NIPA racing is put back one week

Hopefully all clubs and members are sending back the request for their local MP to join the new All Party Group at Westminster for pigeon racing.

Big Sale in Ballymena & District

Ballymena & District will be holding a fund raising sale on behalf of the club in the coming weeks. This sale is being organised by Martin Graham, with all lots on offer – not many – being bred directly from a Mid Antrim Combine winner. All lots on offer will be listed on the Pigeon Craic Auction Site, with the closing bid online, the opening bid in the live room.

The birds on offer are to be sold on the Saturday evening of the opening NIPA race in the Ballymena & District Clubrooms, Fountain Place, Saturday, April 14. Any more info on the sale can be obtained by contacting Martin on Tel: 07835 099155, or bid on-line at www.pigeoncraic.com

Transporter Training

In Ballymena Robert Alexander and Homer have started the season training, after a spell of poor weather, usual collection times. Robert Alexander Tel: 07873 816832, Willie Reynolds Tel: 07538 238364. Joe Brown will start training this weekend usual collections and birds released in Ardee. Tel: 07709 077266. Williamson transporter will start Monday 9th April. Usual times and pick-ups. Birds can be hampered the night before or up to 8am morning of toss, any enquiries call 07841 762399.

Birds will be collected at the following points: Edgarstown Park (Robinsons Bar) 8.15am, Ballyoran Hill 8.25am, Edgarstown Park (Robinsons Bar) 8.40am, Laurelvale Clubrooms 9.00am, Markethill Corner 9.30am, Newry Playing Fields 9.50am. Please Note: New Collection Times. More training information listed here when available.

INFC Membership Deadline – Don’t Miss It!

The deadline for membership of the INFC is Thursday 12th April, fee is £15.00 for existing members including any member transferring to your club that were members of the INFC in 2017 season. For new members the fee is £25. The deadline is April 12. Application forms for individual Members can be downloaded from the website www.infc.co.uk

MAC Update

First race is planned for Saturday, April 14, when the NIPA birds will be in Mullingar, the NIPA need a copy of the result by fax on day of liberation, 9.30pm is the deadline for an advance result.

Last season’s MAC Champions League was won by Rasharkin & Dist with Danny Dixon taking the honours. In fact the two finalists D Dixon v J & M Milliken ended up 1st & 2nd Combine. Both of the lofts are former winners, J & M Milliken won the award the previous season and Rasharkin have now won four in a row. Three wins for Danny Dixon is the record, and Rasharkin & District have five wins in total.

Lofts already confirmed for the Champions League. Ahoghill Flying Club – Young McManus & Sons, J Smyth & Son, Mr & Mrs Robinson and Chris Moore. Ballymena & District - J Eagleson & Sons, Billy & Joe Smyth, McFall & McManus, and Blair & Rankin. Rasharkin & District - Steele & McNeill, J & M Milliken, W & J McLean, and Danny Dixon. Randalstown HPS – F & G & J Dickey, Stewart Brothers, N Percy & Son, and Hugh Boyd.

We are still a bit short on total membership but it should rise up again this season. Already confirmed from Harryville we have Allen McBride and J Millar & Son adding to the Associate Members from last season Gary Gibson, D Houston & Son, and T & M Morrow, and all members should enjoy the competition in a local promotion of the sport.

Member clubs will need to supply the list of lofts racing old birds so they can all be included in the Knock-Out competition. The draw for this and the Champions League will be made in Ballymena over the weekend of the first race.

A Knock-Out competition was added in 2017 for every single loft that were paid up members. The first ever Old Bird knock out competition was won by an associate member Gibson & O’Neill. On route to winning they knocked out George Bell, Houston Bros, J Eagleson & Sons and W & J Smyth then defeated Young McManus & Son in final at Penzance. Young Bird Knock-Out won by D Dixon.

The club lofts competing in the old birds Knock-Out are: Ahoghill - J Orr and Son, W Livingstone, T and G Balmer, John Balmer, J and C Letter’s, J Smyth and Son, Mr and Mrs Robinson, C Moore, Young MC Manus and sons, Balmer T Young and Son, and A Shiels. Ballymena – G & A Eagleson, W & J Smyth, G Gilmour, D Mitchell, R Alexander, W & N Gilbert, G Bell, Blair & Rankin, B Ramsey, Reynolds & McCormick, M Graham, B O’Rawe, McFall & McManus, J Harris and J Eagleson & Sons. Rasharkin - Steele & McNeill, Paul McDonald, J & M Milliken, Harold Cubitt , A C & T Tweed, W & J McLean, W McFetridge, W J & R J Reid , N Bradley, C Donnelly, D Mairs, D Dixon, F Barkley, and T Whyte. Randalstown and Individual Members to follow.

Fees have been kept to a minimum, member clubs are £3.00 for the year which covers all members, from other clubs Associate or Individual Members are £5.00. Only the clubs can compete in the Champions League, all racing lofts compete in the Knock-out competition. Don’t miss out!

Wednesday 2 Bird lorry will be back out training from Navan every Wednesday starting week after NIPA race from Mullingar on 14th April. Same as last year load up in the yard on the Tuesday night from 18.30hrs to 20.30hrs.Birdage is 30p a bird.

Ballymena Donations

Lot 1 – Bred by J Eagleson & Son’s. Sire: GB 15B 03608, Winner of 1st Club, 1st Comb, 1st Sect B, 35th Open N.I.P.A Fermoy 5 Bird. Dam: GB 15B 03612, Winner of 1st Comb Corrin, 1st Comb Tullamore, 3rd Comb Roscrea, 3rd Comb Rosscarbery Nat.

GB 15B 03612 is dam of ‘Hat-trick’. GB 17B 10224, Winner of 1st Club, 1st Comb Roscrea, 1st Club, 3rd Comb Gowran Park, 1st Club 5th Comb Fermoy in 3 Consecutive Weeks. 03608 – 03612 are full brother and sister. Bloodlines are Louis Thijs/Van de Wegen/Luc Van Mechclen from Paddy McManus, Ahoghill.

Lot 2 – Bred by Young & McManus & Son’s, Ahoghill. Direct of 1st N.I.P.A Open Winner 2017, Roscrea. Sire: GB 15S 84947, 1st Club, 1st Comb, 1st Sect B, 1st Open Roscrea 2017, 14, 747 Birds competing. *Never raced as a young bird* G.Sire: Direct Luis Thijs/Heremans – Ceusters. Dam: Red hen BELG: 13-6196387 Top Sprint Lines of Karel Laenen. G.Sire: Mealy Cock, Direct son of Vele Bart. G. Dam: BELG 12, 6037944

Lot 3 – Bred by Danny Dixon. Sire: Cheq Cock GB 08F 47755 ‘Double 5’ Overall Winner (Irish Region) R.P.R.A Award. Best Average Talbenny II And Penzance 2010. Dam: Blue WF hen GB 13D 46153 Bred by the Master himself Ronnie Williamson A direct daughter of ‘Lady Helen’ Winner of 1st Open I.N.F.C Friendship Nat

Lot 4 – Bred by Harry McCloy/Sammy Steele, Cullybackey. Sire: Blue pied Cock GB 14C 00669 1st Club, 1st Comb, 9th Open I.N.F.C Yearling Nat 2015 (Strong head wind) Reid Bros & McCloy also won the 2 Bird Ave that day with the I.N.F.C Dam: Cheq pied hen GB 15R 41682 Bred by Harry McCloy, raced by Sammy Steele. Winner of 1st Club, 16th Open I.N.F.C Yearling Nat 2016, this hen was over 20 minutes clear into the Mid-Antrim Area. Also won the Muckamore Centre by 29 Y.P.M – Vel : 1168 On offer a direct child from 9th & 16th Open Yearling Nat prize winners

Lot 5 – Bred by G & A Eagleson. Sire: Cheq Cock, kept for stock, bred by Hugh Boyd, Randalstown. G.Sire: 7th Sect, 46th Open 87 – Male 2014, 1st Sect, 3rd Open 87-Male 2015 ‘Bronze Award Winner’ G.Dam: Only bird recorded in Randalstown from Portland in 2010, 16th Sect, 170th Open N.I.P.A Dam: Cheq hen GB 2010 C 9537 ‘Lillibet’ Multiple prize-winner on the Road, including 3 x 1st’s from Fermoy, Roscrea, Rosscarberry, also flown France, just outside race time.

Lot 6 – Bred by Blair & Rankin. Sire: Cheq Cock, Winner in 2010. 1st Club, 2nd Comb, 2nd Open Penzance Y.B. Nat I.N.F.C also sire of 1st Club, 9th Comb, 10th Sect Talbenny Y.B. Nat 2013 G.Sire of 1st Club, 4th Comb, 5th Sect, 70th Open Y.B. Nat Talbenny. Dam: Cheq hen, purchased from Martin Graham. Sire is a hen of Rabs Delight, 1st Open Kings Cup pared in the Purple, 2 x 1st Open Kings Cup, 1 x 2nd Open Kings Cup, 1 x 2nd Open Y.B Nat Penzance.

Lot 7 – Bred by Martin Graham. Sire: Blue cock, GB 14B 00194 ‘Lion Eyes’ Sire of 13th Open I.N.F.C Y.B Nat Penzance Smash 2015, only 126 birds home in race time. I clocked five in the prize money. Dam: Cheq hen GB 15B 03042 ‘Brenda Anne’ 1st Club, 1st Comb, 1st Sect B (only bird timed in Sect B in race time) 7th Open St. Malo 2017. Only 10 birds home in race time.

Lot 8 – GB 18 Bred by J Eagleson & Sons. Sire: Pencil BL WF 2010 Belge 6036116 direct Lambrechts. His sire is V6364759/2008 late Geschelpte. Dam: M6252719/2009 Geschelpte wit car winner is also in pedigree I just purchased Belge 2010 in 2017 and he bred prize winners last year with five left from six young birds. Dam of GB18 is Channel Queen GB 17 R18608 bred by Jackie Steele. She is pure Lambrechts full of top breeding. Channel Queen has won 5th Club, 10th Comb, Gowran Pk. 1st Club, 1st Comb, 2nd Sect, 29th Open Talbenny Y.B. Nat. Vel 1327. 220 mls. 1st Club, 1st Comb, 6th N Sat, 6th Open I.N.F.C Penzance Y.B Grand Nat. Vel 1024. 329mls. Only bird in combine.

Lot 9 – Nest mate to Lot 2. Direct child of Young & McManus &Sons, Ahoghill, 1st Open Roscrea.

Lot 10 – Bred by Danny Dixon. Sire: Cheq Cock Belg 2011 6289856, Sire of 1st Comb, 2nd Sect, 3rd Open Penzance and Penzance classic. G.Sire: Cheq Belg 2010 6258193 Son of Marseille. G.Dam: Cheq Belg 2010 6217239 Dam: Cheq Hen Belg 2013 6022261 Dam of 1st Comb, 2nd Sect, 3rd Open Penzance and Penzance classic. G.Sire: Belg 2010 6276202 G.Dam: Belg 2008 6292924 First yearling timed in the N.I.P.A. winning the Agar Cup for the classic 2017.

*Buyer gets the pick of the nest*