The Ballymena & District pigeon club held their awards night recently to hand out cups and trophies won during the 2023 season. Highlight of the season was Martin Graham winning 1st Open INFC Penzance Yearling National with "Den's Lass" and 1st Open INFC Penzance YB National with "Sammy's Girl". It was the first time any fancier had ever won two channel National's in the Irish National Flying Club in the same season, a truly outstanding achievement.
Johnston Eagleson & Sons were the club's Highest Prize winners and over the course of the season had 9 x 1st club wins and topped the Combine & Section from Penzance and the Penzance OB Classic. They finished 3rd Open in the Penzance old bird Classic event and 4th Open from Penzance only losing out for 1st Open by 1 minute.
Bertie Blair was runner up Highest Prize-winner and also had 9 x 1st club wins. He topped the Mid Antrim Combine from the Fermoy Yearling National finishing 2nd Section & 20th Open Nipa. Bertie was also runner up in the Combine on three other occasions, all in the young bird season and each time beaten by clubmates K & K Kernohan & Sons who finished 3rd in the prize list.
The Kernohan partnership of Keith, Ken, Callum & Louis won 4 x 1st club's and topped the Combine on three occasions from 1st Kilbeggan, Fermoy 5 bird with the loft also winning 1st Section and from the Nipa Skibbereen YB National plus 2nd Section & 12th Open. Shane Johnston was next on the list with 4 x 1st club and 2 x 1st in the Combine from 2nd Roscrea YB and Fermoy YB.
Martin Graham won 3 x 1st clubs and also won an RPRA mileage Award with "Den's Lass" and at the INFC dinner lifted three cups for Penzance Yearling National, Penzance YB National and best average Penzance Yearling National & Penzance YB National. Trevor Johnston won the Nipa Dale young bird National cups and Joey Wright had the only bird in the club and Mid Antrim Combine from St Allouestre King Cup finishing 47th Open. Racing with the Mid Antrim Combine K & K Kernohan & Sons won the young bird average and the Champion Young Bird of the Year awards.
Ballymena members topped the Mid Antrim Combine a total of 11 x 1st times and were shared out as follows, Martin Graham Penzance Yearling National & Penzance YB National, Johnston Eagleson & Sons Penzance & Penzance OB Classic, Bertie Blair Fermoy Yearling National, K & K Kernohan & Sons 1st Kilbeggan, Fermoy 5 Bird and Skibbereen YB National, Shane Johnston & Son 2nd Roscrea & Fermoy and Joey Wright St Allouestre Kings Cup. The evening was a bit of good crack with everyone getting a slice of Johnston Eagleson's 75th birthday cake washed down with tea or coffee. In all it was an excellent season's racing by the Ballymena & district "Top Club" members.
Highest Prize-winner list: J Eagleson & Sons 9 x 1st, Blair & Rankin 9 x 1st, K & K Kernohan & Sons 4 x 1st, S Johnston & Son 4 x 1st, Martin Graham 3 x 1st, T Johnston & Son 1 x 1st, G & A Eagleson, J Wright 1 x 1st.
Ballymena Cups 2023:
J Eagleson & Sons - Highest Prize-winner Cup, Tullamore OB, 1st Roscrea OB, 2nd Fermoy OB, OB Inland Average, Slemish Cup - 1st Talbenny, 2nd Talbenny, Bude, Best Average 2nd Talbenny & Penzance, Penzance OB, Penzance OB Classic, McCrory Cup - Best Average 1st Roscrea, 1st Fermoy, 1st Talbenny & Penzance, 4th Fermoy OB.
Blair & Rankin - 2nd Roscrea OB,1st Fermoy OB, Skibbereen OB Inland National, 3rd Fermoy OB, Fermoy OB 5 Bird, Fermoy Yearling National Nipa, Bobby Law Cup - 1st Yearling in Penzance OB, Smyth Bros Cup - Best Average Penzance OB Classic & Penzance YB National, Bill Carney Rose Bowl - Nipa Old Bird Of The Year - GB22B30914, 2nd Kilbeggan YB, Tullamore YB, Combined Inland Average, INFC Skibbereen YB National, Bill Carney Shield - Best Average Penzance & Skibbereen YB INFC Nationals, INFC Points.
Martin Graham - Carnvale Cup - INFC Penzance Yearling National, Livingstone Bros Cup - Best 2 Bird Average Penzance INFC Yearling National, Pilmore Beach OB, INFC Penzance YB National, Best Individual Young Bird Performance - "Sammy's Girl", Mooney Cup - Best Individual Old Bird Performance - "Dens Lass"
Joey Wright - Smyth Bros Memorial Cup (Kings Cup), St Allouestre Kings Cup, McIlhagga Cup - Best Average Kings
K & K Kernohan & Sons - 1st Kilbeggan YB, Fermoy YB 5 Bird, 2nd Fermoy YB, Skibbereen YB NIPA National, Victory Cup - YB Average, YB Inland Average, Flamingo Cup - Best Average Dale & Skibbereen YB National (Nipa), Young Bird Of The Year GB23A-26599
S Johnston & Son - 1st Roscrea YB, 2nd Roscrea YB, Roger King Cup (6th Young Bird Race) - 1st Fermoy , 3rd Roscrea
T Johnston & Son - Ruddell Cup - Dale Young Bird National, Vintage Cup - Dale Young Bird National.
Old Bird Winners 2023:
Tullamore - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th velo 1666, 1659, 1658 & 1658
1st Roscrea - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th velo 1360, 2nd, 7th, 9th, 12th, 18th, 23rd, 27th, 29th & 30th MAC 51/1445, 3rd, 21st, 27th, 33rd, 40th & 47th Section 86/2486
2nd Roscrea - Blair & Rankin velo 1437, 12th MAC 62/1875, 18th Section 102/3275
1st Fermoy - Blair & Rankin velo 1914, 7th MAC 53/1472, 16th Section 98/3231
2nd Fermoy - J Eagleson & Sons 1st & 2nd velo 1562 & 1560
Skibbereen Inland National - Blair & Rankin 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th velo 1349, 3rd, 5th, 7th & 9th MAC, 5th, 8th, 10th & 12th Section 56/424, 115th, 180th, 202nd & 218th Open. J Eagleson & Sons 25th Section
Pilmore Beach - Martin Graham velo 1167, 8th MAC 40/681, 21st Section 82/1933
1st Talbenny - J Eagleson & Sons velo 1374, 6th MAC 50/806, 8th Section 90/1404, 56th Open 9872/10655
2nd Talbenny - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd & 3rd velo 1272, 1261 & 1255
3rd Fermoy - Blair & Rankin 1st velo 1367, 6th MAC, 12th Section 94/1540
Fermoy 5 Bird - Blair & Rankin 1st & 2nd velo 1367, 2nd & 3rd MAC 25/113, 6th & 10th Section 45/207
Bude - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd & 3rd velo 1077
Fermoy Yearling National - Blair & Rankin velo 1585, 1st MAC 22/140, 2nd Section 34/251, 20th Open 250/2183. J Eagleson & Sons 2nd MAC, 3rd Section & 25th Open
INFC Penzance Yearling National - Martin Graham 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th & 9th velo 1398, 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 11th MAC, 1st, 7th, 11th & 95th North Section, 1st, 13th, 21st & 123rd Open 485/3070, Joey Wright 138th North Section & 172nd Open, Blair & Rankin 209th North Section & 254th Open
Penzance - J Eagleson & Sons velo 1344, 1st MAC 47/373, 1st Section 77/733, 4th Open 464/5019. Blair & Rankin 11th & 20th Section, 56th & 132nd Open
Penzance Classic - J Eagleson & Sons velo 1344, 1st MAC, 1st Section 43/240, 3rd Open 269/1905. Blair & Rankin 5th & 7th MAC, 6th & 11th Section, 30th & 71st Open
4th Fermoy - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th velo 1328, 11th, 15th, 16th & 17th MAC 30/315, 34th, 40th, 41st & 42nd Section 47/693
INFC St Allouestre Kings Cup - Joey Wright velo 561, 1st MAC, 38th North Section & 46th Open 460/1913.
Young Bird Winners 2023:
1st Kilbeggan - K & K Kernohan & Sons velo 1251, 1st, 12th, 14th, 18th, 20th, 23rd, 27th, 28th & 32nd MAC 29/654, 6th, 23rd, 27th, 39th, 42nd & 45th Section 55/1532 Blair & Rankin 2nd, 19th, 29th, 30th, 31st & 36th MAC & 7th & 41st Section
2nd Kilbeggan - Blair & Rankin velo 1831, 16th MAC 44/1341
Tullamore - Blair & Rankin velo 1426, 3rd MAC 52/1276, 26th Section 83/2395
1st Roscrea - S Johnston & Son 1st & 2nd velo 2072 & 2064, 2nd & 3rd MAC, 2nd & 3rd Section 78/2350 12th & 16th Open 533/17805
2nd Roscrea - S Johnston & Son velo 2155,1st MAC 46/1230, 2nd Section 66/1997 5th Open 533/16981
Fermoy - S Johnston & Son 1st & 2nd velo 1278 & 1247, 1st & 3rd MAC 50/1205, 3rd & 10th Section 79/2071
Fermoy 5 Bird - K & K Kernohan & Sons velo 1246, 1st MAC, 1st Section 32/154, & 55th Open 192/884 Blair & Rankin 2nd MAC, 2nd Section & 66th Open
Nipa Dale YB National - T Johnston & Son velo 1327, 9th MAC, 16th Section 47/348, 94th Open 351/2875. K & K Kernohan & Sons 17th Section 96th & 169th Open, Martin Graham 20th Section & 110th Open, Blair & Rankin 133rd Open.
3rd Roscrea - S Johnston & Son 1st & 2nd velo 1596, 4th & 6th MAC 32/586, 11th & 23rd Section53/1133, 65th Open 326/7511
INFC Penzance YB National - Martin Graham 1st, 3rd, 4th & 6th velo 1452, 1st, 18th, 21st & 23rd MAC, 1st North Section & 1st & 192nd Open 284/1950, Blair & Rankin 11th MAC, 101st North Section & 114th Open. Joey Wright 22nd MAC
2nd Fermoy - K & K Kernohan & Sons velo 1515, 12th MAC 32/648, 25th Section 53/1170
Nipa Skibbereen YB National - K & K Kernohan & Son velo 1039, 1st MAC 28/241, 2nd Section 41/389, 12th Open 266/2633. Blair & Rankin 2nd & 10th MAC, 3rd & 15th Section & 13th & 100th Open. G & A Eagleson 18th Section & 112th Open
INFC Skibbereen YB National - Blair & Rankin velo 1179 5th MAC.
Ballymena high flying trio -
Let me introduce three legends of Ballymena & District with a total of 20 x 1st Open wins between them while racing with the NIPA and INFC. Johnston Eagleson & Sons are former NIPA and Northern Ireland fancier's of the year and have topped the NIPA Open eight times including 1st Open Arklow OB 1987, 1st Open Arklow OB 1999, 1st Open Bude 3 Bird Championship 1988, 1st Open Bude 1998, 1st Open Penzance 1993, 1st Open Penzance OB Classic 1993, 1st Open Nipa Guernsey OB National 1987 and 1st Open Nipa Lamballe OB National 2001. Racing with the INFC they also won 1st Open from the Penzance YB National with "Precious Memories" in 1997. The loft's also won 2 x 1st Opens in 1989 while racing in the mid week Northern Ireland Channel Fed at a time when the races were held on a Wednesday and liberation of the birds was late afternoon. Bertie Blair has won a total of seven Nipa Opens including 1st Open Talbenny YB National with "Faith" in 2019, 1st Open OB Carnsore Point 2002, 1st Open Tramore YB 1994, 1st Open Tramore YB 1998 and 3 x 1st Open Mullingar Area Libs. Martin Graham has won 3 x 1st Open's National's racing with the INFC, 1st Open Sennen Cove Yearling National in 2018 with "Denman", 1st Open Penzance Yearling National in 2023 with "Dens Lass" and 1st Open Penzance YB National in 2023 with "Sammy's Girl". Racing with the Nipa Martin won 1st Open from the Skibbereen OB Inland National in 2004 with "Sunnyhill Lass" and Martin is also the breeder of a 1st Open Galway Classic One Loft Race winner in 2015 plus £50,000 Euros. The three lofts also came close on a number of occasions to adding more major wins with Johnston placed 2nd Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National in 1989 with "Linda Ann" winning £2562 and two years later 2nd Open INFC Penzance YB National with "Valda" winning £1500 & Car. Bertie was 2nd Open in the Nipa Haverford YB National in 1974 with "Doreen's Choice" and 2nd Open in the INFC Penzance YB National in 2011 and Martin won 2nd Open Nipa OB National from Lamballe in 2003 with "Champion Siobhan". It will be interesting to see if the trio can add anymore 1st Opens to their tallies in the years to come. Mervyn Eagleson Mid Antrim PO.
PS – Local clubs not already covered should send their season report, results trophies etc and if possible photos to be lined up for publication. Homer.
Ballymena & District members at awards night held in the local clubrooms.
Club members with their Mid Antrim Combine Awards with Robin Service (r)
the Ballymena club Treasurer and Mid Antrim Combine Chairman.
Johnston Eagleson (r) receiving the highest prize winner cup from Robin Service.
Martin Graham (r) receiving the Livingstone Bros cup
for best 2 Bird Average in the Penzance Yearling National.
Bertie Blair (r) receiving the Nipa Old Bird of the Y.ear award.
Louis, Keith and Callum Kernohan with their Mid Antrim Combine awards for 2023.
Shane Johnston with one of his awards at Ballymena & District.
The K & K Kernohan team being presented with some of their cups by Robin Service.
Ballymena & District legends from left Johnston Eagleson, Bertie Blair and Martin Graham.
“Dens Lass” winner of 1st Open INFC Yearling Nat Penzance 2023 for Martin Graham
collecting the Nelson Corry trophy.
“Sammy’s Girl” winner of 1st Open INFC Young Bird Grand Nat Penzance 2023 for
Martin Graham collecting the J M K McGugan Perpetual Cup.
Montage Martin Graham 2 x 1st INFC Nationals in 2023, a record.
Winner of 3rd Open NIPA Penzance OB Classic and 4th Open
NIPA Penzance for J Eagleson & Sons.