Fanciers sustain heavy losses

The birds were liberated on Thursday, July 8 at 08.45 am in a light SE wind to be SSW en route and strengthen on the route home. The birds were released one day early due to a bad weather forecast for the Friday.

Some 244 members sent 881 birds, competing for 5,586 in pools and prizes.

The race turned out as follows:

There were 15 gallant birds recorded on the day of toss, with up to 80 birds recorded on the second day and the remaining prizes made up on the third day, with a total of 84 birds recorded by the close of the race.

The top 10 positions were as follows :

1st N & C Shields ( Skerries ) 1160 725

2nd P. Smith & Son ( Stillorgan ) 1157 447

3rd J. Doheny ( Malahide & Dist ) 1111 508

4th N. Grant & Sons ( Ballbriggan ) 1090 445

5th Donnelly Bros ( Newry City ) 1088 383

6th M. Buckley ( Annaghmore ) 1086 118

7th R. Williamson ( Bondhill ) 1086 255

8th G. Buckley & Son ( Annaghmore ) 1082 231

9th Donnelly Bros ( Newry City ) 1076 77

10th C. Cameron ( Ballyclare & Dist) 1066 192

East Antrim Area

Best bird timed into the East Antrim area and a winner of 10th Open was the Ballyclare loft of Cyril Cameron.

Cyril timed his sole entry and had the only bird on the day into the Muckamore centre This was a fantastic achievement for the loft and one that I know Cyril will be very pleased with as these are the races that he sets his stall out for from the start of the season.

A number of birds were timed into East Antrim on the second day. First was to former Kings Cup winners T. Cairns & Son, Glengormley. From an entry of two birds the father/son partnership were 22nd Open 16th North Section.

Next -best was another loft who loves the French racing, Robin Duddy, Ballyclare & Dist. Robin timed three birds to win 24th Open, 18th North Sect, 31st Open, 24th North Sect and 57th Open, 49th North Sect.

Next-best another distance loft, C & L Woodside, Ballyclare & Dist. Another top result for Leslie, timing three of his entrants to win 34th Open, 27th North Sect, 54th Open 46th North Section and 65th Open, 56th North Section.

Best in to the Larne area was another loft for the big events G, K & I Moxham. From their entry of two birds they won a creditable 50th Open 43rd North Section.

Other lofts to record birds include: Jimmy Burrows, whohas had a fantastic old bird season and finishes the season with another top result finishing 52nd Open, 45th North Section; Mr & Mrs Magill, Muckamore – former national winners time two birds to win 56th Open, 46th North Section and 64th Open, 55th North Section; Noel Lusty, Muckamore – a good result for Noel winning 62nd Open, 53rd North Section.

May I personally congratulate, through the column, all the prizewinners in what turned out to be, as usual, a testing French event.

Well the young bird campaign has well and truly started for all organisations. The Ulster Federation were experiencing their second race, while the NIPA had their first, an area liberation. While talking to a lot of the fancy, in the NIPA in general, returns were not good, with a lot of lofts experiencing serious losses.

Not a good start to the season for a lot of fanciers. What went wrong? Some fanciers think that with the wind the birds did not stop and continued into Scotland, with others finding the distance in the opening race far too far. Will we ever know?

This week sees a mass liberation for the NIPA for the first time, so fingers crossed. One thing is for sure: the fancy in general cannot afford to lose any more.

NIPA Section C Young Bird

The opening race in the young bird campaign was an area liberation from Tullamore. The birds were liberated on Saturday, July 17 at 13.45 into a WSW wind with blue sky and good visibility. Results as follows :

Ballycarry – 1st M Delaney 1698 2nd A Cooke 1690 3rd A Cooke 1664. Martin wins the opener with one of his “ Van Lint Specials” with Andy hot on his heels lifting the next two positions.

Ballyclare & Dist HPS – 12 /212 1st S Rodney and Son 1653 2nd S Rodney and Son 1620 3rd Turkington and Robinson 1605 4th A Thompson 1601 5th C Cameron 1598 6th L Houston and Son 1582 7th G and R Lawrie 1515 8th G and R Lawrie 1514 9th C and L Woodside 1508 10th B and M Gilmore 1508. The top racing father/son partnership hit the front this week lifting the top two positions. The first two birds are are pair of Hartog nest mates bred from last years winner of 7th Open Talbenny Young Bird National.

Carrick & Dist – 1st J McMaw 1680 2nd T Creighton& Son 1665 3rd D & J Armstrong & Son 1664 4th T Creighton & Son 1663 5th Mr Mrs K. Lavery 1632 6th D&J Armstrong & son 1626 7th T Thomas 1620 8th Mr &Mrs G Robinson 1619 9th J Robinson1616 10th Mr&Mrs G Robinson Jeff tops the club this week in the opening young bird race of the season.

Carrick Social – 14/317 1st & 2nd D & J Armstrong & Son 1720, 1686. 3rd J. McMaw 1680 4th J McIlheron 1678 5th B & L Dodds 1664 6th D & J Armstrong & Son 1664 7th J. Millar & Son 1653 8th & 9th B & L Dodds 1641, 1620 10th Mr & Mrs Robinson 1619. A top result this week and best bird in the area for the top racing partnership.

Cushendall : 1st & 2nd F. O Boyle 1540, 1537 3rd & 4th A McNaughton 1492, 1492. The winner of the opening young bird race of the season was Francis timing a bird bred by clubmate Alastair McNaughton. The winner was a grizzle cock, a Delbar/Jan Aarden, one from Alastairs distance family. The Nom was won by Gerald McCafferty.

Doagh & Dist. 15/355 1st Wilson Sons & Smyth 1666 2nd & 3rd Mr & Mrs B McNeilly 1636 & 1634 4th W McClelland 1634 5th Wilson Sons & Smyth 1626 6th R Wilson 1604 7th & 8th S & A Leitch

Race Sponsored by Quality Supplies Limited. This weeks winning bird is a blue Willy Van Herck hen bred by P & J Boal Dromore Sire & Dam of this hen have bred P & J Boal 5 x Section winners.

Eastway : 1st - Foster & Larkham 1705.4 2nd - G McKenna 1694.6 3rd - G McKenna 1694.6 4th - G McKenna 1693.2 5th G McKenna 1693 6th Foster & Larkham 1690. Sammy tops the club this week with “ Brother Gary” – The Distance Specialist – taking the next three positions.

Glenarm & Dist – 10/239 1st G Mc Whirter 1600.5 2nd Mc Mullan Bros 1597.7 3rd Mc Mullan Bros 1597.2 4th Mc Mullan Bros 1596 5th N O Boyle 1581 6th McMullan Bros 1580 7th O O Neill & Son 1577 8th C & D McConaghie 1577

Old hand Geordie opens the young bird campaign with a win but the up and coming McMullan Brothers are hot on his heels and are off to a flyer taking the next three positions with their Van Reet family

Horseshoe HPS – 17/394 1st J. Morrison 1654 2nd C. Campbell & Son 1652 3rd J. Morrison 1646 4th C. Campbell & Son 1639 5th & 6th C. Campbell & Son 1639, 1623 7th & 8th J. Hastings 1623, 1620 9th & 10th D & P Harvey 1613 11th S McGarell & Son 1606 12th W. Donnell 1596. Joe Morrison tops the club from the first YB race from Tullamore. The winner was a chequer hen bred from a mating of best young cock from last year to best young hen. The sire was bred from a pair bought at John McConaghies clearance sale and the dam is from Joes ever reliable Van Moorsel line. 2nd was Colin Campbell & Son with a Van Den Horst bred bird. 3rd was Joe Morrison with a young cock bred from Campbell & Bigger stock purchased at Blackpool and 4th Colin Campbell & Son with a Van Den Horst/V D Wiel Cock. Nom was won by C Campbell & Son. Also well done to new young fancier W. Donnell on making the prizes in his first ever race – Well Done from myself and all your clubmates – The coming weeks race from Tullamore is the first Hot Spot race for the Boxing Day Sale Birds competing for 150 – Good luck to all concerned.

Kingsmoss – 1st & 2nd Knowles & Hill 1530, 1522 3rd W. Gault & Son 1518 4th R. Lillie & Son 1504

Long serving member Billy Knowles tops the club this week timing a mealy hen containing the very best of Jan Aarden bloodlines.

Larne & Dist HPS – 33/876 1st, 2nd 3rd 4th & 5th B. McCammon 1663, 1662, 1642, 1642, 1642

6th & 7th S & W Gray 1637, 1628 8th B McCammon 1619 9th J McAuley 1618 10th B McCammon 1618 11th R Glass 1614 12th R Mills & Son 1611

Two Bird Winners: 1st B McCammon 2nd Beggs & Hall. Brian opens his young bird campaign with a real bang taking the first five positions in the club, a super result against big birdage. Brians winner is a Janssen from Matt Cotton. The second placed bird is a Campbell & Bigger / GKI Moxham cross. Third place is a Joop Koch with the fourth placed bird a Soontjens bred by his good friend and clubmate Rab Mills.

Ligoniel & Dist – 14/230 1st,2nd,3rd, Bingham & Seaton. Vel. 1737.1, 1734.2, 1690. 9. 4th 5th & 6th Graham, McManus & Mullan. Vel. 1677, 1677, 1670 7th & 8th G & L Simpson 1666, 1665. The top racing partnership are having a super season to date and after a magnificent old bird season start off the young bird campaign with a bang lifting the top three positions in the club and are likely top two in the Section, with Conar lifting the next three. May I congratulate both partnerships on their recent top performances from France. The Bingham & Seaton partnership lifted two NIPA Bronze Awards while the Graham, McManus & Mullan partnership lifted a coveted Silver Award. Well Done to both partnerships. Just goes to show lads, on this weeks performances, you can sprint as well as fly the long uns.

Ligoniel 2 Bird Club

14 Members sent 28 birds

1st. G & L Simpson. Vel. 1642.7

2nd. T & T Davidson. Vel. 1544.4