Introduction -

[willie reynolds]

Introduction -

With this being my first report, I would like to introduce myself to you all. My Name is Jordan Hughes I’m 23 years old and Live in a little village called Bessbrook in Co. Armagh Northern Ireland. I am a 4th Generation Pigeon Fancier and have the passion for the sport running through my veins. From a very early age I was always rooting about with my dad in and around the loft as you can see from the picture included. Its safe to say that my dad didn’t have to worry if I was going to keep the family tradition alive. As I got older, I started to get more and more interested in the finer details of the sport, it was then in 2011 when I went into partnership with my dad racing under Gary Hughes & Son which I still race under ever since. Many hands make light work and teamwork makes the dreamwork. There are very few sports or hobbies where you can have such a close bond with a family member that you get with Pigeon Racing whether it be parents, siblings, grandparents, It brings a family closer together as nothing beats sitting out in the Garden relaxing while spending time with friends and family waiting on the birds arrival from a race however long the wait may be. For me it’s a sport/hobby that is slept on, and just like everyone else I always strived for more publicity in our great passion we all have. In my school days one thing stands out to me now the most when in a parent teacher meeting for English, my teacher was explaining my progress in school assignments, that all the class would have to pick a book from the library on a topic that they like and write about it. Of course, everyone picked adventure, drama, sci fi but not me I picked something on Football. Technically I wasn’t in the wrong she said to pick a book that you’d like, My teacher gave in but her comment has come true now as she said to my parents “If something doesn’t interest Jordan he will struggle to write a sentence on it but if its something that Jordan is passionate about he will be able to write about it till the cows come home and very well for that fact” Unfortunately for my Teacher that was football but I blame the school for not having the British Homing World or the Squills Book in the Library otherwise there wouldn’t have been a problem lol. This comment has proved itself when in 2020 shortly after lockdown I started writing up a winners report every week on our Clubs Facebook page. It went down well with our members and was encouraged on by them. A year later I thought why not go to a wider audience so I had a meeting with the local newspaper editors asking to put in a report of our racing results published every week to gain recognition for our sport to those who may not be aware of its popularity. I’ve hit the ground running since then filling out front page and back page headlines in most issues with a full 2-page coverage on the Kings Cup. I have a passion for this sport, and I want to try and put my all into helping the sport get more recognition whether it be for one person or thousands of viewers its something. As I end this introduction I would like to explain my reason behind my title ‘Journeys End’. We all have high hopes for our pigeons to return and secretly I know every fancier wishes the pigeons themselves could talk and say how they got home and want actions they had to take. As every fancier knows we all have that nearly unbelievable story of that pigeon that came home early, late or injured but every story has one thing in common its Journeys End was to their beloved home.

N.I.P.A 2023 Race Programme
OLD BIRD PROGRAMME
SATURDAY 15/04/23 TULLAMORE
SATURDAY 22/04/23 ROSCREA
SATURDAY 29/04/23 GOWRAN PARK
SATURDAY 06/05/23 FERMOY
SATURDAY 13/05/23 FERMOY
SATURADY 20/05/23 SKIBBEREEN OB INLAND NATIONAL
SATURDAY 20/05/23 PILMORE BEACH
SATURDAY 27/05/23 TALBENNY
SATURDAY 03/06/23 TALBENNY
SATURDAY 03/06/23 FERMOY 5 BIRD
SATURADY 10/06/23 BUDE
SATURDAY 10/06/23 SKIBBEREEN YEARLING INLAND NATIONAL COCKS & HENS
SATURDAY 17/06/23 PENZANCE AND PENZANCE CLASSIC
SATURDAY 17/06/23 FERMOY
THURSDAY 22/06/23 ST MALO/PLOUGASTEL

YOUNG BIRD PROGRAMME
SATURDAY 15/07/23 KILBEGGAN
SATURDAY 22/07/23 KILBEGGAN
SATURDAY 29/07/23 TULLAMORE
SATURDAY 05/08/23 ROSCREA
SATURDAY 12/08/23 GOWRAN PARK
SATURDAY 19/08/23 FERMOY
SATURDAY 26/08/23 TALBENNY YOUNG BIRD NATIONAL
SATURDAY 26/08/23 ROSCREA
SATURDAY 02/09/23 FERMOY
SATURDAY 09/09/23 SKIBBEREEN YOUNG BIRD INLAND NATIONAL

I would like to inform everyone that I have been newly elected as Press Officer for the N.I.P.A and will be covering Sections C, D, F & G in the N.I.P.A this forthcoming Season. I kindly ask for all the club secretary’s/race secretaries within the covered sections to get in contact with me labelling their club and contact details for the future publication of results, Loft Reports and any other information looking to be published. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone the best of luck and good health in 2023. I am very privileged to be taking on this esteemed role and I can’t wait to get up and running.

JORDAN HUGHES
‘JOURNEYS END’
N.I.P.A PRESS OFFICER
Mobile: 07713808554
Email: jordanhughespro.gmail.com