Dale Combine & Section win for Johnston Eagleson & Sons of Ballymena
The second channel race of the season was again flown from Dale in Wales on Sunday 8th June. Liberation took place at 7.15am in north westerly winds. Johnston Eagleson & Sons of Ballymena had the best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine this week and also won 1st Section B and 16th Open Nipa 6954 birds. They timed at 11.55am flying 222 miles to the Cullybackey Road loft's to record 1396. Their winning yearling blue white flight Willy Jacobs x Grondelaer hen was bred by Gerald Delaney of Oroory Hill Stud and was purchased in a kit of young birds last season. The sire is a grandson of 'Willys Pride', Delaney's No1 stock cock when mated to 'Diamond Princess' a winner of 2 x 1st Open. The dam a Grondelaer, is a daughter of 'Dream Lad' sire to 3 first Open winners. The Eagleson's third bird timed at 6th Combine & 8th Section was a 2yo blue pied hen that won the Combine & Section from 2nd Dale last season. This one is a daughter of their good 'Double Combine Winner'
Runners up in the Combine plus 2nd Section and 21st Open were the ace racers and breeders Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill on 1392. The lads timed a yearling chequer pied Hereman Ceuster hen that was their third bird from 1st Dale the previous week. Paddy & William had a top days racing having won 1st Mid Antrim Combine in the inland race from Corrin earlier in the day. Danny Dixon was next best with two birds for 4th & 5th Combine and 6th & 8th Section on 1375 & 1372.
Freddie Barkley was best in Rasharkin on 1343 with a 2yo dark cheq Lambrecht hen and Geoff Surgenor had the winner in Kells doing 1312. Sire from good friend Bertie Blair and dam a Leo Van Rijn of Bob McMeekin bloodlines. Willie Gilbert and son William got their second win of the season in Randalstown with a 3yo pencil blue cock doing 1308. Both Kenyon parents were bought at a clearance sale for C & L Woodside of Ballyclare. John Getty won Broughshane & Dist for the second channel race on the trot with a yearling cheq cock doing 1283.
Mid Antrim Combine Dale 38/481 - J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1396, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1392, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1382, D Dixon Rasharkin 1375, D Dixon Rasharkin 1372, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1366, G Gibson Cullybackey 1365, G Gibson Cullybackey 1359, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1359, G Gibson Cullybackey 1357, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1354, G Gibson Cullybackey 1350, D Dixon Rasharkin 1347, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1347, Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 1345, C Moore Cullybackey 1345, J & K Balmer Ahoghill 1344, F Barkley Rasharkin 1343, D Dixon Rasharkin 1343, D Dixon Rasharkin 1339, G Gibson Cullybackey 1338, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1337, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1335, T Whyte Ahoghill 1335, R Service & Son Ballymena 1328, D Dixon Rasharkin 1328, T Whyte Ahoghill 1327, D Dixon Rasharkin 1327, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1325, F Barkley Rasharkin 1325, G Gibson Cullybackey 1320, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1319, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1319, T Whyte Ahoghill 1317, T Whyte Ahoghill 1316, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1316
Surgenor Bros Kells 1312, W & W Gilbert Randalstown 1308, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1307, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1307.
Les Mairs OB Points Fancier Of the Year Top 10 (2nd Dale, Corrin & 5 Bird) - J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 295, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 271, A Darragh Cullybackey 270, G Gibson Cullybackey 263, D Dixon Rasharkin 179, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 127, T Whyte Ahoghill 125, Surgenor Bros Kells 113, S Johnston & Son Ballymena 97, H Boyd Kells 80.
Mid Antrim Combine OB Knock Out 2nd Dale. Winners in capitals
Young & McManus & Sons 1392 v J EAGLESON & SONS 1396
H Boyd 0 v J WHYTE 1268
J & J GREER 1240 v A Darragh 0
Rock & Moore 1335 v D DIXON 1375.
Mid Antrim Combine Champions League Knock Out. 2nd Dale. Winners in Capitals
J EAGLESON & SONS 1396 v Young & McManus & Sons 1392
S Johnston & Son 1275 v D DIXON 1375
J SMYTH & SON 1359 v J Whyte 1268
A Darragh 0 v SURGENOR BROS 1312.
Mid Antrim Combine Club Points Shield (Dale, Corrin & 5 Bird)
Ahoghill FC 62, Cullybackey HPS 62, Ballymena & District 52, Rasharkin & District 45, Kells & District 44, Broughshane & District 22, Randalstown HPS 18 Mervyn Eagleson MAC Press Officer.
J Eagleson & Sons from Ballymena & Dist 1st MAC & 1st Sect B 2nd Dale