Pigeon Network

Some Class in the Single Bird Challenge -

David Black has the final total for the Single Bird Challenge, 220 entries. All 220 entries are very special pigeons and many of them have already scored at the highest level. The race will again be flown from Vannes with the INFC. I hope to highlight some of the special pigeons that will compete for this very coveted award.

Lets start with last years winner Anville Queen, this blue chequer hen raced by Jim Robinson of Edgarstown was 81st Open INFC Friendship National Portsmouth and 1st Single Bird Challenge, 9th Open Vannes 2009, she is again Jim's entry for 2010. 04 dark chequer cock entered by former National champion Phillip McCullough & Daughter of Downpatrick named Black Magic 71st Open Vannes 2006; 58th Open Vannes 2009. He will also be going for a Hall of Fame Diploma. 05 dark chequer cock, Albert's Gift entered by Jim Butler of Banbridge 30th Open INFC Quimper Friendship National 2008; 75th Open Vannes 2009. In both races this cock was a single entry for Jim and he can be very proud of a class a pigeon. 08 blue chequer cock, Wee Jemie entered by Thompson Bros & Jameson Bros of Laurel Vale 80th Open Penzance YB National 2008; 77th Open Sennen Cove Yearling National 2009. This pigeon will also be going for the third leg of the magical Triple Crown Diploma. 02 blue chequer hen entered by Billy McCure of Kells 13th Open Kings Cup Messac 2005; 156th Open Kings Cup Vannes 2009; this super hen will also be going for a Hall of Fame Diploma in 2010.

Now for a very special one 01 blue hen, Blue Lady entered by Sam Corrigan of Loughgall 10th Open Fougeres & 22nd Kings Cup Messac 2004; 9th Kings Cup Messac 2005; 28th Kings Cup Vannes 2006; winner of INFC Hall of Fame, 4th Single Bird Challenge 2005; 5th Single Bird Challenge 2006, clocked Vannes 2009. Blue Lady will also be going for the Gold Medal in 2010. This must be one of the best National pigeons in the histroy of the INFC. I will have more stars for you in my next column.

Skibbereen Entry To Exceed 4,000?

The first National of the season will be flown on Wednesday 25th May from Skibbereen. The 2009 race saw an entry of 3,755 birds flying for a total of 18,246. The liberation took place at 10.30am into a light south west wind and the North Section took the top four places. First Section & 1st Open went to the Ballynahinch partnership Cromie & Magee & Son making a vel of 1650, this was a well deserved victory after so many near misses over the years. Second Section & 2nd Open John Patterson of Ballylesson on a vel of 1632. John came close to two Nationals in succession having won the Skibbereen YB National in 2008 with the One Hen. Third Section & 3rd Open to my fellow club member Len McKinstry of Dundonald whose pigeon made a vel of 1621. The very consistent Doagh partnership of A&N Lewis finished 4th Section & 4th Open making a vel of 1619.

The South Section winner and 5th Open went to Gur Furlong of Wexford on a vel of 1614. Mr & Mrs Bobby Stevenson of Dromore had a very good one to win 5th North Section & 6th Open on a vel of 1611. The leading Belfast pigeon was clocked by the popular Kingswood paertnership of W & R Evans of Leary making 1608 for 6th North Section & 7th Open. Former YB National winners Dobbs Bros of Wexford finished 2nd South Section & 8th Open on a vel of 1607. Seventh North Section & 9th Open was won by Horseshoe HPS team of C Campbell & Son making 1602. The only other bird to make over 1600 ypm was clocked by J Lindores Son & Nicholson of West Belfast for 8th North Section & 10th Open making 1601.

The leading cash winners were John Patterson £889; Cromie & Magge £882; Lindores & Son & Nicholson £662; Gordon Bros & Son Killyleagh 13th Open £587; J Vage & Son of Dromore 14th Open £523 and the same partnership in 12th Open for another £513.

This National is a very competitive race and is also the first leg for Charles Hunniford Memorial Trophy won in 2008 by John Patterson and in 2009 by A & N Lewis. It will soon be time to start planning for the race and I know we now have a 20 bird limit, but I will be disappointed if the entry does not exceed the 4,000 mark.

INFC Single Bird Challenge

To continue my piece on entries for the Single Bird Challenge I would like to start this week with a super hen bred in 2002 and raced by the crack partnership of McCartan&Woodsides of Crossgar former National winners. Lets look at her race record 24th Open Friendship National Portsmouth; 72nd Open Kings Cup Vannes; 75th Open Kings Cup Vannes; 15th Open EDC Talbenny; 19th Open EDC Thurles plus 11th, 21st&33rd Open EDC Skibbereen Classic, not many better than this hen. A 06 grizzle cock, bred and raced by another National winner Jackie Waring&Son Lisburn and a winner of 10th Open Quimper Friendship National 2008 and 228th Open INFC Kings Cup Vannes 2009. A 04 dark chequer cock, bred and raced by Joe Kelly&Sons Dromore and a winner of 110th Open Portsmouth Friendship National 2007 and 199th Open INFC Kings Cup Vannes 2009. The Kelly's enjoyed a great National season in 2009. Blue cock 09 Run a Muck, bred and raced by Liam Donnelly of Finglas. This is a cracking cock having already won at National level 235th Open INFC Skibbereen YB National; 16th Open INFC Skibbereen OB National 09; 28th Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National 09 a race that Liam won 1st Section & 1st Open. Run A Muck has been an Open prize winner in three National races and he is only two years old.

Chequer pied hen 06, Old Speckled Hen, bred and raced by T Shanks&Son Kells 230th Open NIPA Rosscarbery OB National; 143rd Open Kings Cup Vannes 2009; 11th Single Bird Challenge 2009. Blue chequer white flight cock 06, Third Time Lucky, bred and raced by Paddy& Martin Tock of Skerries, 4th Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National 2007; 7th Open ECF Mary Bank 2007; 7th Open ECF Penzance 2009; 38th Open INFC Kings Cup Vannes 2009; ECF Gold Medal winner 2009. Paddy&Martin are also former Kings Cup winners. Blue white flight cock 07 Lucky Strike, bred and raced by Ronnie Williamson of Bondhill, 3rd Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National 2008; 54th Open INFC Kings Cup Vannes 2009. Williamson former National Champion and four times 1st Open INFC. Pencil cock 06, bred and raced by John McCandless of Coleraine Premier 72nd Open NIPA St Malo OB National 2008; 268th Open NIPA St Malo OB National 2009. Blue bar cock06, bred and raced by Aiden McAteer of Ballyholland and named Drumcove King, 37th Open INFC Quimper Friendship National 2008; 6th Open NIPA Bude. Blue cock 03, bred and raced by Toland&Lynch Wilton Cross 24th Open INFC Picauville Friendship National 2005; 65th Open NIPA Talbenny 2007; 159th Open INFC Kings Cup Vannes. I will have another selection in my next column.

Have Distance Pigeons Improved?

I acknowledge that the sprint/middle distance pigeons have got faster over the years and this could be down to feeding and training methods but have the distance pigeons improved. The following piece is from an article written in 1932.

In 1932 the Grand National race was flown from Les Sables a distance of some 600 miles. The king George V Challenge Cup was flown for competition for the first time. Before 1932 the National event had almost been confirmed for the Northern entries but for Les Sables race fanciers from all over Ireland entered pigeons. The race winner was Robert Hawthorne of Ligniel. In 1932 the race for the shorter distance, Redon was organised by the Ulster Fed Amalgamation, and they hoped to add a race from Landerneau to give the younger birds experience before going to Les Sables.

Les Sables, Redon and Landerneau was the programme some 80 yrs ago and I would doubt if the present day French pigeons are better than those of the 30's.

Single Bird Challenge

To me this is a great competition and everyone who has entered a pigeon starts on a level playing field. The winner will also receive a magnificent trophy donated to the INFC by double Kings Cup winner Joe Dohenny of Dublin.

Lets go back and look at a few more entries fro the Single Bird Challenge. Chequer pied cock 06 Mudguard bred and raced by John Flood Dublin Premier 8th Open St Malo 2008; 40th Open St Malo 2009; that is two top class performances from France. Blue cock 06 entered by Bodie&Dobson of Cabra and named Jerry, could Dick have named him after his close friend Jerry McCourt of Finglas. The race record of this pigeon 72nd Open INFC Sennen Cove YB National 06; 2nd Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National 2007, in this race he won £2,500. A number of top pigeons that were highly placed in the 2009 Kings Cup raced entered for the 2010 Challenge.

Chequer hen 06, entered by William Corrigan of Loughgall 17th Open Vannes 2009. Red chequer cock 07 entered by Joe Sharkey of Boyne Valley named Angles Boy and a winner of 28th Open Vannes 2008. Black hen 08 bred and raced by Roy Bothwell of Lurgan amateur named Young Dolly winning 29th Open Vannes 2009. Chequer hen 06 bred and raced by former National Champions Mt&Mrs David Suitters Doagh 7th Open INFC Old Hens National Sennen Cove 2007; 48th Open NIPA St Malo OB National 2008. Chequer hen 07 Black Diamond bred and raced by George Lindsay of Crumlin 77th INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National 2008; 47th INFC Kings Cup Vannes 2009, a top class hen. Blue bar cock 03 bred and raced by Eddie Niblock of Bessbrook 48th Open INFC Kings Cup Vannes 2006; 285th Open INFC Kings Cup Vannes 2009, another one in line for a Hall of Fame Diploma in 2010.

Harkness Rose Bowl

In 1972 the Harkness Rose Bowl became part of the INFC trophy cabinet. This prestigious trophy is awarded to the fancier with the best 2-Bird Average from the Kings Cup race. the first winner was the late Harry Stockman of Ballynahinch, winning 15th&20th Open from Nantes and believe it or not it was with Harkness bred pigeons, a fairy tale start for the Trophy.

The first Kings Cup winner to also win the Rose Bowl is the same year was A McDowell &Son of Newtownards 1st & 28th Open from Nantes in 1973. In 1985 Jackie Crossan of Downpatrick won 1st & 39th Open Lerwick and in 1996 a new record was set when Jackie Patience from Lurgan won 1st & 2nd Open from Rennes. The following year N Black & Sons of Dromara took the Rose Bowl winning 1st & 8th Open Rennes, the Black family have won the trophy three times, top class.

Stevie Cairns of Gilford was the first fancier to place his two birds in the first six of the Open result winning 5th&6th Open Rennes in 1988 and then the following year it was that man Patience again winning 2nd&6th Open from Rennes. In the 90,s the first winner was Belshaw & Anderson of Derriaghy 16th & 32nd Open from Rennes. 1991 saw Tom Marshall & Son of Newtownbreda take the trophy winning 4th & 24th Open Rennes. Smyth Bros Ballymena took the trophy in 1992 winning 7th & 14th Open again from Rennes. The following year saw the start of an amazing run for the Black Family from Dromara 1993 6th & 7th Open Rennes; 1994 7th & 8th Open Rennes. the first loft to retain the trophy and in 1996 1st & 8th Open, three times in four years.

1997 saw the Rose Bowl go to the super winning loft of Len & Jackie Magee from Lisburn 5th & 15th Open St Nazaire. In 1998 it was back to Rennes for the Kings Cup and in a very bad race the Harkness Rose Bowl was won by Norman Thompson of Dunedin finished 4th & 18th Open. This was an outstanding performance with only 39 birds home in race time. I will return to the history of the Harkness Rose Bowl in a further article. This coveted trophy is one that all the top National flyers would like to win. The best of luck in 2010.

Single Bird Challenge

This week I return to the Single Bird Challenge and highlight a few more entries. Over the past few weeks I have featured some 20 entries but remember 220 were entered and many fanciers just send to Davie Black the colour and the ring number. Now, if any fancier would like his pigeon highlighted just send me the details of past performances. Former Yearling National winners Rafferety&Toman of Gilford have entered blue chequer hen 08 Allez France 51st Open Penzance YB National; 258th Open Sennen Cove Yearling National and now in line to win the Triple Crown Diploma.

Blue hen 07 Sissie bred and raced by PJ Corcotan&Son of Balbriggan 41st Open Sennen Cove Yearling National 08; 243rd Open Kings Cup Vannes 09. Blue chequer cock 08 Pauls Pride entered by Paul Thornton of Droheda 267th Open Skibbereen YB National 08; 213th Open Sennen Cove Yearling National 09. Mealy cock 05 Fading Light bred and raced by Harry McKeown of Glenavy 147th Open Sennen Cove Yearling National 06; 44th Open NIPA Lamballe 07. Chequer hen 06 Mary Kate bred and raced by P & K Braniff Colin 167th Open Sennen Cove Yearling National 07; 254th Open Kings Cup Vannes 09. Blue cock 06, bred and raced by Capper Bros of Bondhill 7th open Kings Cup Vannes 09. The Single Bird Challenge is now well established in the INFC programme.