Big finale from St Malo

R&S Malcomson of Harmony HPS Mealy Grizzle sitting tight on her nest in cracking order after flying home from France on the 2nd morning at 7.49 am From the best of his old lines the label on the wood says it.

The big finale of the NIPA Old Bird Season was held from St. Malo in the North West Coast of France, writes Jordan Hughes.

With the go-ahead given race marking took place on Monday, 19th June at allocated Centres. 353 members of the N.I.P.A. sent 1,309 birds to the St. Malo Old Bird Channel National. The birds were liberated on Thursday, 22nd at 6:30 AM in a Light North Wind.

The winning bird belongs to S. Mc Flynn of Castledawson H.P.S in Section A. Big congratulations to J C Reid of Ballycarry & District H.P.S finishing 2nd Open.

Also, congratulations to J. Mc Maw of Carrick Social H.P.S finishing 3rd Open. When flying from France the race will be confirmed as a 3-day race if Open Prizes are still there to be claimed.

Gary Marsden’s two children proudly displaying their first bird of a total of 6 in a super tough race from St. Malo which is a unbelievable achievement for only their 2nd old bird season and sending to France

A total of 15 heroic birds returned home on the first day from France crossing 2 Channels and miles of Open Sea and the vast array of different terrains and obstacles along the way towards their respective lofts. It’s a tough ask for our birds with I would confidently say the toughest of flight paths out there.

A total of 85 gutsy birds made the journey home over the course of the 3-day period.

St. Malo National Result

1st S. Mc Flynn Castledawson 1033;2nd J C Reid Ballycarry & District H.P.S 1027.9; 3rd J. Mc Maw Carrick Social 1027.2; 4th Cormac O’Hare & Daughter Ballyholland H.P.S 1022; 5th Gary Hughes & Son Newry City 1006; 6th J. Mc Maw Carrick Social 1000; 7th C. Mc Manus Corrigs H.P.S 983; 8th P. O’Connor Coleraine Premier 975; 9th G&S Mc Mullan Drumnavady H.P.S 965; 10th S&N Lester Laurevale H.P.S 950; 11th D. Calvin Bondhill H.P.S 904; 12th G. Marsden Hillsborough & Maze H.P.S 900; 13th S&N Lester Laurevale H.P.S 888; 14th B. Chambers Ballyholland H.P.S 859; 15th C. O’Hare & Daughter Ballyholland H.P.S 787; 16th W. Blair Ballymoney H.P.S 723; 17th R. Adamson Lurgan Social 721; 18th R. Corey Coalisland H.P.S 701; 19th L. O’Neill & Sons Harmony H.P.S 686; 20th T. Wilson Gilford H.P.S 681;

Centre Results

Newry Centre – Cormac O’Hare & Dtr Ballyholland 1022, Gary Hughes & Son Newry City 1006, Brendan Chambers Ballyholland 859, Cormac O’Hare & Dtr Ballyholland 787, Aidan McAteer & Sons Ballyholland 659, Cormac O’Hare & Dtr Ballyholland 523, Owen Markey Ballyholland 488, Ron Williamson Newry & District 472, Leo Fallon & Son 456, Peter Murtagh & Son 433, Aidan McAteer & Sons 415

Lisburn Centre – G. Marsden Hillsborough & Maze H.P.S 900, G. Marsden Hillsborough & Maze H.P.S 665, G. Marsden Hillsborough & Maze H.P.S 662, W. Begley & Son Trinity R.P.C 614, G. Marsden Hillsborough & Maze H.P.S 589, D. Coulter Glenavy & District H.P.S 587, G. Marsden Hillsborough & Maze H.P.S 559, S&W English Lisburn & District H.P.S 528, M. Mairs 520, M. O’Reilly & Son 479, J. Waring & Son Lisburn & District H.P.S 448

SECTION C REPORT; ST. MALO

James Tomlinson’s wee woman GG of Tomlinson & Wilson proud as punch displaying their prized bird from St Malo timing at 2.52pm on the second day your dad would be super proud of you both

Ballycarry & District: 1st J C Reid 1027; 2nd N J Arthurs 580

Carrick Social: 1st J Mc Maw 1027; 2nd J. Mc Maw 1000; 3rd Mr & Mrs R Reid & Son 480

Eastway H.P.S: 1st J. Burrows 491

SECTION D REPORT; ST. MALO

The Sire inbreed drum cock of Sammy Olge's Dam granddaughter of Herman Cuesters Olympic 003 making him a half-brother of Sammy's Ogle's good pied stock cock.

The winner of Section D (32/115) from St. Malo was S&W English of Lisburn & District H.P.S. The partnership of brothers Willie & Sam Finish’s 1st Club, 1st Section (115 Birds) and 45th National N.I.P.A. (1,309 Birds). He had 2 inland races from Fermoy & Pilmore Beach and across the channel to Talbenny. He is bred from the new bloodline that Mark Gilbert races to a Dam from good friend and clubmate Michael O’Reilly who also timed. He was just let out on the open trap flying round the loft and not paired just calling a hen prior to the race.

The duo was fortunate enough to time from all 3 French races which is a great achievement they are both great clubmen and great craic for the sport and well deserved. A Total of 4 birds were clocked in Section D

Dromore H.P.S: 1st Tomlinson & Wilson 484

Glenavy & District: 1st D. Coulter 587; 2nd D. Coulter 261

Harmony H.P.S: 1st L. O’Neill & Sons 686; 2nd R&S Malcomson 660; 3rd L. O’Neill & Sons 515

Hillsborough & Maze: 1st G. Marsden 900; 2nd G. Marsden 665; 3rd G. Marsden 662; 4th G. Marsden 589; 5th G. Marsden 559; 6th G. Marsden 319

Nigel of N J Arthurs of Ballycarry & District pictured with his 2021 hen he timed from St. Malo. He finished 2nd Club, 6th Section C, 39th National. This hen is a Lambrechts Hen bred down from Danny Dixons.

Lisburn & District: 1st S&W English 528; 2nd M. Mairs 520; 3rd M. O’Reilly & Son 479; 4th J. Waring Sons 448

Trinity R.P.C: 1st H. Begley & Son 614

SECTION F REPORT; ST. MALO

The winner of Section F (22/69) from St. Malo was Charlie McManus of Corrigs H.P.S. He finishes 1st Club, 1st Section F (69 Birds) and 7th National N.I.P.A (1,309 Birds). Charlie is pictured proudly displaying the Section F Winning Pigeon from St. Malo. The winner is a 2-year-old roundabout hen. She had 3 races, 2 inlands and a Talbenny. Her Sire was bred by his good friend Geordie McIntosh Downpatrick from his ace distance birds. Her Dam is a hen he purchased from former BHW scribe the late John ‘Dixy’ Dixon from Wales. A total of 4 virds were clocked in Section F

Bangor R.P.C: 1st Burgess & Brennan 429

Corrigs: 1st C. McManus 983

Killyleagh Central: 1st J. Linden & Son 256

SECTION G REPORT; ST. MALO

The winner of Section G (34/142) from St. Malo was Cormac O’Hare & Daughter of Ballyholland H.P.S. Cormac finishes 1st Club, 1st Section (142 Birds) and 4th National N.I.P.A (1,309 Birds).

The Section winner is a blue hen purchased from Alan McDonald of Portadown from the S.O.S. Sale in Banbridge. A total of 11 birds were clocked in Section G.

Ballyholland: 1st C. O’Hare & Dtr 1022; 2nd B. Chambers 859; 3rd C. O’Hare & Dtr 787; 4th A. McAteer & Sons 659; 5th C. O’Hare & Dtr 523; 6th Owen Markey 488; 7th Peter Murtagh & Son 433; 8th A. McAteer & Sons 415

Drumnavady: 1st G&S McMullan 965

Newry City: 1st Gary Hughes & Son 1006

Newry & District: 1st Gary Hughes & Son 1006; 2nd Ron Williamson 472; 3rd Leo Fallon & Son 456

Brendan Chambers of Ballyholland was another member who timed on the day from St. Malo timing his 2-year-old Blue Cheq Cock to finish 14th National 3rd Section G. This bird is from the house of Arden padfields invincible an Jellema top bloodlines and top result.

Geoff & Stan McMullan of Drumnavady HPS timed GB 21 D 02163.

The Sire inbreed drum cock of Sammy Olge’s Dam granddaughter of Herman cuesters Olympic 003 Making him a half-brother of Sammy's Ogles good, pied stock cock. He wasn't raced are trained as a young bird been a summer breed.

As a yearling he picked up a couple minor prizes.

This year he was very consistent from the first race. They finished 29th Section E and 68th open Bude two weeks earlier before winning 1st sec E 9th National St. Malo

Gary Hughes & Son Jordan of Newry City 3-year-old blue hen just home from France after flying 434 Miles to sit on her two 2-day old ybs fighting to protect her young. They finish 1st Club Newry City, 1st Club Newry & District, 2nd Section G, 5th National also Winning £565 in Prize Money.

She has been newly named as "Titan" she is bred from 2 Racers bred by our great friend Alan Massey of Newtown Kilpedder in Co. Wicklow from his top Distance Bloodlines originating to the best of G. O'Reilly & Sons, Liam McCall, Pat Lambert French lines. Her Sire was 222nd National from N.I.P.A. St. Malo Old Bird National in 2020.

She was Trained with the Newry & Mourne Channel Club Transporter in Skerries on the Coast 2-3 times a week. Her first race of the season was from Bude 246 Miles and then she was sent to St. Malo

N.I.P.A NOTES

On the 29th of June the fancy learnt of the sad passing of Mr Stephen McGarry, best known as ‘New Kid on the Block’.

Stephen sadly passed away in Hospital after a battle with illness. Stephen was a one in a million character and known so well around the UK and Ireland and further afield.

The Ballymena native was a man ahead of his time with the best of progressive thinking ideas and always looking to put his trademark on things which he did so well from his website ‘Pigeon Craic’, his skills as an auctioneer and his great informative hard work that went into his scribing articles in the BHW ‘Abit of Craic’.

When I was very young, I would have sat in many auction rooms bored to tears but as soon as I went to one that Stephen was Auctioneer in, it was straight away different and better than the auction.

His witty and funny way of controlling the room was hilarious. No matter how hard the bidder tried to hide away secretly you just could pick them out as Stephen would have them breaking their poker face with a witty line or two.

After race day there was always a phone call from Stephen to Dad without fail, he would say ‘make sure that wee younging of yours has his hair done for a photo by god he has some head of hair’.

There is a massive void left in the sport that cannot be replicated. He was a great friend and even bigger role model to look up to in scribing. May he Rest in Peace