July 14 th 2015 By Clifford Browne A Murray & Son win St. Malo Derby Archie and Patrick Murray of Dundrum are this year s worthy winners of the East Down Combine s Old bird Derby from St Malo which they won with their single entry a 2 yo blue cheq hen the nest mate of which had topped section F in the NIPA some 10 days previously. Archie & Paddy were the 1998 winners of the INFC King s Cup and enjoy these French races. The St.Malo winner is down from one of six Young Birds purchased from Billy Neill (Annaghmore) when paired to one of the Murrays own stock and many congratulations to them on their success. The runners up were McComb Bros of Killyleagh and I hope to have further details shortly. 3rd open is to the Millisle husband and wife team of John& Jean Hollinger who have a second entry in at 10th. The Hollingers over the years have had many good results from these distance races and this year s 3rd open pigeon is a 2 year old Blue pied hen Bred by Louella.and is a Leo Pronk and wins 1st Club, 1st Portavogie Centre, 3rd Section and 3rd Open St Malo, France after 10.5 hours on the wing. The partnership s second bird at 10th open one hour later is a 2 year old chequer Cock Bred by John & Jean from Malachy Maguire stock. And from St. Malo he wins 3rd club, 3rd centre, 9th section, 10th open, after
11.5 hours on the wing and as I write this, news that the winner of this year s INFC Friendship National from Quimper at a velocity in excess of 1700ypm is Malachy Maguire and this is another loft which excels at the longer events. In the Newcastle club Ronan McVeigh Connaire were 31st open and then the following week in the INFC King s Cup they had the only bird in the club when they timed at 1.56pm on the second day. I Hope we will have more stories on the successful birds from St. Malo and next week I will have the story of one of the best performing pigeons of the Combine s 2015 Old bird season, Roy Irwin of Dundonald s fantastic blue w/f cock The Wizard It s a fascinating story and this will then take us up to the first Young Bird race due to be flown from Navan on July 18th. East Down2bird News The St. Malo 2 bird result 1st McComb Bros Killyleagh Central 1252 (2nd Open EDC) 2nd J&J Hollinger Millisle & Dist 1246 (3rd Open EDC) 3rd R.J Keown Annsborough hps 1166 (7th Open EDC) 4th S Regan Ballywalter hps 1017 5th F Gilmore Comber Soc 670 6th K&B Mc Conaghie & Son Ballylesson hps 589 7th S Mc Loughlin Crossgar hps 487 At the end of the 2015 Old bird racing the following are leading the leagues League A Mc Cartan & Woodsides 16 points League B C&D Smyth & Sons 20 points League C A & A Cheevers 18 points League D J Patterson 18 points Cup winners Old Bird Inland Ave R Moore & Son Old Bird Channel Ave J Patterson Old Bird Combine Ave J Patterson Old Bird K.O F Gilmore Old Bird of the year F Gilmore Old Bird Skibbbereen Classic Harper & Young Pilmore Beach Derek Wishart Classic Roy Irwin Penzance J Patterson St Malo O/B Derby Mc Comb Bros DON T FORGET - E.D.C 2 Bird Club Gold Ring TO BE FLOWN FROM 2nd Clonmel on Saturday 5th September. Entry form to be with sec Dorothy Smyth before 7th August. Sam Regan reports from around the Ards Peninsula Jackie Rankin Wins 2nd Pilmore Beach The Peninsula Amalgamation flew their last inland race prior to the start of the 2015 Channel season with Pilmore Beach being the race point. Top loft from 1044 birds
sees the Millisle lofts of Jackie Rankin clock a yearling Heremans-Ceusters blue cock flying on roundabout. This pigeon down off The Olympiad one of Leo's best birds and in this race he also wins first East Section and 7th Open in the East Down Combine for an excellent result for the Ballybuttle sited lofts and Jackie s second pigeon is placed in 8th spot to complete a great day and very well done on your latest success. Runner up goes to the winning Donaghadee pigeon, with club secretary Kieran McCutcheon timing two for second and third to continue his good season. Full Result 48/1044 birds. 1st, 8th. J. Rankin 1581, 1556. 2nd, 3rd. D&K. McCutcheon 1571, 1565. 4th, 10th. Angus & son & McConkey 1564, 1555. 5th, 12th. A&P. Trimble & sons. 1564, 1554. 6th. J&J. Hollinger 1557. 7th. R. Strain & son 1557. 9th, 11th, 13th. Harper & Young 1555, 1555. 1553. 14th. Sam Regan 1552. 3Bird Club 1st. Harper & Young A.B.C. 1555. 2nd. W. McMaster & son. A.B.C. NOM. 1551 3rd. B&J. Donnan. A.B.C. 1527 The next race will see the start of the Channel Races. --- Strain's Strike in 1st Channel Race The first race across the Irish Sea back home into Ireland was flown from Talbenny in Wales and the East Down Combine liberated in good racing conditions with a light westerly wind which usually helps keep the pigeons close to the Eastern side of Ireland where ever they cross on route home. Ballyhay father and son team of Raymond and Michael Strain had a brilliant race with no less than a total of seven pigeons on the sheet. The Amalgamation winners set out to mainly concentrate on the cross channel races, having been tops in the French St. Malo Derby a couple of seasons ago and with this type of start will be hoping to continue from this success with their Van Loon based birds. The Donaghadee partnership who race with the Millisle club got two together for a one/two in club and Peninsula Amalgamation also 5th and 6th Open to complete a very good race for the team. Next best loft went to Cloughey winners the Gordon Brothers who also had two pigeons arrive home together for 3rd and 4th. Full Result 44 sent 549. 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th & 11th. R.Strain and son. 1477, 1476, 1407 x 2, 1405, 1363, 1362. 3rd, 4th. Gordon Bros & sons. 1466, 1465. 5th. J.Rankin 1444. 9th. M.Adair & sons. 1385. 12th.14th. J&T.Palmer 1352, 1351. 13th. A&P.Trimble & sons. 1352. 3 Bird Club. 1st. D&K.McCutcheon 1350.A.B.C. 2nd. Harper & Young 1344.A.B.C. 3rd. Angus & son & McConkey. 1296. A.B.C. NOM. J.Orr & son 1202. Next week sees a return to Talbenny weather permitting.
Hollinger Family best from 2nd Talbenny in Extra Tight Finish The second channel race was flown from Talbenny and proved a stiffer task than the previous race the week prior with the birds having a stiff task tackling the Irish Sea to reach home. Winning loft and getting their first Amalgamation victory were the Millisle club s husband and wife team of John and Jean Hollinger getting home in a photo finish with fellow club members Raymond and Michael Strain last week's winning duo, the runners up today and the 3rd and 4th birds were also on the same yard per minute, these pigeons were from David Allan and family of Donaghadee and the Gordon Bros winning team from Cloughey. Well done to all on this result. Full Amalgamation result. 37 sent 361. 1st. J&J.Hollinger 1199. 2nd. R.Strain & son 1199. 3rd, 12th, 13th. E&D&K..Allan & sons. 1199, 1177 x 2. 4th, 5th, Gordon Bros & sons. 1199, 1196. 6th. Ferguson & Wilkinson 1185. 7th, 8th, & 11th. Harper & Young 1185 x 2, 1177. 9th. J.Rankin 1184. 10th. B.Young 1183. 14th. Sam Regan. 1176. 3 Bird Club. 1st. Harper & Young A.B.C. 1185. 2nd.E.D&K.Allan & sons. A.B.C. & NOM. 1177. 3rd. S.Regan A.B.C. 1176. Harper and Young best in Derek Whishart Race The Annual race in memory of Derek was flown from Pilmore Beach on the same day as the second channel race. Returning to winning form in the Peninsula Amalgamation were Drew Harper and Martin Young who got the winning bird into the Ards Peninsula with the Cloughey club not only winning the Amalgamation but also the East section and 2nd Open being beaten by Roy Irwin's outstanding yearling blue/wf cock gaining his third Open Win from the same race point and very well done to you both. The Runners up were the Gordon family with 4 pigeons on the sheet. Full Result. 1st, 9th, 11th. Harper & Young 1438, 1408, 1403. 2nd, 3 rd, 4th, 5th. Gordon Bros & sons. 1432,1429,1429,1427. 6th, 7th, 13th. J. Rankin. 1425, 1422, 1397. 8th. Sam Regan 1416. 10th B&J Donnan 1403. 12th. Angus & son & McConkey 1402. 14th. E.D. & K. Allan & sons 1393.