Chairman Harold Cubitt welcomed the members and friends of Rasharkin & District to the annual dinner and prize night including Homer for the first time, and representatives of the Mid Antrim Combine who were also presenting their awards at Rasharkin for the first time. Clubs present included Ballymena & District, Ahoghill Flying Club, Cullybackey and Ballymoney HPS. Before the dinner was served I met Tommy Tweed the former Secretary in Ballymoney who brought me some newspaper cutting from a club Dinner held in the Irish Horse some 30 years earlier and which I will publish on the website, Danny Dixon also had a small MAC Results Book from 1998 and it might be an idea to resume publication of something like this for future seasons.
Results have changed big time and no doubt a lot of that due to the change of race points down centre of Ireland keeping the birds as far as possible away from Dublin Airport. It was another record breaking season for Rasharkin & Dist members, Highest Prize-winners J & M Milliken collecting the Mami Simpson Memorial Cup with 6 x 1sts in the MAC, presented as usual by Club President Tony Simpson. It was a best ever flying season for Willie & Jean McLean with 4 x 1sts in the MAC, and 1st Sect A in both the OB National St Malo and YB National Talbenny. Danny Dixon had 4 x 1sts in MAC including both Skibbereen races in the INFC and Steele & McNeill won 3 x 1sts in the MAC with the same bird.
Rasharkin are one of the most improved clubs competing locally, at one time the best in Ballymena was usually the loft to beat, now most fanciers are watching out for the Rasharkin result. Ever present in the results for MAC winning many awards not only individual races, and now winners of the Champions League for a record 5 times on the trot. The awards were presented by Sammy Steele, President of Cullybackey HPS.
Race winners were as follows: Old Birds – Tullamore J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd vel 1851, Gowran Park (1) J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd vel 1362, Fermoy (1) W & J McLean vel 1884, Gowran Park (2) J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd vel 1715 & 1st MAC, Corrin J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd vel 2002 & 1st MAC, Rosscarbery Nat J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd vel 2023 & 1st MAC, 2nd Sect B & 11th Open NIPA, Fermoy (2) W & J McLean 1st & 2nd vel 1124 (D Dixon 1st MAC), Talbenny (1) J & M Milliken vel 1486, Fermoy 5B Champ W & J McLean vel 1465 & 1st MAC, 1st Sect A & 4th Open NIPA, Talbenny (2) J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd vel 1237, Dunmanway J & M Milliken vel 1735, Ylr Cock Nat J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd vel 1537, Ylr Hen Nat J & M Milliken vel 1511, Penzance J & M Milliken vel 1236 2nd MAC and 1st MAC Penzance Champ, Fermoy J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd vel 1519, St Malo (France) Nat W & J McLean only bird vel 652 1st MAC, 1st Sect A & 11th Open NIPA.
Willie & Jean McLean from Rasharkin had the winner from St Malo Old Bird National, timed early on the second day to record 1st Club, 1st MAC, 1st Sect A & 11th Open NIPA. The bird was raced on Roundabout then went to St Malo on 10 day eggs. It was one of a kit of youngsters bought in 2015 for racing from club-mates Steele & McNeill. Breeding is Aad van Berkel, and is a half-sister to Steele & McNeill’s 2014 Mid Antrim Combine Old Bird of the Year “Super Mario”.
In the Fermoy (2) race at end of May Danny Dixon popped up with the big early bird for 1st MAC and almost topped the NIPA where almost 21,000 birds were competing. This Mealy Sticker Donckers was Bird of the Year in Ballymoney last season as a young bird, and was a gift to Danny from Gary Gibson who has the best of this bloodline.
Young Birds: Mullingar (1) A C & T Tweed vel 1251 & 1st MAC, 1st Open NIPA, Mullingar (2) J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd vel 1236 & 1st MAC, Tullamore W & J McLean vel 1442, Gowran Park Steele & McNeill vel 1720, Fermoy (1) W & J McLean vel 1328, Fermoy (2) T Whyte 1st & 2nd vel 1482 1st & 2nd MAC, Talbenny Nat W & J McLean vel 1142, 1st MAC & 1st Sect A, Roscrea Comeback Steele & McNeill vel 1766, Dunmanway Steele & McNeill vel 1796 1st MAC & 1st Sect B, Dunmanway 5B Champ Steele & McNeill vel 1796 1st MAC & 1st Sect B, Rosscarbery Nat Steele & McNeill vel 1027 (D Dixon 1st & 2nd MAC).
INFC Races – Danny Dixon won 1st MAC in both Skibbereen OB and Skibbereen YB Nationals, he also finished 2nd & 6th in the Yearling National Sennen Cove which was won by Martin Graham.
Only one bird has been recorded in the Wednesday 2-Bird Breeder/Buyer from Talbenny in South Wales. It turned out a very difficult race. The Provisional winner of first prize was Norman Bradley with his own bird winning first prize and £1,500. The winner was timed at 15:47:11 and ring number is GB18R-14919 Cheq Pied hen named “Sperrin View 1500”.
Three x 1st MAC on the trot in the young birds for Steele & McNeill, with the lofts latest top racer “Champion Isla”. She is off the best of their winning Lambrechts team, her sire bred a Mullingar 1st Open winner for Bertie Blair of Ballymena and her aunt bred J & M Milliken 1st Open NIPA Fermoy. She has now won 1st Club, 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 1st Sect B NIPA Roscrea; 1st Club, 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 1st Sect B NIPA Dunmanway; and 1st Club, 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 1st Sect B NIPA Dunmanway 5 Bird Championship.
Old Bird Cup winners: Old Bird Inland Nat Rosscarbery, Yearling Cocks and Yearling Hens Nat won by J & M Milliken, Old Bird 5B Championship and James MsFetridge Memorial Sprint Cup won by W & J McLean, Matt Barkley Memorial OB Inl Ave, Penzance and Penzance Classic Cups won by J & M Milliken, OC Cross Channel Ave won by Steele & McNeill, Old Bird of the Year (GB17R-18804) and Tweed Cup OB Channel Nat won by W & J McLean, Old Bird Knock-Out won by J & M Milliken.
Young Bird Cup winners: YB 5B Championship and YB Inland Nat won by Steele & McNeill, YB Average and Talbenny Nat won by W & J McLean, Young Bird Knock-Out and Young Bird of the Year “Champion Isla” (GB18R-14821) won by Steele & McNeill, Mamie Simpson Memorial Cup for Highest Prize-winner won by J & M Milliken. Many thanks to the sponsors including Taylor Tree Services, ABC Plant, Garvagh Taxies, Taylor Made Flowers and Noel Twaddle Contracts.
A fantastic night for the members in Rasharkin & District HPS, Chairman Harold Cubitt kept everyone fully engaged over the entire night, many thanks for the invite and the MAC report will follow.
Rasharkin & District winners in the NIPA including W & J McLean winning Horace Devine Memorial Cup for 1st Sect A St Malo.
President Tony Simpson presents the Highest prize-winner cup to J & M Milliken at Rasharkin.
Willie & Jean McLean won both NIPA Nationals from St Malo and Talbenny, with Sammy Steele.
“Champion Isla” won three young bird races on the trot for Steele & McNeill in Rasharkin & District.
Norman Bradley won the £1,500 Breeder/Buyer in the Wednesday 2 Bird Club.
Trevor Whyte (l) won 1st Sect B from Fermoy in the young birds.
Chairman Harold Cubitt (r) collects awards from Sammy Steele.
William McFetridge (l) collects awards at Rasharkin from Sammy Steele.