Once again the Stormont Hotel in Belfast provided the setting for the Annual Dinner Dance and Presentation of Prizes for the Irish National Flying Club. Like last year the weather was very kind to us as members and friends from right across Ireland gathered for this very special night.
Chairman David Black welcomed the special guests for the night, Ollie Gittens from Bude and Brendan McLoughlin. Ollie has been a great help to all Irish racing organizations during the channel season. He gets up at dawn to provide on the ground weather reports to help the various race controllers. Ollie is also a great help in repatriating Irish pigeons from the Bude area. Brendan is the General Secretary of the Irish Homing Union and PRO for the INFC.
The President Eugene Fitzgerald proposed a toast to the Patron Ronnie Johnston before the Chairman introduced the top table, Secretary Trevor Topping, Treasurer Davy Mawhinney, and their wives, President Eugene Fitzgerald, Special guests, Ollie Gittens, Brendan McLoughlin and Paul Gunning who accompanied Ollie Gittens. David thanked Ronnie Johnston and his wife Alice for organising the event and for all the work they do in gathering the trophies in and preparing them for the night. He congratulated all the prizewinners especially the King’s Cup winners, Blaine and Philip McEvoy. David went on to thank all our sponsors, all the committee members and all the non committee members who help out at race marking and clock centres. He paid a special tribute to secretary Trevor Topping and his family and treasurer Davy Mawhinney for all their hard work throughout the year. The Chairman thanked the convoyer Jim McCrory and his team for all their help.
Brendan McLoughlin said that it was an honour and a privilege to be asked to present the prizes as PRO of the INFC. He said that he had made many very good friends in the pigeon sport as a result and thoroughly enjoyed writing the reports on the National races. Paul Gunning speaking on behalf of Ollie Gittens said that they were delighted and privileged to have been asked to attend the Presentation and that they had always commented on the standard of racing into Ireland and the difficult racing that we encounter.
Mr Ronnie Johnston, Patron of the Irish National Flying Club was then called upon to act as MC for the Presentation of Prizes. Ronnie provided us with a wealth of knowledge on the various winners and of the history of the prizes, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed as he kept the crowd engrossed throughout the presentation.
As is customary with the Irish National Flying Club, the first prize to be presented was the Kings Cup by the previous year’s winner, Ron Williamson Bondhill. This year’s winners Blaine and Philip McEvoy Castlebellingham/ Boyne Valley were greeted with a standing ovation.
INFC 2014 CUP AND TROPHY WINNERS
King George V Challenge Cup, St Allouestre, Grand National Old Bird National winner: B & P McEvoy Castlebellingham velocity 854; Nelson Vase, St Allouestre OB, 1st RPRA member after winner in King’s Cup race: R Bell & Sons Edgarstown HPS velocity 798; Gilliland Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st IHU member after winner in King’s Cup race: J Cullen Bray Invitation RPC velocity 781; East Down Combine Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st EDC member in King’s Cup race: W Catherwood & Sons Ballynahinch HPS velocity 414; Ulster Federation Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st Ulster Federation member in Kings Cup race: Not won; NIPA Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st NIPA member in King’s Cup race: R Bell & Sons Edgarstown HPS velocity 798; Joe Cullen Memorial Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st East Coast Federation member in Kings Cup race: G & P McEvoy Castlebellingham velocity 854; Billy Ingle Trophy, St Allouestre OB, 1st Irish South Road Federation member in King’s Cup race: J Cullen Bray Invitation RPC velocity 781; Harkness Rose Bowl, St Allouestre OB, Best two bird average King’s Cup race: J Cullen Bray Invitation RPC velocity 749; Joe Doheny Cup, St Allouestre OB, Single Bird Challenge Kings Cup race: W Scott Cullybackey HPS velocity 768; Robinson Trophy, St Allouestre OB, 14th position in King’s Cup race: G O’Reilly & Sons Malahide & District HPS velocity 589; McCloud Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st Yearling in the King’s Cup race: W Scott Cullybackey HPS velocity 768; Ronnie Johnston Challenge Cup, Skibbereen OB Inland National race winner: E & M Curran Armagh HPS velocity 1597 ; Gerald Delaney Trophy, Skibbereen Old Bird Inland National, best section winning velocity after winning section: P McFadden Monaghan HPS velocity 1519; Framed Diploma Winner, Skibbereen National OB, lowest section winning velocity: S Shannon Newtownkilpeddar velocity 1477; Friendship Cup, Quimper OB, Friendship National winner: Mr & Mrs D Suittors Doagh & District HPS velocity 600; British Barcelona Club Trophy, Quimper OB, 2nd position in the Friendship race: C & L Woodside Ballyclare & District HPS velocity 597; Henry Beattie & Son Trophy, Quimper OB, Best two bird average Friendship National race: J Cullen Bray Invitation RPC velocity 362; John Miller Logistics Trophy, Quimper OB, 1st member in the section not winning the Open: J Doheny Malahide & District RPC velocity 460; Ervine Trophy Best Average OB Nationals Quimper & St Allouestre: J Cullen Bray Invitation RPC velocity 535; Nelson Corry Cup, Sennen Cove Yearling National race winner: R Fewings Rathnew RPC velocity 1550; James McGrugan Memorial Cup, Sennen Cove Yearling National, section winner not winning the Open: Ron Williamson Bondhill HPS velocity 1451: Sam Buckley Memorial Cup, Best two bird average Sennen Cove Yearling National race: R Fewings Rathnew RPC velocity 1550; Charles Ingle Memorial trophy, 10th Open position Yearling National race: W Berns Gorey RPC velocity 1484; J.M.K McGugan Perpetual Cup, Penzance Grand National YB Channel race winner: B McCarthy Cork Federation velocity 1318; William Erwin Memorial Cup, Penzance, 1st North section in the Channel YB National: N Black & Sons Dromara HPS velocity 1209; De-Scheemaecker Trophy, Penzance YB, Best two bird average in the Channel YB National race: J Greenaway Dromore HPS velocity 1138; Tom Marshall Trophy, Skibbereen Young Bird National race winner: D Irvine Harmony HPS velocity 1476: Framed Diploma winner of Middle section Skibbereen YB National: N Cruise Newbridge RPC velocity 1447; Framed Diploma winner of South section Skibbereen YB National: L Conran Kilkenny RPC velocity 1394; J Gilmour Memorial Trophy, Best average St Allouestre OB and Sennen Cove Yearling Nationals: J Cullen Bray Invitation RPC velocity 920; A Darragh Challenge Cup, Best average Quimper Friendship and Sennen Cove Yearling Nationals: Mr & Mrs D Suittors Doagh 7 District HPS velocity 776; Jarvis Cup, Best average Penzance and Skibbereen YB Nationals: J Greenaway Dromore HPS velocity 1277; Rhead Trophy, Best average St Allouestre OB and Penzance YB Nationals: N Black & Son Dromara HPS velocity 754; Diamond Cup, Best average St Allouestre OB, Sennen Cove Yearling and Penzance YB: N Black & Son Dromara HPS velocity 861; Harkers Trophy, Best average Sennen Cove Yearling and Penzance YB Nationals: J Greenaway Dromore HPS velocity 1319; Robin Duddy Trophy, Best average Sennen Cove and Penzance Young Bird Nationals (three bird nomination): N Grant & Son Balbriggan RPC velocity 1140; Charles Hunniford Memorial Trophy, Best average North section Skibbereen OB & YB Nationals: J Smyth & Sons Drumnavaddy HPS velocity 1460 The New North Cup, Best average Sennen Cove Yearling, St Allouestre King’s Cup, St Malo Friendship, Penzance YB Nationals: J Cullen Bray Invitation RPC velocity 570; President’s Cup, Best average St Allouestre King’s Cup, Sennen Cove Yearling, Penzance YB and Skibbereen YB Nationals: N Black & Son Dromara HPS velocity 902; Erwin Trophy, Best average all National races: Not won:
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Hall of Fame Diplomas awarded for a pigeon three times in the King’s Cup prizes were won by: W English Lisburn & District HPS, Blue cock, GB 09 L 10861: 2011 99th, 2013 156th, 2014 33rd; J Cullen Bray Invitation RPC, Dark Cheq cock, GB 10 P 11393: 2012 63rd, 2013 210th, 2014 22nd:
Framed Diplomas sponsored by Sawyers & Co Estate Agents Banbridge & Dromore, St Allouestre Single Bird Challenge: 1st W Scott Cullybackey HPS, 2nd W Corrigan Loughall HPS, 3rd Cooley Bros Newtown Kilpeddar HPS:
Merit Award Diplomas awarded for a pigeon twice in the King’s Cup Prizes were won by P Dunlop Edgarstown HPS, Blue Cheq hen, GB 11E 00231: 2013 205th, 2014 12th; J Robinson Edgarstown HPS, Blue Cheq cock, GB 09 S 96805: 2013 39th, 2014 24th; Ron Williamson Bondhill HPS, Blue Cheq hen GB 10 B 09142: 2013 226th Open, 2014 7th Open; E Murtagh & Sons Individual North member, Blue Bar hen, GB 11 E 06756: 2013 178th, 2014 23rd; W Catherwood & Sons Ballynahinch HPS, Blue Cheq hen, IHU 10 N 08699: 2013 91st, 2014 29th; Cooley Bros Newtown Kilpeddar HPS, Blue hen, IHU 12 S 114752: 2013 116th, 2014 9th; G O’Reilly & Sons Malahide & District RPC, Mealy cock, IHU 10 S 111553: 2013 161st, 2014 20th; H Gilligan Sallynoggin RPC, Blue hen, IHU 09 S 87883: 2012 66th, 2014 17th; Dando & Bennett Beechpark Social HPS, Blue Bar cock, GB 11A 43619: 2013 196th, 2014 18th; A Thompson Ballyclare & District HPS, Blue hen, GB 11 B 29839: 2013 244th, 2014 19th; J Cullen Bray Invitation RPC Cheq Pied hen, GB 10 P 10735, 2012 10th, 2014 3rd; J Cullen Bray Invitation RPC, Blue hen, IHU 09 S 94311: 2012 50th, 2014 6th:
Friendship National Merit Award for a pigeon twice in the Friendship National prizes was won by C & L Woodside Ballyclare & District HPS, GB 12 B 42299: 2013 9th, 2014 2nd:
Ladies Prizes won by E & M Curran, R Fewings, B & P McEvoy, Mr & Mrs Suittors, B McCarthy, D Irvine
More photos and reports over next few weeks. Thanks to Willie Reynolds for the photos for this report.
Brendan McLoughlin
INFC Press Officer
Blaine_&_Philip_McEvoy_Castlebellingham_receive_the_King's_Cup_from_last_year's_winner_Ron_Williamson
Mr_&_Mrs_D_Suittors_winners_of_the_Friendship_National_and_the_Alan_Darragh_Challenge_Cups.
Ron_Fewings_Rathnew_winner_of_Nelson_Corry_Cup_for_1st_Open_Sennen_Cove_Yearling_National.
Billy_McCarthy_Cork_Fed_receives_the_JMK_McGugan_Perpetual_Cup_for_
1st_Open_Penzance_Young_Bird_National_from_Brendan_McLoughlin.
Denis_Irvine_Harmony,_winner_of_the_Tom_Marshall_Trophy_for_1st_Open_Sibbereen_Yoing_Bird_National.
R_Bell_&_Son_Edgarstown_Cup,_winners_of_the_Nelson_Vase_and_the_NIPA_Cup
J_Cullen_Bray_Invitation_with_his_family_and_the_many_cups_he_won.
John_Catherwood_and_his_grandson_of_Ballynahinch_HPS_winners_of_the_East_Down_Cup_for_
1st_East_Down_Combine_member_in_King's_Cup.
Willie_Berns_Gorey_10th_Open_Yearling_National.
Ron_Williamson_Bondhill_winner_of_the_James_McGugan_Memorial_Cup_for_
winner_of_the_section_not_winning_the_Yearling_national.
Eamon_&_Matthew_Curran,_winners_of_the_Ronnie_Johnston_Challenge_Cup_
for_1st_Open_Skibbereen_OB_National.
G_O'_Reilly_Malahide_receives_the_Robinson_Cup_for_14th_Open_King's_Cup_from_Ollie_Gittins.
Wendell_Scott_Cullybackey,_winner_of_the_McCloud_Cup_and_the_Joe_Doheny_Cup.
Leslie_Woodside_Ballyclatre_&_District_winner_of_the_British_Barcelona_Cup_
for_2nd_Open_Friendship_National.
Joe_Doheny_Malahide_&_District_winner_of_the_John_Miller_Logistics_Cup_
for_1st_member_in_section_not_winning_the_Friendship_National.
Jeff_Greenaway_winner_of_the_De_Scheemaecker_Trophy_for_
Best_2_Bird_Average_Penzance_Young_Bird_National.
Adrian_Grant_of_N_Grant_&_Son_Balbriggan_winner_of_the_Robin_Duddy_Trophy.
J_Smyth_&_Son_Drumnavaddey_winners_of_the_Charles_Hunniford_Memorial_Cup.
The_Black_Family_Dromara_with_their_trophies_at_the_INFC_Annual_Prize_Distribution.