Farming Life - Wednesday 19/01/11

[willie reynolds]

Ballymena & Dist HPS held their dinner and prize presentation in the local Adair Arms Hotel in the centre of town and not very far from the clubrooms at Fountain Place. Since last year the hotel has changed hands and was quite busy on the night, we were downstairs this time in the Clendun Room and well set out for the occasion. Special guests were Joe & Neal Adams who run Hilltop Feeds at Old Ballymoney Road and who like to be involved with the birds of the local area either pigeons or indeed poultry where they are well connected. Added to that we welcomed visitors from Cullybackey HPS and Rasharkin & Dist HPS making it one of the best attended events for a number of years, especially since our move back to the Adair Arms.
Club President Billy Smyth welcomed the members, guests and friends and said the club had enjoyed another wonderful season, top competition and a number of top race results. For the first time the club had won the Mid Antrim Combine Champions League a competition for all nine clubs in the local area who each nominate four lofts to represent their own club. It starts out as a league competition going on to a knock-out, with the final at Penzance. Martin Graham took the club the whole way and defeated Scott & Clements of Kells & Dist in the Grand Final.

For the second year the club had the Ring Nomination Race flown from Fermoy, again open to all lofts in the Mid Antrim Combine it was won in the first season by Danny Dixon but this time it was the local lofts that featured at the top with W & J Smyth ahead of Martin Graham. This venture like the Champions League was the idea of Ass Secretary James Harris who not only carries a big lot of work at Ballymena including the ETS and Result but is very active at the Cullybackey Centre on behalf of all members in the Mid Antrim Area.

Yet again the total payout was £1,000 and for the third season on the trot the Top Prize-winners were Billy & Joe Smyth ahead of the ever present and winner of most races Martin Graham. Must only be a matter of time till Martin achieves the highest prize-winner award continuing to race the very best of the Gearld Delaney Oroory Hill Stud bloodlines.

As well as winning eleven races Martin had the 1st Mid Antrim Combine in Bude when he topped Sect B & 4th Open NIPA and best bird in the local area in the hard Skibbereen YB Nat with the INFC. W & J Smyth had 10 x 1sts and that included Penzance a very hard race finishing 2nd Comb & Sect and 9th Open NIPA winning the club by one hour. In the duplicate Penzance Classic the loft finished 2nd Comb & Sect and 6th Open NIPA, their velocity was 1045. They were also involved in a big club result at Talbenny YB Nat finishing 2nd Comb & Sect plus 6th Open NIPA followed by Mr & Mrs Sempey finishing 14th Open NIPA and winning over £1,000 between them. Brian O’Rawe had the most improved loft winning three races on the trot at the tail of young birds followed by club Chairman Joe Devlin, the top four lofts are expected to represent the club in next seasons Champions League.

The awards were presented by Joe & Neal Adams including the Champions League for Mid Antrim Combine which was sponsored by Hilltop Feeds.

The leading lofts were: W & J Smyth, Martin Graham, Brian O’Rawe, Joe Devlin, Blair & Rankin, McAlonan Bros who timed the only two birds from St Malo (France), James Harris, Richmond Bros, Mr & Mrs Sempey, and George Barr. With a small team Smyth Bros had the only arrival in the Kings Cup from Plaudren/Vannes.

W & J Smyth won – Harper Cup Top Prize-winner, Yearling Hens Inl Nat, Slemish Cup Talbenny (1), Carnvale Cup Sennen Cove, OB Inland Average, Simon McCrory Cup Arklow, Wexford, Talbenny & Penzance, Mooney Cup Best Ind Bird (RPRA Merit Award Claim), Rodger King Memorial Cup 6th YB Race, Vintage Cup Talbenny YB Nat, Ruddle Cup YB Derby, YB Inland Ave, Best Ind Young Bird (15) 2 x 1st, 1 x 2nd etc, Victory Cup YB Ave, Flamingo Cup Best YB Nat Ave.

Martin Graham won – OB Inland Derby, Yearling Cocks Nat, Talbenny (2), OB Knock-Out, YB Inl Nat INFC, Skibbereen YB Nat, Smyth Bros Trophy OB Classic & YB Nat, Law Family Mem Cup INFC Points Ave.

Joe Devlin won – Mallow 5 Bird. Richmond Bros won – Bobby Law Memorial 1st Yearling Penzance plus £20 Special, Livingstone Cup 2B Ave Yearling Nat for second year. McAlonan Bros won – George Barr Perpetual Challenge Cup St Malo (France), McDowell Challenge OB Derby, Smyth Bros won - Kings Cup Race. Brian O’Rawe won - Carnvale Cup Yearling Nat, Bill Carney Rose Bowl Lowest Winning Velocity.

Secretary Willie Reynolds congratulated all the season’s top winners, a season of great success on many fronts, and 2011 might be even better. Joe Devlin is looking after the rings for the first time, the Combi are the letter K, the last time we had those one was put on to Cool Lass to win the Galway Plate and 50,000 Euro. He also thanked all those involved in the week to week running of the club, all the members had a role to play and that included the show season which just recently finished with the Open Show on New Years Day, the previous show was 10 years earlier. In the club show series each Monday Jack Balmer won the Show Shield and Willie Gilbert collecting the Visitors Trophy. The help received from Assist Secretary James Harris was invaluable over the entire year, and also Treasurer Brian O’Rawe who collects the money on race nights. The club AGM will be held in the local Clubrooms at Fountain Place on Monday 7th February at 8.00pm, Resolutions in writing must be with the Secretary Willie Reynolds no later than Saturday 22nd January.