Randalstown HPS Awards 2020 -

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willie reynolds
Posts: 6785
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2008 4:44 pm

Randalstown HPS Awards 2020 -

Post by willie reynolds »

Randalstown HPS Season – Stewart Bros on Top!

Secretary John Millar has as usual supplied a list of the 2020 season winners, top prize-winners Stewart Bros had a big old bird season while the Dickey Family dominated in the young birds. The two big results in the old birds involved two long time members, Houston Bros were the winners of Fermoy when the Penzance birds were returned to Ireland due to weather problems and then the very next week J McNeill & Son had the best bird in the St Malo OB National which turned out one of the best races from France for several years. We all remember last year 2019 when the result of the year was achieved by Chairman Hugh Boyd who timed his winner now named “Bleachgreen Dawn” early on the second morning from St Malo in France and now the sad news due to advancing years has decided to leave the sport and dispose of the stock birds and racers.

Old Bird winners: 07/06 Tullamore Stewart Bros vel 1406 (10th MAC), 13/06 Gowran Park 9/287 Stewart Bros 1-2 vel 1251 (10th MAC), 20/06 Corrin (1) 9/246 Stewart Bros vel 1845, 02/07 Corrin (2) 9/246 J Millar 1-3 vel 1355 (14th MAC), 11/07 Talbenny J Millar 1-2 vel 1291 (7th & 15th MAC), 19/07 Bude 9/117 J Millar 1-2 vel 1065 (4th & 11th MAC), H Boyd vel 1009 (14th MAC), W & W Gilbert vel 1009 (15th MAC), 25/07 Fermoy for Penzance Houston Bros vel 1527 (1st MAC), Stewart Bros vel 1476 (12th MAC), St Malo Old Bird National 5/30 J McNeill & Son vel 1485 (5th MAC), J Millar vel 1427 (10th & 16th MAC).

Penzance in Cornwall was to be the race point for the third channel race of the season. Because of poor weather on the day of liberation and the following day it was decided to bring the birds back to Ireland for a race from Fermoy in County Cork. The birds were liberated on Saturday 25th July at 08.00am in a westerly wind. Best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine this race were Randalstown old hands 85 year old Bobby and 79 year old Allen who make up the Houston Bros partnership. They timed their 2 year old widowhood cock at 11.45am for the 195 mile fly to their lofts situated off the Antrim line close to the Ramble Inn. Breeding is their old distance lines with a touch of Verheye. A good win for the brothers who have previously won 1st and 2nd Open NIPA Tramore, a number of years ago.

The next week the Premier OB Nat was flown from St Malo in France, early birds in Northern Ireland were being timed from the early afternoon and although conditions at the home end were not perfect a large number of birds came through and all the major positions were filled on the day of liberation. Race marking as usual took place early on Tuesday and with restricted travel arrangements, and our usual route not available the birds ended up being transported direct to France. The convoy were one day earlier on site and a Thursday was available for liberation, the forecast had it as the best day and some 4,000 birds were released on Thursday 30th July at 6.30am in a helping South East wind.

Result for Randalstown HPS 5/30 – J McNeill & Son 1485, J Millar 1427, 1343, H Boyd 1297, 1274, Stewart Bros 1218, 1177, W & W Gilbert 1084.
Ahoghill Centre St Malo – Alan Darragh Cullybackey 1518, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1485, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1451, John Millar Randalstown 1427, M/M Robinson Ahoghill 1387, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1362, A Darragh 1346, M/M Robinson 1344, John Millar 1343, Martin Graham Ballymena 1307.

Speaking to Anthony McNeill he said only a small team is kept and raced, they have been members in Randalstown for over 30 years and in that time have lifted a number of awards, the highlight of which was winning 1st Open NIPA in the Millennium season of 2000. He said they enjoy competing in the various races and especially at the distance, if you record an arrival well and good and if you fail to time in there is always another day. At the end of the day its just a bit of fun. The St Malo race was the big event of the year and J McNeill & Son were among the early arrivals at the Ahoghill Centre finishing just behind the best in the Centre Alan Darragh of Cullybackey who was doing velocity 1518. The Randalstown winner recorded vel 1485 for the 400 plus miles, 5th MAC, 12th Sect B and 126th Open NIPA 479/2714. The bird was from Ian Donaghy of Lisburn, a former Old Bird Derby winner with a good distance record, bloodlines the tried and tested Kenyon family a line that has produced numerous winners locally over many years. The 2 year old hen was not raced as a youngster, and very lightly as a yearling. In the 2020 year she had just the one race and before France was trained to the border weekly with Sam Murphy.

Young Birds: 08/08 Area Lib Mullingar (1) 6/203 Stewart Bros 1-3 vel 1281 (17th MAC 48/1615), 15/08 Area Lib Mullingar (2) 8/211 Stewart Bros vel 1270 (11th MAC 52/1521), J McNeill & Son vel 1246 (21st MAC), 23/08 Roscrea 6/125 F & J & G Dickey vel 1667 (10th MAC 49/1453), 29/08 Gowran Park 6/173 F & J & G Dickey vel 1158 (21st MAC 51/1375), 01/09 Fermoy 5/133 F & J & G Dickey 1-3 vel 1247 (12th MAC 42/1008), 12/09 Talbenny YB nat 5/31 F & J & G Dickey vel 1304 (8th MAC 38/201), J Millar vel 1299 (9th MAC), 19/09 Fermoy 3/38 F & J & G Dickey 1-3 vel 1108 (19th MAC 32/418), 19/09 Fermoy 5 Bird Championship F & J & G Dickey vel 1097 (11th MAC).
Let me look at the top race of the young bird season in the NIPA, best in the Ahoghill Centre from Talbenny in South Wales was Adrian Shiels who had a best ever season in Ahoghill followed by Jackie Steele and then the top two in Randalstown HPS. The Dickey Family doing velocity 1304 were just ahead of Secretary John Millar who was Highest Prize-winner in 2019.

Ahoghill Centre Talbenny – A Shiels Ahoghill 1309, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1308, F & J & G Dickey Randalstown 1304, J Millar Randalstown 1299, Blair & Rankin 1297, A Darragh Cullybackey 1281, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1279, Blair & Rankin 1270, C & R McIntyre Cullybackey 1265, A Darragh 1252.
Result in Randalstown HPS 5/31 – F & G & J Dickey 1304, J Millar 1299, F & G & J Dickey 1176, 1152, J McNeill & Son 940, Stewart Bros 860. 4th win on the trot Geoff and Frank pleased with today’s winners from Tullamore and Talbenny, both birds bred at Farmview Lofts the best of Stickers Donckers.
Club members featured in the closing stages of the Mid Antrim Combine Y/B Knock-out, at the quarter final stage we had W & J Smyth 1104 v Dickey Family 1158, and J Smyth & Son 1145 v Stewart Bros. From Fermoy the Dickey Family doing velocity 1243 knocked out the high flying R Service & Son but in the final despite winning 1st Club lost out to the loft of the year Danny Dixon who also won 1st Club on velocity 1360. In the O/B Knock-out Stewart Bros made the Quarter Final to be knocked out by the eventual winner Allen McBride. John Millar made the Top 10 of the O/B Fancier of the Year after a very consistent season.

The cups and trophies were won as follows: -

Stewart Bros won – Tommy Cotter Trophy Highest Prize-winner, John Kyle Cup Best Ave first two old bird races, Combine Ave OB & YB, Bernard McKay Cup Best Ave first two young bird races, Inland Ave Old Birds 172 Points, BOCM Cup Old Bird Skibbereen.
John Millar won – Old Bird Average, Simpson Shield Best Ave St Malo and Talbenny YB Nat, J Millar Shield Best Ave third and fourth old bird races, J Shaw Cup Talbenny Old Birds, S Millar Cup 1st Bude, J Boyd Cup Cross Channel OB Average, P Marrion Cup Lowest winning velocity cross channel, Champion Old bird (03959), Cross Channel Average all races, Roy Magill Shield Most Points Old Bird 167 Points.
F & J & G Dickey won – Young Bird Average, Most Points Young Bird, G Lynch Cup Best Ave fifth and sixth young bird races, J McKeown Cup Talbenny Young Bird, S McComb Cup Fermoy Young Bird, Champion Young Bird. 128 Points.
Houston Bros won – Fermoy race in place of Penzance. J McNeill & Son won – Clanmore Cup winner of Saint Malo Old Bird National.

Photos
Stewart Bros picking up the Hall of Fame Diploma at the INFC presentation a few years back.
Secretary John Millar holding another winner timed to the lofts at Feehogue Terrace.
Houston Bros long time members win 1st MAC from Fermoy, replacement for Penzance.
Chairman Hugh Boyd had the big winner from St Malo in 2019.
The Dickey team Frank, Geoff and Johnathan had a super young bird season.
Anthony McNeill had the big early arrival from St Malo in the France OB National.
willie reynolds
Posts: 6785
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2008 4:44 pm

Re: Randalstown HPS Awards 2020 -

Post by willie reynolds »

Old Birds
07/06/20 Tullamore Stewart Bros vel 1406 10th MA Combine. 13/06/20 Gowran Park Stewart Bros 1st & 2nd vel 1251 11th MA Combine, 20/06/20 Corrin (1) Stewart Bros vel 1845, 02/07/20 Corrin (2) J Miller 1st, 2nd & 3rd vel 1355 14th MA Combine, 06/07/20 Skibbereen Inland National*************** 11/07/20 Talbenny J Miller 1st & 2nd vel 1291 7th & 15th MA Combine, 15/07/20 Skibbereen Yearling National****************, 19/07/20 Bude J Miller 1st & 2nd vel 1065 4th & 11th MA Combine, 25/07/20 Fermoy Comeback Houston Bros vel 1527 1st Combine. Penzance in Cornwall was to be the race point for the third channel race of the season. Because of poor weather on the day of liberation and the following day it was decided to bring the birds back to Ireland for a race from Fermoy in County Cork. The birds were liberated on Saturday 25th July at 08.00am in a westerly wind. Best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine this week are Randalstown old hands 85 year old Bobby and 79 year old Allen who make up the Houston Bros partnership. They timed their 2 year old widowhood cock at 11.45am for the 195 mile fly to their lofts situated off the Antrim line close to the Ramble Inn. Breeding is their old distance lines with a touch of Verheye. A good win for the brothers who have previously won 1st and 2nd Open NIPA Tramore, a number of years ago. 30/07/20 St Malo OB French National J McNeill & Son vel 1485 5th MA Combine

Young Birds
08/08/20 Mullingar Area Lib (1) Stewart Bros 1st, 2nd & 3rd vel 1281 17th, 20th & 22nd MA Combine 48/1615, 15/08/20 Mullingar Area Lib (2) Stewart Bros Vel 1270 11th MA Combine 52/1521, 23/08/20 Roscrea F & G & J Dickey vel 1667 10th MA Combine 49/1453, 29/08/20 Gowran Park F & G & J Dickey vel 1158, 06/09/20 Fermoy (1) F & G & J Dickey 1st, 2nd & 3rd vel 1247 12th MA Combine 42/1008, 12/09/20 Talbenny YB National F & G & J Dickey vel 1304 8th MA Combine 38/201, 12/09/20 Tullamore Comeback***************** 19/09/20 Fermoy (2) F & G & J Dickey 1st, 2nd & 3rd vel 1108 19th MA Combine, 19/09/20 Fermoy 5 Bird F & G & J Dickey 1st, 2nd & 3rd vel 1097 11th MA Combine
• no randalstown results for skibb inland ob national, skibb year national and tullamore yb comeback. Thanks to PO Mervyn Eagleson for the results and info.
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