EAST DOWN COMBINE
Reports by Clifford Browne
FERMOY - MAY 2012
The East Down Combine were in Fermoy for the 5th race of the season and this week the wind was mainly light west to South West throughout the length of Ireland. As a result we enjoyed a faster race than the previous week with the velocities well into the 1500s and just 20ypm between the top dozen in the Open. The Annsborough club had the lion’s share of the early ones with Geraldine & Paddy Brown with two together for 1st and 2nd in both the open and East Section. C & G Adair win the West section with John Abernethy runner up in this section.
It was another great race with again good returns with, as always, the odd one or two going adrift and of the two I was missing one made landfall on the Saturday evening in Milford Haven (South Wales) after having been my first bird on two successive weeks at the start of the season. Wonder what made it want to cross the Irish Sea?
Top open and Section placings were:
East Down Combine Open.
12/05/2012 1st Fermoy OB.
221 Members 6074 Birds Wind Westerly
1 G & P. Brown Annsborough HPS 1584.2
2 G & P. Brown Annsborough HPS 1584.1
3 P McCartan Annsborough HPS 1579.7
4 M Jennings Annsborough HPS 1579.6
5 C & G Adair Crossgar HPS 1575.4
6 James Cleland Annsborough HPS 1574.16
7 M.Croskery Annsborough HPS 1574.12
8 M.Croskery Annsborough HPS 1571.7
9 P.Lue & Son Downpatrick HPS 1570.3
10 J.Abernethy Ballynahinch HPS 1569.6
11 A Murray & Son Dundrum HPS 1568.9
12 S.Brown & Sons Dundonald HPS 1564.9
West Section 77 Members 2308 Birds
1 C & G Adair Crossgar HPS 1575.4
2 J.Abernethy Ballynahinch HPS 1569.6
3 S.Brown & Sons Dundonald HPS 1564.9
4 W.White & Son Newtownbreda HPS 1563.8
5 R Hunter Ballynahinch HPS 1563.4
6 R & R Lambe Newtownbreda HPS 1561.5
East Section 144 Members 3766 Birds
1 G & P. Brown Annsborough HPS 1584.2
2 G & P. Brown Annsborough HPS 1584.1
3 P McCartan Annsborough HPS 1579.7
4 M Jennings Annsborough HPS 1579.6
5 James. Cleland Annsborough HPS 1574.16
6 M.Croskery Annsborough HPS 1574.12
The Best from around the Combine Clubs
Annalong sees Billy Higgins take another red card doing 1548 with the Rooneys taking the next two on 1545 and 1539. Annsborough where it is Geraldine and Paddy Brown 1584, 1584 and then P McCartan 1579 for the top three in the open. Ballylesson 14 members sent 381 to Fermoy and the winner this week was the lofts of A Cousins & Sons their blue hen travelled the 188 mile in 3 hours 32 minutes for a velocity of 1557 ypm runner up was Alex Crawford with a blue cock on 1550ypm. In 3rd place were C & D Smyth & sons 1548.9. Ballynahinch was won this week by John Abernethy on 1569 followed by Rab Hunter 1539 and Jim Gillespie & son 1549. Ballywalter 1st and 3rd Winston and Hugh McMaster, the winner a blue yearling hen was a club winner as a young bird, third was another yearling, a Blue Cock runner up last week from 2nd Mt. Charles in the club, velocities were 1542 and 1522. Runner up was Sam Regan’s Shoreline lofts timing a yearling roundabout Cock, a Van Schooriesse/Cattrysse on 1539. Bangor was won by the Burgess & Brennan partnership on 1552, R Moore & son were 2nd on 1549 and Lambert & Stewart 3rd on 1539. Cloughey Harper & Young had a great race with the top three 1561, 1560 and 1556. Comber another 1, 2, 3 result for Francis Gilmore 1527, 1526 and 1513. Crossgar C & G Adair take the top two 1575 and 1559 with McCartan & Woodsides 3rd on 1554. Donaghadee was won by Ferguson & Wilkinson with a 2 yo cheq cock on roundabout of Wall, Lunt and Green lines on 1529, D & K McCutcheon were 2nd on 1518 with a black cheq SVR cock which already has an earlier 2nd club to his credit and A & P Trimble & son were 3rd on 1518 with the same slatey Janssen/van Loon hen that was 3rd last week. Downpatrick Paddy Lue & son were the winners on 1570 with T Smyth 2nd on 1552 and J Crossan 3rd on 1550. Drumaness where J Kirk & sons again won, velocity 1544, R & K O’Neill were 2nd on 1540 and Burns & O’Neill were 3rd on 1530. Dundonald Stephen Brown & Sons have the winner on 1564 and Roy Irwin has the next two 1559 and 1558. Dundrum Archie & Paddy Murray again take the top three this week’s velocities 1568, 1522 and 1520. Hillfoot W & L Robinson take the top three 1528, 1511 and 1499. Killyleagh Central It’s a 1,2 3 result for McComb Bros 1557, 1557 and 1544. Millisle The winner on 1523 was Jackie Rankin, Bob Christie was 2nd on 1514 and John & Jean Hollinger were 3rd on 1509. Newcastle M/M Fisher have the winner here on 1518, S & A Foster were 2nd on 1509 and E & A Rogan 3rdon 1500. Newtownbreda and it is another winner for W White & Son on 1563 with R & R Lamb 2nd on 1561 and M & A Johnston 3rd on 1558. Tyrella Sean Halpin & Sons win this week on 1549 with S & E McGaw 2nd on 1538 and S Milligan & dtr 3rd on 1535.
East Down 2bird News
The result of the 2nd Mount Charles race was:
1st F BLACK&SONS Downpatrick 1291.3 3rd Open EDC
2nd R MOORE&SON Bangor 1284.8 9th open EDC
3rd McCOMB BROS Killyleagh Central 1272.6
4th T MARSHALL&SON Newtownbreda 1260.6
5th M JENNINGS Annsborough 1256.2
6th B CONNOLLY Downpatrick 1255.2
News From Around The Ards Peninsula & Peninsula 3bird club
Report by Sam Regan
Ferguson and Wilkinson Tops from 2nd Mount Charles
The fourth race of the old bird season saw the Peninsula members return to Mount Charles for the second week and a good turnout of members saw a grand total of 1091 pigeons sent to the race by thirty-nine fanciers, a fly home of an average just over 170+ miles back to their lofts. Liberated at 11.15 into a light North East head wind and clear blue skies it was set for a good steady race.
Winning the Amalgamation for the first time in the 2012 season sees Donaghadee members Harry Wilkinson and Bennett Ferguson had a very good race, clocking a Blue Janssen Hen flying roundabout which also finished 6th Open in the Combine there second bird is 8th in the Amalgamation, these pigeons were obtained a few years ago from the Manchester fliers Lunt, Green and Wall and have given good service to the partnership since their introduction to the Ballybuttle loft.
Runner up and 14th Open is Ballywalter Club winner Sam Regan clocking a yearling Blue Pied Hen a Cattrysse, flown on roundabout a steady racer at club level having two seconds in her short racing career, the Shoreline lofts had two further pigeons on the result sheet being 9th with another Cattrysse Blue Hen and 11th place with a yearling Blue Cock a Lambrecht from stock from the Regan’s good friends DL & E.Jones of Llandudno North Wales.
Cloughey Winners Harper & Young were the best loft from Tullamore in the Amalgamation and timed for third Amalgamation from Mount Charles and also 16th Open in the E.D.C. to continue their excellent start to the year.
The father and son team of Walker and Nial Cully timed the same pigeon which was in third place last week for 4th Amalgamation flying with Cloughey club into their loft in the fishing village of Portavogie.
The Gordon family continues to perform week to week and this race sees them time three birds in the Amalgamation result being 5th, 6th &13th with their pigeons.
Next sees yet another loft which is flying brilliantly from day one with three club wins already this year and Winston and Hugh McMaster Ballywalter members clocked a pigeon for 7th, a yearling Blue Cock, into their Burnside loft in Ballyhalbert a fine performance from the family.
Hugh and Eleanor Keenan clocked a yearling Blue Hen to take 10th Amalgamation for these Cloughey members to complete another days racing.
Millisle club winner Bob Christie wins his first ticket with the Amalgamation in 12th place -congratulations. The final position, that of 14th, sees Alec Trimble of Donaghadee club complete the result.
Full Result
1st 1285, Ferguson & Wilkinson.
2nd 1280, Sam Regan.
3rd 1280, Harper & Young.
4th 1271, W&N.Cully.
5th 6th 1270 x 2, Gordon Bros & sons.
Three Bird Club
1st Gordon Bros & sons 1242.
2nd H.Gordon 1238.
3rd Palmer & McKay 1126.
The Nomination was won by Gordon Bros on 1223.
Next race is Fermoy up to the 200 miles distance. Until then, best wishes to all.
South Down Federation
with Brendan McLoughlin
Annsborough’s James Cleland 2nd Open from Mount Charles
The East Down Combine pigeons were back in Mount Charles, in Co Tipperary for their fourth race of the season on Saturday 5th May. The birds were released at 10.45am in a north-easterly wind but with good sunshine and an odd scattered shower. With the NIPA liberating at the same time in Clonmel it is thought that there may have been some clashing as fanciers who race in both organisations had pigeons home at the same time from both races.
The East Down Combine was won by Ballylesson’s Colin and Dorothy Smyth but just behind them in second Open was Annsborough’s James Cleland. With 14 different clubs from right across the Combine featuring in this week’s Open result this was the most even result we have seen this year. Indeed it’s not often we have such a spread of clubs in the Open result as the wind is usually the key determinant of where the Open positions are taken.
The winner of the South Down Federation this week is James Cleland’s pigeon at second Open for another great result for this top flyer. James has another pigeon in the result at 10th Fed. The winning pigeon, which is also 1st East section of the Combine, is a yearling cock. The dam is a Pros Roosen from Martin Flynn and these lines feature regularly in the Federations results for James. The sire is new blood brought in from his good friends Roy and Marion Seaton from Annan in Scotland. Roy and Marion are the winners of three Nationals and were second on four occasions. Roy is originally from Newtownards but it was as a result of a friendship that developed after they had met at the Blackpool Show that pigeons were exchanged. Both fanciers benefited from this exchange as James’pigeons have won for the Seatons as well. James second pigeon is 10th Fed, 40th Open and is another yearling cock from the same lines as the Fed winner but from different parents.
S Milligan & Dtr of Tyrella had another good race here again with two birds in the result taking 2nd and 4th Fed, 4th and 7th section and 7th and 10th Open. These two pigeons arrived together and there was only four seconds between them on the clock but with such a tight race the seconds are precious.
Sean and Jennifer’s first pigeon is a yearling cock. The dam is a Busschaert bred by Alfie Williamson’s Down Lofts while the sire contains Busschaert from Trevor Shalvis Kent, ‘Scarecrow’ from Donnelly Bros Newry and Deweerdt from Geoff and Catherine Cooper of Peasedown St John, near Bath.
Their second pigeon is a two-year-old cock whose sire is a direct son of ‘Scarecrow’ one of the top pigeons to race into N Ireland for Donnelly Bros, Newry. The dam is another Deweerdt from Geoff and Catherine Cooper top flyers in England.
A Murray & Son Dundrum are 3rd Fed, 5th section and 8th Open this week as they enjoy an excellent start to the season having won 3 out of the 4 races in the Dundrum club. The pigeon timed here is a four-year-old blue Maurice Corens x Soontjens hen that has won 5 x 1st clubs including 2 high Section positions in Section F of the NIPA. Her sire is a double South Down Fed winner and has won 6 x 1st clubs, while her dam is a daughter of M & J O'Reilly, Arklow’s No1 Soontjens pair - originating from Eric Carlisle.
Annsborough’s R J Keown 9th Fed last week from 1st Mount Charles improves to 5th Fed, 9th section and 15th Open this week to keep a good run of form going. The pigeon timed here is the same way bred as the pigeon that was 9th Fed last week. The sire is a son of‘Oscar’, a wonderful Steenhaut pigeon that was bought at the Blackpool Show a few years back but has produced numerous prize-winners. The dam is a daughter of the ‘Show Cock’, another pigeon that has produced an array of prize-winners. Together they have been RJs number one stock pair.
Pritchard Bros Annsborough are 6th Fed this week and also take 13th section, 21st Open and I’m told that this could have been a lot better. The pigeon timed here is a two-year-old Staf Van Reet cock from Tony Smyth Downpatrick.
Annsborough’s Bert Knight has the next two to take 7th and 8th Fed, 13th and 20th East Section and 24th and 37th Open. Neither of these two birds was raced as young birds and they were only tossed from Hilltown and Newry. This was their first race this year and they were trained to Navan in the week prior to the race. Both pigeons are yearlings from Bert’s own lines. The result is completed by Tyrella’s S Halpin and Sons who are 10th Fed, 38th Open. Their pigeon is a two-year-old cock and is Jacobs x Soontjens. He was 1st club Tyone Mills as a young bird and was 3rd club 24th Open from Tullamore this year. A very consistent pigeon he has won the Nom three weeks in a row in the club. When I was talking to Sean he asked that I give a special mention to Sean Paul who has done all the work with the pigeons this year.
Full Result: 1, J Cleland Annsborough 1295; 2, S Milligan & Dtr Tyrella 1284.919; 3, A Murray & Son Dundrum 1284.900; 4, S Milligan & Dtr 1284.298; 5, R J Keown Annsborough 1280; 6, Pritchard Bros Annsborough 1274; 7, 8, H Knight Annsborough 1273, 1270; 9, S Halpin & Sons Tyrella 1269 ANCD Nom £34.50; M Jennings Annsborough 1256 ABCD £16.20; G & P Brown Annsborough 1233 ABCD £10.80
There will be a £2 Nom from the Skibbereen Classic this weekend and from the Skibbereen National on Tuesday.
There will be no DTW this week from Skibbereen Classic. It will resume next week from Fermoy.
The 3rd Round of the loft KO will be flown from 2nd Fermoy.
The committee and members of the South Down Fed offer their sympathies to RJ Keown on the death of his brother Richard.
Harmony Lofts Hot Spot winner
The top racing loft of N Black & Son, Dromara are this weeks winner’s with bird ring No. GB10D13229 vel 1555 collecting £50.
This week sees the Combine’s first Derby race the “Joe Ringland Skibbereen Classic” so good flying to all competitors and this then takes us on to the first of the INFC Nationals the following week also from Skibbereen. I see for this weekend it’s forecast to be back to the NE winds.