The annual awards were presented at the recent Ladies Night and the competition attracts a good deal of interest among the top lofts over the racing season. Points are awarded over various races and the award is won in each of the 8 NIPA Sections by the loft with Most Points. In the big Sections it works out at 45 Points for 1st going down to 1 Point for 45th place, only the best bird counts for each loft. In 2012 a change was made to the format when previously points were counted for the entire season the NIPA introduced separate awards for Old Birds and Young Birds to add to the Overall Fancier of the Year award. This has proved to be a great success and it takes some effort to win all three titles in the one year.
Last season out of the 8 NIPA Sections only two lofts won all three competitions, Bingham & Seaton in the East Antrim Sect C who enjoyed a best ever racing season and Donnelly Bros from Newry City former NI Fanciers of the Year. In 2013 all three competitions were won by G & S Smith of Cookstown, Jeff Greenaway Dromore, and Ronnie Witherow of Limavady. G & S Smith of Cookstown have won Sect A Fancier of the Year three in a row, 2011 with 252 Points, 2012 with 287 Points and 2013 with 303 Points. Around Antrim the big winners were in Crumlin & District with the top lofts of Fleming Bros and McConville Bros winning Fancier of the Year in the NIPA Section B. Following a great season in the young birds McConville Bros won YB Fancier of the Year with 295 Points. Yet again the ace racer in the local area was Fleming Bros, at the present time they are the loft to beat. Old Bird Fancier of the Year in Section B, and the overall Section B Fancier of the Year in 2013, with 620 Points. They can add that to the list having won this top award in 2009 with 258 Points, 2011 with 689 Points and 2012 with 654 Points, that’s racing of the very highest order. Sect D in recent seasons has been dominated by Jeff Greenaway, winner in 2001, 2002 with 669 Points, 2004 with 706 Points, 2005 with 719 Points, 2009 with 220 Points, 2012 with 803 Points and 2013 with 789 Points. Plunkett Pollock & Nelson of Ards were winners in 2012 with 578 Points, and again in 2013 with 549 Points. Donnelly Bros from Newry City have a big record as well, every year back to 2000 and probably before that as well. Points winning total recently were 2010 with 819 Points, 2011 with 867 Points, 2012 with 801 Points and 2013 with 700 Points.
N.I.P.A. Old Bird Section Fanciers of the Year 2013:
Section A – G & S Smith Cookstown 194 Points; Section B – Fleming Bros Crumlin 443 Points; Section C – D & J Campbell & Bigger Eastway 505 Points; Section D – J Greenaway Dromore HPS 507 Points; Section E – D Calvin Bondhill 497 Points; Section F – McGimpsey Bros Ards HPS 372 Points; Section G – Donnelly Bros. Newry City Inv. 480 Points; Section H –R Witherow Limavady 177 Points.
N.I.P.A. Young Bird Section Fanciers of the Year 2013:
Section A – G & S Smith Cookstown Social 109 Points; Section B – McConville Bros. Crumlin & Dist. 295 Ponts; Section C – McClurkin & McCoubrey Ligoniel HPS 275 Points; Section D – J Greenaway Dromore HPS 282 Points; Section E - P McCall Markethill HPS 224 Points; Section F – H McAvoy Ards HPS 256 Points; Section G – T & K Mawhinney Donacloney HPS 241 Points; Section H – R Witherow Limavady 95 Points.
N.I.P.A Overall Section Fanciers of the Year 2013:
Section A – G & S Smith Cookstown Social 303 Points; Section B – Fleming Bros. Crumlin & Dist. 620 Points; Section C – D & J Campbell & Bigger Eastway 749 Points; Section D – J Greenaway Dromore HPS 789 Points; Section E – D Calvin Bondhill Social 696 Points; Section F – Plunkett, Pollock & Nelson Ards HPS 549 Points; Section G – Donnelly Bros. Newry City Inv. 700 Points; Section H – R Witherow Limavady 272 Points.
N.I.P.A Young Fancier of the Year 2013:
R.P.R.A. Irish Region Trophy won by Delaney & McCambridge of Ashfield; Runner-Up – Ned Marshall Cup won by Ellie Marshall of Comber.
Season Reports are welcome from any of the above lofts and these will be featured over the next number of weeks, racing details and individual bird’s performance including breeding. HOMER.
Section A Fancier of the Year, G & S Smith Cookstown Social.
Ian Fleming of Crumlin & Dist collects the Section B Fancier of the Year for Fleming Bros.
D & J Campbell & Bigger from Eastway won the Overall Sect C Fancier of the Year.
Jeff Greenaway from Dromore won the Overall Sect D Fancier of the Year.
Section E Fancier of the Year was won by David Calvin of Bondhill Social.
Plinkett, Pollock & Nelson of Ards HPS won the Overall Sect F Fancier of the Year.
Richard Donnelly from Newry City collects the Overall Sect G Fancier of the Year won by Donnelly Bros.
Ronnie Witherow from Limavady won the Overall Sect H Fancier of the Year.
McGimpsey Bros of Ards won the Sect F Old Bird.
McConville Bros from Crumlin & District won Sect B Young Bird.
McClurkin & McCoubrey of Ligoniel & District won the Sect C Young Bird.
P McCall of Markethill won the Section E Young Bird.
T & K Mawhinney from Donaghcloney won the Sect G Young Bird.
Jack Delaney and Ronan McCambridge from Ashfield won the Young Fancier of the Year.
Ellie Marshall from Comber was r/u for Young Fancier of the Year.