EAST DOWN COMBINE
Reports by Clifford Browne
2011 Fanciers of the Year start off 2012 in Style
The East Down Combine started the 2012 Old Bird season on April 14th with the opening race from Mullingar and the birds got off to a very steady start having to face a North East wind with clear blue skies and it turned out to be an excellent race with the winning birds recording velocities in the 1100s. Returns were excellent with most lofts reporting 100%. The 2011 fanciers of the Year Gordon Bros & Sons got the season off to a fantastic start when racing through Cloughey and Killyleagh. They had 13 birds drop togetherand in the top twelve of the open they won 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th, a phenomenal result from the Combine entry of over 4,000 birds. They were also 13th, 14th, 15th, 39th and 40th open and they also took the top 13 in the East Section. What a great result from these dedicated fanciers. Crossgar’s McCartan & Woodsides also enjoyed a good afternoon’s racing and in the top twelve of the open finished 4th and 8th and 1st and 2nd West Section.
EAST DOWN COMBINE MULLINGAR OPEN - 14th April 2012
181 Members sent 4097 birds. Wind North East.
Pos Name Club Velocity
1 Gordon Bros & Sons Killyleagh Central HPS 1198.1
2 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1198.0
3 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1197.9
4 McCartan & Woodsides Crossgar HPS 1197.7
5 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1197.7
6 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1197.6
7 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1197.5
8 McCartan & Woodsides Crossgar HPS 1197.4
9 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1197.3
10 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1197.2
11 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1197.0
12 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1196.9
West Section 62 Members sent 1417 birds
1 McCartan & Woodsides Crossgar HPS 1197.7
2 McCartan & Woodsides Crossgar HPS 1197.4
3 J.Kirk & Son Drumaness Mills HPS 1174.7
4 McCartan & Woodsides Crossgar HPS 1170.6
5 McCartan & Woodsides Crossgar HPS 1155.4
6 R Hunter Ballynahinch HPS 1154.3
East Section 119 Members sent 2680 birds
1 Gordon Bros & Sons Killyleagh Central HPS 1198.1
2 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1198.0
3 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1197.9
4 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1197.7
5 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1197.6
6 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey HPS 1197.5
The Best From The Clubs
Annalong was won by P Trimble on 1099 with C McVeigh having the next two on 1092 and 1088. Annsborough sees Geraldine and Paddy Brown off to a good start on 1146 and 1145 with D Croskery & son 3rd on 1138. Ballylesson has Colin & Dorothy Smyth & Sons ahead of John Patterson who has the next two 1152, 1146 and 1144. Ballynahinch saw a close finish with Rab Hunter 1st and 2nd on 1154 and 1152 with John Abernethy 3rd also on 1152. Ballywalter. Winston & Hugh McMaster take 1st and 3rd on 1134 and 1117 with two blue yearling hens. Sam Regan was in 2nd place with a blue pied Cattrysse hen racing natural on 1125. Bangor. A one, two, three result for Reggie & David Moore on 1164, 1150 and 1135 with their birds coming well to take the top ten in the club. Cloughey where it is Gordon Bros 1198 (2nd Open), 1197 and 1197. Comber was won by Burns Bros on 1126, 2nd Francis Gilmore 1121 and 3rd C Hutchinson on 1117. Crossgar where it was a one, two, three result for the McCartan & Woodsides partnership on 1197, 1197 & 1170. Donaghadee where Kieran McCutcheon gets off to a good start with 1st and 2nd on 1088 & 1088, the winner being a natural blue cock and the runner up a black cheq cock. M/M Glen Gardiner were in 3rd place on 1073 with a blue pied widowhood cock. Downpatrick. Tony Smyth wins here on 1171 with Bob Connelly 2nd on 1158 and F Black & Sons 3rd on 1150. Drumaness was won by J Kirk & Son on 1174, Burns & O’Neill were 2nd on 1117 with C Laverty & Dtr 3rd 1115. Dundonald. Roy Irwin, who was 1st and 2nd Open in this race last year, takes the top three in Dundonald on 1148, 1147 and 1145. Dundrum. Archie & Paddy Murray also have the top three in their club on 1092, 1083 and 1083. Killyleagh Central which had this week’s Open winner to Gordon Bros & Sons on 1198 with their next two on 1195 and 1194 taking 2nd and 3rd club. Millisle where Jackie Rankin wins on 1117, R Strain & Son were 2nd on 1104 and John & Jean Hollinger were 3rd on 1099. Newcastle. D Hillen wins here on 1105 with E & A Rogan 2nd and 3rd 1101 and 1098. Newtownbreda. A good result for M & A Johnston with the top three 1142, 1141 and 1137. Tyrella was won by Denis McNabb & Ptnrs on 1136 with Sean Halpin & Sons 2nd on 1122 and Sean Milligan & Dtr 3rd 1104.
East Down 2bird News
The good news from the 2 bird club is that the 2012 membership is considerably up on last year’s figure and this year stands at 76 which has enabled Secretary Stephen Logan to compile 5 leagues and once again this should be a keenly contested club with the leagues as always providing lots of enjoyment.
News From Around The Ards Peninsula & Peninsula 3 Bird Club
Report by Sam Regan
Gordon Brothers & Sons - Fabulous Start to New Season
The first race of the 2012 season started with Mullingar as the race point for the kick off for the Old Bird racing. The East Down Combine cut the strings at 10.00 and the birds faced a stiff North East headwind en route home. The wind on the coastal side of the Ards Peninsula was a cold fresh breeze on the beaks and this type of test usually favours the short fliers and with the conditions and being the first race of the year a good tester faced the pigeons to reach their lofts. Last year’s Fanciers of the Year in the Combine, the Gordon family had a dream start getting a drop of thirteen pigeons home together ten from the Peninsula club Cloughey plus three flying with their other club Killyleagh. The family dominated not only the Amalgamation but also the East Down Combine open result winning the first thirteen places in the Amalgamation and the top three in the open for a truly great start for the season. Alas I have no details yet of these birds so I can only give their positions and velocities.
Peninsula Amalgamation where 39 members sent 969 birds - 1st to 13th Gordon Bros & sons 1198, 1197x7, 1196, 1195, 1164, 1149, 1148. 14th on 1142 are Harper and Young also from Cloughey club.
Now onto the Three Bird Club and here again the Red card goes to Gordon Bros & Sons on 1198, A.B.C. & NOM, the winner a 3 year old Blue Cock. Runner up is Drew Harper and Martin Young on 1141 with a 4 year old Blue Hen A.B.C. 3rd yes Gordon Bros on 1111 clocking a yearling Blue Cheq Cock A.B.C.
That’s all for the first race. Next week sees the race from Tullamore and hopefully we will get better weather than that which we have had to date. Any details on yourwinners to me as soon as possible after the result.
The Children’s Heartbeat Trust - Fundraising events
Raised in the region of £4,000 and Brian Young who was the organiser of the event would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who donated or bought birds at the auction, Ronnie Johnston who auctioned the birds, those who collected birds for the auction and those who gave donations. The sale raised £1740. Thanks also to the INFC charity committee for their donation of £1000 and to the various sponsors of the abseiling event - a great effort for by all concerned.
Well that is the 2012 season started and this week the East Down Combine are in Tullamore but just before leaving the Mullingar race how about this for a coincidence? Last year from Mullingar my first bird was a cheq pied cock and this year would you believe I timed the same pigeon first again. Nothing unusual in that but when I checked this year’s time against the clocking time last year it was identical right to the hour, minute and the 18 seconds. I wonder what the chances of that were?
Anyway that’s it for this week. News as always to tel. no 028 9146 5273 or e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Or write to 29 West burn Crescent, Bangor. BT20 3RN.