Johnston Eagleson lifts Highest Prize-winner – Back on Top!
The big Ballymena & Dist HPS had another full house for the annual dinner and presentation of awards in the Tullyglass House Hotel on Saturday 14th January. Visitors attended from New Antrim Amal, Harryville, Randalstown HPS, Ahoghill and Cullybackey. Top prize-winner for the first time since his return to the sport was Johnston Eagleson & Sons who now fly the birds to lofts at the Cullybackey Road. George Eagleson welcomed the members and friends and also the large number of visitors from local Mid Antrim clubs. He said grace and the dinner that followed was as usual top quality from Tullyglass. The club had another very successful season with top results at all levels of competition. NIPA Sect B Diplomas were won by J Eagleson & Sons for 1st Rosscarbery Inland OB Nat 82/717 and Fermoy (3) OB 81/1273, McAlonan Bros for 1st Sennen Cove OB Classic 54/271, and W & J Smyth for Bude 81/851. In young birds Bertie Blair won 1st & 2ndMAC two races on the trot with same bird including 1st Open NIPA Mullingar 114/3,357 vel 1550.
Race winners over the season were as follows:
Old Birds – Mullingar McFall & McManus 1405, Tullamore J Eagleson & Sons 1308, Roscrea J Eagleson & Sons 1275, Fermoy Blair & Rankin 1530, Fermoy (2) McAlonan Bros 1246, Roscrea (2) J Eagleson & Sons 1377, Rosscarbery Nat J Eagleson & Sons 1322, Talbenny (1) W & J Smyth 1362, Fermoy 5 Bird Championship J Eagleson & Sons 1265, Talbenny (2) J Eagleson & Sons 1243, New Bude W & J Smyth 1238, Rosscarbery Ylr Cock Nat McAlonan Bros 1186, Rosscarbery Ylr Hen Nat J Eagleson & Sons, Penzance McFall & McManus 1474, Fermoy (3) J Eagleson & Sons 1505, Corrin J Eagleson & Sons 1317, Sennen Cove Classic McAlonan Bros 1047.
Young Birds – Mullingar McFall & McManus 1595, Mullingar (2) Blair & Rankin, Tullamore J W Reynolds 1500, Roscrea W & J Smyth 1691, Gowran Park McFall & McManus 1476, Fermoy Blair & Rankin 1399, Gowran Park Blair & Rankin 1518, Fermoy (2) McFall & McManus 1674, Fermoy 5 Bird Championship McFall & McManus 1674, Talbenny Nat J W Reynolds 930, Rosscarbery Nat Blair & Rankin 1473.
J Eagleson & Sons had 9 x 1sts, 5 x 2nd and 6 x 3rds. McFall & McManus had 6 x 1sts, 7 x 2nds and 4 x 3rds. Blair & Rankin had 6 x 1sts, 6 x 2nds and 10 x 3rds. W & J Smyth had 5 x 1sts, 3 x 2nds and 3 x 3rds.
Cups & Trophies 2016 – Ballymena & District
J Eagleson & Sons – Harper Cup Highest Prize-winner, OB Inland Derby, Fermoy 5B, Yearling Hens, Talbenny (2), OB Inland Ave, OB Average, Bill Carney Rose Bowl Best Ind OB performance All Races (GB15B-03642).
Blair & Rankin won – Roger King Memorial 6th YB race, YB Inl Nat, YB Inland Ave, Best Individual Young Bird (GB16H-01693), Combined Inl Ave.
McFall & McManus – Bobby Law Mem 1st Ylr Penzance, Penzance Old Bird.
W & J Smyth won – Slemish Cup Talbenny (1), Carnvale Cup Ylr Nat, George Barr Challenge Cup St Malo, McDowell Challenge St Malo, Simon McCrory Talbenny (1), (2) & Penzance, Bude & Sennen Cove Ave, Mooney Bros Best Individual Bird (St Malo), A S Hughes Cross Channel Ave, St Malo 2B Ave, New Bude.
McAlonan Bros won – Ylr Cock National. J W Reynolds won – Vintage Cup YB Nat Talbenny, Ruddle Cup YB Nat Talbenny, Flamingo Cup Talbenny & Rosscarbery YB Nat Ave. Martin Graham won – Carney Shield Ave INFC Nat YB races, Smyth Bros Perpetual OB Classic & YB Nat, Penzane YB Nat, INFC Points Ave.
T R Alexander & Son won – Livingstone Cup 2B Ave Ylr Nat. George Bell won – INFC Skibbereen Old Bird. Show Shield won by W & N Gilbert. Visitor Trophy won by Brian Herbison.
The total paid out was £1,025 and Top 10 lofts were – J Eagleson & Sons, Blair & Rankin, McFall & McManus, W & J Smyth, McAlonan Bros, J W Reynolds, M Graham, D Mitchell, G & A Eagleson, Richmond Bros.
INFC leading lofts – Martin Graham, Blair & Rankin, T R Alexander & Son, George Bell, W & J Smyth, G & A Eagleson, Billy Ramsey. For the third year an individual prize list was produced for the INFC 6 race programme, Martin Graham has topped the list for nine seasons on the trot. Skibbereen Old Bird was won by George Bell, Yearling Nat by W & J Smyth and runner-up Robert Alexander had Best 2 Bird Ave. We missed out in the France races, Kings Cup St Allouestre and Quimper Friendship, maybe better next season. In the young birds Martin Graham had one of the results of the year in the Penzance Grand Nat, in another hard race Martin timed five birds in the club including the winner doing 1322, G & A Eagleson were a close runner-up. Blair & Rankin were back at the top in the final race from Skibbereen his winner was doing 1284.
Over £200 was paid out in the Show Specials the money shared between McFall & McManus and W & J Smyth which included the Ring Nominations for Rosscarbery Nat and Penzance.
Framed bird photos were presented to winners of 1st Mid Antrim Combine by Paddy McManus.
Blue Cheq w/f (h) GB15B-03612 1st MAC, 4th Sect B 112/3000 NIPA Tullamore 697/17,222 – Vel 1308. Raced by J Eagleson & Sons, Ballymena & District.
Cheq (c) GB14B-00660 1st MAC, 1st Sect B 81/1273 & 30th Open NIPA Fermoy 442/6,847 – Vel 1505. Raced by J Eagleson & Sons, Ballymena & District.
Red Cheq (c) GB15B-03112 1st MAC, 1st Sect B 54/271 & 17th Open NIPA Sennen Cove Classic 402/2,586 Vel 1047. Raced by McAlonan Bros, Ballymena & District.
Blue (h) GB16B-00025 1st MAC, 7th Sect B 113/3450 NIPA Tullamore 669/19,600 – Vel 1500. Raced by J W Reynolds, Ballymena & District.
Red Cheq (c) GB16H-01693 1st MAC & 1st Open NIPA Mullingar 114/3,357 – Vel 1550, 2nd MAC & 10th Sect B 113/3450 NIPA Tullamore 669/19,600 - Vel 1492. Raced by Blair & Rankin, Ballymena & District.
Many thanks to all those who assisted with the prize night, James Harris, Willy Gilbert, Willie Smyth, Robert Alexander, Nicola Gilbert who conducted the presentation and set up the dinner, and Valerie Eagleson who wrote up the prize cards for the second year, all those who brought prizes for the raffle and the sponsors who support us each year faithfully. Ken Wilkinson replied for the visitors congratulating the local club for a super Open Show and Dinner and wished all the members good success in the new racing season.
Ballymena & Dist will have an ordinary club meeting on Monday 6th February at 8.00pm in the clubrooms to mandate Delegates on the NIPA Resolutions and vote on the race programme for 2017. Ballymena & District HPS will hold the 2017 Annual General Meeting on Monday 13th February 2017 @ 8.00pm in the Clubrooms at Fountain Place, Ballymena. Resignations and Resolutions in writing to Secretary by Saturday 28th January 2017.
There will be a meeting of Kells & District club in the clubrooms on Thursday 19th January at 8 p.m. to vote on the N.I.P.A. race programme for 2017 and to set a date for the AGM.
Ligoniel & District HPS will be having a moot on 3/2/17 to celebrate their 70th year as a club. On the panel will be Doley Croskey, EDC, with Gérard Delaney and Ron McKelvey from NIPA. It will be chaired by Ken Wilkinson and hopefully Neil Frazer if he is free at the time. Admission will be £5 at the door, this will include a buffet. Everyone welcome, Yours in Sport, Ligoniel HPS. starting 7.00pm.
Banbridge HPS will have their now annual Panel Supper Night & Auction on Friday 24th February starting at 7.30pm in Banbridge British Legion. Ace flyer from England Geoff Kirkland will be joined by local ace flyer Jeff Greenaway from Dromore who races on the Golden Mile and the seasons Kings Cup winner Roy Magill from the Muckamore HPS. Admission by ticket at £5.00, contact Wesley Sawyers Tel: (028) 406 26861 or Mobile: 17831 560399.
Photo Captions
The officers and top winners at the Ballymena & District prize night held in the Tullyglass Hotel in Ballymena.
Ballymena Trophies and cups display at Tullyglass Hotel.
Top Prize-winner Johnston Eagleson at Ballymena & Dist awards night.
Bertie Blair (l) with William Gilbert from Randalstown.
Brian Herbison (r) presents prize cards to Charlie McManus.
NIPA Committee member Ken Wilkinson (r) presents 1st Sect Diploma to Joe Smyth.
Hugh Boyd from Randalstown (r) presents INFC Skibbereen Trophy to George Bell.
Framed Photo winners from (l) J Eagleson, R McCormick and B Blair.
Big race winners Billy Smyth (r) St Malo and Martin Graham YB Penzance.
George Eagleson (l) was runner-up in the Penzance YB National.
