EAST DOWN COMBINE
Reports by Clifford Browne
Phillips Bros (Bangor) win 2nd Mount Charles
The East Down Combine were in Mount Charles (Nenagh) for their second race from there on Saturday May 3rd and what a different event this turned out to be from the earlier races. An early morning liberation was not possible as there was a belt of rain around the race point (which is well to the West of Ireland) but this was moving East as the day progressed and with a Southerly breeze all Northern Irish organisations which were in various parts of Southern Ireland liberated around mid day with the East Down going at 12.30. What happened next will no doubt be a matter for much discussion. The expectation was for a fast race because of the wind but a glance at the result, especially at club level will show that in many cases the returning birds were well separated and with the top two birds in the open at over 1500ypm most clubs were won in the 14 or 13 hundreds and most lofts reported many birds out that night although quite a few of them turned in on the Sunday, some looking as if they had encountered heavy rain but there are still empty perches in most lofts. This coming on top of this being one of the worst years most can recall for hawk attacks has dampened the enthusiasm of many and again as I write this the weather for the coming weekend looks far from promising.
However despite the gloom there were a number of great performance put up. The open winner from my own club Bangor this week was to Trefor Phillips (Phillips bros) who timed a 2 yo blue cheq cock at 15.47 pm. In 2nd open were the very consistent Ballylesson partnership of C & D Smyth & sons and the first and second open birds were 1st East & West section respectively. Looking around the clubs, Ballynahinch’s Rab Hunter took the top three in the club finishing 3rd, 28th & 29th open with 2 more on the club sheet. Ronnie Johnston racing with Comber Scial also took the top three in the club and these finished at 4th, 9th and 10th open and gives Ronnie 4 wins from 4 races flown. Roy Irwin also had another good result with 1st and 3rd Dundonald, 6th and 15th open. The open section and top club placings were as foillows.
East Down Combine Open
03/05/2014 2nd Mount Charles OB
203 Members 5522 Birds Wind Southerly
1 Phillips Bros Bangor RPC 1524.206
2 C & D Smyth & Sons Ballylesson HPS 1515.248
3 R Hunter Ballynahinch HPS 1496.912
4 R. Johnson Comber Social HPS 1487.994
5 T Farlow Hillfoot HPS 1483.473
6 R.Irwin Dundonald HPS 1480.240
7 J Patterson Ballylesson HPS 1478.271
8 B C T Foulis & Gill Dundonald HPS 1472.669
9 R. Johnson Comber Social HPS 1467.264
10 R. Johnson Comber Social HPS 1465.532
11 D.& D Chew Newtownbreda HPS 1465.215
12 Mackey & Lockhart Ballylesson HPS 1454.775
13 A Cousins & Sons Ballylesson HPS 1452.517
14 Mackey & Lockhart Ballylesson HPS 1451.989
15 R.Irwin Dundonald HPS 1445.571
16 Burgess & Brennan Bangor RPC 1440.647
17 B & H Marshall Newtownbreda HPS 1439.110
18 Benson Bros Annsborough HPS 1435.962
19 T Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1432.140
20 C J Healy Killyleagh Central HPS 1431.099
West Section 69 Members 2092 Birds in Wind Southerly
1 C & D Smyth & Sons Ballylesson HPS 1515.248
2 R Hunter Ballynahinch HPS 1496.912
3 R. Johnson Comber Social HPS 1487.994
4 T Farlow Hillfoot HPS 1483.473
5 R.Irwin Dundonald HPS 1480.240
6 J Patterson Ballylesson HPS 1478.271
7 B C T Foulis & Gill Dundonald HPS 1472.669
8 R. Johnson Comber Social HPS 1467.264
9 R. Johnson Comber Social HPS 1465.532
10 D.& D Chew Newtownbreda HPS 1465.215
11 Mackey & Lockhart Ballylesson HPS 1454.775
12 A Cousins & Sons Ballylesson HPS 1452.517
East Section 134 Members 3430 Birds in Wind Southerly
1 Phillips Bros Bangor RPC 1524.206
2 Burgess & Brennan Bangor RPC 1440.647
3 Benson Bros Annsborough HPS 1435.962
4 C J Healy Killyleagh Central HPS 1431.099
5 R & G Thompson Portavogie 1422.869
6 R Moore & Son Bangor RPC 1420.171
7 J Crossan Downpatrick HPS 1407.349
8 McQuaide & Briggs Bangor RPC 1406.234
9 Agar Bros Portavogie 1400.178
10 W.McNeilly Newcastle HPS 1388.218
11 McCormick & Muckle Millisle & District HPS 1386.924
12 T.Smith Downpatrick HPS 1385.799
Club Winners from around the Combine
Annalong 1st J Newell 1292.875 2nd K. Rooney, Son & Dtr 1290.215 3rd K. Rooney, Son & Dtr 1209.665
Annsborough 1st Benson Bros 1435.962 2nd J McNally & Son 1341.469 3rd M Croskery & Son 1327.9
Ballylesson 1st C & D Smyth & Sons 1515.24 2nd J Patterson 1478.27 3rd Mackey & Lockhart 1454.77
Ballynahinch 1st R Hunter 1496.978 2nd R Hunter 1401.688 3rd R Hunter 1400.962
Ballywalter 1st J Orr & Son 1360.486 2nd W W Albert 1298.949 3rd W McMaster & Son 1298.067
Bangor 1st Phillips Bros 1524.206 2nd Burgess & Brennan 1440.647 3rd R Moore & Son 1420.171
Cloughey 1st Gordon Bros & Sons 1359.474 2nd Gordon Bros & Sons 1356.601 3rd M Adair & Sons 1328.632
Comber 1st R Johnson 1487.99 2nd R Johnson 1467.26 3rd R Johnson 1465.53
Crossgar 1st A Lavery & Son 1421.607 2nd J McGreevy 1392.284 3rd J McGreevy 1373.919
Donaghadee 1st Ferguson & Wilkinson 1385.797 (the winner is a Soontjen hen on roundabout) 2nd D & K McCutcheon 1379.797 with a blue hen also on roundabout 3rd A & P Trimble & Sons 1359.664 with a red cheq Roland Janssen cock
Downpatrick 1st J Crossan 1407.349 2nd P Lue & Son 1365.802 3rd J Quinn & Son 1298.356
Dundonald 1st R Irwin 1480.24 2nd B C T Foulis & Gill 1472.66 3rd R Irwin 1445.571
Dundrum 1st S Foster Connor & Parry 1303.077 2nd A McNamara & Ptrs 1203.443 3rd A McNamara & Ptrs 1140.082
Hillfoot 1st T Farlow 1483.473 2nd W & L Robinson 1365.236 3rd Mr & Mrs E Spence 1295.802
Killyleagh Central 1st C J Healy 1431.099 2nd T Smith 1385.81 3rd Gordon Bros & Sons 1385.56
Millisle 1st McCormick & Muckle 1386.924 and the winner is down off birds from McGimpsey Bros of Newtownards 2nd J Rankin 1361.651 3rd McCormick & Muckle 1350.808
Newcastle 1st W McNeilly 1388.218 2nd E & A Rogan 1328.432 3rd E & A Rogan 1327.736
Newtownbreda 1st D.& D Chew 1465.266 2nd B & H Marshall 1439.125 3rd T Marshall & Son 1432.165
Portavogie 1st R & G Thompson 1422.869 2nd Agar Bros 1400.178 3rd W & N Cully 1278.435
Tyrella 1st S Milligan & Dtr 1360.4 2nd D McNabb & Ptrs 1324.6, 3rd S & E McGaw 1318.3
East Down2bird News
The result of the 2Bird club from the 1st Mount Charles race was:
1st P McCullough &dtr Downpatrick 1266.12 (1st Open EDC)
2nd W McMaster &Son Ballywalter 1244.86 (9th open EDC)
3rd M Croskery & Son Annsborough 1233.05
4th J Patterson Ballylesson 1231.91
5th C Healy Killyleagh Central 1227.99
6th C Healy Killyleagh Central 1225.14
7th D Croskery & Son Annsborough 1221.58
8th McCartan &Woodsides Crossgar 1208.67
9th J McNally & Son Annsborough 1207.66
10th David McConnell Annalong 1205.89
11th M Croskery & Son Annsborough 1202.75
12th K&B McConaghie& Son Ballylesson 1199.02
13th S Brown & Sons Dundonald 1198.27
14th R J Keown Annsborough 1195.36
15th S&K Duke Crossgar 1189.62
Once again it can be seen just how well fanciers can pick their 2 bird entries with the club winner also being the Open winner and both Mickey Croskery and Clifford Healy having both their entries in the result.
Now for the result from the Peninsula Amalgamation and Sam Regan has forwarded me the results of the for the first three races and 3 bird club.
Sam Regan reports from Around The Ards Peninsula
Mullingar 38 sent 944
Gordon Brothers and sons took the top eight places on velocities of 1713 x 5, 1712, 1711 x2.
9th, J.Hall & son 1710, 10th x 11th, Gordon Bros & sons 1709, 1709,
12th J.Hall & son, 1709, 13th Gordon Bros & sons 1709,14th J&R. Young 1701.
3 BIRD CLUB Mullingar
1st. Gordon Bros & sons A.B.C. NOM. 1713
2nd. Gordon Bros & sons A.B.C. 1709
3rd. Harper & Young A.B.C. 1643.
Tullamore 51 sent 1376
This was another Victory for the Gordon Family
1st, 5th, 6th, 12th x 14th Gordon Bros & sons 1451, 1429, 1428, 1422 x 1415.
2nd, 3rd x 7th. J. Hall & son 1450 x 2, 1427.
4th W. McMaster & son 1430.
8th R& G. Thompson 1425.
9th&11th J. Rankin 1425, 1424.
10th Harper & Young 1425.
13th B& J. Donnan 1417.
3 Bird Club Tullamore
1st. Gordon Bros & sons A.B.C. 1428
2nd. B&J.Donnan A.B.C. 1417
3rd. Harper & Young A.B.C. NOM. 1398
1st Mount Charles 45 sent 1195
And this saw a Hat Trick of wins for the Gordons.
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 12th, 13th x 14th Gordon Bros & sons 1265 x 3, 1228, 1227
4th W. McMaster & son 1244
5th, 6th x 7th. J. Hall & son 1237 x 3
8th x 9th Harper & Young 1234 x 2
10th x 11th R &J. Young 1233, 1231
3 Bird Club Mount Charles (1)
1st. W.McMaster & son A.B.C. 1244
2nd. Gordon Bros & sons A.B.C. 1214
3rd. R & G.Thompson A.B.C. 1191
The NOM. was one by D& K.McCutcheon on 1183
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Harmony Lofts Hot Spot Result
Weekend 3/5/14
Jimmy Burrows, Eastway Club, makes it 2 in a row winning this week’s Hot Spot with bird 23162 vel 1527 to collect £50 winnings. This proved to be a very tough fly. Well done to other fanciers who clocked our birds to win. We have just moved a large number of young birds bred direct from our stud pigeons. These are for sale and must go, so give John a call on 07710 644880 you won't be disappointed!
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Well that’s it for this week. The birds now move on to Mallow so let’s hope we have a better race from there.
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