Cullybackey Open Show 2023 - Cullybackey HPS held their annual 3 in 1 Open Show on Saturday the 16th of December, with a great turn out of birds and fanciers. In total 17 fanciers penned a total of 245 birds. Thank you to everyone who turned up and made the show as big as it was. I would like to send a massive thank you to Frazers Animal Feeds (Banbridge) who sponsored the prizes for all the card winners this year again, I would also like to thank the members who brought raffle prizes and contributed to the show in any way, either on Saturday or throughout the 7 weekly shows we held. I would also like to thank the judging team of Norman Lewis, Claire Kelly, Noel Higginson, Eddie McCaw, Robert Wilson and Davy Strain from East Antrim for coming along and doing a fantastic job for us, their task was not an easy one with so many quality birds on show. The results were as follows:
Old Birds t/wires. 1. B Herbison, 2. B Herbison, 3. T Mawhinney, 4. T Mawhinney, Res N & S Anderson, Vhc. N & S Anderson, Hc. A Neill, C. W & W Gilbert.
Old Birds Handled. 1. N & S Anderson, 2. A Darragh, 3. A Neill, 4. T Mawhinney, Res. J & J Greer, Vhc. S & N Doherty, Hc. A Neill, C. A Darragh.
Old Bird Eyesign. 1. Lynn & Laycock, 2. A Barkley & Son, 3. G Gibson, 4. M Neilly, Res. A Neill,Vhc. A Barkley & Son, Hc. T Mawhinney, C. N & S Anderson.
Young Birds t/w. 1. W & W Gilbert, 2. W & W Gilbert, 3. T Mawhinney, 4. W & W Gilbert, Res. S & N Doherty, Vhc. W & W Gilbert Hc. T Mawhinney, C. F Simpson.
Young birds handled. 1. Lynn & Laycock, 2. T Mawhinney, 3. B Herbison, 4. A Darragh, Res. Lynn & Laycock, Vhc. Lynn & Laycock, Hc. A Darragh, C. S & N Doherty.
Young Bird Eyesign. 1. A Neill, 2. J & J Greer, 3. W & W Gilbert, 4. W & W Gilbert, Res. W & W Gilbert, Vhc. W & W Gilbert, Hc. A Darragh, C. A Darragh.
Best in show W & W Gilbert (Randalstown HPS). Best Young Bird W & W Gilbert. Most points W & W Gilbert. Best Opposite Sex A Darragh (Cullybackey).
Our next job was to present the club show series Sheilds. Club show winners J & J Greer. Visitors Show winners A Barkley & Son (Kells & District). I would like to once again thank everyone for their support this year and hope to do the same next year, but for now happy Christmas and a happy new year and good luck for the 2024 racing season. Jamie Greer PO.
The final club show for Cullybackey was Eyesign classes for Old Birds and Young Birds held on Saturday 9th December, 122 birds were penned. Marc Neilly from Broughshane won the Red Card in Old Birds and Brian Herbison for the home club dominated the Young Bird class with five cards including 1st and Best in Show. The judges travelled in rom Broughshane Alistair Purvis and Colin Kennedy.
Old Bird Eye-sign – 1st M Neilly, 2nd, 4th, HC & Commended A Barkley & Son, 3rd B Herbison, Reserve N & S Anderson, VHC J Getty. Young Bird Eye-sign – 1st, 2nd, Reserve, HC & Commended B Herbison, 3rd A Darragh 4th J Getty, Commended J & J Greer. Best in Show B Herbison (Cullybackey).
Brian Herbison (r) winner of Old Birds t/w with judge Robert Wilson.
N & S Anderson winner of Old Birds Handled with judge Noel Higginson.
Lynn & Laycock winers of Old Bird eye-sign with judge Davy Strain.
W & W Gilbert winner of Young Birds t/w with judge Claire Kelly.
Eddie McCaw (l) with Lynn & Laycock winners of Young Birds handled.
Alwyn Neill (r) from Lurgan winner of Young Bird Eyesign.
W & W Gilbert Best in show with Noel Higginson (l) from Ballyclare.
Alan Darragh winner of Best Opposite sex with N Lewis and C Kelly.
J & J Greer winner of Cullybackey club show shield for 2023.
Class winners at the final club show in Cullybackey for Eye-sign Marc Neilly and
Best in Show Brian Herbison with judges Alistair Purvis and Colin Kennedy.