Yannick De Ridder & Sheldon Leonard
First open and first south section was won by Leonard and De Ridder (Flanders Breeding Ireland) on a velocity of 1417ypm over a distance of 157 miles and winning the Tom Marshall Trophy and £78. In 2017 Sheldon Leonard and Yannick De Ridder formed the Flanders Breeding Ireland partnership designed to build a team of pigeons in Ireland around the Van Den Bulck, Leo Hereman, André Roodhooft, F and J Vandenheede and Daniel Aeren's distance bloodlines. The first round of youngsters were weaned in April of this season and were darkened prior to training. The youngsters were split at the beginning of racing and then re-paired with the national races in mind. With a westerly wind this was one exceptional pigeon that won the race for Sheldon and Yannick. The national winner had been consistent in club racing prior to this win and is now named Herbie's White Kittle. A brother to this winner was fifth open in the Irish Homing Union national race a day later.
Billy Cullimore
Billy Cullimore from Wexford North and South was second south section on 1413ypm over 130 miles and winning £178. Billy clocked a chequer hen sent to the race sitting twelve day eggs. The dam is a daughter of Rocket Ronnie, a gift bird from Gerry O'Mara of Dublin, the bloodlines of which are mostly Van Loon.
Adam Hillis
Adam Hillis, also of Wexford North and South was third south section on 1404ypm over 126 miles and winning £54. At eighteen years old, Adam is one of the younger members of the pigeon sport, but the birds are in his bloodlines as his grandparents, Robert and Mary Hillis also fly a mean pigeon in the Wexford Club. Indeed, the pigeon Adam clocked here, a blue tipped cock, sent sitting fourteen day eggs, was bred from Robert and Mary's old bloodlines.
Leo Dobbs (r)
Dobbs Brothers of North and South Wexford were fourth and fifth south section on 1395.98ypm and 1395.55ypm over 130 miles and winning £80. Leo has been back racing now for five years, after break of six due to work commitments. First on the clock for him was a Van Loon x Maris chequer hen racing to the perch. Second on the clock was a blue hen, again racing just to a perch and containing Flor Engels x Maris bloodlines.
Pearl's Angel
D Tierney from Sarsfield was first middle section on 1358ypm over 174 miles and winning £317. Derek timed Pearl's Angel, named after his late mother-in-law. A blue hen, Pearl's Angel was bred by Kevin Rooney, Son and Daughter from Annaghlong from their Herman Ceusters stock. She wasn't on the original team for this race but when Derek went to basket the pigeons she got in past him and went into a box with his trapper. When he went to catch her she attacked his hand aggressively and so he realised how keen she was and added her to the team.
Noel Smith Snr
Noel and Noel Smith of Greenhills were second and fourth middle section on 1354ypm and 1288ypm over 175 miles, winning £216. Both hens that the partners timed were related to their pigeon that was third section in 2015. The bloodlines are Van Winkle with the sire coming from Noel's good friend Val Flood of Dublin.
John Brady
Brady and Burton of Sallynoggin were third middle section on 1293ypm over 175 miles and winning £50. John Brady and Vivienne Burton clocked a red cock, sent to the race sitting ten day eggs and containing Lambrecht bloodlines. It was one of a kit of six that they obtained from Ian Wheatley.
The Boylan Family of Cabra were fifth middle section on 1283ypm over 176 miles and winning £50.
Gerald Delaney
First north section on 1193ypm over a distance of 234 miles and winning £441 are Mr and Mrs Delaney of Dromore. Gerald and Pat timed a blue chequer hen sent sitting twelve day eggs and on only its third race of the season. The sire is Diamond Prince, a nest-mate to Diamond Princess, first open Fermoy in 2016. The grandsire was Ace of Diamonds, ace pigeon in 2010 and 2011 for Willy Jacobs, whilst the grand-dam is a direct daughter of Chris Massenhoven's Box 2 pair and contains Van Den Bulck bloodlines.
Herman McAvoy
Herman McAvoy of Harmony was second north section on 1192ypm over 236 miles and winning £139. Herman clocked a blue cock flying to the perch and containing Kees Boshua and Vigo bloodlines. The parents both came direct from these top lofts. In total, Herman had seven of his Bosua and Vigo pigeons in the top one hundred places in the section.
Delaney & McCambridge
Delaney and McCambridge of Harmony were third north section on 1191ypm over 234 miles and winning £293. Mr and Mrs Delaney's grandchildren, Jack Delaney and Ronan McCambridge have had another excellent season. From Skibbereen they timed a son of King of Diamonds, the brother to Willy Jacob's Ace of Diamonds. The dam is a direct Gustav Bouckman and contains Dirk Van Den Bulck bloodlines.
McCabe & Son
Fourth north section on 1176ypm over 219miles and winning £75 goes to John McCabe and Son from Newry and District. John and Conor clocked a blue hen sent racing to the perch. The sire is a Soontjen from Davy Hutchinson of Ashfield, whilst the dam came from Jacob Poortvliet of Holland.
Richard Donnelly
Finally, Donnelly Brothers of Newry were fifth north section on 1173ypm over 221 miles and winning £220. Richard and John timed a blue bar cock sent driving its hen to nest. This pigeon is a double grandson of Scarecrow, that won three NIPA and six RPRA awards.
That concludes the report on the result of the Irish National Flying Club yuoung bird race from Skibbereen.