Secretary Simon Millar recently supplied me with the club prize list for the 2012 racing season, he is to take a season or two out and may move house. Since starting to race on his own just a few seasons back he has won several 1sts at the Club, secured Highest Prize-winner, won 1st Open in the Penzance YB Grand Nat and won the Mid Antrim Combine Champions League. He has handed over to Stewart Logan and I wish him well, running a club is not an easy job without plenty of help.
Stewart Bros from The Grange dominated the racing last season winning 9 x 1sts and Inland OB Average, OB Cross Channel Ave, Combined Ave and Young Bird Ave. The big list of cups included the Tommy & Angela Cotter Trophy for Highest Prize-winner. They timed the first local bird in the St Malo OB National from France to finish 13th Sect B & 85th Open NIPA and were well placed in the Penzance YB Nat finishing 5th Combine, 19th North Sect & 32nd Open INFC 422/2,070. Simon Millar had a couple of good result in the old birds from Clonmel 1st MAC 110/2,617, 1st Sect B 165/3,997 and 7th Open NIPA 1,100/25,264 followed by 2nd MAC, 2nd Sect and 6th Open NIPA 341/1,548 in the Yearling Cock Nat from Rosscarbery. He also had two early arrivals in the Penzance YB Nat, the race he had won recently. Hugh Boyd had a good result in the Bude race 1st, 2nd and 3rd Club and 2nd MAC, 3rd Sect and 90th Open NIPA 569/4,489 with his winner. The top result for the year was in the INFC Yearling Nat flown from Sennen Cove when J McNeill & Son had the big early arrival topping the Muckamore Centre and finishing 1st MAC, 5th North Sect & 18th Open INFC 813/4,319. Anthony has a top result almost every season, this was another good one doing velocity 1067 for the 330 odd miles.
Cups & Trophies won by Stewart Bros – Clanmore Arms Cup, W & S Bell Cup, Samuel Rea Cup, M/M R S Magill Cup, John Kyle Cup, Patrick Marion Cup, A Simpson & Son Shield, R Adair Shield, Castledawson Cup, Norman Davis Trophy, BOCM Cup, Bell & McDowell Cup, Gerard Lynch Shield, W H Webb Cup and Cotter Trophy.
Houston Bros had 5 x 1sts and won – Best Ave First two YB Races, Henry Gribben Trophy, Bell, Kyle, Simpson Cup, Sean Simpson Trophy.
Hugh Boyd had 3 x 1sts and won – Joseph Boyd Memorial Trophy, McCausland Trophy, S McKeown Trophy, Samuel J Millar Cup, Gardner Kissich Cup.
D Logan & Son broke Novice Status winning one young bird race and the McCombe Trophy. New members F & G Dickey also won one race and the Sandra Simpson Trophy.
Randalstown have a proud history and have won a lot of the major races, I well remember Mr & Mrs Magill in their hey-day and the late Arthur Simpson won the famous Kings Cup with “Champion Shean” that won a Hall of Fame Diploma in the same race. The late John Kyle who was Chairman for several years served a term as NIPA President. Best wishes to Randalstown members in the new racing season.
Ace racers in the Randalstown HPS, Stewart Bros of the Grange.
