Danny Dixon Of Ballymoney wins 1st Open INFC Penzance YB National
The first of the two Irish National Flying Club young bird National races was flown on Friday 13th September. The convoy of just over 1000 birds was released in Penzance at 8.30am in calm conditions. The best two birds in this year event were timed by former winners of this race. The overall winner Danny Dixon of Ballymoney won it in 2010 with his blue pied Wildermeersch hen 'Dixie Chic' and this years runner up Martin Graham won it last season with his blue Louis Thijs x Vandenbrande hen 'Sammy's Girl'.
Fourth National Win For Danny Dixon Of Ballymoney.
Danny Dixon Ballymoney 1st, 12th & 13th Open 339 miles velo 1515 timed 15.04pm winning £1300
What more can be said about Danny Dixon, this years winner of 1st Open INFC Penzance Young Bird National. I did a loft report on Danny in December last year and was amazed at the list of top prizes this man has amassed. 1st Open INFC Skibbereen YB National 1998, 1st Open Nipa Rosscarbery YB National 2006 and 1st Open INFC Penzance YB National 2010 being the major wins. On top of those there are many more top ten finishes in other National races plus a handful of one loft race wins. To the race now and Danny timed a blue wf cock at 15.04pm flying 339 miles to the lofts in Dunloy village to win the Penzance young bird national for the second time.
Sire of the winning cock is a son of Bobby Coyle's pencil cock (a grandson of 'Dixie Chic') when paired to a daughter of 'Knight Rider' Jeff Greenaway's Nipa old bird French National winner. Dam is a daughter of 'Dixie Chic' x Danny's good Wildermeersch 'Belgie Cock'.
Danny's young birds were tossed the length of Newry with Sam Crawford before racing commenced. The National winner had both Roscrea races and Cloughmartin. He was then tossed with Homer from Oxford Island with his last toss one week before the National.
Danny timed two more birds at 15.12pm to win 12th & 13th Open National
Sire of Danny's 12th Open bird is "Baldy' a full brother to Bobby Coyle's pencil cock a grandson of 'Dixie Chic' and dam is another daughter of Dixie Chic x Belgie Cock.
Danny's 13th Open bird is bred off a pair of Walkinshaw pigeons he acquired from Pompeii Plunkett of Bray. Another major win for one of Irelands top racers.
Martin Graham Ballymena & District 2nd, 8th, 23rd, 60th & 66th Open 329 miles velo 1512 timed 14.53pm
Another fancier with a outstanding CV in National and Derby racing is Martin Graham of Ballymena, this years runner up in the Penzance YB National. Martin is also a four time National winner having won1st Open Nipa Skibbereen OB Inland National in 2004, 1st Open Sennen Cove Yearling National 2018, 1st Open Penzance Yearling National 2023 and 1st Open Penzance YB National 2023. I had the pleasure of waiting with Martin for the Penzance birds this season and spotted the first bird arriving at 14.53pm. Sammy Steele then made an appearance having missed the first bird and then Martin's father inlaw Denis Craig arrived half an hour later having missed all five birds. Coffee was on tap, the crack was good and it turned out a very enjoyable watch.
In total Martin timed five birds at 14.53, 14.59, 15.04, 15.18 & 15.20pm to win 2nd, 8th, 23rd, 60th & 66th Open.
Martin's darkness young bird national team were raced up to and including Cloughmartin. They then had 10 x Portstewart tosses around 30 miles, plus two 50 Mile tosses all into head winds. The 2nd Open hen was feeding a 5 day old chick when she was basketed.
Just like last season Martin and Sammy Steele again bought a kit of youngsters from one of the top racing and breeding lofts in Ireland Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill. All five birds timed are from this kit. William sent me some info of the breeding
Sire of the 2nd Open hen 'Dark Delight' is a self bred Vandenbrande/Louis Thijs, the lines of 'Sneeuwitje' and 'Olympiade 003' The sire was a top racing cock before retired to stock and was winner of many first prizes in club and Combine plus 2nd, 4th, 7th, 23rd Section etc. The dam is again a self bred C & C Lambrecht being an inbred granddaughter of 'Superman' She is also the mother to 2nd Section Roscrea.
Sire of Martin's 8th Open hen is an Alex Docx and is a grandson of the base breeding pair 'The 158' and 'The 330'. Dam is also Alex Docx and is a daughter of the No1 cock 'The 242'
Sire of the 23rd Open hen is from Syndicate lofts and the Dutch dam is from Ivo Van De Veen. That's 1st Open last season and 2nd & 8th Open etc this season with Paddy & William McManus youngsters. Well done again Martin, another top class performance from one of the top National racers in Ireland.
Jimmy Smyth & Son Ahoghill 5th, 26th,119th & 142nd Open 329 miles velo 1492 timed 14.58pm
Jimmy Smyth & Son of Ahoghill finished 5th Open with a single bred youngster gifted by Chris Moore of Cullybackey. The sire is the best of C & L Fryers of Dromara and dam is a hen purchased from Arnold Thompson of Ballyclare. In total Jimmy had four birds in the prizes. 5th, 26th, 119th & 142nd Open. Last season Jimmy was 6th Open in this race and a couple of years ago 8th Open in the INFC Friendship National, and only a fortnight ago 24th & 47th Open in the Nipa Dale young bird National. Another big result for Jimmy who's had another excellent season.
Alan Darragh Cullybackey 11th & 131st Open 329 miles velo 1485 timed 15.00pm
Seven time INFC National winner Alan Darragh of Cullybackey clocked at 15.00pm to win 11th Open on 1485. Alan's bird, a blue cock is from a son of his good five times France Cock x his 2nd Open Infc Yearling National hen.
Gary Gibson Cullybackey 17th, 27th, 30th & 157th Open 331 miles velo 1475 timed 15.04pm
Gary Gibson of Cullybackey had four in the Open prizes. His first bird at 17th Open was from a son of the channel pair. '63' was 167th Yearling National 2023 and is from a son of Jimmy Rock's 1st Open Nipa Talbenny YB National and 1st Open Penzance & Classic pigeons when paired to Gary's good hen 'Danni 'from Danny Dixon. She's a granddaughter of 'Dixie Chic' Danny's 1st Open Infc Penzance young bird National winner. The dam of the 17th Open bird is pure Wildermeerch from Derek Parr.
Other Combine lofts making the Open result included small team distance racer William Livingstone of Ahoghill 40th Open and Bertie Blair of Ballymena & District 165th Open. Bertie was 2nd Open in this race a number of years ago and in 2019 he won 1st Open from the Nipa Talbenny young bird national with 'Faith'. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
Mid Antrim Combine Penzance YB Grand National - D Dixon Rasharkin 1515, M Graham Ballymena 1512, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1492, M Graham Ballymena 1490, A Darragh Cullybackey 1486, D Dixon Rasharkin 1485, D Dixon Rasharkin 1485, G Gibson Cullybackey 1475, M Graham Ballymena 1470, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1465, G Gibson Cullybackey 1462, G Gibson Cullybackey 1458, W Livingstone Ahoghill 1446, M Graham Ballymena 1419, M Graham Ballymena 1411, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1320, A Darragh Cullybackey 1288, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1267, G Gibson Cullybackey 1232, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1208.
Results INFC Penzance YB Grand National -
INFC Penzance YB Grand Nat Open 181/1084 – D Dixon Ballymoney 1515, M Graham Ballymena & Dist 1512, R Cassells Edgarstown 1507, K Henderson & Son Lurgan Soc 1493, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1492, A & N Lewis Doagh & Dist 1491, J Burrows Eastway 1490, M Graham Ballymena & Dist 1490, D Calvin Bondhill 1487, G Buckley & Son Annaghmore 1486, A Darragh Cullybackey 1485, D Dixon 1485, D Dixon 1485, A Thompson Ballyclare 1481, Larkin Bros Meadows 1481, J Burrows 1479, G Gibson Cullybackey 1475, R Mulligan Monaghan 1474 J Whitten & Son Portadown & Drumcree 1472, J Whitten & Son 1471.
INFC Penzance YB Grand Nat North Sect 108/689 – D Dixon Ballymoney 1515, M Graham Ballymena & Dist 1512, R Cassells Edgarstown 1507, K Henderson & Son Lurgan Soc 1493, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1492, A & N Lewis Doagh & Dist 1491, J Burrows Eastway 1490, M Graham Ballymena & Dist 1490, D Calvin Bondhill 1487, G Buckley & Son Annaghmore 1486, A Darragh Cullybackey 1485, D Dixon 1485, D Dixon 1485, A Thompson Ballyclare 1481, Larkin Bros Meadows 1481, J Burrows 1479, G Gibson Cullybackey 1475, J Whitten & Son Portadown & Drumcree 1472, J Whitten & Son 1471, A Feeney & Son Gilford & Dist 1471.
INFC Centre & Station results YB Penzance – subject to change
Coleraine Centre Penzance – D Dixon Ballymoney 1515, D Dixon 148, D Dixon 1485, D & H Stuart Ballymoney 1469, B & D Coyle Coleraine Prem 1454, D & H Stuart 1437, B & D Coyle 1312, A McCrudden Derr & Dist 1183, A McCrudden 114.
Muckamore Centre Penzance – M Graham Ballymena & Dist 1512, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1492, A & N Lewis Doagh & Dist 1491, J Burrows Eastway 1490, M Graham Ballymena & Dist 1490, A Darragh Cullybackey 1486, A Thompson Ballyclare & Dist 1481, J Burrows 1479, G Gibson Cullybackey 1475, M Graham Ballymena & Dist 1470, J Smyth & Son 465, G Gibson 1462, G Gibson 1458, A Thompson 1447, W Livingstone Ahoghill 1446, A Thompson 1441, R Duddy Ballyclare & Dist 1438, A & T Agnew Larne 1429, A Thompson 1426, M Graham Ballymena & Dist 1419.
Danny Dixon of Ballymoney holding his new INFC Penzance YB National winner 2024.
Winner for Danny Dixon, 1st North Sect & 1st Open INFC YB Grand Nat Penzance.
Martin Graham (r) holding 'Dark Delight' 2nd Open INFC Penzance Young Bird National 2024. Good friend William McManus is holding both the sire & dam. William and his father Paddy bred all five of Martin's birds timed in this years race. They also bred last years 1st Open winning hen 'Sammy's Girl' for Martin.
Dark Delight 2nd Open INFC Penzance for Martin Graham of Ballymena & District.
Jimmy Smyth of Ahoghill 5th Open INFC Penzance YB National 2024. Included are his grandchildren Georgie 7 and Lucie 5.