Steele & McNeill won: Old Bird NIPA National Rosscarbery, Old Bird INFC National Skibbereen, Old Bird Yearling Cocks NIPA National Rosscarbery, Mallow 5 Bird Championship, Matt Barkley Memorial Old Bird Inland Average, Penzance Cup. Penzance Classic, Old Bird Knock Out Cup, Old Bird Channel Average, Old Bird of The Year, Young Bird 5 Bird Championship, Young Bird NIPA National Talbenny, Young Bird Average, Young Bird of The Year, Young Bird INFC National Skibbereen, and the Mamie Simpson Memorial Cup for the Highest Prize Winners presented by club President Tony Simpson.
Also topping the Mid Antrim Combine were J & M Milliken from Clonmel, J & M Milliken won: Old Bird INFC Yearling National, Young Bird National NIPA Rosscarbery, Young bird Knock Out Cup, Young Bird INFC National Penzance. Tomas Kaczynski won: Old Bird Yearling Hens NIPA National, James McFetridge Memorial Sprint Cup, Best Average Two Young Bird Nationals. To top off a fantastic season Rasharkin & District HPS won the Old Bird Club Shield in the Mid Antrim Combine.
Officials and members at the club presentation in the Clough Rangers Club.
President Tony Simpson and Steele & McNeill with MAC awards,
Champions League, the new Shanks Memorial Cup, and OB Points Shield.
Mid Antrim Combine race winners Steele & McNeill and J & M Milliken.
Main sponsor Noel Twaddle presents YB Nat Penzance cup to J & M Milliken.
President Tony Simpson presents the Mamie Simpson Mem Cup for Highest Prize-winner to Steele & McNeill.
Super Mario the Mid Antrim Combine OB of the Year.
The two main racers that achieved the MAC Champions League for Rasharkin.
NIPA vote down bird limit -
The 70th Annual General Meeting for the NIPA was held in the Protestant Hall, Glenavy, on Saturday 14th February 2015, Chairman Alan Darragh declared the meeting open and firstly asked the members to stand and observe a moments silence in respect of deceased members. The Secretary was then invited to read the minutes of the previous AGM, and then moved on to the Secretary’s Report which had been submitted to all clubs with a copy of Accounts. A few questions were raised from the floor, before the items were passed. Comeback races come in for a bit of discussion regarding lifting birds at local clubs and then the revenue collected. It is worth noting just how much these races are used by the membership, generally without question.
The Secretary gave a detailed answer regarding both numbers and revenue for each area, and they played an important part over the year. On the day of Rosscarbery Nat 17th May Roscrea had 677/15,107, on the day of Truro 14th June Mallow had 603/8,872, on the day of Penzance 21st June 346/4,113 and finally on the weekend of Talbenny YB Nat 31st August Roscrea had 325/7,138. The numbers nearly speak for themselves. It would help and save some time if queries regarding the accounts could be put to the Secretary prior to the AGM and he would have the time to prepare answers for the AGM.
Under AOB for 2014 Ken Wilkinson gave some details of the work carried out weekly and the effort put in by the various Committees, and some late nights, to give the membership the very best by way of racing and looking after the welfare of the birds at the same time.
All offices were declared vacant and all officials of the NIPA including the member clubs were thanked for their support the previous season, it was hard going at times. There was very little change at the top, all members were returned. Patron L Boyle (Dromore WE), President Alan Darragh (Cullybackey) with Robert Reid (Carrick & Dist) as Senior Vice President. Life Vice-Presidents are A McDonnell (Coleraine Prem), L Boyle (Dromore WE), D Carson (Banbridge HPS), M Livingstone (Portadown & Drumcree), O Donnelly (Larne & Dist), J Kelly (Londonderry), H McVeigh (Killyleagh), V Thom (Cookstown) and H Boyd (Coalisland).
Chairman Alan Darragh (Cullybackey), Vice Chairman S Thompson (Coleraine & Co Derry), Financial Secretary F Russell (Dromore WE), Assistant Secretary G McEvoy (Dromore WE), Fleet Supervisor T Mulgrew (Dromore), Press Officers W Reynolds (Ballymena & Dist), S McGarry (Horseshoe). RPRA Delegates – N Hanna (Ligoniel), W Seaton (Ligoniel). Auditors Robinson & Co (Portadown).
The Finance & General Purposes Management Committee were elected, some positions will have to be confirmed at later Sect Meetings. The following were returned.
Sect A – H Boyd (Dungannon), J Hanson (Coleraine Prem). Sect B – K Wilkinson (New Antrim), G Magill (Muckamore), G McDowell (Kells & Dist), K Kernohan (Harryville). Sect C – L O’Neill (Larne & Dist), S McGarry (Horseshoe), W McClelland (Doagh & Dist), W Seaton (Ligoniel), G Robinson (Carrick Soc). Sect D – J Vage (Dromore), A Houston (Lisburn & Dist), J McCready (Lisburn & Dist). Sect E – K Henderson (Lurgan Soc), J Parr (Edgarstown), S Corrigan (Loughgall), D Mawhinney (Beechpark Soc). Sect F – P Murray (Killyleagh), B Smyth (Kircubbin). Sect G – C O’Hare (Ballyholland), G Delaney (Ashfield), B Durkin (Newry). Sect H – P McLoughlin (Maiden City), D Simpson (Londonderry), J Ramsey (Derry & Dist). Sect G membership will reduce by one member in 2016 and two others are getting close to a reduction of one member.
Only one Resolution was listed on the agenda. Submitted by Horseshoe HPS in Larne.
Introduce a 50 Bird Limit per annual subscription fee paid to the NIPA per loft. NIPA Rules 56 and 78 still apply regarding limits in National, Classic and 5 Bird Races. For 21, Against 60.
The NIPA are accepting applications for the following positions: Race Contoller, Convoyer and Lorry Drivers. In all the above positions excluding Convoyer a good working knowledge of Racing Pigeons is desired, in the case of the Convoyers position this can only be awarded to a long time racing pigeon fancier with a detailed knowledge of the transportation and welfare of racing pigeons. Applications with current CV and References to the NIPA Secretary at 108 Hillsborough Road Dromore, Co Down, BT25 1QW, before 28th Feb 2015. Forms were available for all clubs to list distances of the members in the Nat & Classic races, the distance is to be included in the results and modification to the computer was £400. Penzance is not available for the OB Classic on 6th June, if this programme is passed an alternative race point will have to be used. NIPA Crates were increased by 25p in 2006 making it £9 Inland and £9 Cross Channel. Not been changed since, and no plans for increase in 2015.
Programme (1) is what was flown last season in old birds, Programme (2) is the modified one. Eight inland races before Talbenny in South Wales, four cross channel races as usual and an inland race on the France weekend. Programme (3) for young birds was flown last season, Programme (4) is the modified one. The opening two races will just have two liberations, top half away first in Mullingar followed by bottom half at Tullamore.
Race programme for 2015 -
Programme (1) Old Birds: 11th April Tullamore, 18th April Roscrea/Thurles Area *, 25th April Roscrea/Thurles Area *, 2nd May Clonmel, 9th May Fermoy, 16th May Rosscarbery Inl Nat, 16th May Roscrea/Thurles Comeback *, 23rd May Talbenny, 30th May Bude, 30th May Rosscarbery Y/H & Y/C Nat, 6th June Truro, 6th Jine Fermoy 5 Bird Championship, 13th June Penzance Classic, 13th June Fermoy, 20th June Penzance, 20th June Roscrea Comeback *, 26th June St Malo Nat (France).
Programme (2) Old Birds: 11th April Tullamore, 18th April Tullamore, 25th April Roscrea/Thurles Area *, 2nd May Fermoy, 9th May Fermoy, 16th May Rosscarbery Inl Nat, 16th May Tramore Area, 23rd May Pilmore Beach, 30th May Talbenny, 6th June Penzance Classic 6th June Rosscarbery Area, 13th June Bude, 13th June Rosscarbery Y/H & Y/C Nat, 20th June Penzance, 20th June Fermoy 5 Bird Championship, 26th June St Malo Nat (France), 26th June Roscrea/Thurles Area *.
Programme (3) Young Birds: 18th July Area Liberations, 25th July Area Liberations, 1st August Tullamore Mass Lib, 8th August Roscrea/Thurles *, 15th August Roscrea/Clonmel *, 22nd August Fermoy, 29th August Talbenny Nat, 29th August Roscrea/Thurles Comeback *, 5th September Fermoy, 5th September Fermoy 5 Bird Championship, 12th September Rosscarbery Nat.
Programme (4) Young Birds: 18th July Mullingar Area Lib (Top of A, B, C & H), 18th July Tullamore Area Lib (Bottom A, D, E, F & G), 25th July Mullingar Area Lib (Top of A, B, C & H), 18th July Tullamore Area Lib (Bottom A, D, E, F & G), 1st August Roscrea/Thurles Mass Lib *, 8th August Roscrea/Thurles *, 15th August Fermoy, 22nd August Pilmore Beach, 29th August Talbenny Nat, 29th August Roscrea/Thurles Comeback *, 5th September Fermoy, 5th September Fermoy 5 Bird Championship, 12th September Rosscarbery Nat. Votes must be returned before 21st February 2015.