This week we travel to the village of Kells on the outskirts of Ballymena to feature an ace racing loft who has dominated for the best part of the last two decades.
This loft has achieved the highest prize winner in Kells & District for a massive 15 times in 16 racing seasons. The top highlight, was winning the Talbenny YB National in 2018. The lofts are situated close to Moorfields on the main Ballymena/Larne line. On many occasions the site is well positioned to score major results in the Ballymena area.
Over the years many top results were scored in the club, we can all remember the racing achievements of the late Leslie Mairs who was Fancier of the Year etc. and later, top winning birds he produced from his small stud which were mostly Staf van Reet. The late Bill McClure came very close to winning the Kings Cup, finishing runner up in 1979 from Rennes just behind the first time Dublin winner Tommy Speers. Billy timed early on the second morning, recording velocity 1122 for the 504 miles, winning almost £2,400 this was some money at the time. In later times, Billy a former chairman of the club was the proud winner of the Hall of Fame Diploma from Plaudren-Vannes in 2010 and again in 2011.
In 2010, the first Hall of Fame winner a blue checker hen 025 scored 13th Open Messac 2005, 156th Open Vannes 2009 and 122nd Open Vannes in 2010. The following year in 2011, a dark checker hen 212 scored over three seasons from Plaudren-Vannes, 46th Open in 2009, 127th Open in 2010 and 33rd Open in 2011. What a fantastic achievement over two years.
I can also remember another former chairman Brian Swann & Son who were neighbours of Les Mairs on the Steeple Road, winning the INFC Blue Riband YB National, when the race was diverted to Talbenny due to bad weather. The late Tommy Shanks produced another top performance winning 1st Open NIPA Dinard OB Derby when the point was used for the final time in 1998, flying 465 miles the winning velocity was 1091ypm. It has been my pleasure to cover the club over a long period of time. Many big prize presentations held at Ross Lodge and Country House Hotels. Back from the time when the chairman was Wilfie Brown and his son Billy, secretary of both Kells and Mid Antrim Combine. I attended most nights, when my former work mate George McDowell was club secretary and long-time secretary in Mid Antrim Combine. The memories live on in the MAC with the Les Mairs Memorial Cup awarded each year to the Old Bird Fancier of the Year and then more recently the T Shanks Memorial Cup goes to the Old Bird of the Year. Racing in the MAC in 2019 the C & D Jackson partnership had 4 x 1sts, and Surgenor Bros 3 x 1sts, Davy Jackson was also to win the RPRA Sect B Meritorious Award.
Some great lofts and results over the years including George McDowell winning NI Fancier of the Year in 1981, G Herron & Son had 1st Open Skibbereen YB in 1983, B Swann & Son had the 1st Open INFC Talbenny YB in 1989, Les Mairs won 1st NIPA Talbenny YB in 1992, and other names I remember include Jim McGall, Joey Wright, Davy McCullough, Brown Bros, Harry Boyd etc. and many others slip my memory.
LOFT FEATURE
Q1. When started racing, what club and was any family involved? Why did you start in the pigeons and what birds did you start with?
I started racing in 1998 in the Kells & District HPS. A stray bird arrived, and the two sons wanted to start pigeons, so a few were gathered up from different local fanciers to get them started.
Q2. What organizations do you fly with currently?
My main club is Kells & District and we also compete in Seven Towers Championship, Mid Antrim Combine and the mighty NIPA.
Q3. Your Loft, Structure, length and how many?
The loft layout at present, is 4 x wooden lofts total. Three of which are 16ft x 6ft and then a large 40ft x 8ft loft, which has a 2ft corridor.
Q4. Racing/training methods for old birds and young birds. Do you put YB’s on Darkness System, and what about Old Birds – Widowhood, Roundabout or just Natural?
Old birds are raced on Roundabout, having been trained to 30 miles. The young birds are mostly on the darkness system, same training to 30 miles.
Q5. Feeding and systems etc over the season?
I use Beattie’s Champions Supreme and Frazer Sprint Mixture for the old birds. They are always well fed, but as the distance increase’s, I cut back on the sprint mixture. My young birds are fed 100% on Beattie’s Breed and Wean. I split the sexes and they are all mixed 2 x hours before basketing.
Q6. Treatments, what and when used? Do you use Vitamins, if so what?
No Vitamins are used whatsoever, birds do get treated for Canker (Tricho 40), Respiratory (Tylodox), Cocci (Baycox). All this is done before racing and breeding seasons.
Q7. Breeding info when done etc.? - now that the rings are available before Christmas.
All the stock birds are usually mated on the 1st of January. The old bird race team are raced dry (not fed a young bird). The would be re-paired the week before the NIPA old bird inland national. I would normally breed 60 youngsters.
Q8. Birds at stock, strains kept and families etc.?
Current strains kept are a mixture of Van Loon, Hartog and Busschaert. A large number of the stock birds are retired racers, total approx. 12 pair.
Q9. Racing results over the years – Club, Sect & Combine and best Open positions with NIPA & INFC?
In the local club over the last 16 seasons, I have achieved the Highest Prize winner and runner up on the other occasion. Over this period the loft has won 29 x 1st MAC, 13 x 1st NIPA Sec B and a France Bronze Diploma. In the seasons 2007/08 we finished 36th Open and 60th Open Lambelle and Saint Malo, racing from France. Recently in 2018 the loft were big time race winners of 1st Open in the NIPA premier Young Bird National from Talbenny in South Wales.
Q10. Outstanding racers and stock birds since starting the sport?
“Champion Marion” when racing won many positions including, 4 x 1st’s in Kells & District and additionally 1st & 2nd Section B NIPA. She is now at stock and is a top breeding hen. “Champion Christine” was the winner of the Talbenny Young Bird National. The pair that bred “Champion Christine” were also responsible for a 2nd Section in the NIPA and a number of other prize winners. Another blue cock was the winner of 4 x 1st’s, and he is now producing winners.
Q11. What about cross channel racing both old bird and young bird?
I enjoy the cross-channel racing just as much as inland, that includes both old and young bird.
Q12. Any positions held past or present? – Any work covered at the club?
I was a previous chairman in Kells & District and now I represent the club as an official delegate. I would be a very regular attender for race basketing and loading of the transporter.
Q13. Special mention of anyone who helped, or influenced you in the sport? Any views for the future?
I would have to mention my good friend Davy McCullough, who was an ace racer in Kells & District, giving very good advice. Club-mate big Davy Jackson gave me the parents of the National Winner, these having been bred by Pete Norton of Walsall.
Q14. Last but not least your best result, and what was biggest disappointment in the sport?
No question at all the lofts best performance was winning the Young Bird National and regarding disappointments, I have had too many to pick one out. Some info on the pair from Davy Jackson that produced the YB Nat winner “Champion Christine” the top Van Loon family of Pete Norton. Sire was a Blue, bred from the 505 Cock a winner of 7 x 1sts plus 1st Fed all the best of the lofts “Romani” lines when he was paired to Hen 18 direct daughter of Ace Breeder “Nutter” and top breeding daughter of “Dutch Hen”. The dam also a Blue was from “Virtue 582” son of “Champion 308” when he was paired to a direct daughter of “Dave” who was a winner on the road through to Saintes.
Q15. Anything I missed you would like to mention?
I would be hopeful all clubs, fanciers and organisations can work more closely together to better the sport in the future. Well said Geoff and after coming through the current difficulties it will be more important than ever to work together to push the sport forward into a New Era. HOMER.
Geoff Surgenor (r) with good friend Davy Jackson at NIPA Ladies Night.
The super loft layout of Surgenor Bros, Kells & District.
Surgenor Bros of Kells stock lofts.
“Marion” winner 4 x 1sts plus 1st & 2nd Section B NIPA, now at stock.
“Champion Christine” won the NIPA Talbenny YB Nat in 2018.
The sire of “Champion Christine” bred by Pete Norton.
The dam of “Champion Christine” bred by Pete Norton.