Steele’s birds show their mettle with four wins at Cullybackey

Due to a poor weekend weather forecast the race was also brought forward, birds race marked on Thursday and released on Friday, September 6 at 10.30am in a North wind.

It was as expected the hardest race to date, a number of birds missing at the clock checking but most have turned up. Some lofts made it look easy, best loft locally was Danny Dixon who races into Dunloy, he had 12 birds in the Top 20 including 1st MAC on velocity 1182 with just short of 1,000 birds competing.

Next best Simon Millar had the Card of the Day in Randalstown, the Top 10 for the second week. Sammy Steele wins Cullybackey four in a row and Trevor Johnston & Son 1st Harryville (1145) have the best bird in Ballymena, a best ever young bird season for this loft racing to the Doury Road.

Cullybackey Centre: Details for the Rosscarbery YB Nat race marking are as follows. Entry fees etc. with club cheque collect Wednesday, September 11 from 8.30 - 9.30pm at the Cullybackey club rooms. Birds will be race marked in Cullybackey between 2.00 - 4.30pm on Friday, September 13. All clocks ready after lorry leaves Cullybackey. Cups and trophies should be returned ASAP to NIPA Secretary Fred Russell. Claims should be made for all the seasons awards, distance and average cup claims to both RPRA (Irish Region) Secretary Robert Reid and for the NIPA claims to Secretary Fred Russell.

Mid Antrim Combine Mallow 68/955 – D Dixon Rasharkin 1182, D Dixon 1182, S Millar Randalstown 1179, D Dixon 1169, D Dixon 1164, D Dixon 1163, S Steele Cullybackey 1150, D Dixon 1149, D Dixon 1149, D Dixon 1148, D Dixon 1148, Surgenor Bros Kells 1146, T Johnston & Son Harryville 1145, S Millar 1144, D Dixon 1144, D Dixon 1144, D Dixon 1144, S Millar 1142, S Millar 1140, A Darragh Cullybackey 1136, S Steele 1134, Surgenor Bros 1133, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1133, G McDowell Kells 1132.

Mid Antrim Combine Clubs Mallow –

Randalstown HPS 7/99 – S Millar 1179, 1144, 1142, 1140, 1129, 1129, 1120, 1116, 1110, 1108.

Cullybackey HPS 12/256 – S Steele 1150, A Darragh 1136, S Steele 1134, Reid Bros & McCloy 1128, S Steele 1117, Reid Bros & McCloy 1113, 1113, 1108, J & J Greer 1107, S Steele 1103, A Darragh 1098, 1088. Sammy Steele won the £50 Nomination sponsored by the Bridge Garage, he also won the old bird event.

Kells & District HPS 7/85 – Surgenor Bros 1146, 1133, G McDowell 1132, Surgenor Bros 1130, B Swann & Son 1108, 1103, 1101, G McDowell 1099, B Swann & Son 1066, G McDowell 1053. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – G McDowell 1132, Surgenor Bros 1130, 1048, B Swann & Son 1022, 1007.

Harryville HPS 12/157 – T Johnston & Son 1145, J Ramsey 1128, 1100, J Rock 1094, J Ramsey 1081, J Rock 1078, J Millar & Son 1066, K & K Kernohan 1064, J Ramsey 1060, K & K Kernohan 1059.

Ballymena & District 12/88 – W & J Smyth 1133, D Craig 1113, J McNaghten & Son 1108, D Craig 1106, M/M M Sempey 1097, McFall & McManus 1088, M/M M Sempey 1087, Blair & Rankin 1062, B O’Rawe 1057, J McNaghten & Son 1046.

Ballykeel Invitation – M/M M Sempey 1097, 1087, K & K Kernohan 1064, 1059, 1020, J W Reynolds 974.

Rasharkin & District 7/129 – Steele & McNeill 1125, 1084, A C & T Tweed 1041, 1030, H Cubitt 1012, 995, T Kaczynski 980. Steele & McNeill take the Red Card with one of their Lambrechts. Race sponsored by Stevenson’s Mace, Kilrea. Danny Dixon:1182.604, 1182.242, 1169.799, 1164.229, 1163.704, 1149.252, 1149.196, 1148.969, 1148.798, 1144.496, 1144.384, 1144.158.

Broughshane & District 5/44 – J & N Simpson 1080, D Houston & Son 1075, J & N Simpson 1054, A Purvis 1013, D Houston & Son 990, J Getty 952. This race and the final Rosscarbery National are sponsored by Hollies Sports Clinic, Room 27, Ballymena Showgrounds.

Ahoghill Flying Club 6/97 – Young McManus & Sons 1067, 1064, J Smyth & Son 1054, Young McManus & Sons 1051, J Orr & Son 1048, Young McManus & sons 1026.

Cullybackey Centre Mallow 5 Bird – S Steele Cullybackey 1154, T Johnston & Son 1145, Surgenor Bros 1133, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1133, G McDowell Kells 1132, Surgenor Bros 1130, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 1128, J Ramsey Harryville 1128, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1125, S Steele 1121.

Mid Antrim Combine Mallow 5 Bird – D Dixon Rasharkin 1164, S Steele Cullybackey 1154, D Dixon 1149, T Johnston & Son 1145, D Dixon 1144, Surgenor Bros 1133, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1133, G McDowell Kells 1132, Surgenor Bros 1130, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 1128, J Ramsey Harryville 1128, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1125, S Steele 1121, D Craig Ballymena 1113, J McNaghten & Son Ballymena 1108, S Steele 1106, B Swann & Son Kells 1103, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1084, S Steele 1081, J Rock Harryville 1078, Reid Bros & McCloy 1068, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1067, J Millar & Son Harryville 1066, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 106.

The Blue Riband YB Nat was flown on Wednesday 4th September, some 2,600 birds from across Ireland were liberated in Penzance at 8.45am in a helping SE wind. The Mid Antrim area done very well and what a result for William McFetridge of Rasharkin & Dist two birds sent and both timed inside 15 minutes. The first bird at 15.31hrs recorded velocity 1456 for the 336 miles to finish 1st MAC and the second bird finished 3rd MAC. At time of writing the McFetridge loft is placed 5th Open INFC. Reid Bros & McCloy had 1st Cullybackey HPS (1445) and we had a very close finish in Ballymena & Dist, 1st Blair & Rankin (1411) a yard ahead of Mr & Mrs Sempey.

Mid Antrim Combine Penzance YB Nat - W McFetridge Rasharkin 1456, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 1445, W McFetridge 1412, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1411, M/M M Sempey Ballymena 1410, A Darragh Cullybackey 1409, D Dixon Rasharkin 1396, D Dixon 1380, Reid Bros & McCloy 1371, M Graham Ballymena 1360, D Dixon 1352, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1345, MDC Magill Ballymena 1343, D Dixon 1335, D Dixon 1332, D Craig Ballymena 1318, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1306, D Dixon 1303, W Scott Cullybackey 1289, Russell Bros Cullybackey 1259, Reid Bros & McCloy 1247, A Darragh 1221, A Darragh 1195, T Johnston & Son Harryville 1179, D Dixon 1177, D Dixon 1167, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1165, A Darragh 1157, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1111, A Darragh 1110.

Mid Antrim Combine Clubs

Rasharkin & Dist – W McFetridge 1456, 1412, J & M Milliken 1306, H Cubitt 1111. Danny Dixon – 1396, 1380, 1352, 1335, 1332, 1303, 1177, 1167. William McFetridge wins 1st and 2nd Club,1st and 3rd Mid Antrim Combine and 5th Open in the INFC Young Bird National from Penzance.

Cullybackey HPS – Reid Bros & McCloy 1445, A Darragh 1409, Reid Bros & McCloy 1371, W Scott 1289, Russell Bros 1259, Reid Bros & McCloy 1247, A Darragh 1221, 1195, 1157, 1110, Reid Bros & McCloy 1072, 995, 986, 975, 864.

Ballymena & District HPS 8/29 – Blair & Rankin 1411, M/M M Sempey 1410, M Graham 1360, MDC Magill 1343, D Craig 1318, W & J Smyth 1175, MDC Magill 1175.

Ahoghill Flying Club – J Smyth & Son 1345.

Harryville HPS – T Johnston & Son 1179.