Rasharkin & District HPS held their annual dinner and prize presentation for 2016 in the Rangers Club in Clough. Chairman Harold Cubitt presented the prizes in what turned out to be a great years racing for the club members with the club winning the Points Shield in both the old bird and young birds in the Mid Antrim Combine, also J & M Milliken winning the Mid Antrim Combine Champions League. The Champions League competition between member clubs in the MAC started in 2008 and was won by Roy Clements for Harryville. Danny Dixon put Rasharkin on the map winning in 2009 and became the first loft to win the award twice when winning again in 2015. Rasharkin & Dist have now won three on the trot, Steele & McNeill in 2014, Danny Dixon in 2015 and now J & M Milliken in 2016.
Highest prize winners for the first time J & M Milliken had an outstanding season topping Section B in the NIPA from Fermoy and Talbenny in the old birds also winning 4th Open North Section INFC Skibbereen. In the young birds they topped the Section B from Fermoy, they went on to top the Mid Antrim Combine 8 times in what was a super season and collected most cups in MAC. Tomas Kaczynski won the Mid Antrim Combine from Talbenny 2 and W & J McLean topped the Mid Antrim from Gowran Park.
Race winners over the season were as follows:-
Old Birds: Mullingar – J & M Milliken, Tullamore – J & M Milliken, Roscrea (1) – A C & T Tweed, Fermoy (1) – J & M Milliken, Fermoy (2) – J & M Milliken, Roscrea Comeback – J & M Milliken, Rosscarbery Inl Nat – T Kaczynski, Talbenny (1) – J & M Milliken, Talbenny (2) – T Kaczynski, Fermoy 5 Bird – H Cubitt, New Bude – T Kaczynski, Rosscarbery Ylr Cock – Steele & McNeill, Rosscarbery Ylr Hen – T Kaczynski, Penzance – J & M Milliken, Fermoy Comeback – T Kaczynski, Corrin – H Cubitt, Sennen Cove Classic – T Kaczynski, St Malo – J & M Milliken.
Young Birds: Mullingar (1) – Steele & McNeill, Mullingar (2) – H Cubitt, Tullamore – Steele & McNeill, Roscrea – J & D Surgenor, Gowran Park (1) – J & M Milliken, Fermoy (1) – J & M Milliken, Gowran Park (2) – W J McLean, Fermoy (2) – J & M Milliken, Fermoy 5 Bird – J & M Milliken, Talbenny Nat – J & M Milliken, Rosscarbery Nat – J & M Milliken.
INFC Races: Skibbereen O/B – J & M Milliken.
The cup and trophy winners were: J & M Milliken won, Penzance cup, O/B Channel National Nipa, Y/B 5Bird Championship, y/ b Inland Nipa National Roscarberry, y/b Knock out , y/b Talbenny National Nipa, y/b Average, Best average 2 Y/B Nationals and the Mamie Simpson Memorial Cup highest Prize winner. Steele & McNeill won: O/B Yearling Cocks National Nipa, Young Bird of the year.
Tomas Kaczynski won: O/b Nipa National Roscarberry, Yearling Hens National, the Matt Barkley Memorial cup o/b inland average, Sennen Cove Classic cup, O/B Knockout cup, O/B Channel average. Harold Cubitt won: O/B 5 Bird Championship, The James McFetridge Memorial Sprint Cup, o/b of The Year. Over £1,000 of prize money was paid out to the members by President Tony Simpson to complete a super season for the club.
Chairman Harold Cubitt thanked the main club sponsors, Noel Twaddle Contracts Ballymoney, ABC Engineering, Taylor Made Florists, Garvagh Taxis and Davy Taylor Tree Surgeon also Iris Edgar Catering for the fabulous meal.
J & M Milliken highest prizewinners in Rasharkin.
Chairman Harold Cubitt the James McFetridge Memorial Sprint Cup winner receiving his award from Martha McFetridge.
W & J McLean Mid Antrim Combine winners receiving their prizes from club sponsor Noel Twaddle.
Jackie Steele of Steele & McNeill partnership receiving Young Bird of the Year from President Tony Simpson.
A few of the ladies enjoying the night in Clough.
A few of the old hand at Rasharkin & District.
Group of Rasharkin members, craics good.