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I N F C Skibbereen 16-10-18

INFC Race Report by Willie Reynolds

Excellent INFC YB National from Skibbereen -

 

The Irish National Flying Club final race of the 2018 season was delayed due to poor weather conditions, one day it’s perfect and the next hopeless. The race was due to be flown on Saturday 22nd September but the birds were marked that day for a proposed Monday liberation. Everything worked out well with the birds released in Skibbereen at 9.30am in a light North Westerly wind. After a poor young bird season all round entries were well down and probably not helped with both NIPA and ISRF racing on the same weekend from County Cork. In the Irish Nat FC 232 members across Ireland sent 2,022 birds competing for pools and prize-money of £8,653 a big reduction over the previous three years. In 2017 255/2,275 competing for £9,211, 2016 it was 310/2,966 and 2015 up again at 385/3,622.  

 

As with the Old Bird National the race was divided into 3 x Sections and I will cover the Top 5 in each section in this article. Any one of the three Sections could have won the race, always a good sign of success. Overall winners were N Edgar & Son from Dromara 1st North Sect doing velocity 1578, Middle Sect 1st & 2nd was Thomas McLoughlin of Finglas winner doing velocity 1567, and 1st South Sect was the Bolger Family Wexford North & South doing velocity 1556. It was a unique weekend for the winners N Edgar & Son, in the race from Rosscarbery National the previous day the loft won 1st Open NIPA. 

 

1st Open, 1st North Section, N Edgar & Son, Dromara, Vel 1578, Flying 235 miles, winning £416 and the Tom Marshall Trophy

Derek Edgar of N Edgar & Son Dromara H.P.S with left “Wee Chrissy” winner 1st Open INFC Skibbereen and

right “Champion 06” winner 1st Open NIPA Rosscarberry.

 

Winning 1st North Section & 1st Open is N. Edgar & Son of Dromara in County Down close to the famous Golden Mile at Dromore. The loft has had the most fantastic young bird season winning 3 x 1st Sections with the N.I.P.A. plus of course Rosscarbery the previous day. Indeed the whole Dromara club have had a tremendous season having a host of top open positions from all the members. With father Norman sadly passing away only last year son Derek is the main man. The pigeon timed was a small to medium dark check hen called “Wee Chrissy”, named after Derek’s mother. Sent feeding a seven day young bird, her sire is Ceusters Geoff Greenaway while her dam is Ceusters Vink and Soojten, she was actually 1st Open Roscrea young bird last year. A darkness young bird she had flown most of the young bird programme including Dunmanway the week before, having never being out of the first ten home to the loft. The young birds had maybe only one twenty mile training toss per week. It turned out a fantastic two days for this loft, 2 x 1st Nat in 2 days will be hard to equal. 

 

2nd & 3rd North Section, Glen Buckley & Sons, Annaghmore, Vel 1576.3 & 1576.1, Flying 229 miles, winning £238

G Buckley & Son from Annaghmore, 2nd & 3rd Open INFC Skibbereen.

 

Skibbereen saw another top performance from another familiar name, Glen Buckley and son Johnny from the Annaghmore club. This is another loft with an impressive record having been 1st Open NIPA Lamballe in 2004, 1st Open NIPA Portland in 2005, and 1st Open NIPA Lamballe in 2007 plus many other top positions including 2nd Open King’s Cup in 2009, 7th Open King’s Cup in 2010, 8th Open Friendship National in 2010, 3rd Open Penzance Young Bird National in 2015 and 4th Open King’s Cup in 2017. 2nd Open winner from Skibbereen was Black Cheq cock - Breeding Buckley Sootjen lines. Father bred previous 1st and 2nd NIPA Rosscarbery 2014. Mother breed 1st Open Rosscarbery Old Birds 2014. Previous race record, raced every young bird race bar Rosscarbery the day previous. 3rd Open in Skibbereen was Blue Cheq cock Breeding Buckley Sootjen lines. Previous race history was the same as above. This is another loft we will hear plenty from in the years ahead. 

 

4th & 5th North Section, Jeff Greenaway, Dromore, Vel 1571.4 & 1571.1, flying 235 miles, winning 451

Card of the Day for Jeff Greenaway of Dromore, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th & 9th Open INFC etc.

Jeff Greenaway from Dromore had another super race and had one of the best Cards of the Day. Sensational performance with World Class Dirk Van den Bulck & Ace Wonder Pitbull all bred by P & D Racing & Breeding Stud UK. Jeff Greenaway was 4th & 5th Open with the first two birds timed, first pigeon was Cheq Pied cock and second pigeon was Blue cock. 

 

4th National INFC - Sire Direct from The Best Breeding Brother To Olympic ROSITA Mother to KITTEL Griepel Mr Specialized also bred same day 4th National UNC 11,000 pigeons. Dam Direct from Super Racer Ace Wonder Pitbull 210 top sprint Hen in Belguim Direct Daughter Grizzly ACE 780 Son Favourite Pitbull x Lady Pitbull.

 

5th National INFC - Sire The Boeckx Cock Direct Dirk van den Bulck From Half Brother To Sire To Olympic ROSITA x Daughter of KITTEL x Saganne 2 Full Wonder sister Sagan PATRICK BOECKX. Dam is a sensational direct Breeding Daughter of NEUIEW Goede Roede x Famous GOLDEN LADY a half-sister to Goede Roede Broer Goede Roede.

 

Jeff Greenaway had the top five birds in Dromore to finish 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th Open INFC, and another five birds placed, super result from a super loft - Ranked among the Best in Europe!

 

1st & 2nd Middle Section, T McLoughlin & Son, Finglas, Vel 1567 & 1564, flying 177 miles, winning £336

Thomas McLoughlin & Son from Finglas, 1st & 2nd in the Middle Section.

 

Thomas McLoughlin & Son from Finglas in Dublin scored a good 1st & 2nd in the Middle Section, plus 11th & 13th in the National and the week prior to that 3rd Middle Sect & 13th in the Penzance Nat. 1st bird from Skibbereen was bred by Sean Hunt and family ace racers in the Sarsfield just confirmed ISRF’s top flyers again this season, their fourth year running to be Combined Champions, ISRF’s top Young Bird flyers also, for the sixth year running and also had the Champion Old Bird and Champion Young Bird. 2nd bird was 50% Gerry O’Mara another loft needing no introduction lines crossed with a Vandenabelle hen. As mentioned they also had a great result from the young bird Penzance finishing 3rd Section & 13th National. That bird is a Frans Zwools x Vandenabelle. Thomas said “We are racing all our lives and have won our fair share of club wins, also Feds & Open results over the many years. Now race 24 widowhood cocks and they fly the complete program on this system including France”. On top of that they race 50 youngsters on the darkness. 

 

3rd Middle Section, P Rock & Son Skerries, Vel 1561, flying 183 miles, winning £58

The bird timed by P Rock & Son from Skerries, 3rd Middle Sect & 17th Open.

 

Martin Rock (l) collecting award at ECF Dinner in Balbriggan from Brendan McLoughlin.

 

Another loft needing no introduction, the top ECF loft from the Skerries have won many top places and awards, including the Blue Riband Kings Cup from St Nazaire in 1997 when racing in Malahide. Paddy and son Martin timed a Blue cock of Herman Ceuster breeding. He is a darkness young bird and was sent to Skibbereen unpaired. He raced well during the year being 10th Club Mallow & 9th Club Tramore. We would like to congratulate N Edgar & Son on a great weekends racing & thank Mick Gorman for his work running the INFC clock station.

 

4th Middle Section, Thorpe, Ward & McMorrow, Trim RPC, Vel 1560, flying 181 miles, winning £117

Ace racers from Trim former Kings Cup winner H Thorpe, Ward & McMorrow. The staff at Proudstown holding the two National pigeons.

Herbie Thorpe won the Kings Cup with Bert’s Girl in 2015 from St Allouestre.

 

A new racing partnership now flying in Trim RPC, Thorpe, Ward & McMorrow. Main man Herbie Thorpe won the Blue Riband Kings Cup with Bert’s Girl in 2015 from St Allouestre, I remember their big night at the presentation. Since that Herbie has established a Breeding & Pigeon Supplies store at Proudstown, and are breeding major winners galore, as well as scoring top results for themselves. The Yearling Nat 1st South Section winner earlier this year is a grand-daughter of Bert’s Girl the 2015 Kings Cup winner, the 4th Middle Section Skibbereen is Andre Roodhooft, she also won 1st Pilmore Beach & 1st Section two weeks earlier. 

 

5th Middle Section, S Duran, Blanchardstown RPC, Vel 1555, flying 174 miles, winning £130

 

Safet Duran just returned to Ireland after winning Algarve Great Derby, was 5th Middle Sect from Skibbereen.

Safet, just back from Algarve, sent me the following details. “This was a good race for me with 6 pigeons placing (5th,10th,12th,13th,27th and 30th Middle Section taking 22nd, 59th, 62nd,  63rd,107th and 112th National).

 

The pigeon which was 5th Middle Section & 22nd Nat is medium size Blue cock 75% Van Loon /Janssen and 25 % Louis Cooreman. He is the full brother of my super hen named Vandara 2nd Skibbereen Old Bird INFC in 2017 against 4,666 birds. She also won club and was 16th Barleycove Open against 5,638 birds. Father of the pigeon is son of Daro. Daro is one of the best racing and breeding pigeon for Louis Cooreman and Bob Fenech. Daro did same in my stock loft until I replaced him with his son. Daro was paired to my Van Loon/Janssen hen which is one of my best breeding line of pigeons, also breeder and full sister of my best Van Loon/Janssens with so many winners inland and scoring on channel right up to Kings Cup. Dam is my racing and breeding hen also Van Loon. She raced well for me and won in club and got few time in Top 10 in club, she also scored in ISRF and INFC until I put her in stock. She turned out to be an exceptional breeder.

 

I wish to congratulate the winner and thank Liam Donnelly for bringing my clock in to Balbriggan Centre for me as I was working. Also I would like to thank everyone who congratulated me on winning Algarve Great Derby, especially the lads who welcomed me over there in Algarve”. Thanks Safet, well done both here and International. 

 

1st South Section, Bolger Family, Wexford North & South, Vel 1556, flying 130 miles, winning £271

The Bolger Family from Wexford, 1st South Sect and good card as well.

 

The winner of 1st South Sect for the Bolger Family, Wexford North & South.

The Bolger Family racing in the Wexford North & South won 1st in the South Section more often than not this area if not overall winners are well placed. The sire of the winning pigeon was purchased from Michael Holman  of Wexford  and the dam was bred from club mate Leo Dobbs Jnr. The pigeon flew consistently all year finishing 3rd Fed Owenihinca also 6th Fed Pilmore Beach, both times beaten by loft mates. The Bolger Family positions in South Sect were 1st, 9th, 10th, 13th and 23rd to complete a good race, thanks Lenny for the info.

 

2nd South Section, J J Hurley, Barrow Valley, Vel 1539, flying 132 miles, winning £155

 

J J Hurley from Barrow Valley, 2nd South Sect from Skibbereen.

J J Hurley has been a top performer for many years, after a removal sale last season he has started to score again and Skibbereen looks like a favourite point. 2nd South Sect this time, and recently 1st South Sect Skibb OB in 2016 and 4th South Sect Skibb YB in 2014. The loft has won 4 x 1st Nationals flying both North & South from 125 387 miles, has over 50 x 1st Federation and over 80 x 1sts at Club level. 

 

3rd & 4th South Section, Leonard, De Ridder & Callo, Arklow United RPC, Vel 1531.6 & 1531.6, flying 157 miles, winning £158

Leonard & De Ridder winners of the race in 2017, 3rd & 4th South Sect 2018.

 

Well placed again in the South Section, the top Arklow partnership of Sheldon Leonard, De Ridder & Callo who were the winners of this race in 2017. They race fantastic bloodlines, as can be seen in the detail below. 

 

The first one on the clock is bred from two original Dirk Van Den Bulcks and the sire is “INBRED GOEDE RODE” from the line of De 992 BROER GOEDE RODE. The dam is a daughter of the SUPER SPRINT 979 when paired to a son of KITTELS brother  when he was paired to Kittels daughter and her half-sister, bred 1st NPO this year for Marcel Sangers. 

Herbies White Kittle winner of 1st Open Skibbereen YB last year raced by Leonard & Deridder of Arklow.

 

2nd bird on clock is a full brother to their own 1st & 6th National Barleycove in 2017. Sire is a son of BOLT-ll, full brother to Bolt sold for ?310,000 Leo Heremans and the Mother is a daughter of THE-BOLT. Best breeding son of BOLT. So the 2nd pigeon is totally inbred Bolt.

 

5th South Section, Donal Begley, Carlow & District, Vel 1529, flying 132 miles, winning £40

Donal Begley from Carlow & District, 5th South Section.

 

Best bird in Carlow was timed by Donal Begley his Janssen cock, was on the on darkness system, and feeding on natural products from Sheldon Leonard of Arklow.

 

The INFC Committee are grateful once again for all the help at the race marking, and also all those involved in the various Clock Centres across Ireland over the days of the race, every little bit of help is appreciated. On a personal note thanks to all those who supplied text and photos for this report, some at short notice, or helped in any other way. The more info we get the better job can be done, any little snips, details of the bird itself plus info on the sire and dam. Any awards won previous, how long in the birds etc. This report is the Top 10, results from Clubs, Feds, Combine, etc. to follow. This will complete my first season back as PO, I have tried to extend coverage as best as possible and feature as many winners as possible. They don’t all fall within the Top 10. The Annual Dinner & Prize presentation will be held at the Stormont Hotel in Belfast on Friday 23rd November, tickets at £30 should be booked ASAP, rooms at the hotel can be booked through Secretary Trevor Topping or Ronnie Johnston Tel: (028) 90 483625. I hope to feature some of the seasons special award winners following the presentation of prizes, our Website www.pigeonnetwork had a dedicated board for INFC, look in the Forum, also we have an INFC History site, link for it on the front page. 

 

Willie Reynolds - INFC Press Officer

Tel/Fax: (028) 256 44683 - Mobile: 07538 238364

Twitter: willie reynolds@homerbhw

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