2023 BHW/INFC Single Bird Challenge report

The 2023 King’s Cup proved to be a very tough, but fair, race with consistent pigeons and fanciers rising to the top, as can be seen in the report with almost all the prize-winners being lofts that concentrate on French racing. The entry form for this year’s Single Bird Challenge can be downloaded from the INFC website, if you are unable to get an entry form just send your details with the bird’s details along with the entry fee of £10 or €12.50 to David Black, 11 Drumiller Hill, Dromore, Co. Down, BT25 1EP, the closing date for entries is 17th March. If you have any problem you can call him on 07876157706.

First in the Challenge was Fintan Moran of ECF Malahide and District, without doubt Fintan is one of the very top lofts from the French race points. He also wins the Harkness Rose Bowl for the best two bird average in the King’s Cup. His preparation for the 3 year old red hen started in mid-February when she was paired and let rear 1 y/bird. She had four inland races, the furthest Skibbereen and last race Bude on the 10th June. She raced celibate up the land and introduced back to her cock a few days before marking for Bude. She was his first bird from Bude having flown six hours. Following Bude she was given a few 50 mile tosses and sent sitting on four days eggs. She was the second bird clocked on the day at 6.32pm and looked extremely fresh on arrival after flying 12½ hours and finished third open.

Her breeding is steeped in the very best of the old long distance English pigeons. Her sire a 2018 red cock won fourth open INFC Kings Cup St Allouestre and the Harkness Rose Bowl in 2021. Her breeding is Fintan’s old Billy Napper (Up North Combine) pigeons going back 30 years and responsible for many prize winners over the years up to France crossed with Sid and Val Miles of Peasedown St John and Andy Parsons of Salisbury pigeons, being inbred to Andy’s No 1 stock cock ‘Tiny Dancer’ who is the sire and grandsire of multiple top national and classic prize winners up to Tarbes / Pau. Her dam is ¾ Andy Parsons and ¼ Wilf Reed of Monmouth and an open prize winner from Bude. The hen was also 71st Open INFC St Allouestre Kings Cup 2022 and wins a merit award. Fintan is delighted to win the award, having previously won this award in 2018 when he was 9th open with his Hall of Fame winner “Aoife M”.

Second place, 13th Open is a loft which had a fantastic French racing season last year in Jeff McMaw, Carrick Social. The week before the King’s Cup Jeff was 3rd and 6th Open NIPA St Malo to win the Devine Memorial Trophy for the best 2 bird average. The week after the King’s Cup the loft was 98th Open Friendship National, his decision to concentrate on the French races really paid off this year. The two year old mealy cock is bred from birds from R. G. & G. Donaldson, Portadown being Walkinshaw/Jan Arden, with both the sire and dam having flown France. Raced as a y/bird on darkness he flew most races. As a yearling he again flew most of the program ending up 228th Open King’s Cup. As preparation for last year he flew up to Talbenny and then privately trained and sent sitting 16 day eggs.

Third place and 16th Open is R. G. & G. Donaldson, another loft which had a fantastic season, winning National Champion plus the Friendship National. The partnership timed a 3 year old blue ch hen and her breeding is Jan Arden and Van Geel through James Walker, Ballymoney. She was raced lightly as a y/bird on darkness and as a yearling she flew most of the programme up to Penzance Classic Then as a 2 year old she flew most of the programme up to the King’s Cup where she finished 83rd Open. In preparation this year she had 3 inland races plus Bude then was privately trained 20 miles around two or three times a week and was sent to the race on a 2/3 day young bird.

Fourth place, 36th Open is yet another top French loft, that of J. Murtagh, Ballyholland. A previous King’s Cup winner in 2019 and runner up last year too, Johnny timed a 3 year old blue ch cock. He had a few races as a y/bird. As a two year old he was 13th Open Friendship National. Last year he had two inland races plus Talbenny then trained and sent sitting a 2 day y/bird. He is a grandson of the loft’s King’s Cup winner which was bred by James Cleland while his dam was from Mick Conlon.

Fifth place and 39th Open is another loft that only has long distance racing in mind, R. Duddy, Ballyclare. Robin timed a three year old blue hen. She was just trained as a y/bird and flown up to Penzance as a yearling. As a two year old she was 130th Open King’s Cup. In preparation for this year’s race she had two or three inland races plus Talbenny then trained once a week from 60 miles and sent just hatched to the race. Her dam is a grand-daughter of N. Black & Son’s Gold Medal winner “Big Darren” while the sire is from Robin’s own family plus G. & R. Lowry’s Dutch cock.

Sixth place, 40th Open was David Corrigan, Boyne Valley. David timed a 4 year old dark ch hen. She was raced natural as a y/bird having 2 or 3 races. In 2021 she was 23rd Open King’s Cup, the following year she was in the south section prizes but missed the Open result by 5 places. Last year her preparation was flying roundabout having a few races and tosses with the birds having an open loft all year round. Her breeding is Jan Arden from Padfields which have done well for David with a sister of this hen being 4th Open ECF St Malo.

Seventh place, 41st Open is S. W. English, Lisburn another loft that concentrates on France, being a previous Hall of Fame winner. The 4 year old blue ch cock was raced natural as a y/bird having most races. As a yearling he was 201st Open in NIPA St Malo. The next year he broke both legs and couldn’t fly anywhere. Last year he had most races to Bude, then a few 50 mile tosses and was sent chasing a hen. The dam is Robert Kirkwood and the sire is a grandson of the lofts Hall of Fame winner.

Eighth place, 43rd Open is E. Murtagh & Sons, an individual member from near Armagh. Again another outstanding French loft being previous Single Bird Challenge winners and Hall of Fame Winners. The bird timed last year was a 5 year old blue w/f cock. Just trained as a y/bird he was 12th Open Friendship National 2021. In 2022 he was 174th Open King’s Cup just missing out on the Single Bird Challenge prizes by three places. Last season he had Skibbereen OB with the INFC and then privately trained and sent to the race on a 7 day y/bird. On the sires side he is inbred to the loft’s Hall of Fame winner which was Norman Southwell bloodlines through Jimmy Shepherd. The dam was from Paul Wallace, Grimsby being inbred to his good hen “Lana”.

In ninth, 46th Open, is one of the top national lofts in Ireland, Glen Buckley & Son, Annaghmore. Glen timed a 4 year old blue ch hen, which had most of the y/bird programme raced on darkness. As a yearling she flew up to Penzance. As a 3 year old she 42nd Open King’s Cup, 3rd Single Bird Challenge. Last year her preparation for the King’s Cup she had most of the up Ireland races plus Talbenny and was sent sitting eggs 8 or 9 days. She also wins a Merit Award. Her breeding is Glen’s own Soontjen lines.

Tenth, 60th Open was A. & N. Lewis, Doagh, again another top national loft. The partnership timed a 3 year old black cock. Raced on darkness as a y/bird he only had a couple of races. As a yearling he flew as far as Bude. In preparation for last year he had three inland races plus two 60 mile tosses per week and sent to the race sitting 15 day eggs. His dam is from Alan Kelly, Omagh while the sire is a son of the loft’s “Le Premier”, 5th Open St Malo paired to “Lily” the partnerships 2nd Open Friendship National.