Grenagh - Frday 5th September 2025

[willie reynolds]

Mid Antrim Combine - NIPA Grenagh 05/09/25

The NIPA were in Grenagh for the penultimate race of their young bird season. Birds were released on Friday 5th September at 9.30am in light south westerly winds. Taking the top two positions in the Mid Antrim Combine with two good birds were Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill on 1778 & 1776. The two birds arrived together at 13.05pm and first to trap was the blue hen that three days earlier won 1st club 2nd MA Combine, 2nd Section and 11th Open NIPA from Benamore. She is bred from a pair of Leideman pigeons brought in at the tail end of last season and her nestmate was actually 2nd Combine from Kilbeggan in the opening race. The second bird timed was bred from a pair of W & F Ebben pigeons. Both birds finished 1st & 2nd Mid Antrim Combine and 6th & 7th Section B. That's 3 x 1st Mid Antrim Combine winners and 4 times Combine runners up this season for the Croft Lofts in Ahoghill.

Next best at 3rd Combine & 8th Section was Danny Dixon of Dunloy on 1759 with a blue cheq hen. The sire is a son of the 'Aviary Cock' when paired to Danny's good Jos Cools hen and dam is a daughter of 'Champion Heartbreaker'. Danny had a further 3 birds in the top ten of Combine at 8th, 9th & 10th. The Rasharkin winner Jackie Steele was 4th Combine on 1727 with a Lambrecht cock being off the 'V Cock' which in turn is a son of '02'. The Ballymena & District winners Keith & Callum Kernohan completed the top five in the Combine on 1725. The Kernohan team had a good race with five birds in the top 20 of the Combine. Their winner was joint breeding with clubmate Robin Service. The sire is a son of Willy's Pride x Diamond Princess and dam is a granddaughter of Kriss Van Massenhoven's Box No.2 pair. Keith & Callum's second bird at 6th Combine was Vermeerbergen x Keith's good hen 'Happy Day's' a winner of Mid Antrim Combine Champion Young Bird of the year in 2023 plus 2 x 1st Combine and 1st Section Fermoy 5 Bird. Robin Service was 7th Combine on 1709 and Alan Darragh was best in Cullybackey on 1667 and 13th Combine.

Mid Antrim Combine - Grenagh 18/306
Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1778, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1776, D Dixon Rasharkin 1759, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1727, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1725, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1711, R Service & Son Ballymena 1709, D Dixon Rasharkin 1699, D Dixon Rasharkin 1698, D Dixon Rasharkin 1698, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1669, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1669, A Darragh Cullybackey 1667, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1665 J & J Greer Ahoghill 1665, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1664, S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1662, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1661, A Darragh Cullybackey 1656, A Darragh Cullybackey 1656, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1655, T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1655, G Gibson Cullybackey 1654, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1651, A Darragh Cullybackey 1649. Mervyn Eagleson MAC Press Officer

NIPA Section B Grenagh 29/501 – S & J Bones Muckamore 1816, Sefton Thompson Crumlin 1809, S & J Bones 1804, Sefton Thompson 1799, J Harkness Crumlin 1781, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1778, Young McManus & Sons 1776, D Dixon Ballymoney 1759, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1727, S & J Bones 1726.

NIPA Sect B Clubs

Ahoghill Flying Club 4/60 –Young McManus & Sons 1778, 1776, J Smyth & Son 1669, 1669, 1655, Young McManus & Sons 1646.

Ballymoney HPS 3/84 – D Dixon 1759, 1699, 1698, 1698, J onnolly 1670, 1670.

Broughshane & District –

Ballymena & District HPS 4/69 – K & K Kernohan & Sons 1725, 1711, R Service & Son 1709, K & K Kernohan & Sons 1665, 1664, S Johnston & Son 1662.

Cullybackey HPS 4/90 – A Darragh 1667, J & J Greer 1665, A Darragh 1656, 1656, G Gibson 1654, A Darragh 1649.

Crumlin & District 2/54 – Sefton Thompson 1809, 1793, J Harkness 1781, Sefton Thompson 1723, 1697, 1688.

Kells & District HPS –

Muckamore HPS 3/29 – S & J Bones 1816, 1804, 1726, 1679, 1663, T Patterson & Son 1653.

Randalstown HPS – J McNeill & Son 1349, Stewart Bros 1236, 1135, J McNeill & Son 1069.

Rasharkin &District HPS 4/40 – Steele & McMeill 1727, 1631, 1631, Harold Cubitt 1563, 1543m W McFetridge 1533.