Bantry OB Inl Nat - Sat 23/05/26

[willie reynolds]

Robinson loft of Cullybackey wins 1st Section Bantry National
NIPA Bantry OB Inland National 23/05/26

The pigeon racing season continued on Saturday 23rd May with the first National race of the season flown from Bantry in County Cork. Birds were liberated at 10.00am in south southwesterly winds with the outcome being a very fast race. Laurence & Heather Robinson of the Cullybackey club had the best bird in the Ahoghill Centre after timing at 13.54pm flying 255 miles to record 1929 and win 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 1st Section B and 29th Open NIPA 3445 birds. The partnership's winning yearling cheq cock had two races as a young bird and all the races this season and was the first bird home from Benamore 2 and Grenagh. It’s off a Van Hercks stock cock when paired to a hen Jeff Greenaway gifted Laurence.

Runner up in the Combine was Bertie Blair on 1912. Bertie timed his yearling blue cock at 13.58pm and a mealy hen at 14.02pm to take 1st & 2nd Ballymena, 3rd & 9th Section and 43rd & 145th Open National. Bertie's first bird won Kilbeggan as a youngster last year and 4th Mid Antrim Combine. Sire is a Vranken cock from Paddy & William McManus and the dam a Soontjen hen from Davy Hutchinson.

Gary Gibson of Cullybackey was 3rd in the Combine on 1902 with a yearling cheq Sticker Doncker hen finishing 4th Section & 61st Open Bantry National. The hen won 6th Section & 41st Open from 1st Benamore with 17,728 birds and as a youngster 3rd Section & 34th Open Fermoy 10,038 birds, The sire was the best old bird in the Cullybackey club in 2024 and the dam won 1st Section & 17th Open Dale YB National in 2024. Danny Dixon was fourth Combine on 1892 and finished 6th Section & 96th Open followed by Stewart Bros the winners in Randalstown on 1881 with a black yearling De Meyer cock sitting overdue and finished 5th Combine & 8th Section.

Joshua Whyte had the winner in Ahoghill on 1845 timing a 2yo blue hen bred by Gary Gibson of Cullybackey . Geoff Surgenor was best in Kells on 1830 with a yearling mealy cock. The sire is a Alex Docx / Vandenbrande from Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill and the dam a Van Den Bulck from the late Lexie Mullan. Derek Millar had the Rasharkin winner on 1827 and Marc Neilly had the best bird in Broughshane on 1794. The same cheq widowhood cock won Grenagh last week, Van Mechelen from Paddy & William McManus x a Geoff Dickey hen.

Mid Antrim Combine Bantry OB National - Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 1920, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1912, G Gibson Cullybackey 1902, D Dixon Rasharkin 1892, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1881, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1880, A Darragh Cullybackey 1873, R Service & Son Ballymena 1871, A Darragh Cullybackey 1864
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1858 D Dixon Rasharkin 1858, M Graham Ballymena 1857, A Darragh Cullybackey 1852, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1852, G Gibson Cullybackey 1849, J Whyte Ahoghill 1845, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1839, G Gibson Cullybackey 1837, J Millar Randalstown 1837, D Dixon Rasharkin 1834, D Dixon Rasharkin 1834, D Craig Cullybackey 1833, G Gibson Cullybackey 1832
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1832, G Gibson Cullybackey 1832, D Dixon Rasharkin 1830, Surgenor Bros Kells 1830, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1828, J Millar & Son Rasharkin 1827, A Darragh Cullybackey 1827, D Dixon Rasharkin 1820, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1820, D Dixon Rasharkin 1817, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1816, A Darragh Cullybackey 1814, Gregg Bros Kells 1811, Gregg Bros Kells 1809, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1807, M Graham Ballymena 1805, G Gibson Cullybackey 1804.

MID ANTRIM COMBINE 2 BIRD CLUB BANTRY OB INLAND NATIONAL
1st Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1880 GB25B35055
2nd G Gibson Cullybackey 1849 GB23C22223.

Bertie Blair won the 2 Bird with a yearling mealy hen. The parents are both from Paddy & William McManus, the sire is Van Den Brande and dam a full sister to 'Sammy's Girl'. 1st Open Penzance National.

OLD BIRD CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE
The top two in each group go through to the last 16 along with the two fanciers with the most points in third place.
In the result of a points tie the highest velocity in the last group match determines who goes through.
The last 16 Knock-Out stage starts at 1st Dale
Final Group Standings
Group (1) G Gibson Cullybackey 421, R Service & Son Ballymena 14, H Cubitt Rasharkin 13, J Millar Randalstown 7,
Group (2) J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 236, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 41, W McFetridge Rasharkin 8, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 0,
Group (3) Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 169, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 51, Surgenor Bros Kells 51, A Purvis Broughshane 0
Group (4) D Dixon Rasharkin 84, H Boyd Kells 62, J Whyte Ahoghill 14, T & M Morrow Broughshane 4
Group (5) F Barkley Rasharkin 39, M Neilly Broughshane 22, J & J Greer Cullybackey 7, W & W Gilbert Randalstown 0,
Group (6) A Darragh Cullybackey 155, Stewart Bros Randalstown 22, T Whyte Ahoghill 0, H Turkington Kells 0
Group (7) K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 41, A Barkley & Son Kells 17, N Percy & Son Randalstown 0, J Getty Broughshane 0.

LES MAIRS MEMORIAL CUP - OLD BIRD POINTS FANCIER OF THE YEAR - BANTRY & BENAMORE
G Gibson Cullybackey 421, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 236, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 169, A Darragh Cullybackey 155, D Dixon Rasharkin 84, H Boyd Kells 62, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 51, Surgenor Bros Kells 51, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 41, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 41. Mervyn Eagleson Mid Antrim Combine PO.

NIPA Section B Bantry National 42/406 -Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 1920, Ryan Hope Crumlin & Dist 1916, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1912, G Gibson Cullybackey 1902, D & H Stuart Ballymoney 1901, D Dixon Balymoney 1892, D Devenney Ballymoney 1889, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1881, Blair & Rankin 1881, R & J Parke Windsor Soc 1879.

NIPA Sect B Clubs

Ahoghill Flying Club – J Whyte 1845, J Smyth & Son 1830, Young McManus & Sons 1816, J Whyte 1802, J Smyth & Son 1795, Young McManus & Sons 1795.

Ballymoney HPS – D & H Stuart 1901, D Dixon 1892, D Devenney 1889, J Connolly 1869, C & M McCook 1868, D Dixon 1858.

Broughshane & District – Marc Neilly 1794, 1783.

Ballymena & District HPS – Blair & Rankin 1912, 1880, R Service & Son 1871, J Eagleoon & Sons 1858, H Graham 1857, Blair & Rankin 1852.

Cullybackey HPS –Mr & Mrs Robinson 1920, G Gibson 1902, A Darragh 1873, 1864, 1852, G Gibson 1849.

Crumlin & District – Ryan Hope 1916, Fleming Bros 1865,Ryan Hope 1858,

My Bantry winner-
This cock was previously 2nd Club,6th section from Gowran this year, he is bred from a Sticker Doncker hen that I got from Geoffrey Dickey which was one of Franks racers she was a dtr of his 38th open St Malo hen, the sire of this bird was a Sid Miles cock from Gerald Delany.

Kells & District HPS –Surgenor Bros 1830, Gregg Bros 1811, 1809. Surgenor Bros 1788, 1769, A Barkley & Son 1736.

Muckamore HPS –

Randalstown HPS – Stewart Bros 1881, J McNeill & Son 1839, J Millar 1837, Stewaet Bros 1794, J McMeill & Son 1789, J Millar 1782.
Rasharkin &District HPS – J Millar & Son 1827.

✓
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