Pigeon Articles - Pigeon Network.com

The Middle House Lounge in Crumlin was the venue for the Annual Awards Night for the well run Crumlin & District Homing Pigeon Society on Saturday 28th of January. With the vast amount of dinner and prize presentations taking place during November and December its nice to see a few taking place in January.

Due to other commitments I was unfortunately not in time to sample the superb four course dinner presented by the professional staff of the Middle House (a bad miss I have been told). The Club would like to thank Noreen and Frankie, as this is now the fourth year that the Club has used the above venue and as always they are very well looked after.

Before arriving at the function I had as always did some research and homework, but that didn’t make me any the wiser who was going to be Top Prize-winner I had it narrowed down between two Ian and Jimmy Fleming (Fleming Bros) and John Harkness (son of the late legend Bob Harkness).

John Harkness had to say the least a fantastic O/Bird season , some of his positions are as follows :-with Mullingar (1) O/B 2nd, Club, 1st, 5th and 9th Section B 175 members sent 2104 Birds; Kilkenny (1) 1st Club, 1st, 6th, 9th & 14th Section B 205/4574, 75th Open 1236/25,214; Kilkenny (2) O/B 37th Section B 212/4631, 114th Open 1277/26,120; Barley Cove 60th Anniversary Race 5th Section B, 28th Open 622/3293; Pilmore Beach 1st Club, 4th Section B 205/4015; Talbenny (1) O/B 1st Club, 36th Section B 189/2441, 153rd Open 1165/14,973; Bude 1st Club, 41st Section B 170/1425; Rosscarbery O/B 14th Section B 180/2063; 1st Club Sennen Cove and 1st Club Messac (Kings Cup). Y/Bird Season Tullamore (1) 8th and 23rd Section B 190/4804, 96th Open 1137/27,772; Tullamore (2) 22nd Section B 170/2990; Thurles (1) 10th, 11th and 16th Section B 177/3379. This was enough to pip Fleming Bros to the top spot, fantastic racing John to win from the shortest right through to the longest.

Now to the Runner’s-Up Fleming Bros, they had a very memorable Y/Bird season taking 1st Club for nine weeks in a row, smashing their own record that had been recorded by their father in the 1970’s of six straight Club wins. (How is that for racing ??) again some of their positions are as follows :- O/Birds Kilkenny (1) 10th and 22nd Section B 205/4574; Kilkenny (2) 1st Club, 4th Section B 212/4631, 18th Open 1277/26,120; Barley Cove 60th Anniversary Race 6th Section B, 49th Open 622/3293; Pilmore Beach 7th and 25th Section B 205/4015; Rosscarbery 9th Section B 180/2063. Y/Birds Tullamore (1) 1st Club, 2nd Section B 190/4804, 54th Open 1137/27,772; Tullamore (2) 1st Club, 1st Section B 170/2990, 160th Open 1022/18,282; Thurles (1) 1st Club, 1st and 4th Section B 177/3397; Thurles (2) 1st Club, 17th, 19th and 25th Section B 180/3468; Pilmore Beach 1st Club; Tullamore (3) 1st Club, 33rd Section B 115/1864; 160th Open 489/8,338; Rosscarbery Y/B National 1st Club, 5th and 8th Section B 101/694; 22nd and 91st Open 679/6011; Talbenny Y/B National 1st Club, 167th Open 673/3893; 1st Club Thurles (3).

In third spot was the consistent John Lowry who is always about the result most weeks, some of John’s positions :- Tullamore (1) O/B 32nd Section B 192/3654, 76th Open 1256/23,672; 1st Club Mallow Five Bird, Barleycove 60th Anniversary Race 1st Club, 2nd Section B, 14th Open 622/3293; 1st Club in the Rosscarbery O/B National; Rosscarbery O/B 15th Section B 180/2063; Tullamore (1) Y/Birds 16th Section B 190/4804; Rosscarbery Y/B National 18th Section B 101/694, 213th Open 679/6011;

Talbenny (1) O/Birds 44th Section B 189/2441; Talbenny (2) 1st Club, 27th Section B 180/2007, 102nd Open 1102/13,009; Thurles O/Birds 1st Club, 15th Section B 155/1904 these positions went to the partnership of Norman and Betty Uprichard, Norman is kept busy within the Club as is every Secretary.

The (Veteran) Jimmy and son Alan Galloway were as always picking up awards at the prize table these included 1st Club Sennen Cove Yearling National were they timed two birds to finish 31st and 293rd in the INFC Open; Kilkenny (1) O/Birds 20th Section B 205/4574; Talbenny (2) O/Birds 33rd Section B 180/2007, 11nd Open 1102/13,009; 1st Club Mullingar in the Young Birds finishing 29th Open NIPA 138/3152; Tullamore (2) Y/Birds 15th and 26th Section B 170/2990; Thurles (1) Y/Birds 13th Section 177/3397. Having a chat with Jimmy at the end he informed me that he has been racing pigeons for 53 years and still winning.

Another couple of Galloway’s to get into the picture were Ken who had a good result from the NIPA O/Bird National from Portland taking 1st Club, 16th Section B 113/299, 85th Open 604/1851; Ken also had a good result from Kilkenny (1) again O/Birds taking 23rd and 33rd Section B 205 members sending 4,574 birds and Ken’s son young but tall Ben Galloway received an award for services to the sport from the Club as did Johnathan Cartwell, nice to see the club making an effort to encourage the young members, a perfect reflection on the humour and warmth of friendship that was circling the room all night.

John and Neil Lamb also made the picture with a 1st Club, 22nd Open INFC Skibbereen O/B Inland National and also took 1st Club Wade bridge (INFC National) finishing 120th Open 515 members sending 2,052 birds.

George Grant the Club Chairman was also to get in on the act, George topped the Club from Rosscarbery finishing 45th Section E 195/2439 in the Old Bird programme.

Other fanciers making the frame included John Scott who recorded a 1st Club from Mullingar in the O/Birds finishing 9th Section E 175 members sending 2,798 birds and finished 108th Open in the Skibbereen INFC O/B Inland National, finishing fourth highest prize-winner.. I must also mention P McClarence who kept the Club flag flying in the Young Bird National from Skibbereen.

Last but my no means least Forbes Lindsay who in Y/Birds from Tullamore (1) finished 37th and 40th Section B 190/4804 and to prove it was no fluke timed three birds with a light in the INFC Y/B National to finish 146th, 147th and 148th Open with over 2,000 birds competing.

The Club would like to thank everybody who contributed to their Breeder/Buyer last year, 1st place went to Ken Wilkinson who raced the bird and it was bred by Peter McClarence both collecting £50, 2nd was John Lowry who bred and raced his own collecting £50 and 3rd was Fleming Brothers again racer and breeder winning £30.

Congratulations also go to Club President Raymond Parker who conducted the handing out of the awards accompanied by the beautiful Lynne Lowe from Carrickfergus. All that was left was for D.J. Gary to keep them going with a fantastic array of music and the excellent bar staff to keep the glasses filled, until next year may I finish by wishing the Club and indeed the membership every success in the forth coming season.

Site Map \| Guestbook \| Links Program \| Links \| Terms & Conditions\| Advertising Rates \| Web Design \| Contact
© 1999 - 2007 PigeonNetwork.com. All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the copyright holder Site Design by: raydelaney.net