1st Fermoy - Sat 10/05/25
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 10:22 am
Mid Antrim Combine - NIPA 1st Fermoy 10th May 2025
Swallow Brae Loft's Top the Combine from Fermoy
The racing season continued with the fourth race from Fermoy in County Cork. Birds were released on Saturday 10th May at 9.00am in southerly winds variable en-route. Mid Antrim Combine winner this week was the top Cullybackey fancier Alan Darragh timing his 2yo blue Soontjen hen at 12.15pm flying 200 miles to the Swallow Brae Loft's in Galgorm. The hen finishes 3rd Section B & 6th Open Nipa 22,595 birds. Dam of Alan's latest Combine winner has topped both Combine & Section in the past.
Runner up in the Combine on 1793 was the Ballymena & District winner Bertie Blair who won the club by 5½ minutes. Bertie timed a yearling cheq cock racing natural to score 6th Section & 13th Open. The dam was bred from a pair of P & D Vandenbulcks and the sire, a cheq cock has won 5 x 1st Club and 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th and 12th Mid Antrim Combine. Sire Lambrecht from Jackie Steele and dam from late friend George Bell.
Best in Ahoghill were Paddy & William McManus of Young & McManus & Sons on 1779 with a 5yo cheq hen and placed 10th Section & 23rd Open Nipa. This hen bred from the best of their Karel Laenen and Louis Thijs stock has already topped both the Combine & Section from Fermoy in 2021. Harold Cubitt was best in Rasharkin on 1765 with his top racing widowhood cock 'Billy Joe'. This cock has now won seven races and was the 2023 Champion Old Bird Of The Year in both Section B and the Mid Antrim Combine. The cock has topped the Mid Antrim Combine on two occasions from Tullamore and Fermoy and has also won 8th Open Nipa from nearly 15,000 birds. Breeding is down from his own line of birds.
Stewart Bros were back at the top in Randalstown on 1735 with a 2yo Louis Thijs cheq cock. This one is a son of the 'Green Ring Hen' acquired from Paddy & William McManus of Croft Loft's in Ahoghill.
Surgenor Bros had the top two in Kells with the winner doing 1734. Sire bred by good friend Bertie Blair and dam a daughter of his good 'Marion' hen. Alastair Purvis got his first win of the season in Broughshane on 1681 with a 4yo cheq Soontjen hen. The sire won 5 x 1st and 1st Mid Antrim Combine and the dam a daughter of 5th Open Skibbereen National.
Mid Antrim Combine 1st Fermoy 59/1762 0 A Darragh Cullybackey 1804, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1793, G Gibson Cullybackey 1785, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1779, A Darragh Cullybackey 1773, T Whyte Ahoghill 1767, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1765, J & J Greer Cullybackey 1754, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1753, A Darragh Cullybackey 1749, A Darragh Cullybackey 1748, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1747, T Whyte Ahoghill 1745, D Dixon Rasharkin 1745, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1744, A Darragh Cullybackey 1739, R Service & Son Ballymena 1737 Stewart Bros Randalstown 1735, Surgenor Bros Kells 1734, A Darragh Cullybackey 1734, A Darragh Cullybackey 1734, G Gibson Cullybackey 1731, D Dixon Rasharkin 1730, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1730, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1729, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1728, Surgenor Bros Kells 1728, W McFetridge Rasharkin 1727, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1724, H Boyd Kells 1723
J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1722, R Service & Son Ballymena 1722, Surgenor Bros Kells 1721, G Gibson Cullybackey 1720, T Whyte Ahoghill 1719, A Darragh Cullybackey 1718, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1718, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1717, G Gibson Cullybackey 1716, T Whyte Ahoghill 1716.
Les Mairs OB Points Fancier Of the Year Top 10 (1st Fermoy)
Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 126, G Gibson Cullybackey 102
A Darragh Cullybackey 78, T Whyte Ahoghill 71, J Whyte Ahoghill 60, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 49, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 48, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 39, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 29, J & J Greer Cullybackey 28.
Champions League Groups - Points
(A) J & J Greer 28, D Dixon 23, J Millar 0, H Turkington 0
(B) H Cubitt 21, Stewart Bros 11, S Johnston & Son 10, T & M Morrow 0
(C) Blair & Rankin 39, Surgenor Bros 26, J McNeill & Son 0, J Getty 0
(D) A Darragh 78, J Whyte 60, K & K Kernohan & Sons 4, A Barkley & Son 0
(E) T Whyte 71, J Eagleson & Sons 29, Steele & McNeill 20, W & W Gilbert 0
(F) Young & McManus & Sons 126, G Gibson 102, F Barkley 12, A Purvis 0
(G) J Smyth & Son 49, M Neilly 24, Mr & Mrs Robinson 19, H Boyd 3/
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 matches will decide the winners. The first 32 lofts in the fifth race on Saturday 16th May will qualify for the Knock-out commencing at Dunmanway Inland National.
Club Points Shield - Week 4 – 1st Fermoy
Ahoghill FC 25, Cullybackey HPS 25, Ballymena & District 19, Rasharkin & District 17, Broughshane & DFC 10, Kells & District 8, Randalstown HPS 8. Mervyn Eagleson MAC Press Officer.
NIPA Race/Date
Fermoy OB Saturday 10th May 2025 – Liberated at 9.00am in a Lt South wind
NIPA Open 1st Fermoy OB 687/22,595 –
1-1B S & J Bones Muckamore 1878, 2-2B S Murphy Cullybackey 1834m 3-1E K Henderson & Son Lurgan Soc 1819, 4-2E G Marsden Hills & Maze 1812, 5-3E J Douglas & Son Lurgan Soc 1807, 6-3B A Darragh Cullybackey 1804, 7-1A H & J Devlin Coalisland & Dist 1804, 8-4B C & M McCook Ballymoney 1803, 9-5B D & H Stusrt Ballymoney 1802, 10-4E D Calvin Bondhill Soc 1801, 11-2A J Hanson Coleraine Prem 1801, 12-3A G & S Smith Cookstown 1797, 13-6B Blair & Rankin Ballymena & Dist 1793, 14-5E J & E Calvin Annaghmore 1792, 15-6E Aiden Mallon Meadows 1791, 16-7E A & R Neill Edgarstown 1789, 18-8E I Blair Armagh 1785, 19-5A J Hanson Coleraine Prem 1785, 20-7B G Gibson Cullybackey 1785.
NIPA Section B `1st Fermoy 102/3528 – S & J Bones Muckamore 1878, S Murphy Cullybackey 1834, A Darragh Cullybackey 1804, C & M McCook Ballyoney 1703, D & H Stuart Ballymoney 1802, Blair & Rankin Ballymena & Dist 1793, G Gibson Cullybackey 1785, C Henry Ballymoney 1781, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1779.
NIPA Sect B Clubs
Ahoghill Flying Club 8/261– Young McManus & Sons 1779, T Whyte 1767, J Smyth & Son 1747, T Whyte 1745, Young McManus & Sons 1730, 1729
Ballymoney HPS 23/1009 – C & M McCook 1803, D & H Stuart 1802, C Henry 1781, 1780, 1761, A & M Boyle 1754.
Ballymoney West Combine 7/195 – C henry 1781, L Neill 1716, W Rodgers 168, M Gamble & Son 1682, J McConaghie 1630, Curry & Gilmore 1571.
Broughshane & District 5/114 – A Purvis 1681, M Neilly 1680, T & M Morrow 1679, M Neilly 1677, 1675, T & M Morrow 1661.
Ballymena & District HPS 8/280 – Blair & Rankin 1793, 1744, R Service & Son 1737, 1722 1716, Blair & Rankin 1713.
Cullybackey HPS 18/592 – S Murphy 1834, A Darragh 1804, G Gibson 1785, A Darragh 1773, S Murphy 1768, J & J Greer 1754.
Crumlin & District 11/269 – Fleming Bros 1720, R & S Hope 1713, J Harkness 1706, Fleming Bros 1705, R & S Hope 1703, McConville Bros 1699.
Kells & District HPS 6/174 – Surgenor Bros 1734, 1728, H Boyd 1723, Surgenor Bros 1721, H Boyd 1712, Surgenor Bros 1704. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – Surgenor Bros 1721, B Swann & Son 1684, A Barkley & Son 1566.
Muckamore HPS 10/417 – S & J Bons 1878, A Steele 1768, S & N Maginty 1748, 1747, 1741, 1740.
Randalstown HPS 6/142 – Stewart Bros 1735, 1728, 1717, J Millar 1664, J McNeill & Son 1655, 1644.
Rasharkin &District HPS 7/117 – H Cubitt 1765, W McFetridge 1727, Steele & McNeill 1718, 1711, 1710, F Barkley 1708.
Alan Darragh from Cullybackey, 1st MAC 1st Fermoy Old Bird>
Swallow Brae Loft's Top the Combine from Fermoy
The racing season continued with the fourth race from Fermoy in County Cork. Birds were released on Saturday 10th May at 9.00am in southerly winds variable en-route. Mid Antrim Combine winner this week was the top Cullybackey fancier Alan Darragh timing his 2yo blue Soontjen hen at 12.15pm flying 200 miles to the Swallow Brae Loft's in Galgorm. The hen finishes 3rd Section B & 6th Open Nipa 22,595 birds. Dam of Alan's latest Combine winner has topped both Combine & Section in the past.
Runner up in the Combine on 1793 was the Ballymena & District winner Bertie Blair who won the club by 5½ minutes. Bertie timed a yearling cheq cock racing natural to score 6th Section & 13th Open. The dam was bred from a pair of P & D Vandenbulcks and the sire, a cheq cock has won 5 x 1st Club and 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th and 12th Mid Antrim Combine. Sire Lambrecht from Jackie Steele and dam from late friend George Bell.
Best in Ahoghill were Paddy & William McManus of Young & McManus & Sons on 1779 with a 5yo cheq hen and placed 10th Section & 23rd Open Nipa. This hen bred from the best of their Karel Laenen and Louis Thijs stock has already topped both the Combine & Section from Fermoy in 2021. Harold Cubitt was best in Rasharkin on 1765 with his top racing widowhood cock 'Billy Joe'. This cock has now won seven races and was the 2023 Champion Old Bird Of The Year in both Section B and the Mid Antrim Combine. The cock has topped the Mid Antrim Combine on two occasions from Tullamore and Fermoy and has also won 8th Open Nipa from nearly 15,000 birds. Breeding is down from his own line of birds.
Stewart Bros were back at the top in Randalstown on 1735 with a 2yo Louis Thijs cheq cock. This one is a son of the 'Green Ring Hen' acquired from Paddy & William McManus of Croft Loft's in Ahoghill.
Surgenor Bros had the top two in Kells with the winner doing 1734. Sire bred by good friend Bertie Blair and dam a daughter of his good 'Marion' hen. Alastair Purvis got his first win of the season in Broughshane on 1681 with a 4yo cheq Soontjen hen. The sire won 5 x 1st and 1st Mid Antrim Combine and the dam a daughter of 5th Open Skibbereen National.
Mid Antrim Combine 1st Fermoy 59/1762 0 A Darragh Cullybackey 1804, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1793, G Gibson Cullybackey 1785, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1779, A Darragh Cullybackey 1773, T Whyte Ahoghill 1767, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1765, J & J Greer Cullybackey 1754, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1753, A Darragh Cullybackey 1749, A Darragh Cullybackey 1748, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1747, T Whyte Ahoghill 1745, D Dixon Rasharkin 1745, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1744, A Darragh Cullybackey 1739, R Service & Son Ballymena 1737 Stewart Bros Randalstown 1735, Surgenor Bros Kells 1734, A Darragh Cullybackey 1734, A Darragh Cullybackey 1734, G Gibson Cullybackey 1731, D Dixon Rasharkin 1730, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1730, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1729, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1728, Surgenor Bros Kells 1728, W McFetridge Rasharkin 1727, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1724, H Boyd Kells 1723
J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1722, R Service & Son Ballymena 1722, Surgenor Bros Kells 1721, G Gibson Cullybackey 1720, T Whyte Ahoghill 1719, A Darragh Cullybackey 1718, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1718, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1717, G Gibson Cullybackey 1716, T Whyte Ahoghill 1716.
Les Mairs OB Points Fancier Of the Year Top 10 (1st Fermoy)
Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 126, G Gibson Cullybackey 102
A Darragh Cullybackey 78, T Whyte Ahoghill 71, J Whyte Ahoghill 60, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 49, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 48, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 39, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 29, J & J Greer Cullybackey 28.
Champions League Groups - Points
(A) J & J Greer 28, D Dixon 23, J Millar 0, H Turkington 0
(B) H Cubitt 21, Stewart Bros 11, S Johnston & Son 10, T & M Morrow 0
(C) Blair & Rankin 39, Surgenor Bros 26, J McNeill & Son 0, J Getty 0
(D) A Darragh 78, J Whyte 60, K & K Kernohan & Sons 4, A Barkley & Son 0
(E) T Whyte 71, J Eagleson & Sons 29, Steele & McNeill 20, W & W Gilbert 0
(F) Young & McManus & Sons 126, G Gibson 102, F Barkley 12, A Purvis 0
(G) J Smyth & Son 49, M Neilly 24, Mr & Mrs Robinson 19, H Boyd 3/
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 matches will decide the winners. The first 32 lofts in the fifth race on Saturday 16th May will qualify for the Knock-out commencing at Dunmanway Inland National.
Club Points Shield - Week 4 – 1st Fermoy
Ahoghill FC 25, Cullybackey HPS 25, Ballymena & District 19, Rasharkin & District 17, Broughshane & DFC 10, Kells & District 8, Randalstown HPS 8. Mervyn Eagleson MAC Press Officer.
NIPA Race/Date
Fermoy OB Saturday 10th May 2025 – Liberated at 9.00am in a Lt South wind
NIPA Open 1st Fermoy OB 687/22,595 –
1-1B S & J Bones Muckamore 1878, 2-2B S Murphy Cullybackey 1834m 3-1E K Henderson & Son Lurgan Soc 1819, 4-2E G Marsden Hills & Maze 1812, 5-3E J Douglas & Son Lurgan Soc 1807, 6-3B A Darragh Cullybackey 1804, 7-1A H & J Devlin Coalisland & Dist 1804, 8-4B C & M McCook Ballymoney 1803, 9-5B D & H Stusrt Ballymoney 1802, 10-4E D Calvin Bondhill Soc 1801, 11-2A J Hanson Coleraine Prem 1801, 12-3A G & S Smith Cookstown 1797, 13-6B Blair & Rankin Ballymena & Dist 1793, 14-5E J & E Calvin Annaghmore 1792, 15-6E Aiden Mallon Meadows 1791, 16-7E A & R Neill Edgarstown 1789, 18-8E I Blair Armagh 1785, 19-5A J Hanson Coleraine Prem 1785, 20-7B G Gibson Cullybackey 1785.
NIPA Section B `1st Fermoy 102/3528 – S & J Bones Muckamore 1878, S Murphy Cullybackey 1834, A Darragh Cullybackey 1804, C & M McCook Ballyoney 1703, D & H Stuart Ballymoney 1802, Blair & Rankin Ballymena & Dist 1793, G Gibson Cullybackey 1785, C Henry Ballymoney 1781, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1779.
NIPA Sect B Clubs
Ahoghill Flying Club 8/261– Young McManus & Sons 1779, T Whyte 1767, J Smyth & Son 1747, T Whyte 1745, Young McManus & Sons 1730, 1729
Ballymoney HPS 23/1009 – C & M McCook 1803, D & H Stuart 1802, C Henry 1781, 1780, 1761, A & M Boyle 1754.
Ballymoney West Combine 7/195 – C henry 1781, L Neill 1716, W Rodgers 168, M Gamble & Son 1682, J McConaghie 1630, Curry & Gilmore 1571.
Broughshane & District 5/114 – A Purvis 1681, M Neilly 1680, T & M Morrow 1679, M Neilly 1677, 1675, T & M Morrow 1661.
Ballymena & District HPS 8/280 – Blair & Rankin 1793, 1744, R Service & Son 1737, 1722 1716, Blair & Rankin 1713.
Cullybackey HPS 18/592 – S Murphy 1834, A Darragh 1804, G Gibson 1785, A Darragh 1773, S Murphy 1768, J & J Greer 1754.
Crumlin & District 11/269 – Fleming Bros 1720, R & S Hope 1713, J Harkness 1706, Fleming Bros 1705, R & S Hope 1703, McConville Bros 1699.
Kells & District HPS 6/174 – Surgenor Bros 1734, 1728, H Boyd 1723, Surgenor Bros 1721, H Boyd 1712, Surgenor Bros 1704. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – Surgenor Bros 1721, B Swann & Son 1684, A Barkley & Son 1566.
Muckamore HPS 10/417 – S & J Bons 1878, A Steele 1768, S & N Maginty 1748, 1747, 1741, 1740.
Randalstown HPS 6/142 – Stewart Bros 1735, 1728, 1717, J Millar 1664, J McNeill & Son 1655, 1644.
Rasharkin &District HPS 7/117 – H Cubitt 1765, W McFetridge 1727, Steele & McNeill 1718, 1711, 1710, F Barkley 1708.
Alan Darragh from Cullybackey, 1st MAC 1st Fermoy Old Bird>