Farming Life - Wednesday 02/10/13

[willie reynolds]

‘AWAY’ IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN !!!

This week I have decided to cover a loft flying within Section D of the Mighty NIPA, who I consider has earned this report. Now for you the reader outside the confines of the Mighty NIPA, Section D I would say has a radius of some 30 miles, within that area of competition we have over 140 lofts sending upwards of 3,800 pigeons per week. Like many lofts the first thing you want to do is win your Club, then hopefully have the best pigeon in your local area. Then you look for the Section which by no means is easy won, never mind the over-all NIPA Open. To be crowned Top Prize Winner in your Club is some achievement, to be crowned Section Fancier of the Year in the Mighty NIPA is something else. Section D of the NIPA for instance has 45 positions per race. It is now broke into two divisions Old Birds and Y/Birds as is the other Sections. Then the fancier collecting the most points out of the two prospective winning Sections is deemed the Over-all Section Fancier of the Year. Now the points system is as follows 1st Section = 45 points, 45th Section = 1 point. The Fancier in question I am profiling this week, firstly was Section D Y/Bird & Over-all Section D Fancier of the Year in 2012, this season and here is a very impressive statistic over 20 x NIPA Race’s, from the shortest to the furthest spread over O/Birds and Y/Birds this man averaged 39 points per race !!! He will no doubt be confirmed as the Section D O/Bird, Y/Bird and Over-All Fancier of the Year 2013 and this the Seventh Time he has won this prestige award !!. His Name Jeff Greenaway Dromore HPS !!

Many I’m sure will have already heard of the Masterful Jeff Greenaway, a couple of the scribes from here wrote and commented on his performances in 2012 and regarded that as one of his best years ever, that taken into consideration previously one year racing he finished 2nd Open NIPA on five different occasions. So to base last year better than that and who am I to compare or argue, what about this year ? It must surely be the defining moment in what has been a life time of racing exceptional pigeons and achieving subsequent exceptional results.

Jeff Greenaway you could say was born with the pigeon bug, inherited from his Grand-Father and Father respectively, both raced impeccably over the years with Jeff becoming involved from a young age in partnership with his father flying as W Greenaway & Son in Banbridge. I have had the privilege of meeting Jeff’s father on a few occasions and he celebrated his 70th birthday in February of this year. Still very much involved in helping Jeff on a daily basis with all the stock pigeons housed at his home in Banbridge and is for sure a guaranteed attendee at the racing lofts of son Jeff on any particular race day simply a fantastic charismatic gentleman.

For many years Jeff raced with the Hills & Maze HPS and a continual Top Prize Winner, then the challenge was to come in 2009 when he joined the Might of the Dromore HPS at the heart of the Mighty NIPA, with the official Secretaries office based in the town. The Dromore HPS hosts many powerful names in the sport of pigeon racing and some you may be acquainted with name wise they include the very much formidable partnership of P & J Boal, (Mr Jacobs) Gerald Delaney, Mo McCorriston, Wayne Doonan of the Cock Crow Stud to name one or two, a very very competitive Club !! Now look at the record of Jeff since joining in 2009 and something to take into consideration in the Dromore HPS you must nominate 30 pigeons on a Friday evening when sending so in a since a 30 bird limit for only the 30 nominated are applicable for Club Awards.

2009: Fancier of the Year Dromore HPS with 346 Points Jeff Greenaway followed by J Kelly & Sons, 295, P & J Boal 198, F Scott & Son 171, B & M McCorriston and Doonan & McGuinness on 127 making up the Top 6.

2010: Fancier of the Year Dromore HPS with 326 Points Jeff Greenaway followed by P & J Boal 309, Doonan & McGuinness 239, D & I Edgar 176, B & M McCorriston 171 and J Kelly & Sons on 112 making up the Top 6.

2011: Fancier of the Year Dromore HPS with 218 Points Jeff Greenaway followed by D & I Edgar 197, J Kelly & Sons 136, M/M G Delaney 135, Doonan & McGuinness 126 and J Vage & Son on 91 making up the Top 6.

2012: Fancier of the Year Dromore HPS with 590 Points Jeff Greenaway followed by Doonan & McGuinness 237, M/M G Delaney 200, D & I Edgar 162, J Kelly & Sons 139, and J Vage & Son on 118 making up the Top 6.

2013: Will without question be Jeff Greenaway at the top of the leader board once again, that’s 5 out of 5. On what can be considered his best season ever and without any doubt one of the best seasons ever put up by a fancier racing into Northern Ireland flying with the mighty NIPA with birdage topping 26,883 this year at its height.


Now with such an outstanding year and as I put the finishes touches to this report on Sunday evening the NIPA have just announced the winners for this year, Jeff has been crowned NIPA Section D Fancier of the Year for a Second Year on the Trot and now a fantastic seventh time, winning both best fancier in the O/Birds and Y/Birds further more out of all the NIPA Sections coving Northern Ireland, Jeff Greenaway accumulated the most points out of all the winning fanciers, and that’s competing against all the Main Players so to speak !!! Also Jeff collects the W V Troughton Cup for 1st Open Clonmel; Surgenor Cup for the Best Average Talbenny 2, Bude and Penzance; Agar Cup for the 1st Yearling Recorded in the O/Bird Classic; J. H. O’Neill Cup for 1st Open Penzance Classic. Plus will pick up awards for the NIPA Section D O/Bird Fancier of the Year and NIPA Section D Y/Bird Fancier of the Year.

All in all a year to remember for Jeff some would argue the last few years have been years to remember, simply Jeff has created a team of pigeons that without hesitation do the business from the shortest to the longest races, something that is a must if you want the big awards, your team of pigeons must compete from the 1st race to the last and regardless of velocity, speed or wind direction they have to be there, such is the ferocity of the competition. Jeff would be the first to diminish his possibilities any week due to unfavourable conditions, second best you don’t set out to achieve at the start of any year, but also in the same breath he will tell you himself many many hours of hard work have to be put in each week, to achieve excellence week in week out, any fancier can specialize his team for a specific race looking for the big performance, but when you have to plan for success in every race for the whole season it’s a different ball game. Jeff will be the first to admit that success cant just be expected even with the best pigeons, they are the basis on top of that you have your work to put in and the harder you work the more you learn. Without any doubt Jeff is there as far as success goes year in year out producing the big results and each year has just got bigger and better. Even with the success of this year, he has the utmost respect for the competition and he is fearful every week of the excellent fanciers flying just not in the Dromore HPS or the NIPA Section D but over-all in the NIPA and has huge respect for the hard working fanciers who week in week out are putting him to the test.

That in itself is something of a record only from a couple of race points over the last five years, I think without question Jeff Greenaway has without doubt earned the title as One of the BEST !!!!.

The full article is listed at www.pigeonnetwork.com

Mid Antrim Combine winners in 2013 -

Mid Antrim Combine have released the list of awards won in the 2013 racing season. Cups and trophies should be returned to Secretary George McDowell ASAP, to allow time for engraving etc. Old Bird Inland Ave won by Alan Darragh, Cullybackey vel 1494, Cross Channel Average won by Reid Bros & McCloy, Cullybackey vel 1170, OB Average won by Reid Bros & McCloy vel 1316, B Eagleson Memorial (1st 3 Cross Channel races) won by Danny Dixon, Rasharkin & Dist vel 1261, McIlhagga Memorial Cup 1st MAC St Malo won by Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey vel 1083, YB Average won by Alan Darragh Cullybackey vel 1351, Combined Average O/B & Y/B won by Alan Darragh vel 1252, Bird of the Year won by G & A Eagleson, Ballymena & Dist GB11K 17223 (119 Points), Les Mairs Cup O/B Fancier of the Year won by Alan Darragh (608 Points), Champions League won by Alan Darragh, Club Shield O/B won by Kells & District HPS (85 Points), Club Shield Y/B won by Rasharkin & District HPS (63 Points), INFC National Cup won by Alan Darragh vel 1014.

Super year for the Cullybackey HPS most of the major awards won by two top lofts, Alan Darragh the man to beat each week and Reid Bros & McCloy who recorded their best ever result from the OB National winning 1st, 2nd & 3rd MAC in the Portland Nat after the birds were brought back from France due to the weather. The list for Alan Darragh included Fancier of the Year, Irish Nat FC Cup and the highly prized Champions League. Danny Dixon from Rasharkin won the Eagleson Memorial Cup while George & Ann Eagleson from Ballymena & District had the Bird of the Year. Kells & District won the Club Shield in Old Birds and Rasharkin & Dist won the Club Shield for Young Birds.

The Officers and members of the Ballymena & District HPS extend their sincere condolences to member Geoff Bell on the death of his father at his home in Ahoghill.

Social Night for Kells & District -

Kells & Dist HPS have another Social Evening planned to take place in the Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim on Friday 1st November, pay at the door. Prior to the main event the Kells & Dist HPS will present the prizes for the year. More details later, with guests etc.

Northern Ireland Provincial Amalgamation of Racing Pigeon Societies - Old Bird Trophy Winners 2013

Mulgrew Family Cup – 1st Tullamore – A & M Boyle Ballymoney H.P.S Vel 2069
G. F. Whiteside Cup – 1st Roscrea – Bingham & Seaton Ligoniel H.P.S. Vel 1360
Gilmour & Beattie Cup – 1st Clonmel – A. Cooke Ballycarry H.P.S Vel 1814
S. Calvert Cup - 1 st Fermoy – O Markey Ballyholland H.P.S. Vel 1631
H McCabe Cup – Roscrea C/B --- Donnelly Bros Newry City Inv. Vel 1371
R Harkness Cup – 2nd Clonmel--- W Neill Annaghmore H.P.S. Vel 1817
Simpson Cup – 1st. Talbenny--- R McCullough Derriaghy H.P.S. Vel 1265
Ledlie Cup – 2nd. Talbenny---A Humphries & Son Markethill H.P.S. Vel 1390
Vint Cup – Rosscarbery – Spence Bros Lisburn H.P.S. Vel. 1755
McCrory Cup – Penzance – J & J McCabe Newry & Dist H.P.S. Vel 1330
Young Bird Trophy Winners 2013
Frazers Animal Feeds Cup – 1st Area Lib – J Campbell Coleraine Premier Vel 1497
Frazers Animal Feeds Cup—2nd Area Lib – D Gallagher Armagh H.P.S. Vel 1661
H A Montgomery Cup – Tullamore Beggs & Hall Larne H.P.S. Vel. 2050
B Hunter Cup—Roscrea—D & B Lyness Lurgan Social Vel. 1761
W. V. Troughton Cup – Clonmel – J Greenaway Dromore H.P.S Vel .1619
S. Inglis Cup – 1st Fermoy – I Gibb & Sons Glenavy H.P.S Vel. 1577
J. P. O’Hagan (Tyres) Cup – Tullamore C.B. – Arthurs & Smyth Kircubbin Vel. 1804
S. Montgomery Cup –Mallow – T & K Mawhinney Donacloney H.P.S Vel. 1246

Young bird winners 2013

First Young Bird Race Area Liberations Diplomas.
Section H Mullingar – T Conway Strabane H.P.S. Vel. 1308
Sections B & Part A Navan–J Campbell Coleraine Premier. Vel. 1497
Section C Navan – J & A Wilson & Sons Doagh & Dist. Vel. 1439
Section F – Navan- McGimpsey Bros Ards H.P.S. Vel. 1304
Section D& Ligoniel – Mullingar- Lavery , Lavery & Nesbett South Belfast H.P.S.Vel 1270
Section E & Part A- Tullamore- P McFadden Monaghan H.P.S. Vel 1419
Section G - Tullamore- J Brush Banbridge Social H.P.S. Vel 1321
Second Young Bird Race Area Liberations Diplomas
Sections B & Part A -- Mullingar – D Dixon- Rasharkin H.P.S Vel. 1480
Sections C -- Mullingar –M & T Griffith- Eastway Vel. 1518
Section H – Mullingar—A McCrudden- Derry & Dist H.P.S. Vel. 1488
Section D& Ligoniel – Tullamore – H Mackin. Lisburn & District Vel. 1595
Sections E & Part A – Tullamore-- D Gallagher Armagh H.P.S Vel. 1661
Section F – Navan – H McAvoy –Ards H.P.S. Vel 1552
Section G – Tullamore – T Lennon & Son Banbridge Social H.P.S. Vel 1500


Average Trophy winners 2013

McCluggage Cup – Best average in all channel races including Nationals –
J Brush Banbridge Social Vel. 1260
Scania Cup – Best average old bird National & Classic races –
D Calvin Bondhill Vel. 1186
Major Lewis Cup – Best average in all races England and Wales –
D Calvin Bondhill Vel. 1216
Surgenor Cup – Best average 2nd Talbenny, Bude and Penzance –
J Greenaway Dromore H.P.S Vel. 1294
Harper Cup – Best average old bird and young bird channel Nationals –
J Brush Banbridge Social Vel. 1148
Devine Memorial Trophy – Best two bird average old bird National-
J Greenaway Bondhill H.P.S. Vel. 1088
Dickson Cup – Best average Bude and Fermoy young bird –
Not Presented
Erwin Trophy – Best average all National and Classic races –
D Calvin Bondhill. H.P.S. Vel. 1226
B. Fox Cup – Highest position obtained by any N.I.P.A. official, committee member or club delegate in old bird National race No Claim At Present
W. E. Diamond Cup – Best average Talbenny & Rosscarbery young bird Nationals –
R Cassells Edgarstown Vel. 1291
Agar Cup – First yearling in old bird Classic race –
J Greenaway Dromore H.P.S. Vel. 1303
Waring Trophy – Best average in all National races –
J Brush Banbridge Social Vel. 1214
New North Trophy – Best average Penzance old bird and Talbenny young bird National-
J J McCabe Newry & District Vel. 1257
Section Trophy Winners 2013

Section “A” H. Devine Cup – Portland – G Stringer Coalisland Vel. 1098
Section “B” Leslie Mairs Memorial Cup – Portland – Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey H.P.S Vel. 1083
Section “C” J Campbell Memorial Cup--- Portland – Kerri Hagans Horseshoe H.P.S Vel. 1127
Section “D” H. McVeigh Cup – Portland – G. Benson Lisburn & Dist. Vel. 1140
Section “E” E. & J. McCambley Cup --Portland – J Douglas & Son Lurgan Social Vel. 1133
Section “F” A. Brown & Family Cup—Portland—Ward & McIntosh Downpatrick H.P.S Vel. 1091
Section “G” Norman Girvan Memorial Cup – Portland- J Brush Banbridge Social H.P.S. Vel. 1142
Section “E” E. & J. McCambley Cup --1 st Talbenny – J Brown Blackwatertown W.E H.P.S Vel. 1243
Section “E” E. & J. McCambley Cup – 2nd Talbenny -- A Humphries & Son Markethill H.P.S. Vel. 1390
Section “E” E. & J. McCambley Cup -- Rosscarbery – E Wright & Son Lurgan Social Vel 1712
Section “E” E. & J. McCambley Cup -- Penzance – B Creaney Portadown & Drumcree H.P.S Vel. 1296
John Bingo Orme Memorial Trophy 1st Section F Old Bird Inland National –
Gordon Bros & Sons Killyleagh Central Vel. 1184

N.I.P.A. Old Bird Section Fanciers of the Year 2013

Section A – G & S Smith Cookstown 194 Points
Section B – Fleming Bros Crumlin 443 Points
Section C – D & J Campbell & Bigger Eastway 505 Points
Section D – J Greenaway Dromore.H.P.S. 507 Points
Section E – D Calvin Bondhill 497 Points
Section F – McGimpsey Bros Ards H.P.S. 372 Points
Section G – Donnelly Bros. Newry City Inv. 480 Points
Section H –R Witherow Limavady 177 Points

N.I.P.A. Young Bird Section Fanciers of the Year 2013

Section A – G & S Smith Cookstown Social 109 Points
Section B – McConville Bros. Crumlin & Dist. 295 Ponts
Section C – McClurkin & McCoubrey Ligoniel H.P.S 275 Points
Section D – J. Greenaway Dromore H.P.S 282 Points
Section E _ P McCall Markethill H.P.S 224 Points
Section F – H McAvoy Ards H.P.S 256 Points
Section G – T & K Mawhinney Donacloney H.P.S 241 Points
Section H – R Witherow Limavady. 95 Points

N.I.P.A Overall Section Fanciers of the Year 2013

Section A – G & S Smith Cookstown Social 303 Points
Section B – Fleming Bros. Crumlin & Dist. 620 Points
Section C – D & J Campbell & Bigger Eastway 749 Points
Section D – J. Greenaway Dromore H.P.S 789 Points
Section E – D Calvin Bondhill Social 696 Points
Section F – Plunkett, Pollock & Nelson Ard’s H.P.S 549 Points
Section G – Donnelly Bros. Newry City Inv. 700 Points
Section H – R Witherow Limavady. 272 Points


N.I.P.A Young Fancier of the Year 2013 –
R.P.R.A. Irish Region Trophy – To Be Announced
Runner Up –
N. Marshall Cup – To Be Announced
N.I.P.A. Champion old bird of the year 2013
J. Moreland Memorial trophy
To be announced.

N.I.P.A. Champion young bird of the year 2013
The Irish Region R.P.R.A. Trophy
To be announced
N.I.P.A. President’s cup –
Presented at Ladies Night.

National and Classic Winners 2013

B. Fletcher & Son Cup – Rosscarbery old bird National – Higginson & Johnston Lurgan Amateur. Vel. 1239
Stena Trophy – Fermoy Five Bird O.B. Championship – P & J Boal Dromore H.P.S. Vel. 2042
J. H. O’Neill Cup – Penzance Classic – J Greenaway Dromore H.P.S Vel. 1303
News of the World -- McComb Cup -- Pigeon Portal.Com Cup – Portland Old Bird National –
J Brush- Banbridge Social Vel. 1142
D. McNeilly Cup – Runner-up Portland Old Bird National – G Benson Lisburn & Dist H.P.S Vel.1140
McKeown Cup – Talbenny Young Bird National – R McKelvey Newry & Dist H.P.S Vel. 1218
H. McVeigh Cup – Rosscarbery Young Bird National – Mr & Mrs Steevenson Dromara Vel. 1395
Northern Bank Cup – Yearling Hen National – Hanna & McClurkin Ligoniel H.P.S Vel. 1329
Northern Bank Cup – Yearling Cock National – Bingham & Seaton Ligoniel H.P.S.. Vel. 1335
Volvo – Fermoy Five Bird Y.B. Championship – Lyons & Kennedy Hills & Maze Vel. 1244

Any objections or better claims within 7 days.
Ladies Night Friday 8th November 2013 in the Templeton Hotel Templepatrick.
Tickets available from Fred Russell. 02892693913 evenings.

Photo Caption

Montage - Birds that won the NIPA Waring Cup.

Montage - 1st & 2nd Open NIPA Fermoy

Jeff Greenaway from Dromore holding Jessie, 1st Open NIPA Clonmel.