Gibson loft of Cullybackey Best in Mid Antrim Combine from Dale National
The first major young bird race of the season was held from Dale in Wales on Saturday 31st August. Birds were liberated at 9.00am in light east south easterly winds and a tough race followed. Gary Gibson of the Cullybackey club had the best bird in the local area timing at 13.23pm flying 224 miles. Gary's blue pied Stickers Donckers hen sitting eggs finished 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 1st Section B and 17th Open National doing 1501ypm. The sire is bred from co breeding with Thomas Maguire from Dublin and is Flymo line, and the dam is a granddaughter kbdb national ace 'Wonderboy', she is the dam to 12th open nipa and this pair bred Gary's 1st Section from Roscrea a fortnight ago.
Runner up in the Combine and 2nd Section & 20th Open on 1494 was Danny Dixon of Dunloy. Danny's cheq wf cock is from a son of 'Champion Heartbreaker' when paired to a daughter of his good 'Aviary cock' a winner of 2nd Open Yearling Cock's National in 2012. Bertie Blair of Ballymena & District was next best on 1488 and placed 3rd Section B & 24th Open National. The dam of Bertie's blue wf hen is 'Faith' 1st Open Nipa Talbenny yb national for Bertie in 2019. The sire was on loan from good friend Geoff Surgenor of Kells. This cock bred Geoff his 1st Open Nipa Talbenny yb National winner in 2020. Jimmy Smyth & Son continued his top young bird season with the winner in Ahoghill on 1487 and finished 4th Section & 24th Open. This weeks winner was again from Mark Milliken of Rasharkin. William McFetridge had the best bird in to Rasharkin on 1482 to win 8th Section & 29th Open with a Hartog x Van Loon from clubmate Mark Milliken. Anthony McNeill won Randalstown on 1391 and finished 15th Section & 84th Open with a Geoff Dickey Sticker Donckers and Jonathan Barkley & Laura Surgenor were best in Kells on 1341 with a Janssen x Vandenabeele cross and placed 150th Open.
Other lofts to time birds in the Open prizes included Gary Gibson of Cullybackey again 5th Section & 26th, 145th & 197th Open, Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill 6th Section & 27th Open, Jimmy & Jamie Greer Cullybackey 7th Section & 28th Open, Keith & Ken Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 9th Section, 41st & 143rd Open, Jimmy Smyth & Son Ahoghill second bird 10th Section & 47th Open, Alan Darragh Cullybackey 16th Section & 88th Open, Stewart Bros Randalstown 17th Section & 103rd Open, Danny Dixon second bird 18th Section & 112th Open, Bertie Blair another three birds 20th & 21st Section & 119th, 120th, 144th Open and Trevor Whyte Ahoghill 148th.
Mid Antrim Combine Dale 32/213 - G Gibson Cullybackey 1501, D Dixon Rasharkin 1494, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1488, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1487, G Gibson Cullybackey 1487, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1487, J & J Greer Cullybackey 1484, W McFetridge Rasharkin 1482, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1450, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1437, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1391, A Darragh Cullybackey 1387, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1378, D Dixon Rasharkin 1370, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1363, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1363, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1345, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1345, G Gibson Cullybackey 1344, T Whyte Ahoghill 1342, A Barkley & Son Kells 1341, G Gibson Cullybackey 1304, D Dixon Rasharkin 1300, G Gibson Cullybackey 1290, G Gibson Cullybackey 1269, R Service & Son Ballymena 1266, S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1261, A Barkley & Son Kells 1252, A Barkley & Son Kells 1226, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1207.
Young Bird Knock Out s/f - K & K KERNOHAN & SONS Ballymena 1450 v A Barkley & Son Kells 1341. Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1487.52 v J SMYTH & SON Ahoghill 1487.89. The final between K & K Kernohan & Sons and Jimmy Smyth & Son will be held from this week’s Fermoy race.
Mid Antrim Combine YB Points -Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 385, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 282, Gary Gibson Cullybackey 279, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 245, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 200, Harold Cubitt Rasharkin 166, D Dixon Rasharkin 111, Trevor Whyte Ahoghill 100, A Barkley & Son Kells 94 , J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 94, Willie McFetridge Rasharkin 75, W & J McLean Rasharkin 60
Marc Neilly Broughshane. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
NIPA Section B Dale YB at 15/322 – G Gibson Cullybackey 1501, D Dixon Ballymoney 1494, Blair & Rankin Ballymena & Dist 1488, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1487, G Gibson 187, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1487, J & J Greer Cullybackey 1484, W McFetridge Rasharkin & Dist 1482, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena & Dist 1449, J Smyth & Son 1437.
NIPA Sect B Clubs
Ahoghill Flying Club – J Smyth & Son 1487, Young McManus & Sons 1487, J Smyth & Son 1437, Trevor Whyte 1342,
Ballymoney HPS 10/78 – Danny Dixon 1494, John Connolly 1424, Danny Dixon 1370, C McCook 1355, Dany Dixon 1300, C McCook 1219.
Broughshane & District –
Ballymena & District HPS 5/33 – Blair & Rankin 1488, K & K Kernohan & Sons 1450, Blair & Rankin 1363, 1363, K & K Kernohan & Sons 1345, Blair & Rankin 1345, R Service & Son 1345.
Cullybackey HPS – Gary Gibson 1501, 1487, J & J Greer 1484, Alan Darragh 1387, Gary Gibson 1342, 1304.
Crumlin & District –Scott & Ryan Hope 1417, D S Hamilton 1392, Scott & Ryan Hope 1334,
Kells & District HPS – A Barkley & Son 1341, 1252, 1226. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – A Barkley & Son 1032.
Muckamore HPS 4/45 – S & J Bones 1370, 1362, 1335, D J Thompson 1315, 1310, S & N Maginty 1265.
Randalstown HPS – J McNeill & Son 1391, Stewart Bros 1378, J McNeill & Son 1207.
Rasharkin &District HPS – W McFetridge 1482, Steele & McNeill 1129, W McFetridge 1110, F Barkley 913.
Gary Gibson of Cullybackey with his 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 1st Section B and 17th Open Dale winner.