Eleven Year Old Joshua Whyte Wins Mid Antrim Combine From 1st Roscrea
The 2025 pigeon racing season continued on Saturday 26th April with the second race from Roscrea in County Tipperary. The convoy Liberation at 11.15am in south westerly winds and a fast race followed. The best bird this week was timed by 11 year old Joshua Whyte of Ahoghill club. Young Joshua timed his winner at 13.36pm flying at a speed of just over 60mph to record 1798ypm to win 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 4th Section B and 135th Open Nipa with 641 members sending 19571 birds. Joshua's 2yo cheq hen was a gift from clubmates Paddy & William McManus and is a granddaughter of their 'Bad Handler Cock' a winner of 3 x 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 2 x 1st Section B and 15th Open Nipa Fermoy 5 Bird. This hen won as a young bird for Joshua in 2023 from Roscrea when placed 3rd Combine, 7th Section and 34th Open 16981 birds. When not at school Joshua spends all his spare time in his loft, definitely a young fancier for the future.
Jackie Steele was best in Rasharkin on 1795 and runner up in the Combine with a yearling Stickers - Donckers mealy cock on widowhood. This cock won Roscrea last season as a youngster. Rock & Moore of Cullybackey were 3rd Combine followed by last week's Combine winners Jimmy Smyth & Son of Ahoghill placed 4th this week.
Ballymena & District winners Johnston Eagleson & Sons finished 5th in the Combine with a red pied yearling Vandenbulck cock. Full brothers and sisters have won from Fermoy, Skibbereen and Bude.
Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill were next best and had eight birds in the top thirty of the Combine. Their first bird has been first to the loft's in the opening two races. Stewart Bros won Randalstown for the second week in a row on 1776 with a blue yearling Lambrecht cock flying to the perch, Marc Neilly was best in Broughshane on 1735 for the second week running. This week's winner is a yearling cheq widowhood cock, the Van Mechelen sire was purchased in a kit in 2015 from Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill and dam from a kit of youngsters from Geoff Dickey in 2021. Geoff Surgenor has won both races to date in Kells on 1688, this weeks winner a mealy cock is Stickers - Donckers x Vandenbrande.
Mid Antrim Combine 1st . Roscrea 55/1700 - Joshua Whyte Ahoghill 1798, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1795, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1794, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1790, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 179, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1787
Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1785, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1785, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1784, F Barkley Rasharkin 1784, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1784, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1784, J Millar & Son Rasharkin 1779,T Whyte Ahoghill 1777, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1776, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1774, J Millar & Son Rasharkin 1774, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1773, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1773, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 1771
Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1770, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1770, T Whyte Ahoghill 1769, W & J McLean Rasharkin 1762, G Gibson Cullybackey 1761, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1760, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1760, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1760, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1760
Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1760, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1759, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1759, C & R McIntyre Cullybackey 1753, D Dixon Rasharkin 1751, D Dixon Rasharkin 1751, T Whyte Ahoghill 1749, J Whyte Ahoghill 1748
Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1748, G Gibson Cullybackey 1747, G Gibson Cullybackey 1747.
Champions League Groups - Points
(A) D Dixon 15, J & J Greer 14, J Millar 0, H Turkington 0
(B) S Johnston & Son 10, Stewart Bros 7, H Cubitt 6, T & M Morrow 0
(C) Blair & Rankin 12, Surgenor Bros 6, J McNeill & Son 0, J Getty 0
(D) J Whyte 21, K & K Kernohan & Sons 4, A Darragh 0, A Barkley & Son 0
(E) J Eagleson & Sons 23, Steele & McNeill 20, T Whyte 9, W & W Gilbert 0
(F) Young & McManus & Sons 71, G Gibson 60, F Barkley 12, A Purvis 0
(G) J Smyth & Son 39, Mr & Mrs Robinson 19, M Neilly 11, H Boyd 0.
The first two fanciers in each group along with the two best fanciers in 3rd place go through to the last 16 round. If points are equal in any of the groups the highest velocities in the last group match will decide who makes it to the last 16. Mervin Eagleson PO.
NIPA Section B 1st Roscrea 96/3128 – K Glass Windsor Soc 1806, K Glass 1804, C Henry Ballymoney 1803, J Whytev Ahoghill 1798, S Murphy Cullybackey 1797, steele & McNeill Rasharkin & Dist 1795, D & H Stuart Ballymoney 1795, Rocj & Moore Cullybackey 1794, K Glass 1792, S & N Maginty Muckamore 1792.
NIPA Sect B Clubs
Ahoghill Flying Club 9/268 – J Whyte 1798, J Smyth & Son 1790, Young McManus & Sons 1787, 1785, 1784, 1784.
Ballymoney HPS 23/923 – L Neill 1823, 1805, C Henry 1803, D & H Stuart 1795, M Gamble & Son 1791, D & H Stuart 1785.
Ballymoney West Combine 8/247 – Lynn Neill 1823, C Henry 1803, M Gamble & Son 1791, W Rodgers 1760, Young & Gibson 1722.
NIPA Section B 1st Roscrea 96/3128 – K Glass Windsor Soc 1806, K Glass 1804, C Henry Ballymoney 1803, J Whytev Ahoghill 1798, S Murphy Cullybackey 1797, steele & McNeill Rasharkin & Dist 1795, D & H Stuart Ballymoney 1795, Rocj & Moore Cullybackey 1794, K Glass 1792, S & N Maginty Muckamore 1792.
NIPA Sect B Clubs
Ahoghill Flying Club 9/268 – J Whyte 1798, J Smyth & Son 1790, Young McManus & Sons 1787, 1785, 1784, 1784.
Ballymoney HPS 23/923 – L Neill 1823, 1805, C Henry 1803, D & H Stuart 1795, M Gamble & Son 1791, D & H Stuart 1785.
Ballymoney West Combine 8/247 – Lynn Neill 1823, C Henry 1803, M Gamble & Son 1791, W Rodgers 1760, Young & Gibson 1722.
Broughshane & District 4/97 – M Neilly 1735, A Purvis 1728, J Getty 1718, M Neilly 1697, 1644, A Purvis 1625.
Ballymena & District HPS 8/269 – J Eagleson & Sons 1790, K & K Kernohan & Son 1773, J Eagleson & Sons 1773, Blair & Rankin 1759, S Johnston & Son 1744, 1717.
Cullybackey HPS 15/588 – S Murphy 1797, Rock & Moore 1794, S Murphy 1781, M/M Robinson 1771, S Murphy 1764, 1761.
Crumlin & District 9/215 – McConville Bros 1752, Fleming Bros 1741, D Hamilton 1711, R & S Hope 1691, Fleming Bros 1683, R & S Hope 1675.
Kells & District HPS 6/169 – Surgenor Bros 1688, 1688, Gregg Bros 1681, 1680, A Barkley & Son 1668, Surgenor Bros 1661. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – Gregg Bros 1680, B Swann & Son 1629, A Barkley & Son 1557, Surgenor Bros 1520. Surgenor Bros takes the top spot second week in a row and takes top 2 this week. Well done to very everyone who carded this week. Gregg bros wins Sizzler 2 bird result within club.
Muckamore HPS 9/330 – S & N Maginty 1792, 1764, 1747, 1741, Knocker & Bill 1732, D J Thompson 1729.
Randalstown HPS 6/161 – Sterart Bros 176, 1760, 1732, j mcNeill & Son 1710, J Millar 1682, 1675.
Rasharkin &District HPS 7/96 – Steele & McNeill 1795, J & M Milliken 1785, F Barkley 1784, J Millar & Son 1779, H Cubitt 1774, J Millar & Son 1774.
Joshua Whyte from Ahoghill, 1st MAC 1st Roscrea.