EAST DOWN COMBINE
Report by Clifford Browne
TULLAMORE
For the 4th race of the young bird season the EDC were in Tullamore and the only problem with regards to racing was the East South East wind which was fairly fresh and was always going to push the birds towards the West. This can be seen from the open result where the top places were dominated by just two clubs - Newtownbreda and Dundonald. This race saw the biggest entry yet of the young bird season with over 6000 birds as some lofts chose this week to start racing. But this East wind saw some of these first timers going astray and whilst in the main returns were pretty good it appears that the main lofts to suffer were the ones competing in their first young bird race of the season.
One loft which enjoyed a first rate result was that of Tom and David Marshall of Newtownbreda who win 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th & 8th open with fellow club members Bertie & Helen Marshall winning 12th open. From Dundonald Mark Foulis has 3rd, 4th & 5th open, Stephen Brown & sons 9th open and Roy Irwin 10th and 11th open and the top 6 in the open are also the top six in the West Section with Annsborough taking the top six places in the East section.
When we look around the clubs it is amazing the number of lofts which have the top three places and sometimes more in their respective clubs. The top places open and section were:
East Down Combine Open
11/08/2012 Tullamore YB. 194 Members 6307 Birds Wind East South East.
1 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1385.331, 2 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1385.004, 3 M. Foulis Dundonald HPS 1377.677, 4 M. Foulis Dundonald HPS 1377.380, 5 M. Foulis Dundonald HPS 1376.638, 6 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1375.418, 7 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1375.096, 8 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1374.934, 9 S. Brown & Sons Dundonald HPS 1374.109, 10 R. Irwin Dundonald HPS 1374.020, 11 R. Irwin Dundonald HPS 1373.425, 12 B & H Marshall Newtownbreda HPS 1371.230.
West Section - 65 Members 2145 Birds
1 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1385.331, 2 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1385.004, 3 M. Foulis Dundonald HPS 1377.677, 4 M. Foulis Dundonald HPS 1377.380, 5 M .Foulis Dundonald HPS 1376.638, 6 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1375.418.
East Section - 129 Members 4162 Birds
1 M.Croskery Annsborough HPS 1360.780, 2 J.McNally & Son Annsborough HPS 1360.774, 3 D.Croskery & Son Annsborough HPS 1358.277, 4 D.Croskery & Son Annsborough HPS 1357.932, 5 D.Croskery & Son Annsborough HPS 1357.588, 6 M.Croskery Annsborough HPS 1356.416.
The Best From The Clubs
Annalong was won by P Trimble on 1182 with J Trimble & son having the next two 1174 and 1170. Annsborough. Mickey Croskery takes the red card in the club and wins the East section on 1360, J McNally & son were 2nd also on 1360 for 2nd East section and D Croskery & son were 3rd club and section on 1358. Ballylesson. A good result for C & D Smyth & sons with the top three 1370, 1368 and 1363. Ballynahinch. D & R Topping win Ballynahinch this week with a bird bred from their winning Soontjen family.
The sire was 14th Open and the dam was 10th open from 1st Skibbereen YB Derby in 2010. The winning velocity was 1352. Rab Hunter had the next two 1345 and 1339. Ballywalter sees 1st and 3rd to W.McMaster & son 1242, 1223. The winner a Blue Hen & the bird at 3rd a Blue w/f Cock. The runner up was Sam Regan 1235 with a Blue w/f Cock, all three pigeons being on darkness. Bangor where Reggie & David Moore continue to dominate taking the top 12 in the club with the first 5 clocked on the same velocity 1347. Cloughey. Another great result for Gordon bros & sons withtop places in both Cloughey & Killyleagh, velocities in Cloughey all three 1339. Comber. Halliday bros win here on 1328, Francis Gilmore was runner up on 1325 and Ken Tompsett 3rd on 1317. Crossgar. 1st & 2nd for McCartan & Woodsides 1316 and 1314 with C & G Adair 3rd on 1308. Donaghadee. What a great season the partnership of Angus & son & McConkey are having with their team of Masserella Braspennings taking the top three 1329 and two on 1319. Downpatrick. Jackie Crossan has another good result with the top three on 1336, 1336 & 1330. Drumaness. Another loft with the top three J Kirk & son 1338, 1304 and 1299. Dundonald where Mark Foulis continues his great run with the top three this week 1377, 1377 & 1376. Dundrum. Keith & Josie have a good result with the top three 1256, 1250, 1250.
Hillfoot and it is a 1, 2, 3 result for A & R Crawford 1256, 1253 and 1249. Killyleagh Central. As mentioned in Cloughey results Gordon bros & Sons dominate, top three here on 1326. Millisle. R Strain & son win Millisle for the fourth week in succession with the same line of birds which won St Malo for them earlier in the year. This week’s winning velocity, and they have two together for 1st and 2nd, was 1294 with Jackie Rankin 3rd on 1287. Newcastle. 1st and 3rd to E & A Rogan 1249, 1215 with R McVeigh & son 2nd on 1227. Newtownbreda. Tom Marshall & son take the top three in the club as well as 1st, 2nd 6th, 7th & 8th open 1385, 1385 & 1375. Tyrella. It was a 1,2,3 result for G & B Feenan & sons on 1235, 1229 and 1224.
East Down 2bird News
The results from the 2 bird club from Mullingar were: 1 Gordon Bros & sons 1195.2, 2 D Croskery& son 1187.9, 3 Mackey& Lockhart 1175.1, 4 McComb Bros 1163.4, 5 D Croskery& son 1160.5, 6 McCartan& Woodsides 1150.0.
News From Around The Ards Peninsula & Peninsula 3bird club
Report by Sam Regan
Peninsula Amalgamation Mullingar
Congratulations to Gordon Brothers on not only winning the Peninsula but also topping the East Down Combine. Very well done - great flying. Full Result: 34 sent 1014 pigeons. 1st to 11th and 13th & 14th Gordon Bros & sons 1222x2, 1221x9, 1196. 12th M.Adair & sons 1211. Well done also to M.Adair and sons on getting their first ticket with the Amalgamation - hoping more will follow. The 3 Bird Club saw a clean sweep by the Gordons. 1st, 2nd &3rd plus Nomination 1221, 1195, 1139. Next race from Tullamore.
South Down Federation with Brendan McLoughlin
D Croskery & Son top Fed from Mullingar
The East Down Combine pigeons were in Mullingar for their third race of the young bird season. The weather was once again unpredictable but the Combine’s weather committee were satisfied on Thursday evening that we would get a race on the Saturday and so took the decision to basket the birds on the Friday evening for a possible Saturday liberation. Saturday morning started off showery and visibility was poor in places. Things started to improve during the course of the morning but by noon conditions still just weren’t quite right for racing. The race controller Patrick McComb held his nerve and kept the birds in the baskets and aimed for a 2pm liberation but had to wait ten more minutes to let a light shower pass over. The birds were eventually released at 2.10pm in an east-north easterly wind with brilliant sunshine on the way home. As it was, the afternoon turned out to be one of the best days we had for waiting for the pigeons all year.
Last week I reported that Gordon Bros of Killyleagh and Cloughey had 23 birds in the Open result. This week they had 20 in the top 40 including the first 16 in the Open. With less than two yards per minute separating these 16 birds this must rank as one of the best ever results. The next five positions were taken by Downpatrick’s Jackie Crossan with all five again on the same yard.
Winners of the South Down Federation this week are Annsborough’s D Croskery & Son who are showing the sort of form that we have become accustomed to over recent years. They have four birds in the Fed result here at 1st, 4th, 9th and 10th. Having been South Down Fed Fanciers of the Year for a number of years they lost that accolade to G & P Brown last year but are making a determined effort to regain the crown. They have been in top form in the young birds so far with five in the Fed result the first week and four last week. The winning pigeon this week was their third pigeon last week, taking 4th Fed and was 7th Fed the first week. The sire is a De Rijck cock and was paired to an Eddie Nelson hen. These birds have crossed well and have featured prominently in the three young bird races so far. Their second pigeon taking 4th Fed here was 2nd Fed, 38th Open last week and is off another Walter De Rijck cock when paired to another hen from Eddie Nelson of the Durham Amalgamation. Dominic and Dolen’s third pigeon from Mullingar at 9th Fed was their second pigeon the previous week from 2nd Navan taking 3rd Fed, having been 10th Fed from 1st Navan. This one is a direct youngster from Eddie Nelson having been bought at the Annsborough Moot earlier in the year. The pigeon at 10th Fed this week is a son of one of the original De Rijck cocks paired to Mickey Croskery’s good Bude hen winner of 3 x 1st open East Down Combines on the channel.
James Cleland Annsborough following on from a very successful old bird season is 2nd Fed here and is another strong contender for the Fancier of the Year. James’ bird is another from his strong Pros Roosen lines. The dam of this one was 53rd Open Skibbereen Old Bird National in 2005. We saw throughout the old bird season just how well these birds perform. Together with his Maurice Alexander Soontjens and Freddy Vandenheedes he is a major force within the Fed.
Annsborough’s Michael Jennings had a very consistent old bird season and is back on form here with the young birds with two in the result at 3rd and 7th Fed. The sire of his first bird is De Klak from John Jobey and the dam is another from Eddie Nelson. Both these pigeons were picked up when Michael was over in the north east of England with the Croskerys a couple of years ago. Michael’s second pigeon is from the exact same origins but from a different pair with the cock again coming from John Jobey and the dam from Eddie Nelson.
Brown & Telford Annsborough are 5th Fed here in only their third race as a new partnership. They have got off to a promising start having been 9th and 10th Fed last week. The pigeon timed here is another from their Colin Gibson lines and this one has the best of their Soontjens breeding.
Annsborough’s R J Keown is 6th Fed this week with a Vandenabeele youngster. These are new birds for RJ and have started off well for him. While RJ’s first love is channel racing he has shown that he can compete against the best sprint men too on his day.
R McDowell & Son Annsborough complete the result at 8th Fed. We know that this loft can pick up prizes from the first race right through to the last one. The sire of the bird timed here is a son of the French hen while the dam is from Billy Leckey Ards, with this hen just brought in last year.
Full Result: 1, D Croskery & Son Annsborough 1187; 2, J Cleland Annsborough 1186; 3, M Jennings Annsborough 1185; 4, D Croskery & Son 1178; 5, Brown & Telford Annsborough 1169; 6, R J Keown Annsborough 1168; 7, M Jennings 1167; 8, R McDowell & Son 1162; 9, 10, D Croskery & Son 1160.5, 1160.4.
Draw for quarter-finals of the Young Bird Knock Out: 1, D Croskery & Son v J Cleland; 2, R McDowell & Son v J Trimble & Son; 3, M Croskery v J & J Rogan; 4, M Croskery & Son v P Trimble: All numbers for the auction race from Penzance with back up numbers for Skibbereen YB National should be with the secretary with full payment before Friday night. Next pool race Fermoy.
Harmony Lofts Hotspot results
Weekend 4-8-12
Taking the No.1 spot this week is Dessie McClurkin Ring No.11133 velocity 1469 finishing 2nd club & collecting £50 prize money. In 2nd place is Jimmy Burrows, Eastway with Bird No.11071 velocity 1403 winning £30 & also taking 3rd place with bird No. 11089 velocity 1398 collecting £20.
Weekend 11-8-12
1st position this week goes to Trevor Greenaway,Gilford with Bird ring No. 11222 velocity 1384 winning £50 prize. This bird will take a good Section & Open position. 2nd place is Tommy Peel winning 1st Club in the very strong Carrick Social with Bird Ring no.11609 velocity 1368 collecting £30. In 3rd spot is Jim McAlorum, Grosvenor Bird Ring No. 11473 velocity 1360 winning 8th Club & collecting £20.
Well that’s it for another week. This week’s race is Mount Charles.