The leading lofts were – Surgenor Bros, B Swann & Son, George McDowell, J Millar & Son, Tully Lofts, Henry Turkington, A Barkley & Son, Gregg Bros, C & D Jackson, Harry Boyd, T Shanks & Son, McFarlane & Agnew and Stephen Bell. Jeff Surgenor has dominated in the club for the last number of years, he has won three in a row Highest prize-winner followed by the improved Brian Swann & Son and George McDowell who was tops in 2013. Brian Swann & Son were Champions in the sponsored Sizzlers 2 Bird Club.
Things were a bit different when I attended the function in 1977 attending the local Ross Lodge Hotel for the second year running. Billy McClure was Chairman, George McDowell Treasurer and Secretary was the late Roy McFarlane. Jim McGall & Son and Alan Barkley were congratulated clocking good birds in the French Derby and Nat races, top prize-winners were Gregg Bros and Jimmy Scott & Son collected ten cups, the most they ever won in one season. Club member Stephen Bell presented the club with a new trophy awarded to the winner from Rennes J McGall & Son. In the strong Mid Antrim 2 Bird Club the members won 2 x 1st and 2 x 2nd places. Alan Barkley had the only bird on the day in the Dinard OB Derby, G Herron & Son were the easy winners in the Haverfordwest YB Derby and J Scott & Son won Skibbereen Derby. Some good results were recorded in the INFC, from Falaise Joey Wright kept his good French record going taking 13th Open this Black cock related to the winners of 2nd & 8th Open Beauvais and 6th Open Rennes. As stated earlier, Jim McGall & Son clocked an outstanding pigeon in the Kings Cup Rennes finishing 6th Open, two years earlier this bird won Haverfordwest YB Derby only bird in club for 1st Sect & 4th Open almost 6,000 birds. Charlie Wilson had the best bird in the club from the Penzance YB National, the loft having earlier won 1st Sect B from Wexford.
Surgenor Bros won – H Smyth Cup, McKitterick Cup, OB Inland Nat (NIPA), OB Knock-Out Cup, New Bude, T Shanks Memorial Cup for OB of the Year and Highest Prize-winner.
B Swann & Son won – Sizzlers 2B Cup, Transporter Cup (Talbenny 2), Best Ave Talbenny (1) & (2), Boddy & Ridewood Cup for YB of the Year, R Logan Cup, M Smyth Cup, Nan McFarlane Memorial, YB Inland Nat (NIPA), YB Points Cup, YB Knock-Out Cup.
G McDowell won – OB Inland Average, D Graham Cup for best position 43rd Open shared with Henry Turkington. J Millar & Son won – Penzance Cup, Yearling Nat (INFC), Ingram Cup (cross channel races excluding Nat). Tully Lofts won – Campbell School Cup (1st Talbenny). H Turkington won – YB Average, Adair Cup, YB Penzance Nat (INFC), C Duncan (Lowest winning Vel), G Herron (Best position in France), D Graham Mem shared with G McDowell. T Shanks & Son won - Nat Cup NIPA St Malo, McFarlane & Agnew won – Nat Cup NIPA Talbenny YB.
During the racing season Surgenor Bros in the old birds won from Tullamore and Roscrea and were best in Ballymena area. George McDowell had a super result in the Yearling Nat for Cocks winning 1st Sect B Rosscarbery 61/286 recording velocity 1276. The Kings Cup from St Allouestre was very difficult won by M/M Magill into Randalstown the only bird in the Ballymena area was timed by Henry Turkington recording velocity 504 flying 498 miles. In the NIPA St Malo Old Bird Nat T Shanks & Son former winners timed at 14.29hrs on the second day for velocity 512 flying 471 miles. The winner was a 2 year old Blue cock containing all the old Kenyon long distance bloodlines. Alan looks forward to these races each year and will be more than pleased with this result. In the young birds Brian Swann & Son won both Fermoy and the duplicate 5 Bird Championship having the best bird in the Ballymena area recording velocity 1683. Racing with the INFC George McDowell had two good birds in the Inland OB Skibbereen, Jack Millar & Son had 1st Club in the Yearling Nat Sennen Cove, Henry Turkington had the super bird in the Kings Cup and was best in the YB Blue Riband Penzance doing velocity 638. Well done to the members who won top prizes during 2016.
Photo Captions
Members and officials of Kells & Dist at their prize distribution evening in clubrooms.
Highest prize-winner Jeff Surgenor of Surgenor Bros.
G McDowell (l) and H Turkington who shared D Graham Memorial cup for highest INFC position in Kells. Both 43rd Open in National races.
T Shanks & son won St. Malo Old Bird Nat into Kells.
From (l) George McDowell, H Turkington and Brian Swann with their Cullybackey Centre Nat & Classic races diplomas sponsored by Harryville hps.
Some of the trophy winners at Kells from (l) G McDowell, D Millar and H Turkington.