning the Robin Duddy Extreme Distance Trophy for the furthest flying member in the result and he had a second arrival on the second day at 16.53hrs.

The big Cullybackey HPS continued to score at the distance with birds recorded for D & H Kirkpatrick 533, Alan Darragh 491 former winner, and Reid Bros & McCloy 388. Martin Graham had the only arrival in the Ballymena & District 478, he has an excellent record from France and his was the only arrival in the Mid Antrim Combine. J Gillespie & Son were best in the East Down Combine one week after winning 1st Open EDC from St Malo OB Derby and B & H Spence from Lagan Valley RPC in Lisburn were best in the Ulster Federation. Award winners in the Kings Cup should send me details to be included in future reports, especially Hall of Fame Diploma winners.

Muckamore Station St Allouestre – J Burrows Eastway 1089, A Gault Ballyclare 1009, J Scott Crumlin 1004, J Walker Ballymoney 995, Lynch Bros Ballycarry & Dist 971, J Harkness Crumlin 762, J Braniff Fortfield 760, T H Gibson Ballyclare 730, Lindores Son & Nicholson West Belfast 678, S & A Leitch Doagh & Dist 666, P & C Carson Fortfield 637, R J Baxter Ballycarry & Dist 634, Stockman & Robinson West Belfast 632, S & A Leitch Doagh & Dist 629, Thompson Bros Crumlin 614, M/M D Suitters Doagh & Dist 612, I Deasley Strabane & Dist 674, M/M D Suitters Doagh & Dist 537, D & H Kirkpatrick Cullybackey 533, J Walker Ballymoney 533, A Darragh Cullybackey 491, M Graham Ballymena 478, J Harkness Crumlin 460, F Simpson Doagh & Dist 447, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 388, D & R Turkington Doagh & Dist 340, J Harkness Crumlin 288.

Mid Antrim Combine St Allouestre – Martin Graham Ballymena & District 478. Last year’s 1st Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National winner Martin Graham has another top performance from France and the Saint Allouestre Kings Cup. Martin timed at 7.02pm on the second day flying 504 miles to the Old Cullybackey Road lofts. The winning blue cock which was sitting on 14 day eggs is best in the local town and also 1st Mid Antrim Combine. Last season from the Kings Cup he won 2nd MAC behind a loft-mate and 59th Open INFC. He had only one race this season the Skibbereen National taking 8 hours in a head wind and then trained privately from Portstewart or Carrickfergus again mostly in to a head wind. The sire is from the No.1 stock hen "The Big Hen" when paired to a cock he purchased from Ron Williamson which was off his Golden Pair. Dam is a daughter of Golden Boy when paired to a daughter of "Norma" which is the dam of "The Big Hen" M Eagleson PO.