Homers Odyssey
Mid Antrim Combine Diploma winners 2023 -
The popular Mid Antrim Combine was formed getting close to 50 years ago by the late Davy Campbell of Harryville to give some publicity and note performance by local lofts in the Ballymena Area. Founder members were Ballymena & District, Harryville, Ballymena Championship, Kells & District, Ahoghill, Cullybackey and Broughshane. In later years Rasharkin and Randalstown were added along with New Antrim when they moved their base to Ballymena. The Ballymena Championship and New Antrim Amal clubs have now closed.
Over its long history many top awards have been won including Kings Cups for Alan Darragh and Jimmy Greer and members have won at the highest level in the NIPA with a big list of Derby and National 1sts and many 1st’s as well achieved in the all-Ireland Irish Nat Flying Club. Numerous Fancier of the Year awards have been won in the NIPA including in Sect B, and, the Northern Ireland Fancier of the Year award on occasions.
Winners Galore in the Mid Antrim Combine 2023: The race winners are presented with a winning diploma, only one per loft regardless of number of 1sts. Danny Dixon had 8 x 1sts, Young McManus & Sons (Ahoghill flying Club) and K & K Kernohan & Sons (Ballymena & District) had 3 x 1sts each. Martin Graham (Ballymena & District), Harold Cubitt (Rasharkin & District), Alan Darragh (Cullybackey), Gary Gibson (Cullybackey), J Smyth & Son (Ahoghill Flying Club), J Eagleson & Sons (Ballymena & District), and S Johnston & Son (Ballymena & District) had 2 x 1sts each. Results collated by Mervyn Eagleson Mid Antrim PO.
Danny Dixon of Dunloy holding his Mid Antrim Combine winner from Fermoy (2). In 2023 the loft had 8 x 1sts.
Diplomas for Mid Antrim Combine 2023 Season –
OLD BIRD RACES
Tullamore 15/04/23
46 Members 1311 Birds
1 H Cubitt Rasharkin 1757
2 H Cubitt Rasharkin 1756
Harold Cubitt from Rasharkin, 1st & 2nd MAC Tullamore.
3 Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1753
1st Roscrea (Sun) 23/04/23
Young McManus & Sons from Ahoghill 1st MAC from Roscrea.
51 Members 1445 Birds
1 Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1361
2 J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1360
3 G Gibson Cullybackey 1339
2nd Roscrea (Fri) 28/04/23
62 Members 1875 Birds
1 A Darragh Cullybackey 1477
2 Surgenor Bros Kells 1465
3 A Darragh Cullybackey 1464
1st Fermoy (Sun) 07/05/23
53 Members 1472 Birds
1 Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1934
2 J Rock Harryville 1919
3 J Rock Harryville 1919
2nd Fermoy 13/05/23
60 Members 1686 Birds
1 D Dixon Rasharkin 1632
2 C Moore Cullybackey 1614
3 Young & McManus & Sons 1610
Skibbereen OB Inland National (Fri) 19/05/23
36 Members 279 Birds
1 G Gibson Cullybackey 1361
Gary Gibson holding his 1st Comb & 1st Sect winner from Skibbereen OB Inland Nat.
2 Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 1354
3 Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1349
Pilmore Beach (Mon) 22/05/23
43 Members 978 Birds
1 D Dixon Rasharkin 1197
2 Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1183
3 H Cubitt Rasharkin 1181
1st Talbenny 26/05/23
50 Members 806 Birds
1 A Barkley & Son Kells 1400
Jonathan Barkley and Laura Surgenor with their Combine & Section winner from 1st Talbenny.
2 T Whyte Ahoghill 1380
3 A Darragh Cullybackey 1379
2nd Talbenny 03/06/23
Alan Darragh 1st Mid Antrim Combine from 2nd Talbenny.
52 Members 721 Birds
1 A Darragh Cullybackey 1416
2 A Darragh Cullybackey 1365
3 D Dixon Rasharkin 1363
3rd Fermoy 03/06/23
41 Members 535 Birds
1 Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1393
2 J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1377
3 Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1377
Fermoy 5 Bird Championship 03/06/23
25 Members 113 Birds
1 D Dixon Rasharkin 1372
2 Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1367
3 Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1361
Bude (Sun) 11/06/23
32 Members 278 Birds
1 J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1247
Jimmy Smyth of Ahoghill 1st MAC & 1st Sect Bude.
2 T Whyte Ahoghill 1218
3 Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1214
Fermoy Yearling National (Sun) 11/06/23
22 Members 140 Birds
1 Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1585
Bertie Blair of Ballymena with his Mid Antrim Combine winner from Fermoy Ylr National.
2 J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1580
3 D Dixon Rasharkin 1565
Penzance (Thur) 22/06/23
47 Members 373 Birds
1 J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1344
Johnston Eagleson from Ballymena won Penzance and OB Classic.
2 J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1340
3 Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 1303
Penzance OB Classic (Thur) 22/06/23
1 J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1344
2 Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 1303
3 T Whyte Ahoghill 1302
4th Fermoy 17/06/23
30 Members 315 Birds
1 H Cubitt Rasharkin 1393
2 T Whyte Ahoghill 1381
3 D Dixon Rasharkin 1373
Saint Malo National (Thur) 22/06/23
1 Balmer, Young & Sons Ahoghill 627
Tom Young of Ahoghill Flying Club, 1st MAC in St Malo OB National.
2 A & C & T Tweed Rasharkin 625
3 Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 575
YOUNG BIRDS
Kilbeggan (1) (Mon) 24/07/23
29 Members 654 Birds
1 K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1251
2 Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1239
3 D Dixon Rasharkin 1233
2nd Kilbeggan (Fri) 28/07/23
44 Members 1341 Birds
1 J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1991
2 D Dixon Rasharkin 1974
3 Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1967
Tullamore (Fri) 04/08/23
52 Members 1276 Birds
1 J Rock Harryville 1439
Jimmy Rock (r) with son in law and loft helper Daryl 1st Mid Antrim Combine Tullamore 1,276 birds.
2 Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1428
3 Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1426
1st Roscrea (Fri) 11/08/23
43 Members 1204 Birds
1 D Dixon Rasharkin 2110
2 S Johnston & Son Ballymena 2072
3 S Johnston & Son Ballymena 2064
2nd Roscrea (Sun) 20/08/23
46 Members 1230 Birds
1 S Johnston & Son Ballymena 2155
Shane Johnston of Ballymena with his Mid Antrim Combine winner from 2nd Roscrea.
2 H Cubitt Rasharkin 2068
3 Joshua Whyte Ahoghill 2062
Fermoy 26/08/23
50 Members 1205 Birds
1 S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1278
2 D Dixon Rasharkin 1262
3 S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1247
Fermoy 5 Bird Champ 26/08/23
1 K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1246
2 Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1231
3 A Barkley & Son Kells 1214
Dale YB National 02/09/23
1 G Gibson Cullybackey 1358
2 D Dixon Rasharkin 1356
3 A & C & T Tweed Rasharkin 1355
3rd Roscrea 02/09/23
32 Members 586 Birds
1 D Dixon Rasharkin 1612
2 D Dixon Rasharkin 1611
3 G Gibson Cullybackey 1608
2nd Fermoy (Fri) 08/09/23
32 Members 648 Birds
1 D Dixon Rasharkin 1558
2 D Dixon Rasharkin 1554
3 W McFetridge Rasharkin 1539
Skibbereen National 16/09/23
28 Members 241 Birds
1 K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1039.8
Keith Kernohan with son Lewis and grandson Ross and their Skibbereen National Combine winner.
2 Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1039.5
3 D Dixon Rasharkin 1009
I.N.F.C Races
Skibbereen OB Nat (Tue) 30/05/23
1 D Dixon Rasharkin 1275
2 A Darragh Cullybackey 1268
3 Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 1267
Sennen Cove Ylr Nat (Wed) 14/06/23
1 Martin Graham Ballymena 1398
2 Martin Graham Ballymena 1206
3 Martin Graham Ballymena 1176
Kings Cup St Allouestre (Sun) 02/07/23
1 Joey Wright Ballymena 561
Joey Wright of Ballymena & District, had only bird timed in Kings Cup.
Friendship Nat St Malo (Fri) 07/07/23
1 S & N Doherty Cullybackey 1566
S & N Doherty of Cullybackey, 1st MAC Friendship Nat St Malo.
2 H Turkington Kells 1474
3 D Dixon Rasharkin 1423
Penzance YB Nat (Wed) 06/09/23
1 M Graham Ballymena 1452
Martin Graham celebrates at the Irish Nat dinner presentation winning both the Yearling Nat and YB Grand National Penzance.
2 J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1332
3 A Darragh Cullybackey 1301
Skibbereen YB Nat (Fri) 22/09/23
1 D Dixon Rasharkin 1234
2 D Dixon Rasharkin 1233
3 D Dixon Rasharkin1228.
The late Ken Parker who raced in Ballymena Championship showing his wife the Old Bird Derby winner from St Malo in 1964. It was a Golden Era for local lofts with race winners including Erwin Bros Ballymena 1948, James Anderson Cullybackey 1956, William Erwin Ballymena 1962, Ken Parker 1964 and then McClintock Bros Ballymena in 1970.
Racing starts Saturday 20th April with a race from Kilbeggan remember to send me info on the 1st Sect winners in the area I cover Sect A, B, E & H and that lot maybe including 1st Open NIPA. Photos appreciated of members holding their winning birds. The more that is supplied the better the coverage, Mervyn Eagleson will be covering Mid Antrim Combine as usual, great job he does as well.
HOMER. Willie Reynolds
Tel/Fax: (028) 256 44683
Mobile: 07538 238364
Twitter: willie reynolds@homerbhw>
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www.irishnationalflyingclub.com
