Homers Odyssey Mid Antrim 2026
Mid Antrim lofts enjoy successful season -
With the racing season complete its time to reflect and look back at the winners list, Mid Antrim will present their cups and diplomas at a function arranged for Ballymena & District HPS clubrooms at a date to be arranged. Local clubs should forward a season report for publication and relevant photos, any loft winning profiles etc and anything of interest to keep the column filled till the start of the new season next April 2027. Plenty of publicity for one and all, take it up.
MAC Awards 2026 –
2nd Talbenny & Penzance Individual Bird Meritorious Award - T Whyte Ahoghill GB24A24318 Velo 1464.25
Bryan Eagleson Memorial Cup - Best Average All Old Bird Channel Races Excluding Nipa OB National - J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena & District Velo 1410.44
Old Bird Inland Points - G Gibson Cullybackey 691 Points
Old Bird Inland Average - G Gibson Cullybackey velo 1578.23
Gary Gibson of Cullybackey 6 x 1st MAC inc. Skibbereen YB Nat
Champions League - J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena & District
J Eagleson & Sons of Ballymena & Dist 2 x 1st MAC
Old Bird Knockout - G Gibson Cullybackey
Old Bird Channel Points - A Darragh Cullybackey 178 Points
Alan Darragh of Cullybackey 2 x 1st MAC inc. Yearling Nat Penzance
Tommy Shanks Memorial Cup - Champion Old Bird Of The Year - G Gibson Cullybackey GB25S35244 - 78 Points
Old Bird Average - J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena & District 1410.86
Old Bird Cross Channel Average - W Livingstone Ahoghill 1238.24
William McIlhagga Memorial Cup - 1st Mid Antrim Combine NIPA OB National - W Livingstone Ahoghill velo 1157 3rd Section & 15th Open NIPA
Les Mairs Memorial Cup - Old Bird Points Fancier Of The Year - G Gibson Cullybackey 797 points
New North Cup - Best Average Bude & Dale YB National - D Dixon Rasharkin
Herbinson Cup- Young Bird Average - G Gibson 1369.36
YB Knock Out - Blair & Rankin Ballymena & Dist
Champion Young Bird Of the Year - G Gibson Cullybackey GB26C01738 - 74 Points
Combined Average - D Dixon Rasharkin
Young Bird Points - D Dixon Rasharkin 322
Adams Cup - INFC Points - D Dixon Rasharkin 173
Old Bird Points Club Shield - Cullybackey
Young Bird Points Club Shield - Ballymena & Dist - Any objections within 14 days.
MAC winning Diplomas 2026 Top 5
Old Birds
18/04/25 Kilbeggan 35/979
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1532
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1532
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1531
G Gibson Cullybackey 1530
G Gibson Cullybackey 1530
25/04/25 Benamore 47/1513
G Gibson Cullybackey 1682
F Barkley Rasharkin 1657
G Gibson Cullybackey 1655
G Gibson Cullybackey 1654
G Gibson Cullybackey 1647
04/05/25 2nd Benamore 48/1430
H Boyd Kells 1216
Surgenor Bros Kells 1164
F Barkley Rasharkin 1159
G Gibson Cullybackey 1153
B Swann & Son Kells 1152
09/05/25 Gowran Park 35/972
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1261
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1239
D Dixon Rasharkin 1238
G Gibson Cullybackey 1229
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1227
15/05/25 Grenagh 49/1321
A Darragh Cullybackey 1357
Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1346
G Gibson Cullybackey 1330
G Gibson Cullybackey 1320
A Darragh Cullybackey 1317
23/05/25 Bantry OB Inland National 29/278
Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 1920
Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1912
G Gibson Cullybackey 1902
D Dixon Rasharkin 1892
Stewart Bros Randalstown 1881
23/05/25 Benamore 34/728
G Gibson Cullybackey 1902
G Gibson Cullybackey 1900
G Gibson Cullybackey 1900
H Boyd Kells 1896
M Neilly Broughshane 1895
29/05/25 1st Dale 43/858
G Gibson Cullybackey 1549
A Darragh Cullybackey 1542
J Whyte Ahoghill 1537
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1534
Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1525
05/06/25 2nd Dale 31/427
J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1750
G Gibson Cullybackey 1747
A Darragh Cullybackey 1746
G Gibson Cullybackey 1746
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1743
05/06/25 Fermoy 30/475
G Gibson Cullybackey 1960
G Gibson Cullybackey 1959
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1958
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1956
D Dixon Rasharkin 1956
05/06/25 Fermoy 5 Bird
G Gibson Cullybackey 1959
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1956
A Darragh Cullybackey 1953
Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1925
H Boyd Kells 1903
13/06/25 Bude 37/362
S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1264
B Swann & Son Kells 1233
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1232
D Dixon Rasharkin 1231
Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1224
13/06/25 Dunmanway 31/403
G Gibson Cullybackey 1527
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1500
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1478
D Dixon Rasharkin 1475
S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1469
13/06/25 Dunmanway Yearling National
G Gibson Cullybackey 1527
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1500
D Dixon Rasharkin 1475
S Johnston & Sons Ballymena 1469
G Gibson Cullybackey 1467
20/06/25 Penzance 35/335
Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1336
Rock & Moore of Cullybackey 2 x 1st MAC inc. Penzance Classic
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1335
A Darragh Cullybackey 1333
T Whyte Ahoghill 1325
Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1322
21/06/25 Penzance OB Classic
Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1336
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1335
A Darragh Cullybackey 1333
T Whyte Ahoghill 1325
Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1322
20/06/25 Cloughmartin 29/340
G Gibson Cullybackey 1611
D Dixon Rasharkin 1609
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1609
G Gibson Cullybackey 1567
G Gibson Cullybackey 1567
25/06/25 Tourlaville OB National
W Livingstone Ahoghill 1157
S & N Doherty Cullybackey 1091
M Graham Ballymena 1033
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 928
D Dixon Rasharkin 838
13/06/25 INFC Penzance Yearling National
A Darragh Cullybackey 1201
A Darragh Cullybackey 1124
S & N Doherty Cullybackey 1072
A Darragh Cullybackey 1067
G Gibson Cullybackey 1057
03/07/25 INFC Kings Cup
D Dixon Rasharkin 1165
Danny Dixon of Dunloy 3 x st MAC inc. Kings Cup and YB Nat Penzance
C Moore Cullybackey 1055
A Darragh Cullybackey 704
C Moore Cullybackey 589
Stewart Bros Randalstown 370
Young Birds
18/07/25 1st Kilbeggan 30/797
S Scott & Son Kells 1214
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1198
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1198
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1196
M Neilly Broughshane 1196
24/07/25 2nd Kilbeggan 42/1110
D Dixon Rasharkin 1573
D Dixon Rasharkin 1572
Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1564
T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1550
Trevor Johnston & Son of Ballymena & Dist 2 x 1st MAC
A Barkley & Son Kells 1549
01/08/25 Benamore 40/975
T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1628
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1624
G Gibson Cullybackey 1619
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1611
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1610
07/08/25 Cloughmartin 39/845
M Graham Ballymena 1761
T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1756
M Neilly Broughshane 1749
M Graham Ballymena 1747
Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1734
15/08/25 Fermoy 40/816
T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1324
G Gibson Cullybackey 1313
E Johnston Ballymena 1287
M Graham Ahoghill 1282
Martin Graham of Ahoghill 2 x 1st MAC
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1275
22/08/25 Corrin 27/426
Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1264
G Gibson Cullybackey 1236
G Gibson Cullybackey 1235
J Whyte Ahoghill 1222
A Barkley & Son Kells 1219
22/08/25 Corrin 5 Bird
J Whyte Ahoghill 1222
A Barkley & Son Kells 1219
Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1218
T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1214
M Graham Kells 1213
28/08/25 Benamore 24/456
M Graham Ahoghill 1381
Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1360
Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1347
Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1340
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1332
05/09/25 Benamore 17/221
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1586
G Gibson Cullybackey 1581
D Dixon Rasharkin 1581
D Dixon Rasharkin 1581
T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1573
05/09/25 Dale YB National 22/164
D Dixon Rasharkin 1310
G Gibson Cullybackey 1310
J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1292
J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1257
D Dixon Rasharkin 1241
12/09/25 Corrin YB National 15/128
Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1537
J & J Greer Cullybackey 1520
D Dixon Rasharkin 1510
G Gibson Cullybackey 1500
A Barkley & Son Kells 1499
05/09/25 INFC Penzance YB National
D Dixon Rasharkin 739
19/09/25 INFC Skibbereen YB National
G Gibson Cullybackey 1766
D Dixon Rasharkin 1688
D Dixon Rasharkin 1621
G Gibson Cullybackey 1612
D Dixon Rasharkin 1595
Mervyn Eagleson - MAC Race Secretary.
Duddy Bus Trip to Blackpool Show –
We hope to run our annual bus trip to the show in 2027 on similar lines to the last couple of years. The bus will leave from the Coleraine area early Friday morning 15th Jan with various stops before catching the 7:30am Stenna Line Ferry to Cairnryan. We leave Blackpool about 12noon on the Sunday 17th Jan to catch the 7pm sailing from Cairnryan. Accommodation if required for the two nights will be as for last year at either Adelaide House or Adelaide Lodge in Adelaide Street right behind the Winter Gardens for bed/breakfast. A £50 deposit is required by the end of November 2026 with the balance at the end of December 2026. For more information please contact:- John McConnaghie 07753 268216, Robert Turkington. 07710483065, or Alan Shanks 075034 83328.
HOMER. Willie Reynolds
Tel/Fax: (028) 256 44683
Mobile: 07538 238364
Twitter: willie reynolds@homerbhw>
Email:
www.irishnationalflyingclub.com
