Mr & Mrs Sempey retain Highest Prize-winner
The local Ballymena & District had another good turn-out of members and friends to celebrate the recent racing season, the event taking place once again at the Tullyglass Hotel on the Galgorm Road. The event for the last number of years has taken place just prior to the Blackpool Show, this year the date was Saturday 10th January.
Chairman of the club Tom McAlonan welcomed everyone and said he was pleased to see visitors attending from Cullybackey, Harryville, Broughshane and Rasharkin & District in the form of special guests Jackie Steele & Ricky McNeill. They had a best ever season lifting the top awards in Rasharkin, and also collecting the Mid Antrim Combine Champions League with a fantastic loft performance from Truro and Penzance, with the same small team of birds. He invited George Eagleson to say grace and then the members made their way to the Carvery, a fantastic five course meal including Turkey, Ham, Roast Beef and Pork perfectly served by the staff.
Membership of the club is growing every season, racing is very competitive, and top awards were collected by a number of the local lofts over the entire programme. Last year Mr & Mrs Sempey lifted the Highest Prize-winner award for the first time and another good effort racing to lofts at Ballykeel with 9 x 1sts saw them retain the famous Harper Cup. As last year they were just ahead of the ever consistent Billy & Joe Smyth who were tops in 2012. The club were to win the Mid Antrim Combine YB Points Shield for the second time in three seasons, Mr & Mrs Sempey topped Combine & Sect in the Rosscarbery Yearling Cock Nat, Blair & Rankin topped the Combine & Sect in the erratic race from Clonmel and then in the opening race of the young bird season from Mullingar topped the NIPA winning 1st Open on velocity 1241 with 2,355 birds competing. McFall & McManus had a best season since re-joining the club and had a top result in the Fermoy 5 Bird Championship winning 1st MAC, 2nd Sect & 2nd Open NIPA 425/1935. MDC Magill scored the big result from Penzance and were to win the Meritorious Award from Sect B with best Individual Bird performance Talbenny & Penzance. Martin Graham had two early birds on the second morning from St Malo in France and just missed out on the NIPA 2 Bird Average, McAlonan Bros were next best, and just over 100 birds made home lofts in race time. The MAC and Sect B Diplomas were presented by Nicola Gilbert.
This year for the first time the INFC race programme was run separately and Martin Graham was to win the INFC Points Cup for the seventh season on the trot, he had the first six birds in the Yearling Nat and timed seven birds in the hard Penzance YB Nat, Connolly & Purvis won the NIPA Rosscarbery and INFC Skibbereen in successive weeks with the same bird, and had Best Young Bird.
The club pay-out was just short of £880 which included £100 in the Show Special Nom, Elke & Martin Sempey won the £50 in Rosscarbery while MDC Magill had the £50 from Penzance. The leading lofts to the table were – Mr & Mrs Sempey, W & J Smyth, McFall & McManus, Blair & Rankin, Connolly & Purvis, Martin Graham, MDC Magill, Denis Craig, McAlonan Bros, Brian O’Rawe, G & A Eagleson, and J McNaghten & Son. The prize cards were presented by Tracy Burns and Glen Gilpen. The top four lofts will represent Ballymena & District in the 2015 MAC Champions League.
INFC Winners – Martin Graham, Blair & Rankin, Connolly & Purvis, J W Reynolds, James Harris, M/M Sempey and G & A Eagleson.
Race winners over the season were as follows: Old Birds – Tullamore M/M Sempey 1605, Roscrea (1) M/M Sempey 1497, Roscrea (2) MDC Magill 1236, Clonmel (1) Blair & Rankin 1680, Mallow M Graham 1474, Rosscarbery Inl Nat 2069, Roscrea (3) McFall & McManus 1992, Talbenny M/M Sempey 1546, Bude G & A Eagleson 1328, Rosscarbery Ylr Cock Nat M/M Sempey 1619, Rosscarbery Ylr Hen Nat W & J Smyth 1579, Clonmel (2) M/M Sempey 2018, Fermoy 5 Bird Championship McFall & McManus 2063, Truro McFall & McManus 812, Mallow (2) McFall & McManus 1135, Penzance MDC Magill 957, Penzance Classic MDC Magill 957, Roscrea (4) W & J Smyth 1202, St Malo (France) Nat M Graham 653. Young Birds – (Area Lib) Mullingar Blair & Rankin 1241, (Area Lib) Tullamore Blair & Rankin 1352, Tullamore Blair & Rankin 1669, Roscrea McFall & McManus 1709, Clonmel M/M Sempey 1553, Fermoy (1) M/M Sempey 1314, Talbenny Nat Blair & Rankin 1355, Roscrea (2) M/M Sempey 1703, Fermoy B O’Rawe 1153, Fermoy 5 Bird Championship M/M Sempey 1095, Rosscarbery Nat Connolly & Purvis 1318.
Irish Nat FC – Skibbereen Old Bird Inland Blair & Rankin 1425, Sennen Cove Yearling Martin Graham 1390, Penzance Young Bird Martin Graham 1010, Skibbereen Young Bird Inland Connolly & Purvis 1312.
The top birds receive a framed photo, these were presented by Wendy Graham.
Blue Cheq (h) GB13A-33238 “Just Like That”
1st Club, 1st MAC, 2nd Sect B & 2nd Open NIPA
Fermoy 5B Championship 425/1,945 – Vel 2063
Raced by McFall & McManus, Ballymena & District
Blue Cheq (c) GB13V-12718 “King of the Keel”
1st Club, 1st MAC, 1st Sect B & 10th Open NIPA
Rosscarbery Yearling Cocks Nat 431/2,171 – Vel 1619
Raced by M/M M Sempey, Ballymena & District
Martin Graham – 1st & 2nd Club St Malo (France) OB National
Cheq (h) GB12B-05019 won 4th MAC, 4th Sect B & 17th Open NIPA 404/1304 – Vel 653
Cheq Pied (c) GB12B-05021 won 5th MAC, 5th Sect B & 18th Open NIPA 404/1304 – Vel 651
Martin Graham – 1st & 2nd Club Penzance YB National
Blue (c) GB14B-00132 won 3rd MAC, 27th North Sect & 33rd Open INFC 401/2332 – Vel 1010
Cheq Pied (h) GB14B-00122 won 4th MAC, 28th North Sect & 34th Open INFC 401/2332 – Vel 1007
“Jackie Boy” Dark Cheq (c) GB12A-10250
Raced by M.D.C Magill, Ballymena & District RPRA Meritorious Award Winner 2014.
Special guests Steele & McNeill presented the cups and trophies, many thanks again to Martin Graham who made all the arrangements for the presentation night, job well done.
Top prize-winners Mr & Mrs Sempey won the following – Yearling Cocks National, Old Bird Inland Average, Slemish Cup Talbenny, Roger King Memorial, Harper Perpetual Cup for Highest Prize-winner. W & J Smyth won – Yearling Hens National. McFall & McManus won – Fermoy 5 Bird. Blair & Rankin won – Rosscarbery OB Inl Nat, Vintage Cup Talbenny YB Nat, Ruddle Cup, YB Inland Ave, Tullamore YB, Victory Cup YB Ave, Carney Shield INFC Young Bird Ave, Flamingo Cup YB Talbenny & Rosscarbery Ave. Connolly & Purvis won – Rosscarbery YB Nat, Skibbereen YB Nat, Best Individual Young Bird. Martin Graham won – Carnvale Cup Ylr Nat, Livingstone Cup 2B Ave Ylr Nat, Barr Cup St Malo, McDowell Challenge St Malo, Penzance YB Nat, and Law Family Cup INFC Points. MDC Magill won – Carney Rose Bowl Best Individual OB, Mooney Cup Best Individual Bird, Penzance Cup. G & A Eagleson won Bude. T R Alexander & Son won – Law Memorial Cup 1st Yearling Penzance. W & N Gilbert won – Show Shield. Russell Bros (Cullybackey) won - Show Visitors Trophy.
Members were thanked for their help and support over the season including James Harris who looks after the races each week and ETS, we had another very successful show season and the New Year’s Day Show was held in our own clubrooms for the second time will capacity entry. Thanks to W & N Gilbert who were looking after the show season for the first time. A lot of lofts are mated up and are looking forward to racing in April, it will be harder again in 2015 with some new lofts joining. There is enough racing for every member inland and sprint, and cross channel through to France.
The AGM for Ballymena & District will take place in the local clubrooms at Fountain Place on Monday 9th February at 8.00pm. Resolutions for the agenda must be with the Secretary Willie Reynolds by Saturday 31st January, and remember any resignations prior to the AGM. See the Ballymena & Dist Ace birds in the dinner report in the Forum at http://www.pigeonnetwork.com
** The Officers and members of Cullybackey HPS would like to thank all those who supported the recent Open Show. Those who supported with birds and prizes and also the sponsors who included the main sponsors from the Village the Bridge Garage and Brian Herbison, and also the usual good supply of prizes donated from Frazer Feeds in Banbridge and H Beattie & Son Tandragee. Overall the show was another fantastic success and members are now looking forward to racing. Edrick Davidson, Secretary.
Officials and prize winners at the Ballymena & Dist HPS dinner in Tullyglass Hotel.
Highest Prize-winners M/M Sempey with special guests Steele & McNeill.
