At the Larne Dinner held in the clubrooms on Friday 5th December, the cups and trophies were presented first. Chairman Alister McNaghten welcomed a full house of members and friends to the well decorated clubrooms for the annual Christmas Dinner Dance. He said the intention was to commence proceedings with the prize distribution before we settle down for the meal , a carvery this time once again provided by Marti McToal and his team.
The Chairman said that the 2014 flying season had its challenges but as always the members braved the weather, NIPA race decisions and young bird losses to complete the racing season in style. Members also supported a number of events including the Club Shows, the big Monster Show held the week previous, a Pigeon Moot and the Spring Fayre & Charity Auction.
Some 40 members of the club sent 11,504 birds racing for a total of £860 in prize money, over £3,000 in pools plus a further £3,800 in Sale Birds and Show Specials etc.
It was indeed a very busy season and the Chairman took the opportunity to thank all those members who played their part each week of the year. He had particular praise for Paul Harvey the Racing Secretary for 2014 who did a fabulous job which took up a lot of his time which he gave of freely and without question. He also thanked Stephanie O’Neill the Financial Secretary and Vice Chairman Joe McLaughlin in making all the arrangements for the big night.
Alister then invited President Owen Donnely and his wife Nancy to present the first awards of the evening to be followed by Vice Chair Joe McLaughlin and wife Pauline to present the remaining prizes. Highest Prize-winners were L & S O’Neill & Sons who collected Magill Trophy, R Anderson Mem Cup, Old Bird Knock-Out, Combined Inland Average, and Holden Memorial Cup.
A S McNaghten had a fantastic season as well racing especially well with the young birds, he won McLaughlin Cup, Dempsey Cup, Town Hall Cup, Young Bird Average, OB Ave, Comb Ave, and Robert Mills Mem Cup.
Crawford & Robinson won the £1,000 Sale Bird and Ferguson Mem Cup, McCluggage Cup, D Donnelly Mem Cup, Ferguson Mem Cup, Civic Week Cup, Highways Trophy, McLaughlin Mem Cup, and Longmore Cup.
David & Paul Harvey won AVG Trophy and Gibson Shield. G K & I Moxham won Joe Goodall Mem Cup, Royal Tara School of Dancing, Bobby Rainey Mem Cup, B McWilliams Mem Cup, and Young Bird Knock-Out. A McCormick won Fishermans Shield. Mark McCormick won Surgenor Cup. Robert Glass won the Talbenny Sale Bird and Bamber Shield. Tam Mullan & Son had the big early bird in the Old Bird Nat from St Malo, just over 100 birds home they finished 5th Sect C & 13th Open NIPA plus £500. They won the Old Bird Derby Cup and Isa Robinson Trophy. A big congratulation as well to Sammy Birnd who won the Silver Diploma for a bird three times in the OB Nat prizes. From St Malo 2012 10th Sect C & 55th Open NIPA on Vel 1224, Portland 2013 9th Sect C & 35th Open NIPA on Vel 1057 and then 2014 from St Malo 11th Sect C & 51st Open NIPA on Vel 559.
Willie McWhirter won the Show Trophy as usual and J & D McWhirter had pools and prizes. INFC Race winners included Skibbereen Old Bird Beggs & Hall, Penzance Yearling G K & I Moxham a former Nat winner and Penzance YB Nat Robert Glass who has won 2 x 1st Nationals.
The official race winners were as follows. Old Birds: Tullamore – Crawford & Robinson, 1st Roscrea - Beggs & Hall, 2nd Roscrea – Rea & Magill, Clonmel – G K & I Moxham, Mallow – R Mills & Son, Rosscarbery – C Campbell & Son, Talbenny – Crawford & Robinson, Bude – Crawford & Robinson, Thuro – L & S O’Neill & Sons, Penzance – R Mills & Son, St Malo – T Mullen & Sons. Young Birds: Mullingar – S & W Gray, 1st Tullamore – A S McNaghten, 2nd Tullamore – R Mills & Son, Roscrea – A S McNaghten, Clonmel – A S McNaghten, 1st Fermoy – D & P Harvey, Talbenny Nat – Baxter & Holden, 2nd Fermoy – Beggs & Hall, Rosscarbery Nat – Crawford & Robinson.
Dancing continued into the small hours, music supplied by Country Star Philip English from Kildare.
Let me now review the racing season starting with the NIPA old bird season, for Tullamore the entry was just 224 birds but Crawford & Robinson were ready filling the top three places with the winner doing velocity 1665 finishing 24th Sect C and 136th Open NIPA with 13,884 birds. The two races from Roscrea had over 1,000 birds marked at Larne, winners Beggs & Hall were the only loft exceeding vel 1500 in the first one and finished 1st Sect C 190/4549 and 46th Open NIPA with 23,881 birds competing. Rea & Magill were 2nd, 3rd and 6th in this one and with three early arrivals in the second one had the top three with the winner doing velocity 1285 and birds taking 9th, 11th & 13th Sect C and 26th, 29th and 31st Open NIPA with 24,161 birds competing. Clonmel was an erratic race for most lofts but G K & I Moxham had the top two, local club entry over 900 birds. The winner doing velocity 1631 finished 5th Sect C and 58th Open NIPA with 25,500 birds competing, the last big entry.
Just 25 members sent 351 birds to Mallow for the 5th race of the season, Red Card winner was Rab Mills & Son recording velocity 1522, the loft was also 3rd and 5th. Rosscarbery Inland Nat was next a good race for the Larne & Dist with 31 members sending 308 birds. It turned out fast and winners C Campbell & Son doing velocity 2114 finished 2nd Sect C and 6th Open NIPA from 5669 birds plus £245. Beggs & Hall were 3rg & 7th Sect C and 8th & 14th Open NIPA plus £150 and Rea & Magill with three birds finished 8th, 12th & 13th Sect C and 15th, 21st & 22nd Open NIPA plus £90. R Mills & Son won the comeback from Roscrea on the same day and on velocity 2048 finished 26th Open NIPA with 15,107 birds.
In the first cross channel race from Talbenny in South Wales 32 members sent 436 birds, Crawford & Robinson were best recording velocity 1544 to finish 9th Sect C and 41st Open NIPA 10,852 birds. We moved on to Bude this time 30 members sent 364 birds and the same result with winners Crawford & Robinson recording velocity 1385 to finish 2nd Sect C and 10th Open NIPA with 8754 birds. The Yearling Nat for Cocks & Hens was held on the same weekend, both races from Rosscarbery were won by Rea & Magill. In the Hen Nat on vel 1595 the loft finished 5th Sect C and 31st Open NIPA 1859 birds, in the Cock Nat doing vel 1588 the loft finished 19th Sect C and 64th Open NIPA with 2171 birds.
The week after this we had further races in Ireland the 5 Bird Fermoy Championship we will leave as it is both races flown on Sunday with the Fermoy birds held over from Friday. The race from Clonmel was won by Rea & Magill recording velocity 1962 to finish 9th in Sect C 103/1350. The new race from Truro was next a good result for L & S O’Neill & Sons with 1st, 3rd & 4th, 22 members had sent 170 birds. The winner doing velocity 935 finished 2nd Sect C and 8th Open NIPA with 4389 birds, runner-up E McAuley doing vel 872 finished 12th Sect & 42nd Open. The comeback race from Mallow on the same weekend had Rea & Magill 1st on velocity 1171 to finish 28th Sect & 86th Open NIPA with 8872 birds. Penzance was the final race before France, 25 members sent 168 birds. R Mills & Son were out on their own doing velocity 933 to finish 8th Sect C & 50th Open NIPA 4967 birds. Runner-up Rea & Magill finished 33rd Sect C & 160th Open, Beggs & Hall had the next four club birds and they were best in the duplicate OB Championship. Final race was from St Malo in France for the OB National, Tam Mullen & Sons were early on the second day to record velocity 678 and finish 5th Sect C & 13th Open NIPA 404/1304 plus £510. Baxter & Holden were next best doing vel 560 to finish 10th Sect C & 49th Open NIPA plus £110 and Sammy Birds timed his good bird around the same time to win the NIPA Silver Diploma plus £215, a fantastic achievement from a small loft. S Burns Larne & District (GB07 L-22422): 2012 St. Malo - 55th Open & 10th Sect C on Vel 1224; 2013 Portland - 35th Open & 9th Sect C on Vel 1057; 2014 St.Malo - 51st Open & 11th Sect C on Vel 559.
Now on to the young bird season, first race and second Area Liberations. From Mullingar 21/558 S & W Gray had the top three with the birds doing velocity 1316 to finish 23rd, 24th & 25th Open NIPA 2122 birds. The second race was Tullamore 31/933 and the winner A S McNaghten doing velocity 1356 finished 22nd Open NIPA 3617 birds. The second time at Tullamore was a mass lib, club entry 27/727, the winners on vel 1737 R Mills & Son finished 11th Sect C & 23rd Open NIPA 18,683 birds. The Chairman A S McNaghten won the next two, from Roscrea 29/789 doing vel 1805 he finished 6th Sect C & 14th Open NIPA 21,391 birds. Runner-up Crawford & Robinson were just a yard behind. Another good entry at Clonmel 31/812, A S McNaghten doing vel 1633 finished 28th Sect C & 70th Open NIPA 20,424 birds. Beggs & Hall and R Mills & Son were a close 2nd and 3rd. D & P Harvey had the best bird in Fermoy (1) 29/678 doing velocity 1374 finished 14th Sect C & 93rd Open NIPA 17,824 birds. Next best A S McNaghten and Beggs & Hall were close again. Talbenny Nat was next 20 members sent 125 birds and the early bird was timed by Baxter & Holden doing velocity 1390 finishing 10th Sect C & 21st Open NIPA 419/3002 plus £90. A S McNaghten was runner-up again 13th Sect C & 44th Open NIPA plus £110. Mark McCormick won the comeback race from Roscrea, doing vel 1733 he finished 93rd Open NIPA 7138 birds. At Fermoy the second time 19/308 Beggs & Hall took 1st & 2nd the winner doing velocity 1186. Finally it was the Rosscarbery Inland Nat 17/191 and the winners doing velocity 1358 were Crawford & Robinson finishing 3rd Sect C & 44th Open NIPA 3782 birds. Beggs & Hall were next best.
Winners racing with the Irish Nat FC included Beggs & Hall 1st Club in Skibbereen OB, G K & I Moxham 1st Club Penzance Ylr and Robert Glass 1st Club Penzance YB, the Moxham and Glass lofts are former INFC National winners, Beggs & Hall have been 1st Open NIPA.
HOMER. Willie Reynolds
Tel/Fax: (028) 256 44683
Mobile: 07538 238364
Twitter: willie reynolds@homerbhw
Email: reynoldshomer@aol.com
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Officials and prize-winners at the Annual Dinner held in Larne.
The seasons Top Prizewinners L & S O'Neill & Sons collect awards from Owen & Nancy Donnelly.
Larne Chairman Alister McNaghten collects awards.
Crawford & Robinson won 8 cups and £1,000 Sale Bird.
Paul Harvey collects awards for D & P Harvey.
Joe & Pauline McLaughlin present awards to G K & I Moxham.
Arti McCormick won the Fishermans Shield.
Mark McCormick (r) won the Surgenor Cup.
Former Nat winner Robert Glass (r) won Talbenny Sale Bird.
Larne Chairman A McNaghten presents Show Shield to Willie McWhirter.
J & D McWhirter won pools and prizes.
Tam Mullen (r) won the Old Bird Nat from St Malo (France).
The officials present a bouquet of flowers to Stephanie O'Neill.
The top lofts of 2014 in Larne O'Neill Family and Alister McNaghten.