Ahoghill Flying Club presented the prizes for the 2013 racing season at a function held in their own clubrooms on Friday 28th March, a good number of members were present, and plenty of food and minerals for all concerned. I have attended many functions for the club going back a long time, all over in a flash. I had recently come across a front page article I had penned for the BHW in 1988, the Ahoghill Dinner for that year was held in the Leighinmohr Hotel in Ballymena, a full house with guests including Mr & Mrs Tom McCarroll and Ballymena Mayor Alderman Sandy Spence with Mrs Spence. All have now sadly passed away including Mrs Spence who had died earlier in the week.
Highest prize-winner was Geoff Bell who raced to Gracehill at that time, winning eight races over the entire season, and he could show a bit as well. Geoff is back in the sport living and racing in the big Ballymena & Dist sending a few young birds last year and enjoying the sport as always, I did hear he was at Blackpool. Looking back to 1988 the leading lofts were G Bell, Balmer T Young & Sons, A Young still Secretary, D Mark (top prize-winner in 1987), C Young and V Bell. My old friend Jimmy Martin was still winning the odd race into Gracehill, he wrote a column for the BHW under the pen name “Provincial”. Many a good night I had in his company. This was all five years before the arrival of the local milkman Paddy McManus lifting Highest prize-winner for the first time, and racing as Young McManus & Sons they have lifted the title 21 seasons on the trot bringing us right up to date.
Chairman Tom Young welcomed those present and was assisted in the presentation by brother Albert the hard working Secretary who had the paperwork complete. As I had said earlier Young McManus & Sons were Highest prize-winner collecting a fantastic 17 x 1sts, 14 x 2nds and 11 x 3rds plus numerous other positions in the Top 6, followed by Jimmy Smyth & Son, A & N Young, Charlie Young, Mr & Mrs Robinson, Balmer T Young & Son, J Orr & Son, Davy Lowry, David Stevenson, John Balmer and Chris Moore.
Young McManus & Sons won most cups and trophies including – Points Cup, 6th O/B Race, Best Ave first two Y/B Races, Brooke Supply Cup, OB Average, 6th Y/B Race, YB Average, Y/B Skibbereen, Bude Cup, 5th O/B Race, Yearling Cock Nat, Yearling Hen Nat, 9th O/B Race, 1st O/B Race, 3rd O/B Race, 8th Y/B Race, Old Bird Inland Ave, Combined Ave, 7th Y/B Race, 5th Y/B Race, 7th O/B Race, 3rd Y/B Race, 2nd O/B Race, Love Trophy, Cross Channel Average.
J Smyth & Son won – St Malo O/B Nat Cup, Best Ave Talbenny & Rosscarbery Y/B Nat, Talbenny Y/B National. C Moore won - Kings Cup St Allouestre, Show Trophy. D Lowry won – 4th Y/B Race, A & N Young won – 8th O/B Race, C Young won – 4th O/B Race.
Some of the major highlights in the old birds were at the distance, J Smyth & Son had the best bird in Portland after the birds were returned from France and Chris Moore who is setting himself up for distance racing had the best local bird in the Kings Cup. Paddy McManus had a good 1st, 2nd & 3rd Sect B in the NIPA Comeback Roscrea flown in May and then took 1st Combine & Sect in the Yearling Hens National from Rosscarbery. Another good year in Ahoghill and the members have not long to wait for the start of a new racing season.
