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 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, Mr & Ms Neil Frazer of Frazer Feeds one of the Flying Club’s sponsors.
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, and special guests, Mr & Mrs Frazer. 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, Herbie and Caitlin Thorpe and the National Champions Collins and Douglas. 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. He paid tribute to his fellow Race Controllers Tom Marshall and Willie Hore and to the President Eugene Fitzgerald who travels up from Dublin to meetings and for race markings and he never misses.
Neil Frazer said that he was “proud, honoured and humbled to be invited to present the prizes for the Irish National flying Club”. He wished everyone a happy Christmas and New Year, with best wishes for the year ahead.
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, Blaine McEvoy, Castlebellingham. This year’s winners Herbie and Caitlin Thorpe, Boyne Valley were greeted with a standing ovation.
INFC 2015 CUP AND TROPHY WINNERS
King George V Challenge Cup, St Allouestre, Grand National Old Bird National winner: H & C Thorpe Boyne Valley RPC velocity 1632; Nelson Vase, St Allouestre OB, 1st RPRA member after winner in King’s Cup race: B Morgan Coalisland HPS velocity 1550; Gilliland Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st IHU member after winner in King’s Cup race: D Barry Boyne Valley RPC velocity 1514; East Down Combine Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st EDC member in King’s Cup race: W J Hayes & Son Ballynahinch HPS velocity 1371; Ulster Federation Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st Ulster Federation member in Kings Cup race: A & R Milliken & M Brady Lagan Valley RPC velocity 1452; NIPA Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st NIPA member in King’s Cup race: B Morgan Coalisland HPS velocity 1550; Joe Cullen Memorial Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st East Coast Federation member in Kings Cup race: H & C Thorpe Boyne Valley RPC velocity 1632; Billy Ingle Trophy, St Allouestre OB, 1st Irish South Road Federation member in King’s Cup race: S Fitzgerald Oldcastle RPC velocity 1490; Harkness Rose Bowl, St Allouestre OB, Best two bird average King’s Cup race: A & R Milliken & M Brady Lagan Valley RPC velocity 1452; Joe Doheny Cup, St Allouestre OB, Single Bird Challenge Kings Cup race: J Downing Stillorgan RPC velocity 1484; Robinson Trophy, St Allouestre OB, 14th position in King’s Cup race: D McClelland Ballyclare & District HPS velocity 1476; McCloud Cup, St Allouestre OB, 1st Yearling in the King’s Cup race: Nelson Weir Loughgall HPS velocity 1505;
Ronnie Johnston Challenge Cup, Skibbereen OB Inland National race winner: Adam Hillis Wexford North & South RPC velocity 1432 ; Gerald Delaney Trophy, Skibbereen Old Bird Inland National, best section winning velocity after winning section: L Newman & Family Ballymun RPC velocity 1370; Framed Diploma Winner, Skibbereen National OB, lowest section winning velocity: McComb Bros Killyleagh Central HPS velocity 1346; Friendship Cup, Quimper OB, Friendship National winner: Malachy Maguire & Son Millvale HPS velocity 1796.7; British Barcelona Club Trophy, Quimper OB, 2nd position in the Friendship race: B Cahill Skerries RPC velocity 1796.0; Henry Beattie & Son Trophy, Quimper OB, Best two bird average Friendship National race: B Cahill Skerries RPC velocity 1765; John Miller Logistics Trophy, Quimper OB, 1st member in the section not winning the Open: B Cahill Skerries RPC velocity 1796.0; Ervine Trophy Best Average OB Nationals Quimper & St Allouestre: B Morgan Coalisland HPS velocity 1597;
Nelson Corry Cup, Sennen Cove Yearling National race winner: Martin Shiell Mallow RPC velocity 1167; James McGrugan Memorial Cup, Sennen Cove Yearling National, section winner not winning the Open: Mr & Mrs C Hayes Ballyclare & District HPS velocity 1027: Sam Buckley Memorial Cup, Best two bird average Sennen Cove Yearling National race: Reid Bros & H McCloy Cullybackey HPS velocity 973; Charles Ingle Memorial Trophy, 10th Open position Yearling National race: G & R Lawrie Ballyclare & District HPS velocity 987; J.M.K McGugan Perpetual Cup, Penzance Grand National YB Channel race winner: L Magee & Son Lisburn & District HPS velocity 975; William Erwin Memorial Cup, Penzance, 1st South section in the Channel YB National: Gregory Bros Rathnew RPC velocity 959; De-Scheemaecker Trophy, Penzance YB, Best two bird average in the Channel YB National race: L Magee & Son Lisburn & District velocity 975; Tom Marshall Trophy, Skibbereen Young Bird National race winner: C Farrell Newbridge RPC velocity 1623: Framed Diploma winner of North section Skibbereen YB National: Bingham & Seaton Ligoniel & District HPS velocity 1602; Framed Diploma winner of South section Skibbereen YB National: G Large Newtown Kilpeddar RPC velocity 1580;
J Gilmour Memorial Trophy, Best average St Allouestre OB and Sennen Cove Yearling Nationals: N Black & Sons Dromara HPS velocity 1234; A Darragh Challenge Cup, Best average Quimper Friendship and Sennen Cove Yearling Nationals: Reid Bros & H McCloy Cullybackey HPS velocity 1325; Jarvis Cup, Best average Penzance and Skibbereen YB Nationals: L Magee & Son Lisburn & District HPS velocity 1173; Rhead Trophy, Best average St Allouestre OB and Penzance YB Nationals: G Buckley & Son Annaghmore HPS velocity 1218; Diamond Cup, Best average St Allouestre OB, Sennen Cove Yearling and Penzance YB: Collins & Douglas Blackwatertown WE HPS velocity 1085; Harkers Trophy, Best average Sennen Cove Yearling and Penzance YB Nationals: Collins & Douglas Blackwatertown WE HPS velocity 952; Robin Duddy Trophy, Best average Sennen Cove and Penzance Young Bird Nationals (three bird nomination) A & N Lewis Doagh & District HPS velocity 926; Charles Hunniford Memorial Trophy, Best average North section Skibbereen OB & YB Nationals: Bingham & Seaton Ligoniel & District HPS velocity 1458; The New North Cup, Best average Sennen Cove Yearling, St Allouestre King’s Cup, Quimper Friendship, Penzance YB Nationals: Capper Bros Bondhill Social HPS velocity 1148;
President’s Cup, Best average St Allouestre King’s Cup, Sennen Cove Yearling, Penzance YB and Skibbereen YB Nationals: Collins & Douglas Blackwatertown WE HPS velocity 1139; Erwin Trophy, Best average all National races: Collins & Douglas Blackwatertown WE HPS velocity 1184
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Hall of Fame Diploma awarded for a pigeon three times in the King’s Cup prizes was won by: Dando & Bennett Beechpark Social RPS, Blue cock, GB 11 A 43619: 2013 196th, 2014 18th, 2015 171st:
Framed Diplomas sponsored by Sawyers & Co Estate Agents Banbridge, St Allouestre Single Bird Challenge: 1st J Downing Stillorgan RPC, 2nd T & A Ford Edgarstown HPS, 3rd R Fox Ballybrack RPC:
Ladies Prizes won by Adam Hillis, Martin Sheill, H & C Thorpe, Malachy Maguire & Son, L Magee & Son, C Farrell:
More photos and reports over next few weeks. Thanks to Willie Reynolds for the photos for this report.
Brendan McLoughlin
INFC Press Officer
