EAST DOWN COMBINE NEWS By Clifford Browne Rooney Family - great result from 2nd not only took the top places in the club but Talbenny also the top four in the Open and the East Section and my thanks to Brendan McLoughlin for details of the top four birds and photo of the partnership who also had other birds in the Open places. Leading the Combine from Talbenny was a pigeon bred by their good friends M & J Gaunt, Belper Nottingham from their number 1 stock pair. 2nd open was a Busschaert bred by Davy Shiels Son & Dtr from Durham. It is off a son of '121', one of Shiels' best birds. Both '121' and his sire topped the Fed from Bourges The East Down Combine were scheduled to (568 miles). In 3rd open it is a German bred hold two races on Saturday June 6th One bird from a loft that won has 3 from Talbenny and the other, the Derek Nationals .and a 4th it is a bird which was Wishart Memorial race from Pilmore Beach, 7th Open EDC Penzance. Breeding is Gust but both events, again because of the Janssen x McCartan & Woodsides Soontjens, weather, had to be postponed until Sunday a daughter of their '601' cock. This pair have 7th June. First away at 7.15 am were the bred numerous winners. birds in Pilmore Beach followed at 8.15am by the birds in Talbenny with both having to face a North west wind. As there is a lot to write about this week this article will be longer than usual and also will be a little later being sent off as we await further details and with more to hopefully be included in next week’s column. Let’s start with the Talbenny race where the birds were released at 8.15am into a light NW wind which put the top velocities into the 1200 ypm. But what a result for the Rooney family of the Annalong club who EAST DOWN COMBINE NEWS At 5th Open, it’s Annsborough’s Mickey 20 K.Rooney,Son & Dtr Annalong HPS Croskery with Alex Crawford of Ballylesson 1217.116 completing the top six and winning the West Section 50 Members 819 Birds Wind West Section. Light Northwest East Down Combine Open 1 A. Crawford Ballylesson HPS 1248.189 07/06/2015 2nd Talbenny OB 2 J Patterson Ballylesson HPS 1243.067 133 Members 1691 Birds Wind Light 3 Cowan & McCartney Dundonald HPS Northwest 1233.112 1 K. Rooney,Son & Dtr Annalong HPS 4 S.Brown & Sons Dundonald HPS 1227.723 1260.934 5 J. Tumelty Newtownbreda HPS 1227.294 2 K. Rooney, Son & Dtr Annalong HPS 1260.843 6 J Patterson Ballylesson HPS 1223.763 3 K. Rooney,Son & Dtr Annalong HPS 7 H.Wallace Ballynahinch HPS 1221.346 1257.597 8 A. Crawford Ballylesson HPS 1220.456 4 K. Rooney,Son & Dtr Annalong HPS 9 W Catherwood & Sons Ballynahinch HPS 1257.507 1218.569 5 M. Croskery Annsborough HPS 1251.101 10 R & M Allison Ballylesson HPS 1217.406 6 A. Crawford Ballylesson HPS 1248.189 11 A. Crawford Ballylesson HPS 1217.274 7 J Patterson Ballylesson HPS 1243.067 12 Mackey & Lockhart Ballylesson HPS 8 Cowan & McCartney Dundonald HPS 1216.341 1233.112 East Section 83 Members 872 Birds Wind 9 S. Brown & Sons Dundonald HPS 1227.723 Light Northwest 10 J. Tumelty Newtownbreda HPS 1227.294 1 K.Rooney,Son & Dtr Annalong HPS 1260.934 11 K. Rooney,Son & Dtr Annalong HPS 1225.942 2 K.Rooney, Son & Dtr Annalong HPS 1260.843 12 P Trimble Annalong HPS 1225.856 3 K.Rooney, Son & Dtr Annalong HPS 13 Donnelly Bros Annalong HPS 1224.105 1257.597 14 J Patterson Ballylesson HPS 1223.763 4 K.Rooney,Son & Dtr Annalong HPS 15 H.Wallace Ballynahinch HPS 1221.346 1257.507 16 A. Crawford Ballylesson HPS 1220.456 5 M.Croskery Annsborough HPS 1251.101 17 W Catherwood & Sons Ballynahinch HPS 6 K.Rooney, Son & Dtr Annalong HPS 1218.569 1225.942 18 R & M Allison Ballylesson HPS 1217.406 7 P Trimble Annalong HPS 1225.856 19 A. Crawford Ballylesson HPS 1217.274 8 Donnelly Bros Annalong HPS 1224.105 EAST DOWN COMBINE NEWS 9 K.Rooney, Son & Dtr Annalong HPS Donaghadee 1st E D & K Allan & Sons 1217.116 1199.202 2nd Ferguson & Wilkinson 10 McComb Bros Killyleagh Central HPS 1185.239 3rd E D & K Allan & Sons 1177.652 1215.223 Downpatrick 1st P McCullough & Dtr 11 N.W. Hagen & Son Killyleagh Central HPS 896.943 1212.510 Dundonald 1st Cowan & McCartney 12 J Maguire & Ptrs Dundrum HPS 1211.607 1233.112 2nd S Brown & Sons 1227.723 3rd J Young & Ptnrs 1199.237 Around the Combine Clubs Dundrum 1st J Maguire & Ptrs 1211.607 2nd Talbenny OB 2nd J Maguire & Ptrs 1195.954 3rd J Annalong 1st K .Rooney, Son & Dtr Maguire & Ptrs 1150.044 1260.934. 2nd K .Rooney, Son & Dtr Hillfoot 1st Mr & Mrs E Spence 1165.037 1260.843. 3rd K .Rooney, Son & Dtr 2nd D Brennan 1142.241 3rd D Brennan 1257.597 1100.404 Annsborough 1st M Croskery 1251.1 2nd R Killyleagh Central 1st McComb Bros McDowell & Son 1206.5 3rd M Croskery 1215.223 2nd N.W Hagen & Son 1212.51 1202.3 3rd C J Healy 1208.934 Ballylesson 12 members sent 160 birds 1st Millisle 1st J & J Hollinger 1199.858 2nd R Alex Crawford 1248 2nd & 3rd John Strain & Son 1199.237 3rd J Rankin Patterson 1243, 1224 1184.552 Ballynahinch 1st H Wallace 1221.346 2nd W Newcastle 1st R Mc Veigh & Son 1187.8 2nd Catherwood & Sons 1218.569 3rd C Lavery E&A Rogan 1119.7 3rd Mr & Mrs Fisher & Son 1210.594 1102.8 Ballywalter 1st S Regan 1176.999 2nd W Ronan takes the honours this week from McMaster & Son 1126.897 3rd D W Carlile across the water but he should have & Son 1112.556 listened to Connaire .Last week’s winner Bangor 1st Burgess & Brennan 1189.798 E&A Rogan have 3 in top 10. With Mr. & 2nd Burgess & Brennan 1178.133 3rd Mrs Fisher third with only a small team and Phillips Bros 1161.342 wild forest lane loft of Billy's two in top 10 also. Cloughey 1st Gordon Bros & Sons 1199.025 2nd Gordon Bros & Sons 1196.529 3rd Newtownbreda 1st J Tumelty 1227.294 2nd Harper & Young 1185.175 W White & Son 1193.508 3rd R & R Lambe 1191.884 Comber 1st Halliday Bros 1183.28 2nd K Tompsett 1151.51 3rd Burns Bros 1145.47 Portavogie 1st B Young 1183.242 2nd W Hoy 1145.951 3rd W Hoy 1145.82 Crossgar 1st A&A Cheevers 1207.768 2nd S McLoughlin 1206.485 3rd J McGreevy Tyrella 1st C Mc Manus & Dtr 1192.384. 1198.614 2nd .D Mc Nabb & Ptrs 1153.442. 3rd .R Straney 1147.066 EAST DOWN COMBINE NEWS Roy makes it 3x1st from Pilmore Beach The birds competing in the Derek Wishart Memorial race from Pilmore Beach were also released on Sunday June 7th and the provisional top ten were: 1 R Irwin Dundonald 1454.285 2 Harper & Young Cloughey 1438.499 3 K .Rooney,Son & Dtr Annalong 1437.682 4 K .Rooney,Son & Dtr Annalong 1437.227 5 Caskey & Adair Crossgar 1436.677 6 R Hunter Ballynahinch 1436.416 5th open are the Crossgar partnership of Caskey & Adair who enjoyed a great race 7 S Milligan & Dtr Tyrella 1433.579 and the top six is completed by 8 S Milligan & Dtr Tyrella 1433.37 Ballynahinch’s Rab Hunter. 9 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey 1432.736 Derek Wishart Classic - Pilmore Beach 10 Gordon Bros & Sons Cloughey 1429.529 Annalong 1st K .Rooney,Son & Dtr 1437.682 This sees Roy Irwin from Dundonald top the 2nd K .Rooney,Son & Dtr 1437.227 3rd open from all 3 Pilmore beach races and I K .Rooney,Son & Dtr 1422.701 understand it is the same blue cock which Annsborough 1st P McCartan 1401.3 2nd M has been the winner of all three and I hope Croskery 1378.2 3rd M Croskery 1378.2 to have more on this outstanding Ballylesson 1st John Patterson 1412 2nd J performance shortly. Cloughey’s Harper & Kirk & Sons 1411 3rd Alex Crawford 1406 Young, who have also had a super old bird season were in 2nd place with Annalong’s Ballynahinch 1st R Hunter 1436.416 2nd W Rooney family who had a great day from Hayes & Son 1407.123 3rd R Hunter both races and again won Annalong from 1377.825 both races finishing 3rd and 4th Open from Ballywalter 1st S Regan 1416.88 2nd W Pilmore beach with their first birds breeding McMaster & Son 1383.033 3rd D W Carlile being on the. Sire‘s side a Son of old & Son 1372.119 Number 1 Soontjens pair. This cock had lots of prizes before being put to stock and the Bangor 1st R Moore & Son 1403.811 2nd R Moore & Son 1397.391 3rd R Moore & Son Dam is one of the New Sprinters bought in 1379.588 last year from 2nd National Ace pigeon in Belgium. Cloughey 1st Harper & Young 1438.499 2nd Gordon Bros & Sons 1432.736 3rd Gordon Bros & Sons 1429.529 Comber 1st F Gilmore 1384.39 2nd F Gilmore 1382.37 3rd F Gilmore 1351.58 EAST DOWN COMBINE NEWS Crossgar 1st Caskey & Adair 1436.677 2nd 4 Phillips Bros Bangor RPC 1399.79 £0.00 Caskey & Adair 1414.512 3rd Caskey & 5 S.Brown & Sons Dundonald HPS 1398.40 Adair 1396.8 £0.00 Donaghadee 1st Angus & Son & McConkey 6 McComb Bros Killyleagh Central HPS 1402.619 2nd D & K McCutcheon 1387.973 1391.17 £0.00 3rd A & P Trimble & Sons 1378.962 7 McComb Bros Killyleagh Central HPS Downpatrick 1st P Lue & Son 1429.215 2nd 1388.09 £0.00 P Byrne & Son 1413.871 3rd J Quinn & Son 1397.634 8 Pritchard Bros Annsborough HPS 1386.94 AB £28.60 Dundonald 1st R Irwin 1454.285 2nd Cowan & McCartney 1404.853 3rd Cowan & 9 Burns Bros Comber Social 1379.11 AB McCartney 1400.762 £21.45 Dundrum 1st J Maguire & Ptrs 1400.378 10 Phillips Bros Bangor RPC 1374.22 £0.00 2nd A Murray & Son 1381.72 3rd J Maguire 11 C & D Smyth & Sons Ballylesson HPS & Ptrs 1363.962 1370.10 A £5.70 Killyleagh Central 1st McComb Bros 12 F Gilmore Comber Social 1353.27 AB 1409.187 2nd C J Healy 1377.059 3rd £14.30 McComb Bros 1376.204 Remainder Pools Millisle 1st J Rankin 1425.84 2nd J Rankin 13 F Gilmore Comber Social 1352.92 AB 1422.825 3rd J Rankin 1397.712 £14.30 Newtownbreda 1st B Hogg & Sons 1421.02 14 J Patterson Ballylesson HPS 1340.34 AB 2nd B Hogg & Sons 1395.589 3rd B Hogg & £14.30 Sons 1395.313 15 F Gilmore Comber Social 1328.42 AB Portavogie 1st B & J Donnan 1403.325 2nd £14.30