INFC Awards 2013
The 2013 Kings Cup saw Harold Elliott of Lisburn a senior Nat flyer enter four birds and have all four home. The Hall of Fame Diploma has a long history having been won in 1970 from Nantes by Sutherland & Devoy of Killyleagh and W M Thompson of Muckamore. I 1971 only one HoF Diploma was won, by who? None other than Harold Elliott of Lisburn and he went on to make history by being the first fancier to win a second HoF in 1979 from Rennes. I hope to call with him soon and to do a small loft report. The coveted Gold Medal was added to the special awards in 1982 and the club had two winners. John McCartan of Annalong and Gordon Kirkpatrick of Ballymacbrennan in a race flown from Les Sables when only 17 birds were recorded in three days.
Over the next 13 years a further six Gold Medals were won Frank Scott & Son Dromore, Ron Williamson Bondhill, Burns Bros Comber, John Catherwood & Son Ballynahinch, Michael Conlon & Son Banbridge, Gordon Kirkpatrick Ballymacbrennan, with his second Gold Medal, the only fancier to achieve that feat. The club had to wait another 16 years before another Gold Medal was won, this time by Jackie Waring of Lisburn. In 2012 a further two Gold Medals were won by N Black & Sons Dromara and Rev TAB Sawyers Banbridge , the total has now moved on to 12 as John Greenaway Bondhill has clocked his 5yo Blue cock to win a coveted Gold Medal. John won a Hall of Fame Diploma in 2002 with his brilliant Blue hen known as Iron Lady . Her record: 1998 9th Open, 1999 67th Open, 2002 19th Open. The Gold Medal winners record: 2010 145thOpen, 2011 240th Open, 2012 35th Open and 2013 158th Open.
Kings Cup The leading pigeons and award winners from the Kings Cup will receive more than their fair share of coverage but I have great admiration for those fanciers who send the single pigeon and clock it to make the INFC Open prize list with only 250 Open prizes they are in the Top 10% and they can feel very proud of their pigeons performance. These are the fanciers who achieved this feat. Michael Jennings of Annsborough 37th Open all pools and £432. J & E Calvin of Annaghmore 63rd Open, T Funston of Laurelvale 66th Open, S & N Lester of Laurelvale 87th Open, F Black & Son of Downpatrick 90th Open, W English of Lisburn 155th Open, S McAllister & Sons of Lagan Valley 169th Open, Hatford & McNally of Balbriggan 198th Open, McManus & Mullan of Ligoniel & Dist 203rd Open, Alan Moore of Portavogie 215th Open, J Campbell of Armagh 230th Open, J Porter & Son of Grosvenor 233rd Open, Mark Brown of Blackwatertown 235th Open.
Hall of Fame We now have a look at the Hall of Fame Diploma winners and at this moment in time the club have three confirmed. C & L Woodside of Ballyclare has won his first HoF Diploma from the Kings Cup having previously won a Triple Award Diploma from the Friendship Nat and Penzance YB Nat winner in 2007. The HoF winner is a 5yo winning 199th Open INFC in 2013, 56th Open INFC in 2012 and 148th Open INFC in 2011. Malcolm Robinson of Bondhill a leading National flyer wins his first HoF Diploma with a 7yo, Malcolm has been trying for some years to win this award and now he has achieved his target. The loft has been a former winner of the Harkness Rose Bowl the winning pigeons record for the HoF is 2010 62nd Open INFC, 2011 27th Open INFC, 2013 191st Open INFC. Winning his second HoF Diploma Willie McCaw of Ballymoney flying 525 miles. Willie had only two birds entered and his Hall of Fame Diploma winner will also collect the very coveted Single Bird Challenge Joe Doheny Cup and £500. The McCaw HoF winner recorded the following 2011 151st Open INFC, 2012 67th Open INFc, 2013 119th Open INFC and is a 5yo. These are the three we have confirmed, there may be more, if so please contact Trevor Topping ASAP.
Triple Crown Award This is the most recent of many INFC awards. The winning pigeon needs to be of the highest class and this is the reason why Open prize-winner Penzance YB Nat, Open prize-winner Sennen Cove Yearling Nat and finally Open prize-winner Kings Cup Grand Nat, all in consecutive years. We have at least two winners starting with Joe Doheny of Malahide, three times a 1st Nat winner including two Kings Cups, the winning pigeons record is as follows. 61st Open INFC Penzance YB Nat 2011, 133rd Open INFC Ylr Nat Sennen Cove 2012 and 202nd Open INFC Kings Cup Grand Nat 2013. The second winner is another former Kings Cup holder Geoffrey Douglas of Wilton Cross (Lurgan), 131st Open INFC Penzance YB Nat 2011, 255th Open INFC Ylr Nat Sennen Cove and 167th Open INFC Kings Cup Grand Nat 2013. Irish Rover.
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