Mid Antrim Combine - Penzance 19/06/10

[willie reynolds]

The longest race prior to France was flown last weekend with the NIPA birds released in Penzance at 9.30am in a Lt NE wind, liberation having been delayed due to fog and mist. With headwind conditions over the entire route a hard race was expected and that how it turned out with birds getting recorded till near dark. Winners still made very good time and locally the best bird was timed by W & J Smyth of Ballymena & Dist at 18.44hrs recording velocity 1045 for the 329 miles. They had the only bird before the hour and only around 30 arrivals were recorded at Cullybackey Centre. It’s getting a bit of a favourite race for Billy & Joe Smyth who have topped the Sect B twice in recent seasons from this point. Next best was Reid Bros & McCloy from Cullybackey racing to The Rock, followed by George Connolly 1st in Broughshane and Billy Ramsey 1st in Harryville HPS.

Danny Dixon who races at Dunloy has had a best ever old bird season, runner-up at Bude he timed the same bird again to be best in the Coleraine Centre and take 1st Mid Antrim Combine on velocity 1062. This 2 year old Blue cock racing widowhood contains his best lines of his Nat winner Verschelde bloodlines and Sumo of Jos Thone. The loft has now won 6 x 1st in MAC which I believe is the record, 5 x 1st Sect and 2nd Open NIPA Penzance to follow up his 8th Open NIPA Bude.

Claims for the RPRA (Irish Region) Meritorious Award for single bird performance Talbenny (2) and Penzance should be made to Region Secretary Robert Reid within 14 days. The award is available in every NIPA Section and hopefully claims will be made from each area, for the best Overall Velocity the winner gets the Irish Region Trophy presented at the annual NIPA Ladies Night.

The Champions League was won by Martin Graham for Ballymena & District, he defeated Scott & Clements of Kells in the final flown from Penzance. Both had qualified the week previous when the semi-final matches at Bude were M Graham v A McBride and Scott & Clements v W & J Smyth. Another fantastic competition and thanks again to James Harris for the admin.

Race Marking for St Malo & Rosscarbery Yearling Nat arrangements are as follows. All monies/entry fees etc for the three races will be collected on Tuesday 22nd June, the Cullybackey Centre will be open between 8.30pm and 9.30pm. A separate club cheque is needed by the NIPA for each race, that is St Malo OB Nat, Yearling Cock Nat and Yearling Hen Nat. Race marking for St Malo will be early morning as usual Wednesday 23rd June between 6.30am and 9.30am. Birds for Rosscarbery will be race marked on Thursday 24th June between 4.00pm and 6.30pm and please note all clocks will be set for both races on Thursday, ready at 9.00pm. Weather permitting the races will be flown, St Malo (France) on Friday 25th June and the Rosscarbery Yearling Cock and Yearling Hen Nationals on Saturday 26th June. Entry Forms are with all local clubs for the Ballymena Ring Nom Race to be flown from Fermoy in August. Prizes will be based on the entry, as well as the winner getting the top prize the winning pigeon will also win a prize for the members club.

Homer will commence training with young birds very soon, collections will now be made in Dervock, Ballymoney HPS, Rasharkin, Cullybackey HPS, Galgorm/Cracehill, Ahoghill HPS, Randalstown, Antrim etc. Tel: 07939 684876 or 07538 238364 to make arrangements. Lost: Trying to break Red 08MDPR – 23989 and Red 08MDPR – 23992. Tel: (028) 25 898482.

Mid Antrim Combine Penzance 91/653 – D Dixon Rasharkin 1062, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1045, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 1010, G Connolly Broughshane 999, D Dixon 994, B Ramsey Harryville 994, G Connolly 980, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 978, A McBride Harryville 970, H Turkington Kells 959, J Balmer Ahoghill 958, Houston Bros Randalstown 957, A Purvis Broughshane 954, B Herbinson Cullybackey 953, D Dixon 952, W & J Smyth 952, J McNeill Randalstown 952, McAlonan Bros Ballymena 950, D Dixon 952, J Devlin Ballymena 942, A Darragh Cullybackey 940, A Barkley & Son Kells 936, H Boyd Randalstown 932, W & J Smyth 931, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 927, G Connolly 926, J Millar Randalstown 925, Richmond Bros Ballymena 925, C Young Ahoghill 923, S Steele Cullybackey 919,

D Dixon 918, J McNeill 917, D Dixon 914, McAlonan Bros 910, J Balmer 907, W & J Smyth 906, J & N Simpson Broughshane 906, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 902, J & J Greer Cullybackey 894, T McMillan Randalstown 892, Stewart Bros Randalstown 891, Milliken & Barkley Rasharkin 886, Houston Bros 885, J Balmer 883, J Rock Harryville 870, A C & T Tweed Rasharkin 867, H Boyd Kells 865, M Graham 861, S Steele 857, M Graham 854,

Surgenor Bros Kells 848, A & N Young Ahoghill 842, J Millar & Sons Harryville 840, J Balmer 820, H Boyd 819, Reid Bros & McCloy 818, H Smyth & Son Broughshane 810, C Young 808, R H Clements Harryville 804, McGowan & Maternaghan Ballymena 777, A Darragh 774, J Rock 745, Wray & McFadden Harryville 744, T Picken & Son New Antrim 637, H Smyth & Son 621.

Mid Antrim Clubs Penzance

Ballymena & Dist 11/68 – W & J Smyth 1045, 952, McAlonan Bros 950, J Devlin 942, W & J Smyth 931, Richmond Bros 925, McAlonan Bros 910, W & J Smyth 906, M Graham 861, 854.

Cullybackey 10/61 – Reid Bros & McCloy 1010, B Herbinson 953, A Darragh 940, S Steele 919, J & J Greer 894, S Steele 857, Reid Bros & McCloy 818, A Darragh 774.

Broughshane 9/62 – G Connolly 999, 980, A Purvis 954, J & N Simpson 906, H Smyth & Son 810, 621.

Harryville HPS 12/113 – B Ramsey 994, A McBride 970, J Rock 870, J Millar & Son 840, R H Clements 804, J Rock 745, Wray & McFadden 744.

Ahoghill Flying Club 14/109 – Young McManus & Sons 978, J Balmer 958, C Young 923, J Balmer 907, 883, A & N Young 842, J Balmer 820, C Young 808. Brooke Supplies 2 Bird Club – Young McManus & Sons 978, J Balmer 958.

Kells & Dist 10/81 – H Turkington 959, A Barkley & Son 936, H Boyd 865, Surgenor Bros 848.

Randalstown HPS 10/80 – Houston Bros 957, J McNeill 952, H Boyd 932, J Millar 925, J McNeill 917, T McMillan 892, Stewart Bros 891, Houston Bros 885.

Rasharkin & Dist 9/59 – Steele & McNeill 927, J & M Milliken 902, Milliken & Barkley 886, A C & T Tweed 867. D Dixon – 1062, 994, 952, 918, 914. Steele & McNeill Nom & DTW. Race sponsored by Leck Scaffolding (NI).

New Antrim Amalgamated 6/20 – T Picken & Son 637, McFall & McManus 589, M/M F Clarke 571, McFall & McManus 480.

Cullybackey Centre Penzance Classic – W & J Smyth Ballymena 1045, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 1010, G Connolly Broughshane 999, B Ramsey Harryville 994, G Connolly 980, A McBride Harryville 970, H Turkington 959, A Purvis Broughshane 954, B Herbinson Cullybackey 953, W & J Smyth 952, J Devlin Ballymena 942, A Darragh Cullybackey 940, H Boyd Kells 931, W & J Smyth 931, G Connolly 926, S Steele Cullybackey 919, W & J Smyth 906, J & N Simpson 906, J & J Greer Cullybackey 894, M Graham 861, S Steele 857, M Graham 854, H Boyd 819, Reid Bros & McCloy 818, H Smyth & Son Broughshane 810, R H Clements Harryville 804, McGowan & Maternaghan Ballymena 777, A Darragh 774.