Ballymena Week 1
Ballymena & District HPS – The opening show on Monday 28th October were classes for Old Cock & Old Hen excluding Yearlings and judged Through the Wires. The judges from Doagh & District were top racers Sammy Leitch and Fred Simpson. The local club members cleaned up with W & N Gilbert winning both classes and Special for BIS. Class next Monday Yearling Cock & Yearling Hen Through the Wires.
Old Cocks T/W (67 Birds) – 1st, 2nd, 4th & HC W & N Gilbert, 3rd & Commended B Herbison, Reserve & VHC Blair & Rankin. Judge Fred Simpson. Old Hens T/W (58 Birds) – 1st, 2nd, 4th, Reserve & VHC W & N Gilbert, 3rd B Herbison, HC R Service & Son, Commended T McFall. Judge Sammy Leitch.
Mid Antrim Area Show Scene -
The second week for Ballymena & Dist had classes for Young Cock and Young Hen judges through wires. Brian Herbison from Cullybackey penned the winner in the Young Hens lifting BIS while George Eagleson had the Red Card in the Young Cocks. The judges were John McConaghie and Robert Alexander. Young Cocks T/W – 1st G & A Eagleson, 2nd Blair & Rankin, 3rd & Commended C Moore, 4th & HC T McFall, Reserve & VHC W & N Gilbert. Young Hens T/W – 1st , 3rd & Reserve & Commended B Herbison, 2nd W & N Gilbert, 4th G & A Eagleson, VHC D Mitchell, HC Blair & Rankin. The raffle was won by W Gilbert.
For week 3 of the show season judges travelled in from Cullybackey, Sammy Steele and Gary Gibson placed the cards for Yearling Cock and Yearling Hen. It was a good night for the home club with Darren Swann 1st & 2nd in the Yearling Cocks, also BIS Special and R Service & Son lifting the Red Card in Yearling Hen. Billy Smyth won the raffle. Yearling Cocks T/W (54 birds) – 1st, 2nd, VHC, HC & Commended D Swann, 3rd & 4th W & N Gilbert, Reserve B Herbison. Judge Gary Gibson. Yearling Hen T/W (51 birds) – 1st & Reserve R Service & Son, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, VHC, HC & Commended W & N Gilbert. Judge Sammy Steele.
Week 4 was Monday 18th November, a very cold night and the best turn out to date with a good entry of 165 birds penned for the judges who travelled from Muckamore, David Young and Bobby Bethel. W & N Gilbert won both classes and had Best in Show and Brian Herbison had the Best Young Bird. Nicola Gilbert won the raffle. Any Age Hen (70 Birds) – 1st, 2nd, 4th, VHC & HC W & N Gilbert, 3rd T McFall, Reserve & Commended B Herbison. Any Age Cock (95 Birds) – 1st, Reserve, HC & Commended W & N Gilbert, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & VHC B Herbison.
Dates and classes Ballymena & District - penning is from 7.15pm. Old cock & old hen 28th October excluding yearlings, Young cock & young hen 4th November, Yearling cock & yearling hen 11th November, Any age cock, any age hen T/W & Special for best YB in each class, 18th November, Old pairs & young pieds, 25th November, Young pairs & old pieds 2nd December, Reds, Mealy’s and Grizzles old bird and young bird 9th December. Young bird eye-sign & Old bird eye-sign 16th December. We usually have a BIS Special each week. The annual Open Show is on Wednesday 1st January 2020 penning from 11.00am. Usual prizes and many specials including BIS, BOS, Most Points and Best Young Bird.
Broughshane HPS: Old Cocks T/W – 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Reserve & HC W & N Gilbert, 4th & Commended D Swann, VHC R & S Swann. A great result for W & N Gilbert of Ballymena, congratulations to all the card winners. Broughshane HPS: Old Hens T/W - 1st J & J Greer, 2nd, 3rd & HC C Kennedy, 4th, Reserve & Commended M Neilly, VHC R & S Swann. Judge Sammy Leitch (Doagh & District). Thanks to Jamie -Leigh for supplying the delicious cake which was enjoyed by all. Broughshane HPS: Young Hens T/W - 1st, 2nd & 3rd C Kennedy, 4th, Reserve & HC R & S Swann, VHC J Getty, Commended M Neilly. A super result for ColinKennedy 1st, 2nd & 3rd. Well done. Judge: Fred Simpson ( Doagh HPS). Raffle winner J Getty. The club would like to thank Fred and Sammy for their kind donation of £20 for the 1st bird timed from Bude in 2020.
Ahoghill Flying Club: Old Cocks T/W – 1st J Orr & Son, 2nd, HC & Commended T & G Balmer, 3rd & Reserve B Herbison, 4th W Livingstone, VHC T McFall. Old Hens T/W – 1st & 2nd B Herbison, 3rd, 4th, Reserve & VHS T McFall, HC T & G Balmer, Commended J Orr & Son. The judges travelled over from Rasharkin, Harold Cubitt and Jimmy Robinson. Raffle winner Robert Turkington.
5/11/19 Lurgan Social 2nd show results from tonight. 1st Keelie Wright, 2nd K Henderson, 3rd K Henderson, 4th K Douglas, Reserve R Adamson, Vhc E Wright and Son, Hc & Commended Keelie Wright. Best young bird Kevin Henderson. Well done to card winners and thanks to Sam Shaw for judging. 11/11/19 Lurgan Social 3rd show result. 1st, Reserve & VHC Marty Rice, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & HC Kevin Henderson, Commended Kevin Douglas. Best Young Bird penned by Kevin Henderson. Many thanks to Gregory McEvoy for judging the class. Show 4 18/11/19 – 1st & 3rd K Henderson, 2nd, 4th, HC & Commended Keelie Wright, Reserve K Douglas, VHC B Carson. Best YB Keelie Wright.
Ahoghill Flying Club show season started on Fridat night, D & R Turkington from Doagh & Dist wins both classes, the judges from Muckamore were David Young and Bobby Bethel. Young Cocks T/W – 1st D & R Turkington, 2nd, 4th & HC B Herbison, 3rd C Moore, Reserve T McFall, VHC J Orr & Son, Commended T Whyte. Young Hens T/W 1st, 4th & Reserve D & R Turkington, 2nd & 3rd V Montgomery, VHC B Herbison HC T Whyte, Commended C Moore. The raffle was won by Thomas McFall. Ahoghill Flying Club dates are on the Friday as usual 8th Nov OC & OH T/W, 15th Nov YC & YH Handled, 22nd Nov OC & OH Handled, 29th Nov Young Pairs & Fancy, 6th Dec Old Pairs & Late Bred, 13th Dec OB & YB Eye-sign.
Rasharkin & District HPS will be holding their first show of the season on Sat 23rd November. Old bird 3 in 1 - Penning 11 to 12 all welcome. Cullybackey HPS this year have opted for just 2 show nights with 4 classes each week and the Annual Open Show as usual 3 in 1 on Saturday 14th December. Saturday 30th November has Old Bird & Young Bird Through Wires and one week later on Saturday 7th December Old Bird & Young Bird Handled.
Lurgan Social first show result Any Age Cock or Hen. 1st & HC K Henderson, 2nd & VHC D & B Lyness, 3rd & 4th M Rice, Reserve & Commended R Adamson. Special Best YB won by Keelie Wright.
INFC Charity Show – The 42nd Annual Charity Show will be held in the Lisburn Leisure Complex on Saturday 7th December 2019 opening at 9.00am. Once again there will be classes for Racing Pigeons along with the Variety Pigeons and Show Racers. Classes are 3 in 1 Old Birds and 3 in 1 Young Birds. Penning of the birds is from 9.00am until 11.30am, please note the show is open to all lofts. Anyone entering Show Racers at the INFC show in Lagan Valley Leisure Complex Lisburn on Saturday please get your entries to John Edgar by Wednesday prior. The Sale of Birds will start at 4.00pm in Studio 1 & 2, next to the main trade stand hall. As usual there will be many outstanding birds from the elite of lofts in Ireland. Helen Marshall will be looking after the raffle as usual, books have been sent to most clubs. Top prize will be a Kit of 2020 youngsters from the Ace loft of Ian Gibb & Son from Glenavy & District. The Centre has a top class restaurant with good menu and keen prices to suit everyone, car parking at the Leisure Centre is free. Check out the Irish National flying club website for their charity sale birds at the show, nearer the time. The best of stock for the future, many top breeders have been purchased here. For further information and details contact Samuel Briggs the Show Administrator Tel: 07730 308402. The annual dinner and prize presentation for the INFC will be held in the Stormont Hotel in Belfast on Friday 29th November, David Black is running the raffle and committee members should bring a prize and any others wishing to donate a prize we would be more than grateful.
Willy Gilbert won both classes at Ballymena & District’s first show, include are the judges
from Doagh & District Sammy Leitch (l) and Fred Simpson.
George Eagleson won Young Cocks at Ballymena & Dist with Judges J McConaghie and R Alexander.
Robert Turkington from Doagh won both classes at Ahoghill,
the judges from Muckamore
were David Young (l) and Bobby Bethel.
Class winner in Lurgan Social Kevin Henderson
and Best YB winner Keelie Wright.
Keelie Wright winner of second show in the Lurgan Social.
Marty Rice from the Wilton Cross was Red Card winner in Lurgan Social week 3.
Robert Service won the Yearling Hen at Ballymena, judges Sammy Steele (l) and Gary Gibson.
Darren Swann won the Yearling Cock at Ballymena & Dist also BIS.
Old Hen winner at Ahoghill, Brian Herbison (l) with judge Jimmy Robinson.
Jimmy Orr (r) won Old Cocks at Ahoghill with judge Harold Cubitt.
Colin Kennedy (r) 1st, 2nd & 3rd in Broughshane with judge Fred Simpson.
W & N Gilbert won AAH & AAC at Ballymena with judges D Young (l) and B Bethel.
Brian Herbison Best YB at Ballymena with judges from Muckamore, D Young and B Bethel.
Jamie Greer (l) with judge Sammy Leitch from Doagh & District Hps.