Photo finish at Coleraine in Penzance race

We had a photo finish in Coleraine with Paul O’Connor on 908 just a decimal point ahead of his Coleraine Premier clubmates Newton and Quinn.

Coleraine Triangle Penzance – P O’Connor Coleraine Prem 908, Newton & Quinn Coleraine Prem 908, Hanson & Harpur Coleraine Prem 895, Nevin Bros Coleraine Prem 838, Nevin Bros 837, Hanson & Harpur 832, Bond & Diamond Coleraine Prem 811, P O’Connor 745.

BALLYMONEY & COLERAINE CLUBS PENZANCE

Ballymoney HPS 16/107 – J Connolly 988, D Dixon 971, S & C McCook 948, D Dixon 945, 909, 885, W Blair 827, A & M Boyle 824, W Blair 761.

Coleraine Premier HPS – P O’Connor 908, Newton & Quinn 908, Hanson & Harpur 895, Nevin Bros 838, 837, Hanson & Harpur 832, Bond & Diamond 811, P O’Connor 745, D Coyles & Son 634, M Howard & Son 514.

Rasharkin & District 7/36 – Steele & McNeill 882, 872. Steele & McNeill take the Red Card from Penzance. Danny Dixon: 971.666, 945.430, 909.045, 885.911.

Ballymoney West Combine 6/33 – W Blair 827. Willie Blair times a 4 year old cock to be the only member recording a bird in race time.

Dervock RPS 5/38 – A & M Boyle 824.

NEWTON & QUINN BEST

IN OB CLASSIC

Coleraine Triangle Penzance OB Classic – Newton & Quinn Coleraine Prem 908, Hanson & Harpur Coleraine Prem 895, Nevin Bros Coleraine Prem 838.

BALLYMONEY & COLERAINE CLUBS - PENZANCE OB CLASSIC

Ballymoney HPS 15/91 – J Connolly 988, D Dixon 971, S & C McCook 948, D Dixon 945, 909, 885, W Blair 827, A & M Boyle 824, W Blair 761, D & H Stuart 596. John Connolly times his only entry to show them the way home from Penzance, and his 5 year old Blue Pied cock has previously won 10th Open in the Rosscarbery National but goes one better by winning 1st Section and 9th Open in Penzance and 1st Section 8th Open Penzance Classic.

Coleraine Premier HPS – Newton & Quinn 908, Hanson & Harpur 895, Nevin Bros 838, Hanson & Harpur 832, Bond & Diamond 811, D Coyles & Son 634, M Howard & Son 514. Newton & Quinn ABC.

Rasharkin & District 5/33 – Steele & McNeill 882, 872. Steele & McNeill top the club from Penzance Classic. Danny Dixon: 971.666, 945.430, 909.045, 885.911.

Ballymoney West Combine 6/33 – W Blair 827, J McDowell & Sons 445.

Dervock RPS 5/31 – A & M Boyle 824, D & H Stuart 596.

TESTING RACE FROM PENZANCE

In the penultimate week of the old bird season prior to the long distance events from France the NIPA birds were raced from Penzance with a comeback event arranged from Roscrea.

Despite the fantastic weather conditions on the longest day of the year the Northerly wind was always going to be a big feature.

Birds were liberated in Penzance at 7.30am in a NN East wind and the Roscrea convoy at 9.00am in a Lt Northerly wind.

The Roscrea birds were home first taking over 3 hours for the approx. 140 miles, Penzance was a lot more difficult. Early birds here made good time but it turned out another hard race with a lot of lofts failing to time any arrivals.

From Penzance John Connolly had a big early bird up into Ballymoney to take 1st Sect B while John Millar of Randalstown took 1st in the Mid Antrim Combine.

Steele & McNeill of Rasharkin who have had a very good year with a small team win the Champions League for Rasharkin for the second time. The best bird in Ballymena was timed in Drumtara by the MDC Magill partnership at 5.33pm flying 327 miles.

St Malo (France) birds will be race marked in Cullybackey today (Tuesday) between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.

Mid Antrim Combine Penzance - J Millar Randalstown 975, D Dixon Rasharkin 971, MDC Magill Ballymena 957, D Dixon 945, A Darragh Cullybackey 916, D Dixon 909, D Dixon 885, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 882, McFarlane & Agnew Kells 881, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 878, Steele & McNeill 872, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 866, Gibson & Dickey Cullybackey 856, M/M Robinson Ahoghill 854, A Darragh 842, A Darragh 839, W & J Smyth Ballymena 832, M/M Robinson Ahoghill 822, A Darragh 805, J Orr & Son Ahoghill 805, W & J Smyth 801, A Darragh 786, J Millar & Son Harryville 756, A Darragh 739, T R Alexander & Son Ballymena 738.

Mid Antrim Combine Penzance OB Classic - J Millar Randalstown 975, D Dixon Rasharkin 971, MDC Magill Ballymena 957, D Dixon 945, A Darragh Cullybackey 916, D Dixon 909, D Dixon 885, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 882, McFarlane & Agnew Kells 881, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 878, Steele & McNeill 872, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 866, Gibson & Dickey Cullybackey 856, M/M Robinson Ahoghill 854, A Darragh 842, A Darragh 839, W & J Smyth Ballymena 832, M/M Robinson Ahoghill 822, A Darragh 806, W & J Smyth 801, A Darragh 786, J Millar & Son Harryville 756, A Darragh 739, B Herbison Cullybackey 706.

Coleraine Triangle Roscrea – R & J Parke Windsor Soc 1193, R & J Parke 1181, W & W Murdock Windsor Soc 1180, K Glass Windsor Soc 1175, R & J Parke 1174, R & J Parke 1153.

BALLYMONEY & COLERAINE CLUBS ROSCREA

Ballymoney HPS 10/227 – D Dixon 1251, 1250, A & M Boyle 1242, D & G McMullan 1205, J Hutchinson & Son 1200, J Connolly 1189, L Neill 1184, J Hutchinson & Son 1184, J Connolly 1176, A & M Boyle 1173. Danny times a two year old Van de Brande to win Roscrea. This Grizzle cock was 10th Open in the Skibbereen National in 2012, and first in the Coleraine Centre 2013 in the NIPA Five Bird Mallow.

Rasharkin & District 8/75 – Steele & McNeill 1246, 1220, T Kaczynski 1169, A C & T Tweed 1161, W & J McLean 1153, H Cubitt 1130, P McDonald 1130, W & J McLean 1116. Steele & McNeill take the Red Card with their good Ad van Berkal widowhood cock. This bird wins for the fourth time this season previously topping the Section and Combine from Rosscarbery. Danny Dixon: 1251.993, 1250.832, 1230.011, 1225.633.Dervock RPS 4/94 – A & M Boyle 1242, D & G McMullan 1205, J Hutchinson & Son 1200, 1184, A & M Boyle 1173, D & G McMullan 1160, D & H Stuart 1117.

Ballymoney West Combine 5/99 – J Hutchinson & Son 1200, L Neill 1184, R J Elliott 1146, W Blair 1112, Brown & Stewart 1040.

Windsor Social 3/60 – R & J Parke 1193, 1181, W & W Murdock 1180, K Glass 1175, R & J Parke 1174, 1153.