Cullybackey HPS returned to the local Restaurant Toast on the village Main Street for the annual dinner and presentation of awards held last Friday 25th October, the first night of winter with a cold north wind and rain. Member’s friends and guests were welcomed by the Chairman Neil Anderson, and that again included local scribe Homer and Rosie who have been ever present over recent seasons.
Another very consistent season for the local lofts, Alan Darragh top man again lifting the Russell Family Cup for Highest Prize-winner, well over 30 now and top loft in the local village at three different addresses over the years. He missed a few races but still managed 16 x 1sts with most in the old birds. Mr & Mrs Sempey came very close in the Old Bird National finishing 2nd Open NIPA St Malo behind the only bird on the day for Jeff Greenaway, at the NIPA Ladies Night they will collect the D McNeilly Cup for runner-up and the Leslie Mairs Memorial Cup for 1st Section B. Gary Gibson wins the OB Inland Sect B Fancier of the Year well deserved and for the third year runner-up behind Alan Darragh for Highest Prize-winner. For Mr & Mrs Sempey “Red Ruby” a yearling hen achieved the loft a best ever result in the OB National having already scored in the INFC Yearling Nat Sennen Cove timed at 13.35hrs flying 334 miles and finishing 1st Club, 41st North Sect & 64th Open INFC doing velocity 1319. In Cullybackey they lift the new Len Russell Memorial Cup presented by his sisters Joan and Mary. I had an early morning call to inform me M/M Sempey had recorded an arrival from St Malo, only one bird on the day and the loft timed at 5.44am on the second morning “Red Ruby” was flying 476 miles recording velocity 973. They finished 1st Club, 1st Seven Towers Championship, 1st Sect B & 2nd Open NIPA 373/1351. Breeding was Red Campbell Marshall cock, hen Debare.
Alan Darragh won both the Nominations for OB & YB sponsored by Bridge Garage.
The leading lofts in the club for 2019 were:- Alan Darragh, Gary Gibson (1st & 2nd last season as well), C & R McIntyre, Des Robinson, J McNaghten & Son and Mr & Mrs Martin Sempey.
Race winners over the year were as follows.
Old Birds: Mullingar – Gary Gibson 1st & 2nd vel 1597, Tullamore – Alan Darragh 1st & 2nd vel 1569, Roscrea Gary Gibson 1st & 2nd vel 1414, Gowran Park – Alan Darragh first 5 vel 1295, Fermoy – Alan Darragh 1st & 2nd vel 1286, Corrin – Alan Darragh 1st & 2nd vel 1206, Fermoy Comeback – Alan Darragh 1st & 2nd vel 1561, Barleycove Nat – Gary Gibson vel 1354, Gowran Park (2) – Gary Gibson vel 2062, Fermoy (3) – Alan Darragh 1st & 2nd vel 1551, Fermoy 5 Bird Championship – Alan Darragh vel 1642, Talbenny – Gary Gibson vel 1500, Bude – Alan Darragh 1st & 2nd vel 1412, Castletown Ylr Nat – Alan Darragh first 4 vel 1504, Penzance – Gary Gibson vel 1585, Penzance Championship – Gary Gibson vel 1585, Fermoy Comeback – Alan Darragh vel 1581, St Malo – M/M Sempey vel 973, C & R McIntyre vel 855. Very hard OB Nat race from St Malo, only four arrivals in the Ahoghill Centre and two of those timed in Cullybackey, M/M Sempey 1st Sect B & 2nd Open and C & R McIntyre timing at 8.17am 3rd Sect B & 10th Open NIPA. Gary Gibson was 2nd MAC and 2nd in Section B from Penzance.
Young Birds: Area Lib (1) Mullingar – Alan Darragh 1st & 2nd vel 1306, Area Lib (2) Tullamore – C & R McIntyre 1st & 2nd vel 1365, Area Lib (3) Tullamore – C & R McIntyre first 3 vel 1393, Gowran Park – C & R McIntyre 1st & 2nd vel 1249, Fermoy (1) – Alan Darragh 1st & 2nd vel 1932, Fermoy (2) – J McNaghten & Son vel 1457, Roscrea Comeback – J McNaghten & Son vel 1457, Talbenny Nat – C & R McIntyre vel 1370, Corrin – Alan Darragh 1st & 2nd vel 1130, Corrin 5 Bird Championship – Alan Darragh vel 1095, Skibbereen Nat – Alan Darragh first 5 vel 1843. Four wins for C & R McIntyre including Talbenny Nat placed 7th in Ahoghill Centre and Ian McNaghten winning two races on the trot with the same bird and I also noticed same velocity, it was his only bird entered in Roscrea.
Irish Nat FC: Skibbereen OB – Alan Darragh first 4 vel 1236 best bird in Ballymena area, Sennen Cove Yearling – M/M Sempey vel 1319, McAlonan Bros 1272, Tom Picken 1131, Reid Bros & McCloy 1136, 1125. Kings Cup Grand Nat St Allouestre – D & H Kirkpatrick vel 533, Alan Darragh 491, Reid Bros & McCloy 388. Hugh Kirkpatrick had best bird in Ballymena area.
This year most cups were won by Gary Gibson, all told he had 11, followed by C & R McIntyre with 9 then Alan Darragh with 7 which included the Russell Family Cup for Highest Prize-winner.
Gary Gibson won W Allen Cup Most Points Old Bird, Spence Cup OB Inland Average, George Glenholmes Mem for Bude & Penzance Ave, A G McCullough for Barleycove OB Nat, Sandy Reid Mem for Penzance 2 Bird Ave, Norman Blaney Cup for Best Ave Talbenny (2), Bude & Penzance, G McCloy Cup Talbenny, Patton Plant Sales Talbenny, T Livingstone Penzance Classic, Harkness Cup Best Ave OB Barleycove & Fermoy 5 Bird and Len Russell Memorial Cup for Penzance.
Chris & Robin McIntyre won J Blaney Mem Penzance & St Malo Ave, John Blaney Talbenny YB Nat, James Anderson Best Ave St Malo & Rosscarbery YB Nat, Armstrong Cup YB Ave, Coronation Cup OB Cross Channel Ave, Stracam Perp Cup YB Race (2), A Darragh Cup Best Ave all Derbies, and H Jackson Cup for Best Ave YB Talbenny & Rosscarbery.
Alan Darragh won Russell Family Cup Highest Prize-winner, Herbison Perp Rosscarbery YB Nat, Anderson Shield Most Points YB, Wheatcroft Selston 5 Bird Fermoy OB, B Herbison Bude, Moore Crystal Cup Best Ave Bude & Kings Cup, and Stewart Herbison Mem Fermoy 5B YB. Elke & Martin Sempey won OB Derby St Malo and Russell Sisters Cup for INFC Yearling National, Des Robinson won the G Irwin Young Bird Knock-Out. Secretary Jamie Greer presented the awards won in the Seven Towers Championship, while Secretary Edrick Davidson and wife Ina with Steven Anderson conducted the raffle.
Another great night at Cullybackey HPS, competition as good as ever and I look forward to many more distance levels of success. Good luck to all lofts in the new season and many thanks once again for the invite.
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.
The NIPA Sect B meeting for 2019 has been arranged by Committee member Keith Kernohan to be held in the Harryville HPS Clubrooms on Wednesday 6th November at 7.30pm. An attendance of local club representatives is requested to review the past year and raise suggestions for 2020, which is the 75th Anniversary of the Mighty NIPA.
The officers and members who attended the annual dinner and prize night for Cullybackey HPS in Toast.
Highest Prize-winner Alan Darragh with Cullybackey officials, Secretary Edrick Davidson and Chairman Neil Anderson.
Gary Gibson (r) was runner-up for Highest Prize-winner for 3rd season in a row, and wins most cups.
The late Len Russell cup presented for first time to Mr & Mrs Sempey by Len’s sisters Joan and Mary.
Winners in the young bird racing Iain McNaghten (l) with Chris & Robin McIntyre.
Sammy Steele (l) presents awards to Edrick Davidson.
Winners from France Hughie Kirkpatrick (r) with Elke & Martin Sempey.
Neil and Stephen Anderson with Cullybackey HPS Secretary Edrick Davidson.
The winning lofts in 7 Towers Championship, M/M Sempey, J & J Greer and C & R McIntyre.
“Red Ruby” finished 1st Club, 1st Seven Towers Championship, 1st Sect B & 2nd Open NIPA 373/1351.
Raced by Mr & Mrs Sempey.
Tullymore House Hotel in Broughshane was the venue for the Cullybackey presentation in 1998,
Chairman Tom McAlonan is 2nd (l) back row.
Cullybackey awards 1998 James Harris secretary with Hugh Surgenor (l) second highest prize-winner
and Alan Darragh (r) highest prize-winner at the annual prize night.