Danny Dixon leads the way from Inland National
Due to poor weather at the weekend the first major race of the season from Skibbereen in County Cork was put back a couple of days and held on Monday 27th May. Birds were released at 10am in south westerly winds and a fast race followed with excellent returns. Danny Dixon of Dunloy had the best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine on 1765 timing at 14.25pm for the 266 miles fly to the Ballymacaldrick Lofts. Sire of Danny's black white flight yearling cock is a son of Dixie Chick when paired to the Alphabet Hen, she's a Van den Brande hen acquired from Pat Shields of Newry. The yearling cock won 5th Section & 37th Open Nipa from the tough Skibbereen YB National last season.
Stewart Brothers of Randalstown were next best on 1736 with a 3yo blue pied hen. Breeding is Van Reet x Sagen and has won numerous prizes in the past including two firsts. S Crawford won Harryville on 1734 followed by Harold Cubitt who won Rasharkin again with his good 2yo chequer widowhood cock on 1728. This cock has now won 5 x 1st club and 3 x 2nd club beaten by loft mates on each occasion. On top of that the cock has 2 x 1st Mid Antrim Combine wins and Mid Antrim Combine and Section B Champion Old Bird of the year awards for 2023. This season the cock is again in top form being place 4th, 5th, 11th, 14th & 19th Combine. Johnston Eagleson & Sons were best in Ballymena & District on 1726 with a blue yearling hen winning her third prize of the season. The sire was a gift from Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill and is Van den Brande x a daughter of Danny Dixon's Champion Heartbreaker while the dam is a self bred, Heremans Ceusters x Van Den Bulck. The winning hen is nestmate to last week's Mid Antrim Combine winner from Fermoy and also half-sister on the sire's side to last season's 1st Section & 3rd Open Nipa Penzance OB Classic cock.
Around the other clubs and Gary Gibson was best in Cullybackey on 1726 with a roundabout Donckers hen. The sire from Derek Parr and the dam from a son of Danny Dixon's 2nd open Fermoy cock and Megan a winner of 1st Mid Antrim Combine & 1st section B Talbenny YB National. Paddy & William McManus were best in Ahoghill on 1700 with a yearling blue w/f hen that was 2nd club from last week's Fermoy. This hen was bred from their top family of Van Den Brande pigeons that are winning for them and many others. Geoff Surgenor was best in Kells on 1677 with a yearling mealy hen. Sire was a gift from good friend Bertie Blair and the dam a good racing hen and winner of many prizes for Geoff.
Mid Antrim Combine Skibbereen OB Inland National 32/188 - D Dixon Rasharkin 1765, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1736, S Crawford Harryville 1734, R H Clements Harryville 1731, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1728, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1726, G Gibson Cullybackey 1726, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1716, G Gibson Cullybackey 1714, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1711, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1700, J Miller Randalstown 1700, A & C & T Tweed Rasharkin 1698, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1696, D Dixon Rasharkin 1685, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1682, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1682, G Gibson Cullybackey 1682, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1682, M & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 1680, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1678, Surgenor Bros Kells 1677, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1677, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1676, Rock & Moore Harryville 1675, G Gibson Cullybackey 1668,, Surgenor Bros Kells 1663, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1661, F Barkley Rasharkin 1660, Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 1658, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1652
S Crawford Harryville 1650, D Dixon Rasharkin 1650, J Miller Randalstown 1649, J Miller Randalstown 1649, J Miller Randalstown 1649, T Whyte Ahoghill 1648, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1644, J & J Greer Cullybackey 1643, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1643.
Mid Antrim Combine Les Mairs OB Points Cup (Including Skibbereen & 3rd Roscrea) - J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 243, G Gibson Cullybackey 228, H Cubitt Rasharkin 161, A Darragh Cullybackey 151, D Dixon Rasharkin 150, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 113, D Magill 101, S Crawford 81, J Smyth & Son 79, Stewart Bros 73, S Johnston & Son Ballymena 70, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 69, J & J Greer Cullybackey 69, F Barkley Rasharkin 69, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 61.
Mid Antrim Combine Knock Out last 32 winners in capitals
A Purvis Broughshane 0 v J SMYTH & SON Ahoghill 1678
H Boyd Kells 0 v T Johnston & Son Ballymena 0
J Miller Randalstown 1700 v D DIXON Rasharkin 1765
R Service & Son Ballymena 1618 v H CUBITT Rasharkin 1728
YOUNG & McMANUS & SONS Ahoghill 1700 v F Barkley Rasharkin 1660
T & M Morrow Broughshane 0 v S JOHNSTON & SON Ballymena 1568
J & M MILLIKEN Rasharkin 1711 v N & S Anderson Cullybackey 0
STEELE & McNEILL Rasharkin 1716 v C & R McIntyre Cullybackey 1631
D Magill Harryville 0 v W McFETRIDGE Rasharkin 1621
MR & MRS ROBINSON Cullybackey 1680 v K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 0
A Darragh Cullybackey 0 v M Graham Ballymena 0
G GIBSON Cullybackey 1726 v J & J Greer Cullybackey 1643
G & A Eagleson Cullybackey 0 v T WHYTE Ahoghill 1648
R J & WJ REID Rasharkin 1501 v G & G Jackson Ahoghill 0
Gregg Bros Kells 0 v ROCK & MOORE Harryville 1675
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1726 v S CRAWFORD Harryville 1734.
Champion’s League Final Group Stage Standings - Top 2 in each group go through to last 16 Knock-Out competition.
Any group that can't be decided by points will go to the best velocity's from Skibbereen OB Inland National.
Knock-Out starts at 1st Talbenny
Group (1) - G Gibson Cullybackey 228, D Dixon Rasharkin 150, S Crawford Harryville 81, H Turkington Kells 0
Group (2) - J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 243, Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 42, A Barkley & Son Kells 0, W & D Rodgers Harryville 0
Group (3) - H Cubitt Rasharkin 161, J & J Greer Cullybackey 69, Surgenor Bros Kells 3, A Purvis Broughshane 0,
Group (4) - Blair & Rankin Ballymena 61, A & C & T Tweed Rasharkin 12, Rock & Moore Harryville 0, W & W Gilbert Randalstown 0
Group (5) - Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 113, S Johnston & Son Ballymena 70, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 69, W Jackson Harryville 0,
Group (6) - J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 79, J Miller Randalstown 44, H Boyd Kells 17, M Neilly Broughshane 0
Group (7) - Stewart Bros Randalstown 73, T Whyte Ahoghill 44, W McFetridge Rasharkin 35, T & M Morrow Broughshane 4,
Group (8) - A Darragh Cullybackey 151, J Balmer Ahoghill Skibbereen Velo 1613, D Houston & Son Broughshane 0, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 0,
Mervyn Eagleson P O Mid Antrim.
NIPA Section B Skibbereen 47/294 – S & N Maginty Muckamore 1786, S & N Maginty 1774, D Dixon Ballymoney 1765, D & H Stuart Ballymoney 1751, S & N Maginty 1751, S Thompson Crumlin 1744, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1736, S Crawford Harryville 1734, R H Clements Harryville 1731, H Cubitt Rasharkin & Dist 1728.
NIPA Sect B Clubs
Ahoghill Flying Club – Young McManus & Sons 1700, J Smyth & Son 1678, T Whyte 1648, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1644.
Ballymoney HPS – D Dixon 1765, D & H Stuart 1751, D & H Stuart 1701, C McCook 1696, Young & Gibson 1695, D & H Stuart 1685.
Ballymoney West Combine 3/16 – Young & Gibson 1695, L Neill 1594, A Hill 1441.
Ballymena & District HPS 4/33 – J Eagleson & Sons 1726, 1676, 1661, 1652, 1643, 1642.
Cullybackey HPS – G Gibson 1726, 1714, 1682, M/M Robinson 1680, G Gibson 1668, M/M Robinson 1658. Well done to Gary Gibson on taking the win today in Cullybackey from Skibbereen taking his tally to 3 wins for the season. Timing his cheq w/f hen at 2 23pm with a velocity of 1726 and finishing 5th and 6th Centre.
Crumlin & District – Sefton Thompson 1744.
Harryville HPS – Sam Crawford 1734, R H Clements 1731, Rock & Moore 1675, Sam Crawford 1650.
Kells & District HPS - Surgenor Bros 1677, 1663.
Randalstown HPS 5/30 – Stewart Bros 1736, J Millar 1700, Stewart Bros 169, 1677, J Millar 1649, 1649.
Rasharkin &District HPS 7/32 – H Cubitt 1728, Steele & McNeill 1716, J & M Milliken 1712, A C & T Tweed 1698, Steele & McNeill 1682, F Barkley 1660.
West End – S & N Maginty 1786, 1774, 1751.
Danny Dixon with the NIPA Skibbereen winner in MAC.