FLYING INTO THE NORTH WEST OF IRELAND

BILLY KNOX

Portland & Mullingar 1 YBs

I have very few details at all when it comes to Portland, which isn’t surprising I suppose. I know that this year’s Section winner was Jim Whiteside from the Omagh club. Jim’s game pigeon also took 38th Open, and was the same bird that won the Section from St Malo last year, a really super pigeon indeed. Alan Hall also timed in the Omagh club to take 6th Section and 188th Open. Alan’s pigeon will get its bronze award for this, having flown France twice previous to this race.

Jim Whiteside - 1st Section 38th Open, a super pigeon, winner of 1st Section St Malo last year.

Up in the Derry clubs, we had three arrivals in race time. Billy Page from the Foyle club was the only day bird recorded. Experience again was the name of the game, as Billy’s bird was another that flew St Malo last year. Lightly raced this year, he only had three inland races before Portland. Billy takes second Section and is also in the top 100 in the Open. Another super channel pigeon by anyone’s standards. Two other fanciers timed in the town the next day, John Mc Groarty from the Maiden City club, and Derek Simpson from the Londonderry club. Great flying by all three men into the town. In total, only six game pigeons made it back in Section H over the three days.

Billy Page with his Portland winner

On then we go to the first young bird race of the year from Mullingar. Section H was up on its own this week, with an 8.15 am release in an easterly wind. The issue this week would seem to have been the heat, with many, many birds going missing. Maybe there should be a flip side to rearranging races due to adverse weather conditions, which doesn’t always have to mean bad weather, in that if conditions are too hot (which might be a one off), we could put racing back a week, or rearrange for a race other than a Saturday. Only a suggestion or perhaps I’m starting to ramble a bit because of the heat.  

Anyway, let’s get going with the results, where we must start in Strabane, where Tony Conway has another incredible week, taking the top ten positions in the club and the Section, and makes the Strabane report very easy for me. The first five velocities for Tony were, 1308, 1307, 1307, 1307 and 1306. Super flying Tony and well done again. 13 members sent 349.

Outstanding flying by Tony in Strabane

Winning the Derry and District and the Fed this week are Jim and Gary Ramsey. Jim and Gary have a great race, taking the first four in the club, with Georgie Nixon getting in the frame for fifth. The full result for the Derry and District was 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th J+G Ramsey, 1290, 1290, 1274 and 1273, 5th G Nixon 1270, 6th, 8th and 10th D Canning, 7th J Ebbs, 9th C Mc Conomy. 11 members sent 187.

First four in the club, and first fed for Jim and Gary

Down in the Maiden City club this week, Coyle Bros clean up, taking the first three and eighth positions. Training twice a day, and with the right sprint birds, the hard work has paid off. The full result looked like this, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 8th Coyle Bros 1288, 1276 1270, 4th T Rodgers 1265, 5th P Cregan 1248, 6th, 9th and 10th T Morrison, 7th S Quigley, Son and Grandson.

Coyle Bros Micky and Don take the first three in the Maiden City

Down in the Amelia Earhart this week, Andy Mitchell once again reaches the dizzying heights of first spot. Andy’s bird are starting to click this year, and I’m sure he’s looking forward to the rest of the season. The result for the Amelia Earhart was  Mc 1st A Mitchell 1282, 2nd and 10th K Mc Cafferty 1267, 3rd and 7th G Ferguson 1245, 4th C Fox 1241, 5th and 6th J+R Mc Monagle 1231, 8th C Mc Laughlin, 9th N Doherty.

A win for Andy in the Amelia Earhart

Up in Limavady this week, Ronnie Witherow and Willie Mc Ilmoyle totally dominate the result. Ronnie takes the first three, with Willie in fourth and fifth. The pair also have another couple each in the result, with Robert Mc Ilmoyle stopping a complete shut out with a tenth position. The full result then for Limavady looked like this, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th R Witherow 1162, 1157, 1156, 4th, 5th, 8th and 9th W Mc Ilmoyle 1151, 1149, and 10th R Mc Ilmoyle.

First three in Limavady for Ronnie

Finally this week, over in the Londonderry club, Joe and Donal Kelly take top spot this week. Billy Houston has a good race with second and third, with Derek Simpson fourth and Joe and Donal in again for fifth. The full result was 1st, 5th and 6th J + D Kelly 1245, 1173, 2nd and 3rd B Houston 1243, 1228, 4th D Simpson 1206, 7th, 8th and 10th B Boyd, 10th N Murray.

Well done again to all our club winners this week and to all those who took positions.

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