Pigeons by Homer

In the Coleraine Area the best weekend bird was timed by the top team of Hanson & Harpur who had a super card in the Coleraine Premier.

Doing velocity 1722 they were ahead of Kenny Darragh who had 1st Coleraine & County Derry (1718). T & J McDonald had 1st Bushmills Inv (1706) and Kenny Glass has his first success of the year in Windsor Soc (1677) with a 2 year old cheq cock bred by Harry Hearn from Newcastle on Tyneside.

Coleraine Triangle Roscrea – Hanson & Harpur Coleraine Prem 1722, K Darragh Coleraine & Co Derry 1718, Hanson & Harpur 1717, T & J McDonald Coleraine Prem 1706, Hanson & Harpur 1700, A & R McAuley Ballymoney 1699, J L Madden Coleraine Prem 1698, A & R McAuley 1692, J L Madden 1691, S & B Cummins Coleraine Prem 1686, Hanson & Harpur 1684, T & J McDonald 1683, W & W Murdock Coleraine & Co Derry 1683, T McCrudden 1681, K Glass Windsor Soc 1677.

N.I.P.A. Section A:

Coalisland & Dist 14/371 - 1st Henry McLaughlin 1744, 2nd Kevin Carlan 1676, 3rd Sean Drain 1667, 4th Kevin Carolan 1676, 5th&6th Karl Murphy 1665,1664, 7th Joe Devlin 1664, 8th M&R Hamilton 1661, 9th Richard Corey 1657, 10th Kevin Carolan 1653.

Coleraine Prem Hps - 1st&2nd Hanson&Harpur 1722,1717, 3rd T&J McDonald 1706, 4th Hamson&Harpur 1700, 5th&6th J L Madden 1698,1691, 7th S&B Cummins 1686, 8th Hanson&Harpur 1684, 9th T&J McDonald 1663, 10th S Walker 1658.

Coleraine & Co Derry - 1st K Darragh 1718, 2nd T McCrudden 1696, 3rd W&W Murdock 1683, 4th T McCrudden 1681. Kenny wins with a Van DerhreexVan Meldret. Winky wins the pools.

Bushmills Inv - 1st T&J McDonald 1706, 2nd K Glass 1677, 3rd,4th&5th T&J McDonald 1663,1655,1642.

Castledawson Hps 4/87 - 1st,2nd&3rd T Leacock&Son 1690,1675,1669, 4th Savage Bros 1626, 5th T Leacock&Son 1625, 6th S K Watson 1606.

Cookstown Social 10/258 - 1st K Morton&Sons 1686, 2nd S&G Smith 1671, 3rd G&S Smith 1667, 4th S Marshall 1661, 5th Speirs&Campbell 1660, 6th G Marshall 1659, 7th G&S Smith 1655, 8th&9th J McCormick 1651,1637, 10th G Marshall 1637.

Windsor Social 11/236 - 1st K Glass 1677, 2nd G Donaghey Son&G/son 1660, 3rd K Glass 1636, 4th M Simpson 1626, 5th R&J Parke 1619, 6th&7th E&J McGarry 1616,1609, 8th Horner&Scott 1605, 9th C Morrow&Son 1596, 10th R&J Parke 1596. Kenny wins this week's race with a two year old cock bred by Harry Hearn, Newcastle.

Dungannon & Dist Hps 8/108 - 1st&2nd J&J Sampson 1637,1630, 3rd W Leckey&Son 1628, 4th J&J Sampson 1623, 5th W Leckey&Son 1591, 6th J&J Sampson 1575.

Following two races from Tullamore the local birds moved on to Roscrea in Tipperary, released again at mid-day in a helping south east wind. Danny Dixon had the Card of the Day to take the top four places in the Mid Antrim Combine with almost 3,000 birds competing. He will top the Combine & Sect B for the second time this season and his early birds will be up at the top of the NIPA. His winner was a Black w/f cock a pure Lambrechts racing on widowhood, he has already topped Mid Antrim Combine the day the loft had the Top 8 and this same bird won the Ballymena Ring Nom from Fermoy. This could be another Champion in the Making. Young McManus & Sons have won all three races into Ahoghill and Stewart Bros make it two in a row in Randalstown. Reid Bros & McCloy have 1st Cullybackey (1678), McAlonan Bros 1st Ballymena & Dist (1670), H Smyth & Son have 1st Broughshane (1666), this bird was runner-up the week previous and Allen McBride has two in a row in Harryville (1661). The 2 year old Blue cock is a full brother to last weeks winner, the sire a son of Spartacus paired to a hen bred from a sister of Champion Strauss paired to son of Diamonte. They have now bred 9 x 1sts, what a fantastic winning line the very best Soontjen x Hartog. Conor Magill wins two on the trot in New Antrim (1660).

Mid Antrim Combine Roscrea 126/2,952 – D Dixon Rasharkin 1739, D Dixon 1739, D Dixon 1738, D Dixon 1723, Young McManus & Sons 1702, D Dixon 1688, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1685, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 1678, Milliken & Barkley Rasharkin 1677, McAlonan Bros Ballymena 1670, Reid Bros & McCloy 1669, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1668, H Smyth & Son Broughshane 1666, L McNeill Rasharkin 1662, A McBride Harryville 1661, C Magill New Antrim 1660, W McFetridge Rasharkin 1658, M Graham Ballymena 1655, A & N Young Ahoghill 1653, A Darragh Cullybackey 1649, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1648, G Connolly Broughshane 1648, J & D Surgenor Rasharkin 1646, Young McManus & Sons 1645, G McDowell Kells 1642, Scott & Clements Kells 1641, Surgenor Bros Kells 1641, H & R McCloy Cullybackey 1641, Steele & McNeill 1640, J & M Milliken 1640.

N.I.P.A. Section B:

Ballymoney Hps 30/986 - 1st&2nd D Dixon 1739,1739, 3rd D&H Stuart 1732, 4th J McDowell&Sons 1722, 5th&6th A&R McAuley 1699,1692, 7th&8th A&M Boyle 1684,1684, 9th M Gamble 1677, 10th D&G McMullan 1674. Danny dixon leads the way in Ballymoney and is looking good for top position in Section B.

Dervock Rps 11/379 - 1st D&H Stuart 1732, 2nd&3rd A&M Boyle 1684,1684, 4th D&G McMullan 1674, 5th S Laverty 1664, 6th D Devenney 1654, 7th D&H Stuart 1644, 8th&9th J Hutchinson&Son 1597,1597, 10th W&L McCaw 1576.

Ballymoney West Combine - 1st J McDowell&Sons 1722, 2nd W Blair 1642, 3rd D Laverty 1642, 4th B&I Stewart 1636, 5th R J Ellioo 1629, 6th L Neill 1622, 7th J Hutchinson&Son 1597, 8th C Henry 1567, 9th D Gage 1496. J McDowell and sons make an impressive start to the season winning the first three races.

Ahoghill FC 14/354 - 1st Young&McManus&Sons 1702, 2nd A&N Young 1653, 3rd Young&McManus&Sons 1645, 4th A&N Young 1635, 5th&6th Young&McManus&Sons 1626,1623, 7th T&G Cotter 1604, 8th J Smyth&Son 1600, 9th Mr&Mrs Robinson 1592, 10th J Smyth&Son 1585.

Randalstown Hps 14/316 - 1st&2nd Stewart Bros 1685,1627, 3rd S Millar 1625, 4th&5th S Murphy 1625,1624, 6th Houston Bros 1611, 7th J Millar 1610, 8th Houston Bros 1604.

Cullybackey Hps 17/475 - 1st&2nd Reid Bros&H McCloy 1678,1669, 3rd A Darragh 1649, 4th H&R McCloy 1641, 5th Scott&Sprat 1640, 6th Russell Bros 1639, 7th H&R McCloy 1639, 8th Scott&Sprat 1619, 9th Russell Bros 1594, 10th A Darragh 1594.

Rasharkin & Dist Hps 14/261 - 1st Milliken&Barkley 1677, 2nd Steele&McNeill 1668, 3rd Lucas McBeill 1662, 4th W McFetridge 1658, 5th J&D Surgenor 1646, 6th Steele&McNeill 1640, 7th J&M Milliken 1640, 8th Lucas McNeill 1623, 9th Milliken&Barkley 1587, 10th A& C Tweed 1578. Milliken&Barkley win another tight finish from Steele&McNeill, Lucas McNeill thirs. Nom Steele&McNeill. D Dixon 1739,1739,1738,1723,1688. Race kindly sponsored by J F Car Sales (Ballymoney)

Windsor Social 11/236 - 1st K Glass 1677, 2nd G Donaghey Son&G/son 1660, 3rd K Glass 1636, 4th M Simpson 1626, 5th R&J Parke 1619, 6th&7th E&J McGarry 1616,1609, 8th Horner&Scott 1605, 9th C Morrow&Son 1596, 10th R&J Parke 1596. Kenny wins this week's race with a two year old cock bred by Harry Hearn, Newcastle.

Ballymena & Dist Hps 13/271 - 1st McAlonan Bros 1670, 2nd M Graham 1655, 3rd Blair&Rankin 1648, 4th W&J Smyth 1635, 5th J Harris 1629, 6th J Devlin 1626, 7th M Graham 1622, 8th W&J Smyth 1622, 9th B O'Rawe 1619, 10th M Graham 1615.

Harryville Hps 17/434 - 1st A McBride 1661, 2nd R Service&Son 1621, 3rd&4th J Ramsey 1619,1617, 5th KKK Kernohan&Sons 1616, 6th,7th&8th R H Clements 1607,1607,1606, 9th G Price 1602, 10th A McBride 1598. Two in a row, Allen is the man to beat.

Broughshane Hps 13/311 - 1st H Smyth&Son 1666, 2nd&3rd G Connolly 1648,1622, 4th D Houston&Son 1620, 5th H Smyth&Son 1615, 6th J&N Simpson 1608, 7th D Houston&Son 1606, 8th J Getty 1600. Harry's bird was 2nd Club the week before, 2year old blue cock on roundabout.Off a pair of Lindelaufs from Foxwood lofts on loan from an old friend in Portadown at the time.

New Antrim Amal - 1st C Magill 1660, 2nd R McFall & Son 1618, 3rd C Magill 1612, 4th C Moore 1608, 5th D Jackson&Son 1607, 6th&7th C Magill 1600,1598, 8th Rankin&Richards 1598.

Crumlin&Dist Hps 12/324 - 1st P McClarence 1654, 2nd M&B McConville 1634, 3rd,4th&5th Fleming Bros 1633,1631,1627, 6th P McClarence 1627, 7th Fleming Bros 1626, 8th&9th M&B McConville 1623, 1620, 10th J&A Galloway 1598.

Chimney Corner - 1st,2nd&3rd McDonald&Wilkinson 1611,1610,1600.