All the major award winners were in attendance for the annual prize night for the members of Ballymena & District HPS, for the second year the event took place in the Tullyglass Hotel on the Galgorm Road. As for the last number of years the event has been held at the start of the year just prior to the Blackpool Weekend, this time it was Saturday 11th January.
Chairman of the club Tom McAlonan welcomed everyone and noted the attendance was getting better every year, this year the members were joined by friends from Rasharkin & Dist, Cullybackey HPS, Harryville HPS and Robert Taylor and daughter Laura from Belfast. He invited George Eagleson to say grace and then the members made their way for the Carvery. There will be no complaints about the four course meal taken at our own speed and all well satisfied.
With additional members for the new season racing was as usual highly competitive, top prizes were won in numerous races and at the end the leading lofts showed some change from seasons past. Winning the Harper Cup and collecting Highest Prize-winner for the first time were Elke & Martin Sempey who race in Ballykeel, this loft has been on the up over the last number of seasons and now join the list of greats that have achieved the premier award including the late Tommy Harper who had presented the cup to the club. They were just ahead of W & J Smyth who are very hard to beat and followed by two lofts that had also moved up the list, husband and wife team of George & Ann Eagleson who had a best season since re-joining from Broughshane and also won the Show Shield, and then Dennis Craig who has recently started to race on his own to a small loft in Brooke Park and has won 1st Mid Antrim Combine in the last two seasons. These four lofts will represent the Ballymena & District HPS in the seasons MAC Champions League.
The club paid out £777 which included £100 in the Show Special Nom flown from Penzance and shares won by MDC Magill and Brian Herbison from Cullybackey. For the show men there will be another competition in 2014. The leading lofts to the table were – Mr & Mrs M Sempey, W & J Smyth, G & A Eagleson, Dennis Craig, Blair & Rankin, McFall & McManus, MDC Magill, J McNaghten & Son, MaAlonan Bros, Martin Graham, Geoff Gilmour and George Connolly. Laura Taylor presented the prize cards and prize-money.
Race winners over the season were as follows: Old Birds – Tullamore 17/244 Blair & Rankin 1999, Roscrea 20/391 G & A Eagleson 1272, Clonmel 20/426 M/M Sempey 1698, Fermoy 19/359 M/M Sempey 1467, Roscrea W & J Smyth 1276, Rosscarbery Nat 14/84 W & J Smyth 1187, Clonmel 18/312 G Gilmour 1755, Talbenny (1) 17/192 McFall & McManus 1230, Rosscarbery Ylr Hen Nat 10/25 McAlonan Bros 1210, Rosscarbery Ylr Cock Nat 11/36 G Connolly 1287, Talbenny (2) 15/124 G & A Eagleson 1316, Fermoy 5 Bird 9/31 M/M Sempey 1915, Rosscarbery 10/111 Blair & Rankin 1597, Penzance 18/160 W & J Smyth 1279, Penzance Classic 11/55 W & J Smyth 1279, Portland Nat 8/17 W & J Smyth 522. Young Birds – Navan 12/257 M/M Sempey 1463, Mullingar 17/350 McAlonan Bros 1474, Tullamore 20/389 McFall & McManus 1903, Roscrea 16/330 M/M Sempey 1667, Clonmel 17/327 W & J Smyth 1532, Fermoy 18/307 D Craig 1486, Talbenny Nat 13/63 Blair & Rankin 1141, Tullamore 14/192 D Craig 1513, Mallow 5 Bird 8/35 W & J Smyth 1133, Mallow 12/88 W & J Smyth 1133, Rosscarbery Nat 7/43 M/M Sempey 1270.
IRISH NATIONAL FLYING CLUB:
Skibbereen OB inl National – Flown Tuesday 28th May 2013. Lib 7.40am, wind Lt West
Ballymena & District 3/14 – G & A Eagleson 1372, 1370, MDC Magill 1366, 1366, G & A Eagleson 1337, MDC Magill 1332.
INFC Yearling Nat Sennen Cove – Flown Wednesday 19th June 2013. Lib 8.30am, wind Lt NW
Ballymena & District HPS – G & A Eagleson 1074, M Graham 1073, M Graham 1026, Blair & Rankin 999, M Graham 911, T R Alexander & Son 910, J McNaghten & Son 845, M Graham 841, M/M M Sempey 758.
Kings Cup Grand Nat St Allouestre – Flown Friday 5th July 2013. Lib 7.00am, wind Lt NE
Ballymena & District – M Graham 780.
INFC Grand Nat Penzance YB – Flown Wednesday 4th September 2013. Lib 8.45am, wind Fresh SE
Ballymena & District HPS 8/29 – Blair & Rankin 1411, M/M M Sempey 1410, M Graham 1360, MDC Magill 1343, D Craig 1318, W & J Smyth 1175, MDC Magill 1175.
INFC Skibbereen YB Inland Nat – Flown Friday 20th September. Lib 10.00am in calm conditions
Ballymena & Dist – 1st J McNaghten & Son, further positions won by Blair & Rankin and D Craig.
As a special prize the club present framed photos of the seasons top race winners, these were presented by Jennifer McCloy from Cullybackey, and the winning Combine & Sect Diplomas were presented by Nicola Gilbert. Winners in 2013 racing season included:
Blue (c) 1st Club, 4th Comb, 109th North Sect & 131st Open INFC St Allouestre Grand Nat Kings Cup 656/2,332 – Vel 780. Raced by Martin Graham.
Blue (c) 1st Club, 4th Comb, 20th North Sect & 20th Open INFC Penzance YB Grand Nat 468/2,652 – Vel 1411. Raced by Blair & Rankin.
“Just Johnny” Blue (c) 1st Club, 1st Comb, 1st Sect B & 27th Open NIPA Talbenny (1) 918/13,771 – Vel 1230. Raced by McFall & McManus.
Slate (c) 1st Club, 1st Comb, 1st Sect B & 12th Open NIPA Rosscarbery Yearling Cocks Nat 372/1,664 – Vel 1287. Raced by George Connolly.
“Ellie” Cheq (h) Mid Antrim Combine Bird of the Year - Talbenny (1) – 7th Club, 11th Comb, 13th Sect B & 140th Open NIPA 918/13,771 on Vel 1189. Talbenny (2) – 3rd Club, 7th Comb, 10th Sect B & 99th Open NIPA 838/10,137 on Vel 1303. Penzance – 3rd Club, 11th Comb & 15th Sect B 129/1,398 on Vel 1242. Penzance Classic – 3rd Club, 6th Comb, 10th Sect B & 111th Open NIPA 390/3,147 on Vel 1242. Raced by G & A Eagleson.
“Martin’s Pride” Blue (h) Best YB in Ballymena & Dist -
Mullingar 6th Club 17/350 vel 1421 plus 82nd Open 162/4345, Tullamore 8th Club 20/389 vel 1859 plus 40th Sect 130/3238, Roscrea 1st Club 16/330 vel 1667 plus 5th Comb & 15th Sect 143/3623, Clonmel 2nd Club 17/327 vel 1526 plus 4th Comb & 15th Sect 130/3125, Fermoy 5th Club 18/307 vel 1474 plus 5th Comb & 23rd Sect 127/2835. Raced by M/M M Sempey.
Blue (c) 2nd Club, 13th Comb, 18th Sect B & 294th Open NIPA Rosscarbery OB Inl Nat 672/6,212 – Vel 1160; 1st Club, 2nd Comb, 2nd Sect & 19th Open NIPA Penzance 814/9,235 – Vel 1279; 1st Club, 1st Comb, 1st Sect & 11th Open NIPA Penzance OB Classic 390/3,147 – Vel 1279.
Black (h) 1st Club, 9th Comb, 13th Sect B & 125th Open NIPA Portland OB National 482/1,687 – Vel 522. Both birds raced by W & J Smyth.
Chairman of Cullybackey HPS Harry McCloy presented the cups and trophies, Reid Bros & McCloy had one of the results of the year winning 1st, 2nd & 3rd Mid Antrim Combine in the Old Bird National from Portland. Ballymena & Dist had just two birds timed by W & J Smyth and George Connolly.
Top prize-winners Mr & Mrs Sempey won the following – Mallow 5 Bird, OB Inland Ave, YB Nat Cup 1022, YB Inland Ave, Best Individual YB, Combined Inl Ave and Harper Cup for Highest Prize-winner.
Next best W & J Smyth collected – OB Inland Derby, Penzance, Barr Cup NIPA Old Bird Nat (France), McDowell Challenge Cup OB Derby, McCrory Cup OB Ave, Maternaghan Cup Best Ave OB & CC Nat, Hughes Cup Cross Channel Ave.
G & A Eagleson won – Talbenny (2), Carnvale Cup Ylr Nat Sennen Cove, Simon McCrory Cup, Bill Carney Rose Bowl Best OB, Mooney Cup Best Individual Bird. Dennis Craig won – Roger King Memorial Fermoy YB, Blair & Rankin won – Vintage Cup Talbenny YB Nat, Ruddle Cup YB Derby, Victory Cup YB Ave, Flamingo Cup Talbenny & Rosscarbery Nat YB, Nat Cup 1922 Penzance YB, Smyth Bros Trophy OB Classic & YB Nat Penzance, Bill Carney Shield Best Ave Penzance & Skibbereen YB Nat. McFall & McManus won – Slemish Cup & Simon McCrory, Talbenny (1). J McNaghten & Son won Skibbereen YB Nat. McAlonan Bros won – Rosscarbery Ylr Hen Nat, Tullamore YB. M Graham won – Livingstone Cup 2 Bird Ave Ylr Nat, 1st Kings Cup, W McIlhagga Mem Cup Kings Cup & YB Nat Penzance, Best Ave Kings Cup & Talbenny (2), Law Family Mem Cup INFC Points, W Erwin Perpetual Trophy Ylr Nat, Kings Cup & YB Penzance Ave. G Connolly won – Rosscarbery Ylr Cock Nat. R McFall & Son won R Law Mem Cup 1st Yearling Penzance.
Members were thanked for their help and support over the season including Martin Graham who looks after the dinner and prize night, we had another successful show season and the Open Show on New Year’s Day was held in our own clubrooms. A lot of lofts are mated up and are looking forward to racing, it will be harder again in 2014 with some new lofts joining.
The AGM for Ballymena & District will take place in the local clubrooms at Fountain Place on Monday 10th February at 8.00pm. Resolutions for the agenda must be with the Secretary Willie Reynolds by Friday 31st January, and any resignations prior to the AGM. SEE the Ballymena & Dist Ace birds in the Picture Parade in the Forum.
Harry McCloy presents the Harper Cup to Highest Prize-winners Mr & Mrs Sempey at the Ballymena & Dist prize night.
Billy & Joe Smyth win the Barr Cup for 1st Portland OB National.
Thomas collects prizes for R McFall & Son from Laura Taylor.
Geoff Gilmour collects prize cards from Laura Taylor.
McFall & McManus collect MAC & Sect B Diplomas for Talbenny from Nicola Gilbert.
George Connolly won MAC & Sect B Diplomas in the Rosscarbery Ylr Cocks National.
Dennis Craig has topped Mid Antrim Combine in successive seasons.
George & Ann Eagleson won the Mid Antrim Combine Bird of the Year.
Jennifer McCloy presents framed photos to W & J Smyth, they won Penzance Classic & Portland Nat in successive races.
Martin Graham topped the club in the Kings Cup race from St Allouestre.
Martin & Elke Sempey with club officials President Billy Smyth (l) and Chairman Tom McAlonan (r).
G & A Eagleson won Bird of the Year in Mid Antrim Combine.
Two ace racers for M/M M Sempey, Dark Lady and Martin's Pride.
W & J Smyth won successive races from Penzance Classic & Portland Nat.
Harry McCloy (l) presents awards to George & Ann Eagleson, top season including MAC Bird of the Year.
McFall & McManus topped the Combine & Section from Talbenny.
Martin Graham (l) collects the Livingstone Bros Cup Best 2B Ave in Yearling Nat.
Long flyers from (l) James Harris Ass Secty, Harry McCloy and Tom McAlonan Chairman.
Laura Taylor presents prize cards to James Harris.
Tom McAlonan collects prize cards from Laura Taylor, France is next.
New members MDC Magill collect awards from Laura Taylor.
Dennis Craig has topped MAC in the last two seasons, looking for the hat-trick.
Laura Taylor presents awards to Highest prize-winners Elke & Martin Sempey.
Nicola Gilbert presents Comb & Sect Diplomas to Billy & Joe Smyth.
New member Charlie McManus collects his framed photo from Jennifer McCloy at Ballymena.
Another new member George Connolly wins a framed photo.
The top lofts in 2013 Mr & Mrs Sempey (r) with the winners in 2012 W & J Smyth.