Pigeons update: McCrudden on a high

Liberation last Saturday was at the early time of 7.30am to avoid the strong sun shine due later in the day - another very good decision by the liberation team who have had an excellent inland programme.

Next week we move cross channel with the first event from Talbenny in South Wales.

Best bird locally at the weekend was to Terence McCrudden who had all the early positions in the County Derry and takes 1st Coleraine Triangle, 2nd Sect A and a high NIPA Open position. Next best was J L Madden of the Coleraine Premier who had the best bird mid-week in the INFC Skibbereen National.

NIPA Race/Date - Clonmel (2) 26/05/12

Coleraine Triangle Clonmel – T McCrudden Coleraine & Co Derry 1342, J L Madden Coleraine Prem 1334, J L Madden 1333, T McCrudden 1330, Diamond Bros Coleraine Prem 1330, J L Madden 1328, Hanson & Harpur Coleraine Prem 1325, Diamond Bros 1322, Diamond Bros 1313, Diamond Bros 1313, G Donaghy Son & Grandson Windsor Soc 1312, Hanson & Harpur 1311, P O’Connor Coleraine Prem 1307, T McCrudden 1306, T McCrudden 1305.

NIPA Sect A Clubs

Coleraine Premier – J L Madden 1334, 1333, Diamond Bros 1330, J L Madden 1328, Hanson & Harpur 1325, Diamond Bros 1322, 1313, 1313, Hanson & Harpur 1311, P O’Connor 1307.

Coleraine & County Derry – T McCrudden 1342, 1330, 1306, 1305, 1301, W & W Murdock 1296. Terence McCrudden collects the pools.

Castledawson 7/137 – T Leacock & Son 1309, 1297, T & S Dawson 1279, T Leacock & Son 1259, T & S Dawson 1249, M Lynn 1239.

Windsor Social 11/210 – G Donaghy Son & Grandson 1312, 1303, R & J Parke 1266, Horner & Scott 1252, K Glass 1246, 1245, R & J Parke 1222, 1217, R McCandless 1212, C Morrow & Son 1211.

Limavady 10/130 – R Witherow 1294, J McCool, 1260, R Witherow 1256.

NIPA Sect B Clubs

Ballymoney 23/705 – J McDowell & Sons 1314, Brown & Stewart 1307, J Connolly 1303, A & M Boyle 1299, J McDowell & Sons 1297, Curry & Gilmore 1292, D Dixon 1288, J Hutchinson & Son 1284, A & M Boyle 1283, J Hutchinson & Son 1278. J McDowell & Sons win their second race of the season, their winning Blue cock is a two year old Vandenabeele flown on widowhood.

Ballymoney West Combine 9/253 – J McDowell & Sons 1314, Brown & Stewart 1307, Curry & Gilmore 1292, J Hutchinson & Son 1284, R J Elliott 1278, L Neill 1276, D Laverty 1255, W Blair 1244, D Gage 1213.

Dervock RPS 9/341 – A & M Boyle 1299, J Hutchinson & Son 1284, A & M Boyle 1283, J Hutchinson & Son 1278, D & H Stuart 1247, D & G McMullan 1230, D & H Stuart 1217, W & L McCaw 1209, D & G McMullan 1198, D Devenney 1191.

Rasharkin & District 10/196 – Steele & McNeill 1311, Milliken & Barkley 1287, Steele & McNeill 1287, H Cubitt 1285, A C & T Tweed 1280, Milliken & Barkley 1275. D Dixon – 1288. Steele & McNeill, NOM & DTW. Race sponsored by Noel Twaddle Contracts (Ballymoney).

The Fermoy site was not available at the weekend and the NIPA decided to use Clonmel, liberation on Saturday 26th May was at the early time of 7.30am in an East NE wind. It was a steady enough race although the birds took a little longer than expected. The best bird locally was timed in Randalstown by Simon Millar who had a fantastic card, the winner a Blue cock racing on widowhood was timed at 11.22am recording velocity 1336 for the 176 miles.

This one is a full brother to his Penzance YB Nat winner of last season, the famous “Loose Wire”, a great family of birds with another one winning 5 x 1sts. Next best Allen McBride of Harryville timed at 11.29am flying 181 miles to the Antrim Road in Ballymena recording velocity 1335.

This winner a 2 year old Blue Pied cock was his “Blue Star” an ace racer, already a winner of 1st Sect in the Rosscarbery Yearling Cocks Nat and 2nd Sect from Pilmore Beach. George McDowell was with the early birds straight on line to win 1st Kells & Dist (1334), Alan Darragh has another 1st Cullybackey (1321), no stopping Steele & McNeill 1st Rasharkin & Dist (1311) three in a row and Mr & Mrs Robinson 1st Ahoghill Flying Club (1303). Most of the birds were home before clocks were run off.

The inland racing has been first class, next week we move into the cross channel programme with the first race from Talbenny in South Wales.

Mid Antrim Combine Clonmel (2) 110/2613 – S Millar Randalstown 1336, A McBride Harryville 1335, G McDowell Kells 1334, A Darragh Cullybackey 1321, A Darragh 1318, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1311, M/M Robinson Ahoghill 1303, J Harris Ballymena 1302, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 1296, J Rock Harryville 1289, D Dixon Rasharkin 1288, Milliken & Barkley Rasharkin 1287, Mrs M Smyth Kells 1287, Steele & McNeill 1287, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1285, Mrs M Smyth 1285, A Darragh 1284, McFall & McManus New Antrim 1281, A C & T Tweed Rasharkin 1280, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1279, Steele & McNeill 1279, H Boyd Kells 1279, K & K Kernohan Harryville 1277, J Balmer Ahoghill 1277, J & N Simpson Broughshane 1275, Milliken & Barkley 1275, J McNaghten & Son Ballymena 1275, Scott & Clements Kells 1274, S Millar 1273, H Boyd Kells 1273.

MAC Champions League 2012 – There was a big scramble for places in the final week of the Champions League with the final race last weekend from Clonmel, some top results came just too late. The Knock-Out stage will commence next weekend at Talbenny (1) and we have some very interesting competition. All four Ballymena & Dist lofts will be represented, three for Kells, 2 each for Cullybackey, Ahoghill and New Antrim, and one place each for Harryville, Randalstown and Rasharkin.

Champions League Update Week (6):

The sixth race for the Mid Antrim Champions League was from Clonmel last Saturday, the winners of each group were Alan Darragh Cullybackey 130 Points, Harry Boyd Kells 96 Points, Martin Graham Ballymena 72 Points and Danny Dixon Rasharkin 86 Points. The Points Score after Week (6): Sect (1) A – A Darragh 130 Points, W & J Smyth 93 Points, Scott & Clements 92 Points, Stewart Bros 45 Points. Missing out A McBride 42 Points, M/M Robinson 21 Points, H Cubitt 13 Points, A Purvis and C Moore. Sect (2) B – Harry Boyd 96 Points, J Smyth & Son 47 Points, J Rock 35 Points, Blair & Rankin 19 Points. Missing out J & M Milliken 2 Points, Hugh Boyd, H Smyth & Son, Russell Bros and R McFall & Son. Sect (3) C – M Graham 72 Points, Surgenor Bros 47 Points, MDC Magill 41 Points, Reid Bros & McCloy 20 Points. Missing out Milliken & Barkley 16 Points, G Connolly 14 Points, L Mullan 5 Points, A & N Young and N Percy & Son. Sect (4) D - D Dixon 86 Points, Young McManus & Sons 62 Points, G & A Eagleson 47 Points, McFall & McManus 38 Points. Missing out G McDowell 31 Points, Houston Bros 19 Points, J & N Simpson 16 Points, R H Clements 15 Points and J & J Greer 4 Points.

The Mid Antrim knock-out matches for the Round 2 at Talbenny (1) are: A Darragh v MDC Magill, Young McManus & Sons v Blair & Rankin, Harry Boyd v G & A Eagleson, W & J Smyth v Reid Bros & McCloy, M Graham v Scott & Clements, J Smyth & Son v McFall & McManus, D Dixon v J Rock, Surgenor Bros v Stewart Bros.

Note the arrangements for the NIPA Yearling Cocks & Hens Nat, Cullybackey Centre will open on Friday evening 1st June between 8.30pm and 9.30pm to collect the Club Cheque etc. Race marking will be in Cullybackey on Monday 4th June between 2.00pm and 4.00pm and clocks will be made ready after the transporter departs. The NIPA Yearling Nat is due to be flown on Tuesday 5th June, the Bank Holiday long weekend. The birds for St Malo will be marked one day earlier on Tuesday 26th June, more details on this later. Ballymena & Dist will collect the fees for the Yearling Nat on Thursday night at the Talbenny marking.