It was a bit of a mixed bag last weekend for the Ireland organisations. With much of the talk off bad weather on Saturday and very little chance of a liberation, many of the main organisations throughout the country both North and South opted to basket one day later for a Sunday liberation (makes my life as a scribe almost impossible with tight deadlines). The NIPA keeping their nerve and some what braver opted to go as normal with their sights set on a gap in the weather around mid morning, mid morning arrived and although no liberation things were looking very promising for a liberation around 1.00pm. With a beautiful day and blue skies nearly everywhere the strings were cut at 1.00pm in Roscrea, Co.Tipperary with the birds facing the complete opposite of last weekends weather, this time some help on the way home from the brisk South Easterly wind. Much of the NIPA convoy completed the course on speeds of over a mile a minute or just below a mile a minute for the average 130 mile fly. The convoying team and the liberation committee most be congratulated on a fine result with 95% of the lofts reporting full returns, this can only bode well for the remainder of the season. The only negative comments I heard were of fanciers having to phone the Lib Line on at least three occasions and as one fancier reminded me it costs nearly £1 from any mobile. 

 CROSSING THE WINNING LINE

Many fanciers will recall the Downpatrick Loft that won the Kings Cup in 1985. I specifically remember it, as at the age of 11 it was one of my first introductions into the sport of pigeon racing. Roy Clements of Ballymena was too chauffer my father and I down to the loft of the then winner Jackie Crossan. During that special year Jackie also won the Skibbereen Derbies with the NIPA and the East down Combine.

Originally from Gilford Jackie married Mary in 1970 and set about setting up a family home in Downpatrick this was achieved and racing started in 1972 at their fabulous Ardenlee Gardens pad. Previously to this Jackie enjoyed excellent success in Gilford starting to race from 1956 onwards.

So with over 50 years experience in racing pigeons which has included winning the top prize that Irish Pigeon Racing holds namely the Kings Cup, still to this day he has no difficulty mixing it with the current day elite. With doing the results week in week out, you have a tendency to come across the same name now and again. Jackie Crossan’s was one that I seemed to be typing every week last year, this was a loft that I had planned to visit, but time is mostly always against me.

Jackie Crossan did in fact win 20 x 1st Club’s last year, and has continually over the last number of years averaged around 10 x 1st’s per year. Some achievement in this day and age living with the increasing competitiveness that pigeon racing now offers. One result that sticks in my mind is Sennen Cove last year when Jackie took the first seven in the Club, also his record from Penzance is awesome since 2000 he has finished 3 times 3rd Open and also twice 3rd Open in the Penzance Classic.      

My visit this week was to see the pigeon that is leading the field with the NIPA from Roscrea going by all the results that we now have at hand. Jackie clocked his Yearling Cheq Cock racing on the Roundabout system at 3.06.58pm flying 130 miles. The winning velocity is 1802.46ypm, had to add in the point because I have received information coming from Killyleagh that Sid McLaughlin is also doing a velocity of 1802 but I am told that Sid is on .2 of a yard. If this happens to be the case and these two men are at the top of the NIPA Open it was a very close finish indeed.

Colin Gibson will be glad to hear if Jackie is successful as Jackie ordered 10 youngsters from Colin a couple of seasons ago, these where first raced last year as youngsters with excellent success, just last week Jackie completed the same result 1st and 2nd Club the pigeon that was 1st Club last week was also one of those from the batch of ten, last weeks winner has a nest mate that finished 2nd Open NIPA last year from one of the Y/B Races just a couple of yards behind fellow club mate Paddy Lue. So all in all a good decision to buy from Colin.

If Jackie Crossan is successful in winning 1st Open NIPA from Roscrea he can add this to his many, 1st Clubs, 1st Sections and 1st Open’s already won over an unrelenting era that will always remain in the history books of Irish Pigeon Racing. I would like to thank Mary & Jackie for their hospitality during my short visit, amazing were time goes 23 years since I was last at the Crossan’s home.   

Homer & Adie