EAST DOWN COMBINE
Reports by Clifford Browne
MAGIC MULLINGAR FOR GORDONS
The East Down Combine were in Mullingar on Saturday April 12th for the first race of the new season. A belt of rain crossed Ireland from West to East during the morning but this had cleared by lunchtime and the convoy was away at 1.15pm into a brisk West North West wind. Roy Irwin in charge of his first race as Race Controller did a great job and the birds enjoyed a great start to the 2014 season. With the wind direction on the day it was no surprise that the early birds were out on the East side of the Combine but what a race the partnership of Gordon bros & sons had taking the top 11 places in both the Open and East section with just 2 ypm separating their first and eleventh bird and they had a total of 30 birds in the open top 40 - what a great start to the new season.
Now some details of the leading birds. 1st open’s sire is a De Meyer (A & L Painter) and the dam is a Gaby Vandenabeele. In 2nd open is a Kris Wynants and this hen has also won 3rd open Nenagh beaten by loft mates. Her g/sire was also 1st open EDC 2012. In 3rd open is a pigeon called RONALDO. He was Young Bird of the Year in the EDC last year and was featured recently in the photos from Sid Collins. This cock looks like the possible winner of the EDC 2bird club. In 6th open is a pigeon called SUAREZ. This cock was 1st open EDC Fermoy last year and again featured in the photos from Sid Collins. His sire is a Gaby Vandenabeele and the dam is a Sheldon Leonard pigeon. She is also a previous winner of 1st open EDC for the Gordons. In 14th open is a pigeon called CONOR GEE. This cock won 1st open EDC from the 2nd Skibbereen last year and 8th open Mullingar EDC and was another of the birds featured in the recent Sid Collins photos.
Other early birds in the open and East section were also out on the coast with Cloughey’s Johnny Hall & son at 12th and 15th open. J & R Young of Portavogie at 19th and Cloughey’s Harper and Young at 20th. With the birds doing over 1700ypm this was a good start for them.
Over in the West Section, Dundonald & Crossgar saw the early birds with Alex & Anne Cheevers having the first of these and McCartan & Woodsides next with Dundonald’s Roy Irwin and the Jim Young and partners having the next four. The top Open and section velocities were:
East Down Combine Open
12/04/2014 Mullingar OB
141 Members 3297 Birds Wind West North West
1 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1713.703
2 Gordon Bros & Sons Killyleagh Central HPS 1713.657
3 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1713.416
4 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1713.416
5 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1713.416
6 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1713.129
7 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1712.842
8 Gordon Bros & Sons Killyleagh Central HPS 1712.797
9 Gordon Bros & Sons Killyleagh Central HPS 1712.510
10 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1711.983
11 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1711.410
12 J. Hall & Son Cloughey HPS 1710.403
13 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1709.694
14 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1709.694
15 J. Hall & Son Cloughey HPS 1709.541
16 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1709.409
17 Gordon Bros & Sons Killyleagh Central HPS 1709.078
18 Gordon Bros & Sons Killyleagh Central HPS 1708.507
19 J & R Young Portavogie 1701.148
20 Harper & Young Cloughey HPS 1686.504
West Section 43 Members 1112 Birds Wind West North West
1 A & A Cheevers Crossgar HPS 1612.282
2 McCartan & Woodsides Crossgar HPS 1611.745
3 R. Irwin Dundonald HPS 1606.874
4 J. Young & Ptnrs Dundonald HPS 1605.836
5 R. Irwin Dundonald HPS 1605.349
6 J. Young & Ptnrs Dundonald HPS 1601.087
7 T. Horner & Sons Crossgar HPS 1596.926
8 A & J Brown Dundonald HPS 1594.275
9 W. White & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1594.158
10 J. McGreevy Crossgar HPS 1591.352
11 W. White & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1591.109
12 R. Irwin Dundonald HPS 1591.006
East Section 98 Members 2185 Birds Wind West North West
1 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1713.703
2 Gordon Bros & Sons Killyleagh Central HPS 1713.657
3 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1713.416
4 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1713.416
5 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1713.416
6 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1713.129
7 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1712.842
8 Gordon Bros & Sons Killyleagh Central HPS 1712.797
9 Gordon Bros & Sons Killyleagh Central HPS 1712.510
10 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1711.983
11 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1711.410
12 J. Hall & Son Cloughey HPS 1710.403
Club Winners from around the Combine
I have varying results from clubs this week, some of which I have taken from our new website, some were phoned in and others e-mailed to me but as the season progresses I hope to have more details at club level.
Annalong J McCartan 1635.46 Annsborough G & P Brown 1619.75 Ballylesson where 14 members sent 278 birds 1st , 2nd & 3rd John Patterson 1583, 1583, 1582 Ballynahinch R Hunter 1582.36, 1580.98, 1547 62 Ballywalter 1st, 2nd, 3rd Winston McMaster and son Hugh winning with a two year old Blue cock. vels 1625.5, 1612, 1579 Bangor R Moore & son 1604.96, 1604.96, Burgess & Brennan 1604.288 Cloughey Gordon Bros & sons 1713.70, 1713.41, 1713.41 Comber R Johnston 1575.02 Crossgar A & A Cheevers 1612.28, McCartan & Woodsides 1611.74, T Horner & sons 1596.92 Donaghadee A & P Trimble & sons 1624.13, 1612.9, M/M G Gardiner 1588.4 Downpatrick R Connolly 1641.00 Drumaness Dundonald R Irwin 1606.87, J Young & ptnrs 1605.83, R Irwin 1605.34 Dundrum Hillfoot J Scates & son 1588.00 Killyleagh Central Gordon bros & sons 1713.65, 1712.79, 1712.51 Millisle R N & L Brown 1574.39 Newcastle 1st , 2nd & 3rd R McVeigh & son 1546.94, 1536.96, 1535.22 Newtownbreda W White & son 1594.15, 1591.10 Portavogie J & R Young 1701.14, L Young 1680.07, B & J Donnan 1672.78 Tyrella D McNabb & ptnrs 1584.22
Harmony Lofts start the 2014 season on 19th April
Next week the 19th of April sees the start of the Harmony Lofts Old Bird Hot Spot racing & the winning velocity will collect £50, so John says “give us a call. Our Midweek racing from Navan will commence Wednesday 23rd April. Birds will be race marked Tuesday 22nd at Harmony Lofts between 7pm & 9pm. £100 Prize money-£50, £30, £20. Come along you will be very welcome. For more information call John on 07710644880.”
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Well that’s the 2014 season under way but again this week I end with sad news for on the morning of the Mullingar race Eleanor Keenan wife of Hugh Keenan of Portavogie was buried. Eleanor, a lovely lady, died suddenly and will be greatly missed by all who knew her. To Hugh and the family circle I extend my deepest sympathy on their great loss.
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This week the Combine are in Tullamore.
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