NIPA & AROUND
BY ADIE
BLUE
JEAN WINS Y/B NATIONAL
With the young bird
programme running one week late after the delayed start due to the terrible
summer weather the Premier Young Bird National for the NIPA was not flown
until Saturday 1st September. The convoy of 3,420 birds sent by 582 members
was released in Talbenny (South Wales) at 11.00am in a Light Westerly
wind. A mixture of sunshine and showers had the birds well split up with
the Co.Armagh area of the country enjoying an excellent batch of early
arrivals.
Eddie McKnight of the Portadown Inv holding 'Blue Jean' 1st Open NIPA Y/B National Talbenny
Eddie McKnight of Portadown, Co.Armagh has raced impeccably over the last
few years, especially in the Y/Bird programmes although when you look
at his competitive C.V which dates back to 1968 Eddie has had a generous
hand of success over the years across the board. Formally racing with
the East Down Combine he has been involved in different levels with a
number of clubs over the years namely with the EDC and the NIPA. Currently
he races with the Portadown Inv HPS which as a Club are having a fantastic
season flying with the NIPA and indeed the membership are mirroring that
success with the Irish National Flying Club. Even with the excellent C.V.
that Eddie McKnight carries this is the first Open success he has enjoyed
since commencing racing some 40 years ago. Liberated at 11.00am in a Westerly
wind many fanciers in and around the area were talking about making the
Section result but with a West wind the majority had excepted that the
Open wouldn't be won in and around the Portadown area. Its
not often in this press job that circumstances work with you, but prior
to this weeks race I had already arranged to go to Portadown and see the
Master himself RON WILLIAMSON and just at this point would like to thank
him for setting up photo opportunites with the 1st & 2nd Open from
the Y/B National at such short notice and accompanying me firstly to Eddie
McKnight's and secondly to the Matchett family home. Getting back to the
1st Open win for Eddie McKnight the pigeon in question a Blue Hen was
clocked at 3.09pm flying 192 miles and was sent just mated to an old cock
that was placed in the Y/B Hens section a few days before basketing, the
breeding is non other than Fred Bloor a former National Flying Club winner
from Pau, the sire a good racer himself was 300th Open in the Yearling
National and went on last year to be 52nd Open Kings Cup the dam also
has proved herself at the distance finishing 4th Club St Malo, the loft
finishing 4th Open that particular year. Eddie told me that he has named
the pigeon ''Blue Jean" after his late wife who sadly passed away
4 years ago, he was telling me that for a lady who never came from a pigeon
back ground she took to the birds right away and was a smashing help around
the lofts admitting that some weeks she had more joy getting them trapped
than himself. Last year the McKnight loft finished 19th Open in this corresponding
race and the loft lifted the Harper Cup at the annual NIPA Ladies Night
for the best average O/B and Y/B Nationals. Excellent flying Eddie and
many thanks for offering a youngster of the National winner to be auctioned
at the PigeonNetwork Night of the Year in Ballyclare Comerades Football
Club on Friday 2nd November where Bilco (Bill Cowell) First time in Ireland
along with Fred Bloor and Alan Darragh will be on the Quiz Panel along
with a few other Stars within the Pigeon Scene. Managing the questions
on the night will be the excellent Ronnie Johnston (RP Scribe) (An Excellent
night ahead for the diary with some outstanding pigeons on auction)
The E Machett & Sons partnership from Edgarstown finished 2nd Open in the Y/B National pictured here are Mathew, Marion, Richard and Eddie.
2nd Open and 16th in the National and another Eddie this time Eddie Matchett
who many will know races a super team of pigeons with many of the up and
coming superstars coming down from pigeons gifted by that master himself
RON WILLIAMSON. I recall the Matchett family having a sale in the mid
nineties following Eddie suffering a heart attack, a lot of the top birds
that day made excellent money with some of the main pigeons being purchased
by the late Bertie Fletcher, these including Game Lady the Hall of Fame
winner for the loft she was clocked three years on the trot on the day
from the INFC Kings Cup finishing an impressive 156th, 18th and 35th Open.
Calling at the family home I was greeted by Marion, Eddies wife and also
present was sons Andrew and Richard. Signs of an excellent pigeon family
are very evident when you see the calibre of pigeons that I was shown
including, a Black Cheq Hen who has now won a Silver Diploma with the
NIPA, this is awarded for a pigeon making the O/B National result three
times having won the Bronze Diploma last year the hen was clocked this
year from Lamballe to finish 37th Open following 27th Open Portland 2005
and 79th Open St Malo 2006. Prize winner after winner after winner from
a very small back garden operation. Eddie himself cant go into the birds
so a vast amount of the work is carried out by his wife Marion who as
Ron Williamson put it "Has them eating out of her hand" commenting
as the local trainer Ronnie told me when Marion puts the Young Birds into
his transporter they are looking to get back out to her, she has them
so tame. The 2nd open National pigeon in question is a Blue Cock timed
at 3.10pm flying 192 miles the sire is a gift bird from Ron Williamson
when mated to a 98 hen gifted to Eddie from Ernie Mallon of Banbridge,
this hen Eddie tells me has bred him some pigeons over the years. Racing
60 years on and off Eddie and family are still to this day a major player
in and around the Portadown area indeed they have been top prize winners
in the Edgarstown Club for the last three years and are enjoying success
also with the INFC were the loft timed two arrivals in the Friendship
National this year finishing 25th and 75th Open this on top of 21st and
49th Open in the same race last year. The E Matchett & Sons partnership
are one you will no doubt be seeing on the race result pages for a few
more years to come, very well done to Eddie, Marion and sons Andrew and
Richard who are also very assured and hard working around the lofts unless
their's a Rugby game to be played.
The Bronze medal winner for the 3rd time in three weeks Alan McDonald of the Portadown Inv.
3rd Open goes to Alan McDonald of the Portadown Inv, now Alan needs to
be presented with a monster of a Bronze medal, three times third Open
in as many weeks, firstly with the NIPA Clonmel, then we had the INFC
Y/B National 3rd Open followed this week by 3rd Open from the NIPA Y/B
National Talbenny. A born National winner through and through Alan certainly
has the Y/Birds going very well this year, he was telling me at the Banbridge
Clock station recently that he has now filled the top five racing positions
in the INFC finishing 1st Open Kings Cup, 2nd Open Yearling National,
3rd Open Y/B National, 4th Open Kings Cup and finally 5th Open Kings Cup
from Lerwick (North Route). One of the true gentlemen of the National
scene around that part of the country.
Paul Gregg pictured along with one of the best pigeon fanciers in the World Ron Williamson pictured here holding 1st and 6th Open O/Hens National INFC
Now back to the man in question and my reason for going to Portadown in
the first place RON WILLIAMSON. What a racer he must rank high among the
best in the World, just last week Ron won his fourth 1st Open National
which will sit nice along side his list of six times 2nd National and
of course 49 times 1st Open in the Mighty NIPA yes FORTY NINE TIMES with
birdage topping the 30,000 mark Ron has until the last few months took
a back step from racing for the last 3 - 4 years due to a terrible motorbike
accident that still forces son Dell to use crutches, with running back
and forward to the hospital and countless operations trying to save Dell's
leg it just wasn't possible for Ron to put the same level of work into
them as previously but I have a feeling he is back. Now for the detail
of the INFC National winner a Blue 4 year old Hen who on the road had
won the following Pilmore Beach 19th Section E 5,127 birds finishing 53rd
Open 25,641 birds; Talbenny (2) 24th Section E 2,592 birds finishing 46th
Open 11,205 birds; last year clocked in the Kings Cup early 2nd morning
but just outside the prizes this year 66th Open Portsmouth INFC and then
went on to win the O/Hens National with the INFC (SUPER PIGEON) no surprise
when you see the pedigree, Sire is a full brother to "Champion Heartbreaker''
(A CLASS CLASS PIGEON) when mated to a daughter of 'Dell Boy' who won
1st Open Wexford 25,243 birds, 3rd Open Bude 11,860 birds and 7th Open
Wexford 4,222 birds. Now that daughter of 'Dell Boy' herself was 3rd Open
Talbenny Y/B National. As well as winning the National Ron also clocked
another arrival to be 6th Open in the race the pigeon in question this
time again a 4 year old finished 8th Open in this same race in 2005 and
was clocked the second morning last year from the Kings Cup, bred by good
friend Paul Gregg of the Gregg Bros & McCandless partnership breeding
is Frank Tasker on one side when mated to Ronnies own gifted birds on
the other side. On the same day the INFC Y/B National was flown in conjunction
with the O/Hens National the Williamson Lofts enjoyed success here as
well finishing 6th & 7th Open with two Blue Cocks and will win the
Two Bird Average Y/B National. RON WILLIAMSON also recently won the NIPA
Penzance Classic with a Blue Cheq Widowhood Yearling Cock in a North Wind
(that is something I have noticed about the Williamson success's recently
all in North winds) The Classic winners breeding on the Dams Side none
other than Classic Lady who won the Penzance Classic finishing 3rd Open
from Penzance in the process in 1997 as a Yearling, she is off the Champion
Five Times A Lady. Classic Lady was mated to a son of Millennium Superstar
to produce this years NIPA Classic Winner so a Classic Winner breeds a
Classic Winner. In the most recent races Ron Williamson had five birds
in the top 100 of the INFC Friendship National also winning the Two Bird
Average, in the INFC Y/B National six pigeons in the first 64 of the Open
also winning the Two Bird Average and of course as just profiled two arrivals
in the O/Hens National. As we head to Fermoy next week with the NIPA I
recall this time last year when Ron took the first six in the NIPA Open
from the Fermoy race. From the Talbenny National on Saturday the Williamson
loft finished 15th Open NIPA.
Mark and Malachy Maguire of Newry & District HPS pictured along with Homer what a fortnight of racing the partnership have enjoyed six firsts in one weekend.
Looking down the list of Club results another name in my mind is that
of the M Maguire & Son of Newry Malachy and son Mark have also had
a couple of tremendous weeks of racing not surprising as they can always
be counted on to be their in the big distance events. They win the Newry
Club this week from the Talbenny National finishing 19th Open winning
£287. Now this is on top of winning 1st Club Newry & District,
1st Club Millvale HPS and 1st North/South Federation in the INFC Y/B National
finishing 25th Open the pigeon in question is bred down from the best
of Jim Biss a Black W/F Cock who was always in the clock over the season.
On the same day the father and son team mirrored that list of achievements
in the O/Hens National finishing 23rd Open this time the pigeon in question
a three year old Blue Pied Jan Arden, this pigeon has flown France a few
times and finished 3rd Federation this year from Portsmouth. I have already
started a loft profile on the partnership named Pigeons Made of Steel
which I hope to get finished shortly.
David Calvin enjoyed an excellent race from the Talbenny National 8th, 9th and 11th Open.
Trevor Kennedy of the Moira based partnership of T & G Kennedy have enjoyed excellent National results over the last couple of weeks.
NIPA Open Talbenny YB National 582/3,430
E McKnight Portadown Inv 1354 £188, E Matchett & Sons Edgarstown
1351 £153, A McDonald Portadown Inv 1336 £136, P Breen Portadown
Inv 1329 £106, M Robinson Bondhill 1325 £85, R D Calvin Annaghmore
1324 ABCDEFG £456, P Boyd Annaghmore 1323 £51, D Calvin Bondhill
1322 £51, D Calvin 1320 DEF £243, K Murphy Cookstown 1317
£51, D Calvin 1314 £51, S Rodney & Son Ballyclare 1311
ABCDE £177, P Boyd Annaghmore 1311 £51, Donnelly Bros Newry
City 1310 D £78, R Williamson Bondhill 1309 ABCDE £148, E
Matchett & Sons 1308 £27, J Mount & Son Milltown 1305 ABCDEF
£161, A Neill Laurelvale 1305 £27, M Maguire & Son Newry
& Dist 1303 ABCDEFG & NOM £287, R McMeekin Kingsmoss 1302
£27, T & G Kennedy Moira 1302 £27, N Weir Loughgall 1299
£27, J Burrows Eastway 1298 £27, R McMeekin 1298 £27,
M & F Russell Dromore WE 1298 £27.
Adie McCormick
Irelands Own Pigeon Auctions
www.pigeonnetwork.com
Tele. 028 92604778