Farming Life - Wednesday 14/12/11

[willie reynolds]

Cullybackey HPS Open Show will be held this Saturday 17th December. It will be a 3 in 1 Show and penning will be 10.00am until 1.00pm. Please note a minimum entry of 10 birds for all Cullybackey HPS members. Around the rest of Mid Antrim Kells & Dist have the usual Boxing Day Monday 26th December and Ballymena & Dist will again host their New Year Day Show on Monday 2nd January 2012 in Cullybackey HPS Clubrooms, more details later.

Ballymena & District: For the final classes of the show season the judges travelled up from Ballymoney HPS, Secretary Derek McMullan who has judged most seasons at the local show and Darren Christie who had just returned from Scotland judging with the NI Show Racer Society. It turned out a super evening for young Robert Turkington from Doagh & Dist, not only winning the Raffle but also Card Winners and Best in Show. Ace show man Bertie Blair won the Fancy class for the local club. Card Winners (60 Birds) – 1st & 3rd D & R Turkington, 2nd & Reserve Blair & Rankin, 4th, HC & Commended J & B Balmer, VHC B Herbinson. Fancy/Pieds (50 Birds) – 1st Blair & Rankin, 2nd & HC J & B Balmer, 3rd & Reserve B Herbinson, 4th & VHC R &P Alexander, Commended W & N Gilbert. All members should supply prizes for the Open Show, all birds from the local Sect B area will be made welcome.

Broughshane & District: Old Hens Handled – 1st A Purvis, 2nd, 3rd & 4th J McNaghten & Son, Reserve & VHC T & E Service, HC & Commended D Houston & Son. Judge George McDowell (Kells). Young Hens Handled – 1st H Smyth & Son, 2nd, 3rd, VHC & HC A Purvis, 4th J Getty, Reserve T & E Service, Commended J & N Simpson. Judge Roy Lorimer (Kells). Raffle won by A Purvis. This was the last show night and the Show Cup was won by Allister Purvis, top show man and racer as well.

Kells & District HPS: The penultimate class was for Mated Pairs judged by Bertie Blair (Ballymena & Dist) and Monty Magill (New Antrim), won by Chairman Brian Swann. Next week the final two shows Eye-sign and Fancy. Mated Pairs (102 Birds) – 1st B Swann & Son, 2nd, HC & Commended Surgenor Bros, 3rd H Boyd, 4th & Reserve A Barkley & Son, VHC T Shanks & Son.

Harryville HPS: The final night at Harryville had classes for Pairs and Fancy, judges included Cowan & John Balmer (Ahoghill) and Mr & Mrs Sempey (Ballymena & Dist). Brandon Balmer won the Fancy class and Special, Show Points Cup was won by Billy Ramsey and Outside Member Cup by J & B Balmer (Ballymena & District). Old Pairs – 1st & 4th G Price, 2nd, HC & Commended J & B Balmer, 3rd & Reserve R H Clements, VHC B Ramsey. Young Pairs – 1st, 2nd & HC R Service & Son, 3rd J & B Balmer, 4th R H Clements, Reserve & Commended B Ramsey, VHC G Price. Fancy – 1st, 2nd & 3rd Brandon Balmer, 4th & Commended R H Clements, Reserve & HC G Price, VHC R Service & Son.

Ahoghill Flying Club: At the most recent show the club made the draw for the annual raffle, many thanks again to all those who supported the event and the hard work and dedicated service especially by Cowan Balmer and daughter Wilma (Mrs Alexander). Tom McAlonan from Ballymena pulled out the winning numbers – 1st & £20 Tesco Voucher Lisa Elder (Kells), 2nd & £15 Tesco Voucher H Robinson (Ahoghill), 3rd & £10 Tesco Voucher Ronnie Stirling (Coleraine). Another fantastic effort and well done to all concerned, every little does help. Old Pairs (84 Birds) – 1st & 2nd J & B Balmer, 3rd & Commended M/M Robinson, 4th C Moore, Reserve T & G Balmer, VHC & HC Young McManus & Sons. Late Breds (15 Birds) – 1st D Stevenson, 2nd & Reserve Young McManus & Sons, 3rd, HC & Commended J Balmer, 4th & VHC W Livingstone. Judges Brian & Laura Herbinson (Cullybackey). Young Pairs (76 Birds) – 1st & 3rd M/M Robinson, 2nd & VHC J Orr & Son, 4th, Reserve & HC T & G Balmer, Commended C Moore. Fancy (36 Birds) – 1st, VHC, HC & Commended T & G Balmer, 2nd & 3rd J & B Balmer, 4th C Moore, Reserve Balmer Young & Sons. Judges Tom McAlonan and M/M Sempey (Ballymena & Dist). Next Week OB & YB Eye-sign.

Ballymoney HPS: Old Hens Handled – 1st & BIS D Gage, 2nd, 3rd, Reserve, HC & Commended J Connolly, 4th L Neill, VHC D & G McMullan. Old Cocks Handled – 1st & BOS L Neill, 2nd & 3rd L Neill, 4th G Connolly, Reserve, VHC & HC D & G McMullan, Commended D Gage. Young Hens Handled – 1st, 3rd, VHC & HC L Neill, 2nd, 4th, Reserve & Commended D & G McMullan. Young Cocks Handled – 1st, 4th, HC & Commended L Neill, 2nd & VHC B & I Stewart, 3rd D Gage, Reserve D & G McMullan. Judges – Monty & Daniel Magill (New Antrim), J Steele & R McNeill (Rasharkin & District).