The Harryville HPS recently held their Dinner and Prize Presentation for the year in the Pennybridge based Grafters Café a good turn-out of members and friends were made welcome by Chairman George Price.
Jimmy Rock who has his loft at Albert Place in the town was Highest Prize-winner for the first time last season and retained the title again in 2014. Without doubt the top result of the year in young birds was when Jimmy had the best bird in the Premier YB Nat from Talbenny in South Wales winning 1st MAC, 1st Sect B & 1st Open NIPA with his bird now named “Rockies Boy”. In the old bird racing it was Old Hand Roy Clements who achieved a top result in the Premier OB Nat from St Malo when only 102 birds made home in race time. For years Roy Clements dominated in the races from France especially in the NIPA and almost won the Kings Cup in 1994 when runner-up to the late Henry Beattie from Rennes. In St Malo this year Roy timed his bird early on the second morning to take 2nd MAC, 2nd Sect B & 7th Open NIPA plus £120, the only bird timed in the club.
George in his address to the members thanked all those who assisted in the last season, he congratulated all the winners and had a special word for Secretary Robert Service who has given great service to the club over many years. Special guest Miss Chantelle Letters was invited to present the awards.
The leading lofts were: Jimmy Rock, R H Clements, J Millar & Son, Allen McBride, George Price, T Johnston & Son, Lexie Mullan, Joe Ramsey, J & C Letters, and R Service & Son. Race winners included J Rock 7 x 1sts, A McBride 6 x 1sts, R H Clements 5 x 1sts, J Millar & Son 3 x 1sts, G Price 3 x 1sts, J Ramsey 2 x 1sts, T Johnston & Son 1 x 1st, and J & C Letters 1 x 1sts. Jimmy Rock topped MAC in the Fermoy 5 Bird Championship for Young Birds and George Price with a best ever season topped MAC from Talbenny and also won Bude.
Cups & Trophies 2014:
Jimmy Rock won – Highest Prize-winner Cup, Combined Inland Average, Combined Points, Best Individual Bird, Most Points all Derby Races, Young Bird Average, Best Ave Fermoy (1) & (2).
R H Clements won – Best Ave all Derby Races, Best Ave OB & YB Derbies, Lowest Winning Velocity, Best Ave first three young bird races, Best Ave Comeback Races, Most Points all France Races, Best Ave Mallow (1) & (2).
Jack Millar & Son won – Old Bird Inland Average, Best Ave Bude & Penzance, Best Ave Penzance O/B & Talbenny Y/B.
Trevor Johnston & Son won – National Points Average, Most Points Derby & Nat Races. George Price won – Best Ave Talbenny & Bude. Allen McBride won – Best Ave 1st O/B Race & 1st Y/B Race.
Irish National FC Races – Skibbereen Old Bird won by T Johnston & Son, Sennen Cove Yearling won by Billy Ramsey, Penzance Young Bird won by Wesley Jackson, Skibbereen Young Bird won by T Johnston & Son. Good luck to the members in 2015.
Let me quickly review the racing season of 2014 in the NIPA, Jimmy Rock was to start where he left off the previous year winning the first race from Tullamore finishing 10th MAC & 20th Sect B 113/2534 on velocity 1563. The nest two races from Roscrea were won by Allen McBride and J Millar & Son and then the strange race from Clonmel when a lot of birds were lost never to be seen again it was Joe Ramsey who races to the Moat Road who timed the winner on velocity 1644 finishing 7th MAC, 9th Sect B & 40th Open NIPA when 25,549 birds were competing. Allen McBride won for the second time with the winner from Mallow finishing 6th MAC & 9th Sect B 104/1912. The Inland Nat was flown as usual from Rosscarbery and won by Jimmy Rock, in a fast race doing velocity 2026 the loft finished 13th MAC, 18th Sect B & 216th Open NIPA 5,669 birds. Joe Ramsey won the comeback race from Roscrea on the same day, doing velocity 2022 he finished 2nd MAC & Sect B and 86th Open NIPA with 15,107 birds a yard ahead of J Millar & Son.
Best result to date was recorded in the opening cross channel race from Talbenny in South Wales, George Price had the early arrival recording velocity 1579 to win 1st MAC, 2nd Sect B & 16th Open NIPA with 10,852 birds competing. Next best Allen McBride was just a yard behind. George Price won the nest week from Bude and on the same day was best in the club in the Rosscarbery Yearling Cock Nat, finishing 90th Open NIPA 2171 birds. Roy Clements won the Yearling Hens Nat and finished 120th Open NIPA 1859 birds. Allen McBride won twice on the same day, in Clonmel (2) on velocity 2034 he finished 2nd MAC, 3rd Sect B & 44th Open NIPA 7685 birds. In the Fermoy 5 Bird Championship the loft finished 67th Open NIPA. Jimmy Letter won the hard race from Truro, on velocity 846 the loft finished 4th MAC, 5th Sect B & 60th Open NIPA 4389 birds, on the same day Roy Clements was best from Mallow. Jack Millar & Son won all three races the next week, Penzance on velocity 756 and the Penzance Classic and then the comeback race from Roscrea. Only one bird was timed from St Malo in France, Roy Clements was early on the second morning to finish 2nd MAC, 2nd Sect B & a good 7th Open NIPA on velocity 742 with 1304 birds competing. Just around 100 birds made home lofts and cash winnings were £120.
Now to the young birds and early success from Mullingar for Trevor Johnston & Son racing to the Doury Road recording velocity 1157 to finish 22nd Open in this Area lib with 2355 birds competing. Allen McBride won the next two races from Tullamore, the second one was the start of the mass liberations, velocity that day was 1661. It was fast again the next week from Roscrea with Jimmy Rock best doing velocity 1731 to finish 5th MAC & 6th Sect B. Roy Clements was best from Clonmel and then Jimmy Rock had 1st, 2nd and 3rd in Fermoy (1). One week later Jimmy was to win the Talbenny YB National with “Rockies Boy”, on velocity 1449 1st MAC, 1st Sect B & 1st Open NIPA 419/3002 plus £220. On the same day Roy Clements was best from Roscrea. Jimmy Rock was to win the last three races to complete a best ever racing season. He had the winner from Fermoy doing velocity 1151 while in the duplicate 5 Bird Championship scored with the same bird 1st MAC, 3rd Sect B & 87th Open NIPA 260/1210. He finished with the top two in the Rosscarbery Inland Nat, 8th & 10th MAC, 21st & 24th Sect B and 215th & 242nd Open NIPA 396/3782, winning velocity was 1315.
HOMER. Willie Reynolds
Tel/Fax: (028) 256 44683
Mobile: 07538 238364
Twitter: willie reynolds@homerbhw
Email: reynoldshomer@aol.com
www.pigeonnetwork.com
Officials and prize winners at the Annual Dinner in Grafters Cafe.
Highest Prize-winner Jimmy Rock collects his award from Chantelle Letters.
Roy Clements won 6 x 1sts and was best from St Malo (France).
Club Chairman George Price (l) with Allen McBride.
Chantelle Letters presents the Truro Trophy to her dad Jimmy.
Chairman George Price had good season winning both Talbenny & Bude.
The ever consistent J Millar & Son won 3 x 1sts including Penzance.
Jimmy Rock won 2 x 1sts in MAC plus Young Bird of the Year.
Secretary Robert Service presents MAC Diploma to George Price.
Jimmy Rock and wife Margaret at the NIPA Ladies Night with the McKeown Cup.
George Price holding his Talbenny winner.