Journey's End with Jordan Hughes - 05-08-26 - Elimar Pigeon Services Limited

Details: Published: 05 August 2026; Hits: 50

J. CAMPBELL & SON CLAIM THE NIPA FRENCH NATIONAL

The highly anticipated NIPA Old Bird Season Finale is next on the cards. This year the race was held from a new location Tourlaville in North Western France close to Cherbourg. Fanciers gathered up their fancied French candidates and race marked through their allocated centres on Monday the 22^nd of June to make the trip across from Ireland into France with a Liberation scheduled for Thursday the 25^th of June. Our team who look after the birds have put hard hours not just this race but over the course of the year every year and do a terrific job. A total of 282 Members sent 1,323 Birds to Tourlaville for the Annual Blue Ribbon race of the N.I.P.A. Old Bird Season. The Birds were liberated at 6:30 hrs in a Light East Wind at the liberation point. Every race held from France is never the same as the previous with the weather along with the mileage to endure and obstacles along the way across both channel crossings and inland. A Great race was held this year for the NIPA with a total of 106 day birds clocked and prizes filled out with many fanciers earning various award winners.

JOURNEY’S END - N.I.P.A NOTES – SECTIONS C, D, F, & G

The Winning Bird from the N.I.P.A. Blue Riband Race from Tourlaville in France belongs to J. Campbell & Son of Cookstown H.P.S in Section A.

J. Campbell 1st National Winner NIPA Tourlaville

Jay is crowned National French Champion and will have his National Winning bird on the front cover of the annual Ladies Night winner’s booklets in November and also front and centre of all Section A Section Diplomas. Extreme Heat 1st national 1st section A Nipa Tourlaville Old Bird Channel National. 408 miles 1399 yards ,1323 birds, liberated in a 12 mph EN-East wind turning East on route at 06.30am (Extreme Heat) landed at the Cookstown loft at 15.56.21 doing 1268ypm. followed by ((Tommy) 2nd sect A 10th Nat at 16.39.20 to secure the two bird average, a bronze and silver award, 2 others arrived that evening at 18.04pm to be 5th sect A 32nd Nat also at 20.10pm to be 10th sect A 74th Nat,4 on the day ,followed by 2 the next morning at 09.06am To be 124th & 141st at 10.33am arriving home with 5 tail feathers left and slightly injured breast making it 6 in the result and 2 more just out of the prizes.

The winner being a son of blue Barr gb14c 02022,A G Son & great g son of silver award winner nipa 2007 x3 in the prizes bred by me and raced by Spiers and Campbell Gb03C58594 (uptown lass) in turn a g dtr on the dams side is Tommy Girl nipa gold award winner 2001 ,the sire being a son of 10th open infc kings cup Redon 520 miles 2000 ( toms Pride) on the pedigree of o2022 is also C&H Beattie Gilford 2nd national 2 in race time infc Fougere’s smash friendship national 2004 being the g reat g father on the dam side and on the sires, side is Smyth bros Ballymena obtained through C Bell Cookstown (uptown lass) was an absolute gold mine leaving 3 direct children Jim and Tommy kept for breeding purposes went on to breed a lot of prize winners for them over the years from Penzance and France especially!

O2022 has now bred 4 Direct Children to win from Nipa French nationals also g Sire to 4 G children now to score from France .a super breeder that has bred club winners from Kilbeggan to Penzance.

Paul O Connor Coleraine premier, Portland Lille 1st sect A 9th Nat st Malo 2014 prize winner line responsible now with the o2022 cross has bred 22nd st Malo 468 mile 2019,79 in race time ,73rd Nat 85 in race time st Malo 2023,now 32nd national Tourlaville Nat 2026 all three pigeons are g sire, dam , and dtr unique . Pied being of j Eagleson Northern lass 1st National lamballe 2001 line. a super cross.

N Black & Son Dromara , a stock cock direct from Tin -Man 6th st Malo smash 10 in race time 2017.when paired to mini 7th National kings cup winners, Sire of when paired to gb20c 17800 dtr off 02022 bred me (Tommy) silver award 2026.

Many Congratulations to Jay Campbell & Son on claiming 1^st N.I.P.A. National from Cookstown.

Also, Many Congratulations to 2^nd National Donnelly Bros of Newry City H.P.S. in Section G.

John & Richard Donnelly of Donnelly Bros Section G Winners & 2nd National Winners and INFC Kings Cup Winners 2026

And Congratulations to 3^rd National T. Wilson of Edgarstown H.P.S. in Section E

NIPA TOURLAVILLE OB NATIONAL TOP 20 OPEN RESULT

1^st (1A) J. CAMPBELL & SON, COOKSTOWN 1268; 2^nd (1G) DONNELLY BROS, NEWRY CITY 1261; 3^rd (1E) T. WILSON, EDGARSTOWN 1260; 4^th (2E) P. HATCHELL, LURGAN SOCIAL 1260; 5^th (1B) D&H STAURT, BALLYMONEY, BALLYMONEY 1235; 6^th (3E) GERARD SWIFT, MONAGHAN 1221; 7^th (4E) MOODY BROS, GILFORD 1197; 8^th (2B) J. CONNOLLY, BALLYMONEY 1188; 9^th (5E) W. GILLIS & SONS, LAURELVALE 1187; 10^th (2A) J. CAMPNELL & SON, COOKSTOWN 1179; 11^th (2G) J. MCPARLAND, NEWRY & DISTRICT 1169; 12^th (6E) D. COULTER, GLENAVY 1164; 13^th (1H) LIAM MILLER, LIMAVADY 1162; 14^th (1C) D. MCELHONE & DTR, WEST END 1159; 15^th (3B) W. LIVINGSTONE, AHOGHILL 1157; 16^th (3G) W. MCDOWELL & SON, DRUMNAVADY 1155; 17^th (D) W. RINGLAND & SON, DERRIAGHY 1150; 18^th (4G) J. MURTAGH, BALLYHOLLAND 1148; 19^th (1D) R. BENSON, DERRIAGHY 1146; 20^th (3A) K. SHANNON, ARMAGH 1129

SECTION C REPORT

The Winner of Section C (58/287) from Tourlaville was D. McElhone & Dtr of West End H.P.S. The father and daughter racing partnership had a old bird season to remember finishing it off on a high with a first class result winning 1^st Section D (287 birds) and 14^th National (1,323 Birds) Davy & Maddie are delighted clocking 2 birds from Tourlaville National. The Section Winner is a daughter from Sam’s gift and would like to thank Tommy for loaning them the sire. The Winner was 3^rd club, 7^th section and 22^nd open last year from France winning a bronze award.

Davy McElhone & Dtr Section C Winners from Tourlaville

Many Congratulations to Section C Winners Davy McElhone & Dtr and Big Congratulations to all Club Winners

SECTION D REPORT

The Winner of Section D (19/117) from Tourlaville was R. Benson of Derriaghy H.P.S. The Derriaghy fancier took home the Section D Diploma from the final old bird race from France (117 Birds) and a top half finish overall in the National places winning 19^th National (1,323 Birds)

Many Congratulations to Section D Winner R. Benson and Big Congratulations to all Club Winners

SECTION F REPORT

The Winner of Section F (26/88) from Tourlaville was C&L Fryers of Dromara H.P.S. The Dromara flyers got a winning buzz from France in winning Section F from the National (88 Birds) and overall the Fryers finished 76^th National from the French national (1,323 Birds)

Many Congratulations to Section F Winners C&L Fryers and Big Congratulations to all Club Winners.

SECTION G REPORT

The Winner of Section G (28/153) from Tourlaville was Donnelly Bros of Newry City H.P.S. The Ballyholland fancier tops the Section from Plougastel (153 Birds) Having a great record from France Peter now adds 15^th French N.I.P.A. National to his racing CV (1,323 Birds) Richard and John Donnelly of Donnelly Bros have had a great week from France at the time of writing have just won the INFC Kings Cup the highest accolade that can be achieved while also coming close to winning the NIPA French National wining 2^nd Open with the Friendship National race still to be flown.

Many Congratulations to Section G Winners Donnelly Bros and Big Congratulations to all Club Winners.

Big Congratulations to all who timed. I hope you all enjoyed the 2026 N.I.P.A. Old Bird Season and I would like to wish you all the very best in the upcoming Youngbird Season.