The NIPA Annual Ladies Night was held in Templeton Hotel, Templepatrick on Friday 14th November and all members and guests were sat down for a 7.00pm start. The NIPA President Diamond Carson from Banbridge welcomed another large turn-out and invited Sammy Thompson to say grace prior to a super meal.
Officials at the top table included NIPA Chairman Lyndon Boyle, Secretary Fred Russell, RPRA (Irish Region) Secretaries Mr & Mrs R Reid from Carrickfergus, NIPA Vice Chairman Alan Darragh and wife Betty, NIPA Vice President Joe Kelly from Londonderry and Mr & Mrs Thompson from Bushmills. Sammy is a long serving official, a past President at both the (Irish Region) RPRA and Irish Nat FC, also on Council of the RPRA, dedicated and ever present at most of the local pigeon functions.
Sammy was the special guest and presented the NIPA awards, wife Edith presented the awards for the Irish Region. It was pleasing that most of the major winners were present to collect their awards, including the big race winners and all 8 NIPA Section Fancier of the Year winners. Ron Williamson from Bondhill collected most cups including the Champion Old Bird of the Year and the NIPA Sect E Fancier of the Year Cup for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons. He has also won the Northern Ireland Fancier of the Year Cup for a record 9th time.
Major winner at Ladies Night and Northern Ireland Fancier of the Year Ron Williamson from Bondhill.
The NIPA presented gifts to Sammy Thompson for presenting the awards and to Betty Darragh who had ill health during the year and was making a good recovery. Sammy Thompson congratulated the NIPA on their achievements over the years, a dedicated team in charge and still one of the top organizations attached to the RPRA. The Mighty NIPA carry a big profile on the GB mainland and its well deserved. In all the years I have attended the annual Ladies Night it was always at the invitation of the NIPA, a lot of progress has been made on the publicity front and sometimes suggestions not always pleased. It is good to see that they are now quite happy to have as much coverage as possible, and my next pet project is going to be the results. The major award winners included Fancier of the Year for all 8 Sections, winners were the following.
Sect A M & R Hamilton Coalisland & Dist 233 Points, Sect A West Alan Hall Omagh & Dist 236 Points, Sect B Fleming Bros Crumlin & Dist 134 Points, Sect C D & J Campbell & Bigger 224 Points, Sect D M & F Russell Dromore West End 215 Points, Sect E R Williamson Bondhill 209 Points, Sect F J Crossan Downpatrick 127 Points, Sect G Donnelly Bros Newry City Inv 280 Points.
NIPA Young Fancier of the Year 2008 (RPRA Irish Region Trophy) won by Conor Magill New Antrim Amalgamated. Runner-up NIPA Young Fancier of the Year 2008 (N Marshall Cup) Christopher Tweed Rasharkin & District. NIPA Old Bird of the Year - J Moreland Memorial Trophy won by R Williamson Bondhill. NIPA Young Bird of the Year - Irish Region Trophy won by R McKelvey Newry & District. Diplomas sponsored by Corner Auctions.
National & Classic Winners 2008 were: B Fletcher & Son Cup Rosscarbery OB Inl Nat won by Hutchinson Bros Ashfield vel 1569, Stena Trophy Mallow 5 Bird Championship won by McKinstry Bros Dromara vel 1493, J H ONeill Cup Sennen Cove OB Classic won by D & J Campbell & Bigger Glengormley vel 1420, Volvo Trophy 5 Bird Championship YB Fermoy won by M/M Stevenson Dromara vel 1328, McKeown Cup Talbenny YB Nat was not won, H McVeigh Cup Rosscarbery YB Inl Nat won by R McKelvey Newry & District vel 1372, News of the World, McComb & Pigeon Portal.com Cups St Malo OB Nat won by M Maguire & Son Newry & District vel 1186, D McNeilly Memorial Cup runner-up St Malo OB Nat won by G Buckley & Son Annaghmore vel 1176, Northern Bank Cup Yearling Hen Nat Rosscarbery won by M Maguire & Son Newry & Dist vel 1573, Northern Bank Cup Yearling Cock Nat Rosscarbery won by McGimpsey Bros Ards HPS vel 1583.
Three generations of the Maguire Family celebrate another outstanding season, racing into the City of Newry.
Average Cup & Trophy Winners 2008 were: Erwin Trophy Best Ave in all Nat & Classic races won by R Williamson Bondhill vel 1319, B Fox Cup Top placed official etc St Malo OB Nat won by M Graham Ballymena & Dist 4th Open, Waring Trophy Best Ave all Nat races won by R Williamson vel 1295, W E Diamond Cup Best Ave Talbenny & Rosscarbery YB Nats was not won, McCluggage Cup Best Ave all cross channel races inc Nats won by R Williamson vel 1265, Dickson Cup Best Ave Bude OB & Pilmore Beach YB won by Donnelly Bros Newry City vel 1308, Harper Cup Best Ave St Malo OB & Talbenny YB Nat was not won, Surgenor Cup Best Ave Talbenny (2), Bude & Sennen Cove under appeal, Scania Cup best Ave St Malo & Sennen Cove OB Classic won by R Williamson vel 1230, Agar Cup First Yearling in OB Classic Sennen Cove won by D & J Campbell & Bigger Glengormley vel 1420, Major Lewis Cup Best Ave all races from England & Wales won by R Williamson vel 1339, Devine Memorial Trophy Best 2 Bird Ave St Malo OB Nat won by G Buckley & Son Annaghmore vel 1122.
OB Trophy Winners 2008 were: H McCabe Cup Tullamore M McPhillips of Coalisland vel 1135, G F Whiteside Cup Roscrea J Crossan of Downpatrick vel 1802, Gilmore & Beattie Cup Clonmel S Graham Son & McManus of Ligoniel vel 1894, S Calvert Cup Pilmore Beach R Williamson of Bondhill vel 1422, R Harkness Cup Pilmore Beach R Williamson of Bondhill vel 1233, Simpson Cup Talbenny (1) N Weir of Loughgall vel 1302, Ledlie Cup Talbenny (2) W Neill of Annaghmore vel 1398, Northern Bank Trophy Fermoy R Parkes & Son of Armagh vel 1551, Vint Cup Bude Donnelly Bros of Newry City Inv vel 1301, McCrory Cup Sennen Cove D & J Campbell & Bigger of Glengormley vel 1420.
YB Trophy Winners 2008 were: B Hunter Cup Tullamore R McKelvey of Newry & District vel 1868, W V Troughton Cup Roscrea M Maguire & Son of Newry & District vel 1491, S Montgomery Cup Tullamore M Maguire & Son of Newry & District vel 1753, McIlwaine Cup Pilmore Beach O Markey of Ballyholland vel 1328, Mullingar M & F Russell of Dromore WE vel 1506, S Inglis Cup Fermoy M/M G Delaney of Dromore vel 1333.
Section Trophy Winners 2008
Sect E: E & J McCambley Cups -Talbenny (1) won by N Weir Loughgall vel 1302, Talbenny (2) - won by W Neill Annaghmore vel 1398, Bude - won by R Williamson Bondhill vel 1288, Sennen Cove - won by W Neill Bondhill vel 1413, St Malo - won by G Buckley & Son Annaghmore vel 1176. Sect A: H Devine Cup St Malo won by K Carolan Coalisland vel 1058. Sect B: Leslie Mairs Memorial Cup St Malo - won by W Reid Cullybackey vel 1141. Sect C: J Campbell Memorial Cup St Malo won by G Andrew Springvale Soc vel 1132. Sect D: H McVeigh Cup St Malo - won by Spence Bros Lisburn & Dist vel 1072. Sect F: A Brown & Family Cup St Malo won by R Strain & Son Millisle vel 1046. Sect G: Norman Girvan Memorial Cup St Malo - won by M Maguire & Son Newry & District vel 1186.
In 2008 Bronze Diplomas were won by Diamond Bros Coleraine Prem 5th Sect A & 54th Open NIPA Portland 05 and 6th Sect A & 93rd Open NIPA Lamballe 07. B & M Gilmore Ballyclare & Dist 25th Sect C & 78th Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 5th Sect C & 25th Open NIPA St Malo 08. Grattan Bros Eastway HPS 16th Sect C & 58th Open NIPA St Malo 06 and 65th Sect C & 195th Open NIPA St Malo 08. J Burrows Eastway HPS 23rd Sect C & 75th Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 6th Sect C & 26th Open NIPA St Malo 08. J McMaw Carrick Social 29th Sect C & 99th Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 10th Sect C & 42nd Open NIPA St Malo 08. P Boyd Annaghmore 21st Sect E & 94th Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 42nd Sect E & 213th Open NIPA St Malo 08. S Corrigan Loughgall 28th Sect E & 115th Open NIPA Lamballe 08 and 7th Sect E & 23rd Open NIPA St Malo 08. J Trotter Laurelvale 35th Sect E & 139th Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 21st Sect E & 121st Open NIPA St Malo 08. R McVeigh Corrigs HPS 14th Sect F & 180th Open NIPA St Malo 06 and 18th Sect F & 204th Open NIPA St Malo 08. Agar Bros Portavogie 6th Sect F & 87th Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 3rd Sect F & 28th Open NIPA St Malo 08. Donnelly Bros Newry City Inv 10th Sect G & 96th Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 14th Sect G & 152nd Open NIPA St Malo 08. M Conlon & Sons Banbridge Soc 12th Sect G & 104th Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 17th Sect G & 205th Open NIPA St Malo 08. A McAteer & Sons Ballyholland with a late claim not included on the Dinner Card.
In 2008 Silver Diplomas were won by Diamond Bros Coleraine Premier 5th Sect A & 54th Open NIPA Portland 05, 6th Sect A & 93rd Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 17th Sect A & 114th Open NIPA St Malo 08. K Carolan Coalisland & Dist 3rd Sect A & 46th Open NIPA Portland 05, 13th Sect A & 78th Open NIPA St Malo 06 and 4th Sect A & 20th Open NIPA St Malo 08. T Leacock & Son Castledawson 7th Sect A & 37th Open NIPA St Malo 06, 8th Sect A & 162nd Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 9th Sect A & 65th Open NIPA St Malo 08. M/M Stevenson Dromara 15th Sect D & 176th Open NIPA St Malo 06, 7th Sect D & 59th Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 8th Sect D & 176th Open NIPA St Malo 08.
B & M Gilmour from the Hot-Bed of Ballyclare won the highly prized Gold Diploma & Gold Medal with Champion Easton Gold. See text below
In 2008 a Gold Medal & Gold Diploma was won by B & M Gilmore Ballyclare & District. Champion Easton Gold won 19th Sect C & 78th Open NIPA Portland 05, 6th Sect C & 29th Open NIPA St Malo 06, 41st Sect C & 147th Open NIPA Lamballe 07 and 4th Sect C & 22nd Open NIPA St Malo 08.
What a way to finish the season report another Gold Medal and Diploma won into the Long Distance Capital of Northern Ireland, Ballyclare in County Antrim. In future months I hope to feature all the major winners in my usual history list and in time I am also going to look back at some of the rich history. Publicity is my job and I have no intention of standing aside and moving into retirement, given continued good health I will strive to cover lots of information that I have at hand and have not had the time so far to research. The vast majority appreciate the coverage, I listen to good reports every single week. Thats the sort of thing that keeps one marching on, it is however an impossible task to please the lot. I have a request from the NIPA that clubs who require rubber rings for the season must have them ordered by the end of November. With the ETS in use not so many are needed now and the NIPA need to find out the size of the required order.
Willie Reynolds
NIPA - Press Officer
Tel/Fax (028) 256 44683
Mobile: 079396 84876
E-mail: reynoldshomer@aol.com
http://www.pigeonnetwork.com
http://www.niparacingpigeons.co.uk
Jackie Crossan from Downpatrick (l) won the G F Whiteside Cup for 1st Open NIPA Roscrea.
The Ligoniel team of S Graham Son & McManus won the Gilmour & Beattie Cup for 1st Open NIPA Clonmel.
Roy Parkes & Son from Armagh HPS won the Northern Bank Trophy for 1st Open NIPA Fermoy in old birds.
Mark Maguire & Son won successive young bird races from Roscrea and Tullamore.
Ron McKelvey of Newry had another award winning year of the highest level.
Owen Markey (l) from Ballyholland in Newry won the McIlwaine Cup for 1st Open NIPA Pilmore Beach in young birds.
Gerald Delaney from the Dromore HPS won the Stan Inglis Cup in the final young bird race flown from Fermoy.
G Buckley & Son won the Devine Memorial Trophy for Best 2 Bird Average in the OB National, the loft finished 2nd & 11th Open NIPA St Malo.
Martin Graham (l) from Ballymena & Dist collects the Brendan Fox Cup from Sammy Thompson at the NIPA Ladies Night held in the Templeton Hotel. Martin, a Club Delegate won 2nd Sect & 4th Open in the NIPA St Malo OB National flown from France.
Mickey Hamilton from Coalisland & District won the NIPA Sect A Fancier of the Year award.
Alan Hall (l) from Omagh & Dist was the winner of Sect H Fancier of the Year.
Ian Fleming (l) of Fleming Bros in Crumlin & Dist won the NIPA Sect B Fancier of the Year collecting the cup from Sammy Thompson at the NIPA Ladies Night held in the Templeton Hotel.
The high flying D & J Campbell & Bigger from Glengormley HPS won the East Antrim Sect C Fancier of the Year.
Martin Russell of the M & F Russell team in Dromore West End won Sect D Fancier of the Year yet again.
Hard to beat Donnelly Bros from Newry City with the best Points Total won the Sect G Fancier of the Year.
Kevin Carolan (l) collects the H Devine Cup for 1st NIPA Sect A in the St Malo OB National.
Graham Andrew from Springvale Social won the J Campbell Memorial Cup for winning 1st Sect C in NIPA St Malo OB National.
Another bit of silver going to the high flying Ron Williamson who won most cups.
Conor Magill (l) from the New Antrim Amalgamated won the NIPA Young Fancier of the Year award.
Davy Hutchinson from Ashfield won the B Fletcher & Son Cup for 1st Open NIPA Rosscarbery OB Inland National.
Malachy Maguire (l) from Newry & District won the Northern Bank Cup for 1st in the NIPA Yearling Hen National
Eddie McGimpsey for McGimpsey Bros Ards HPS collects the Northern Bank Cup for winning 1st Yearling Cocks National.
The popular McKinstry Bros of Dromara won the Stena Trophy for 1st Open NIPA in the Mallow 5 Bird Championship in old birds.
Mr & Mrs Stevenson from Dromara won the Volvo Trophy for 1st Open NIPA in the Fermoy 5B Championship for young birds.
The D & J Campbell & Bigger team won the Sennen Cove and OB Championship race for Glengormley HPS.
Mark Maguire & Family won the OB National from St Malo plus News of the World Cup, McComb Cup and Pigeonportal.com Cup.
NIPA President Diamond Carson presents the Presidents Cup to Messers McDowell & Mulgrew on behalf of Ivan Mawhinney from Moira for services over the year with liberations and in the last year the extra duties with the ETS.
John Trotter from Laurelvale (l) won a Bronze Diploma for a bird placed twice in the OB National. See text.
Mick Conlon & Son from Banbridge Social adds a Bronze Diploma to his long distance collection.
Philip Boyd from Annaghmore won the Bronze Diploma scoring from Lamballe & St Malo.
Diamond Bros from the Coleraine Premier HPS won the Silver Diploma for a bird placed three times in the France Old Bird National, they collected the award from special guest Sammy Thompson (r) at the annual NIPA Ladies Night.