The young bird pigeon racing season continued on Sunday 24th August with the Corrin & 5 Bird races. The birds were released at 9.00am in variable winds. Jimmy Smyth of Ahoghill was best in the Mid Antrim Combine timing at 12.34am flying 206 miles to record 1692. Jimmy also finished 2nd Section & 33rd Open 7902 birds. Next best were Jimmy & Jamie Greer of Cullybackey on 1685. This was the fourth time this season that big Jamie and his Granda Jimmy have finished runners up in the Combine. Their winning pencil hen was 3rd club from Cloughmartin a few weeks back and is once again off the best of the Vermeerbergen-wilms from good friend Keith Kernohan. The sire is off the "Tarzan" when paired to a Ron Dags hen and the Dam is off the lines of the Favourite Pitbull. Danny Dixon of Dunloy was next best for 3rd & 5th Combine on 1674 & 1673 followed by the Ballymena winners Trevor Johnston & Son on 1673. Trev's winner was Lambrecht/Sticker Donckers from a pair of Gary Gibsons that son Shane bred him. Paddy & William McManus were 6th & 8th Combine on 1672 & 1659 and Jackie Steele the Rasharkin winner was placed 9th Combine on 1653 with one from his top Lambrecht family. Johnny Barkley had the Kells winner on 1637 and Anthony McNeill was best in Randalstown on 1611. Well done to Brooklyn Hanson who won his first ever race in the Broughshane club. The sire Busschaert/Ceusters from Steven Waring and the dam Lambrecht.
Mid Antrim Combine Corrin 24/515 -
J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1692, J & J Greer Cullybackey 1685, D Dixon Rasharkin 1674, T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1673, D Dixon Rasharkin 1673, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1672, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1670, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1659, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1653, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1652, G Gibson Cullybackey 1647, T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1646, G Gibson Cullybackey 1643, G Gibson Cullybackey 1641, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1639, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1638, A Barkley & Son Kells 1637, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1635, A Barkley & Son Kells 1633, A Darragh Cullybackey 1630, G Gibson Cullybackey 1629, G Gibson Cullybackey 1629, J & J Greer Ahoghill 1628
J & J Greer Ahoghill 1628, G Gibson Cullybackey 1627, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1627, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1627, G Gibson Cullybackey 1624, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1621, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1619.
Mid Antrim Corrin 5 Bird Championship
Danny Dixon of Dunloy topped the Mid Antrim Combine from the 5 Bird event on 1674 and finished 2nd Section & 17th Open. His winning chequer hen a granddaughter of his 'Aviary Cock' has been placed 1st, 3rd, 5th and 13th Combine so far this season.Trevor Johnston had the top two in Ballymena & District and 2nd & 4th Combine 2nd & 6th Section and 18th Open and Jackie Steele best in Rasharkin for 4th Section. Other club winners included Gary Gibson in Cullybackey, Paddy & William McManus in Ahoghill and Brooklyn Hanson 1st in Broughshane.
Mid Antrim Combine Corrin 5 Bird -
D Dixon Rasharkin 1674, T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1673, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1653, T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1646, G Gibson Cullybackey 1641, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1638, G Gibson Cullybackey 1616, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1613, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1612, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1602, T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1603, G Gibson Cullybackey 1595, G Gibson Cullybackey 1595, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1582, R Service & Son Ballymena 1580, D Dixon Rasharkin 1579, R Service & Son Ballymena 1577
K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1575, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1572, F Barkley Rasharkin 1569, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1566, R Service & Son Ballymena 1564, R Service & Son Ballymena 1563, Young & McManus & Sons 1549, F Barkley Rasharkin 1546.
Young bird semi final Knock Out - Corrin - Winners in capitals
G Gibson 1647 v YOUNG & McMANUS & SONS 1672
J SMYTH & SON 1692 v D Dixon 1674.
Young Bird Points - Week 6 - Corrin & 5 Bird
D Dixon Rasharkin 23, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 210, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 199, G Gibson Cullybackey 176, T Johnston & Son Ballymena 142, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 86, A Darragh Cullybackey 84 ,Blair & Rankin Ballymena 78, J & J Greer Cullybackey 65.
Young Bird Points - Club Shield - Corrin & 5 Bird
Cullybackey 40, Ahoghill 39, Ballymena & Dist 38, Rasharkin 34, Broughshane 19, Kells 14, Randalstown 8.Mervyn Eagleson MAC Press Officer.
NIPA Section B Corrin 41/921 – T & J McDonald Coleraine Prem 1694, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1692, R & J Parke Windsor Soc 1891, J & J Greer Cullybackey 1685, T & J McDonald 1683, K Glass Windsor Soc 1681, J Connolly Ballymoney 1691, 1680, R & J Parke 1678, D Dixon Ballymoney 1674.
NIPA Sect B Clubs
Ahoghill Flying Club 398 – J Smyth & Son 1692, Young McManus & Sons 1672, J Smyth & Son 1670, Young McManus & Sons 1659, J Smyth & Son 1652, 1539.
Ballymoney HPS 6/124 – J Connolly 1681, 1680, D Dixon 1674, 1673, J Connolly 1648, 1648.
Broughshane & District 1/1 – B Hanson 1108.
Ballymena & District HPS 4/63 – T Johnston & Son 1673, 1646, K & K Kernohan & Sons 1627, 1627, 1618, Blair & Rankin 1617.
Cullybackey HPS 5/227 – J & J Greer 1685, G Gibson 1647, 1643m 1641, A Darragh 1630, G Gibson 1629.
Crumlin & District 3/87 – Sefton Thompson 1660, 1628, 1628, 1618, 1614, 1596,
Kells & District HPS 2/26 – A Barkley & Son 1537, 1633, 1510, 1606, 1606, 1598. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – A Barkley & Son 1633, H Turkington 1487, 1471, A Barkley & Son 1372.
Muckamore HPS 4/113 – Knocker & Bill 1700, 1696, 1688, S & J Bones 1670, Knocker & Bill 1665, S & J Bones 1662
Randalstown HPS 3/36 – J McNeill & Son 1611, 1588, 1526, John Millar 1503, 1485, 1440.
Rasharkin &District HPS 5/32 – Steele & McNeill 1653, 1638, J & M Milliken 1619, H Cubitt 1613, J & M Milliken 1582, F Barkley 1569.
Jimmy Smyth from Ahoghill 1st MAC Corrin
Danny Dixon 1st MAC Corrin 5 Bird Championship