EAST DOWN COMBINE
Reports by Clifford Browne
Millisle partnership win St Malo Derby
The East Down Combine were In St Malo on the 29th of June for the Old Bird Derby and for once the weather allowed a liberation to take place as per the programme. The convoy was in the air at 6.30am in a fresh South West wind, which meant that competing fanciers expected a fairly fast racem, so it came as no great surprise to learn that the winner was clocked at 3.40pm, making the winning velocity 1429 ypm.
Tom Marshall & son of Newtownbreda have a superb record from this race having won it for the last three years in succession and they came very close to making it four in a row but this year the winner was out on the Co.Down coast to the Millisle club's father and son partnership of Raymond and Michael Strain. They had a great race timing 3 out of their 4 entries, finishing 1st and 11th Open. The winner, now named “Glenbank Lass”, is a 3yo Blue Jan Lootes hen sent to St Malo paired to another hen and feeding a 2 day old YB, prior to which she was racing roundabout. The Jan Lootes originated from a 10year old cock of Michael Ferris’s of Donaghadee and the sire of “Glenbank Lass” has 4 club firsts and 3rd section F from Skibbereen with the NIPA. “Glenbank Lass” herself was the partnership’s 3rd bird from the Skibbereen Classic this year finishing 9th in the Peninsula Amalgamation. She has also won from Fermoy and most recently was 6th club from the Bude substitute race also from Fermoy. At 11th open was a 2yo dark cheq hen and she was also paired to another hen, in fact she was paired to their 3rd bird clocked from St Malo and this pair were sitting over their time. This dark cheq hen is a Busschaert and has been a consistent racer from the channel. Many congratulation to Raymond and Michael on their success.
I mentioned at the start that Newtownbreda’s Tom & David Marshall came close to winning this race for the 4th year in succession for they were in fact 2nd and 3rd open as well as 14th, 23rd and 27th open from their 10 birds entered. Their bird at 2nd open, just 3ypm behind the winner, is a 2yo blue cheq hen of their tried and proven distance birds, her dam being a sister of the hen that was 4th King’s Cup for the Marshalls. She went to the Derby sitting hatching and Tom slipped her a small youngster before she went to the race. Prior to the race she had 3 inland races and 1 cross channel race and she had won 3rd club from the Bude substitute race from Fermoy on a velocity very similar to that from St Malo - 1435 from Fermoy and 1426 from St Malo. Tom & David’s 2nd pigeon is a lovely 2yo Red hen, one of the De Baere family and well experienced from across the water having timed last year from both Bude and Penzance and went to St Malo this year sitting 10days. This year prior to France she had 1 inland and 2 cross channel races but again it is worth mentioning that as in previous years these pigeons are intensively trained from all direction and from varying distances before going to these big races. EDC Financial Secretary Sam Duke was in 4th place and has been racing very consistently again this year. 5th were Annsborough’s Gallagher Bros who have a great record from France and McCartan & Woodsides from Crossgar complete the top six. All prizes were won quite quickly and it was good to see such a good race for the Derby.
East Down Combine 29/06/2012 St Malo OB Derby 81 Members 260 Birds Wind Fresh South West.
1 E1 R. Strain & Son Millisle & District HPS 1429.687 abcde DE £150.80 £277.95
2 W1 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1426.644 abcde £40.60 £102.45
3 W2 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1350.416 abcde ABCDE £101.79 £151.27
4 W3 S & K Duke Crossgar HPS 1326.888 abcde ABCDE £80.88 £117.99
5 E2 Gallagher Bros Annsborough HPS 1321.599 abcd ABCD £58.04 £100.46
6 W4 McCartan & Woodsides Crossgar HPS 1299.838 abcde ABCDE £54.36 £77.10
7 E3 Gallagher Bros Annsborough HPS 1285.251 abcd ABCD £40.70 £74.99
8 W5 G & J O'Hare Crossgar HPS 1281.484 £0.00 £21.95
9 E4 McComb Bros Killyleagh Central HPS 1278.961 d D £18.90 £47.76
10 E5 R Watson & Son Killyleagh Central HPS 1274.147 abcde ABC £51.95 £79.00
11 E6 R. Strain & Son Millisle & District HPS 1266.561 abcde DE £53.75 £75.80
12 E7 P Trimble Annalong HPS 1259.863 abc ABC £11.30 £33.35
East Down Combine 23/06/2012 Penzance OB10 3 Bird Channel Championship 71 Members 202 Birds Wind Variable.
1 D. Croskery & Son Annsborough HPS 1319.79 £0.00
2 H. Wallace Ballynahinch HPS 1313.44 £0.00
3 R Moore & Son Bangor RPC 1299.61 AB £55.60
4 L. McKinstry Dundonald HPS 1245.28 AB £41.70
5 J. Crockard & Son Comber Social HPS 1234.62 £0.00
6 C & D Smyth & Sons Ballylesson HPS 1220.97 A £13.25
7 B. McConnell Annalong HPS 1207.10 AB £32.10
8 McComb Bros Killyleagh Central HPS 1184.29 £0.00
9 Benson Bros Annsborough HPS 1182.90 AB £25.15
10 P McCullough & Dtr Downpatrick HPS 1182.71 £0.00
11 P. Brown & Son Annsborough HPS 1175.94 AB £18.20
12 S & K Duke Crossgar HPS 1169.32 £0.00
Remainder Pools
R.J. Keown Annsborough HPS 1156.94 AB £13.90
F Gilmore Comber Social 1150.38 AB £13.90
E. Murray Comber Social HPS 1089.53 AB £13.90
E. Murray Comber Social HPS 1087.82 AB £13.90
S. Regan Ballywalter SPC 1080.13 AB £13.90
J & S Albert & Sons Ballylesson HPS 1039.90 AB £13.90
N.W. Hagen & Son Killyleagh Central HPS 996.311 B £8.60
Any objection to the above result must be made in writing to the East Down Combine Secretary within seven days.
East Down Combine 25/06/2012 Penzance Classic 98 Members 560 Birds Wind Variable.
1 James. Cleland Annsborough HPS 1350.45 AB £156.60 £256.60
2 M. Croskery Annsborough HPS 1321.31 £0.00 £75.00
3 D. Croskery & Son Annsborough HPS 1319.79 £0.00 £55.00
4 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1317.87 £0.00 £45.00
5 C & D Smyth & Sons Ballylesson HPS 1313.25 B £75.90 £110.90
6 S. Brown & Sons Dundonald HPS 1312.19 £0.00 £26.00
7 R. McDowell & Son Annsborough HPS 1310.24 A £41.55 £67.55
8 S & K Duke Crossgar HPS 1302.21 £0.00 £26.00
9 K. Rooney & Son Annalong HPS 1301.89 £0.00 £26.00
10 R Moore & Son Bangor RPC 1299.65 AB £203.48 £229.48
11 R & R Lambe Newtownbreda HPS 1295.72 AB £148.70 £168.70
12 A & A Cheevers Crossgar HPS 1295.44 A £20.78 £40.78
The Penzance Classic was flown in conjunction with the Penzance race and the top three places were all won by members of the Annsborough club with James Cleland who won the open also winning the classic. Mickey Croskery was in 2nd place and Dominic & Dolan Croskery were 3rd.
East Down Combine 25/06/2012 Penzance OB 157 Members 1498 Birds Wind Variable.
1 James Cleland Annsborough HPS 1350.457
2 J. McNally & Son Annsborough HPS 1350.301
3 M. Croskery Annsborough HPS 1321.315
4 D. Croskery & Son Annsborough HPS 1319.796
5 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1317.876
6 McCartan & Woodsides Crossgar HPS 1314.442
7 S McLoughlin Killyleagh Central HPS 1314.046
8 H. Wallace Ballynahinch HPS 1313.443
9 C & D Smyth & Sons Ballylesson HPS 1313.251
10 S. Brown & Sons Dundonald HPS 1312.193
11 P McCullough & Dtr Downpatrick HPS 1311.399
12 R. McDowell & Son Annsborough HPS 1310.243
West Section 58 Members 616 Birds
1 T. Marshall & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1317.876
2 McCartan & Woodsides Crossgar HPS 1314.442
3 H. Wallace Ballynahinch HPS 1313.443
4 C & D Smyth & Sons Ballylesson HPS 1313.251
5 S. Brown & Sons Dundonald HPS 1312.193
6 S & K Duke Crossgar HPS 1302.218
East Section 99 Members 882 Birds
1 James. Cleland Annsborough HPS 1350.457
2 J. McNally & Son Annsborough HPS 1350.301
3 M. Croskery Annsborough HPS 1321.315
4 D. Croskery & Son Annsborough HPS 1319.796
5 S McLoughlin Killyleagh Central HPS 1314.046
6 P McCullough & Dtr Downpatrick HPS 1311.399
East Down2bird News
The 2 bird result from Penzance was: 1 D Croskery &son Annsborough 1319.7 4th Open EDC; 2 H Wallace Ballynahinch 1313.4 8th Open ED;C 3 R Moore& son Bangor 1299.6; 4 L McKinstry Dundonald 1245.2; 5 C&D Smyth& sons Ballylesson 1220.9; 6 D McNabb& ptnrs Tyrella 1297.3.
INFC KING’S CUP DELAYED
Tuesday July 3rd was to be the day that the INFC were scheduled to race mark for the King’s Cup, the premier event in the Irish racing calendar, but because of the exceptional weather as I pen this on Thursday July 5th this has not taken place and the earliest now will be Friday 6th July, which was the original scheduled date for the race. After the successful St Malo Derby enjoyed by fanciers of the EDC etc the previous week, the INFC weather committee are quite right to wait for the best possible conditions for this Blue Riband event and it is hoped that summer will arrive soon as not only is racing delayed but also the training of this year's young birds due to commence racing towards the end of the month. With this humid wet weather, it is hard enough to get them out for exercise never mind training them.
Mervyn Gibson
Fanciers everywhere were shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Lisburn’s Mervyn Gibson, known especially to INFC members using the Lisburn clock centre. Mervyn was the man in charge of the centre, a job at which he was very efficient and this combined with his genial nature made him a very popular official. More than once he helped me with a clock problem and indeed when I was doing PO for the INFC he helped me with contact numbers for fanciers. A real gentleman and one who will be greatly missed by all who knew him. On behalf of all of us who had the privilege of knowing Mervyn I extend deepest sympathy to the family circle at this sad time.