INFC Update - Ronnie Johnston (Patron)

[willie reynolds]

INFC

John Clements always writes a sensible letter and I am in total agreement with his latest offering. I have been on for some time now about the need to keep a history of the great pigeons and performances within the National Club. I hope this year to make a start in getting some of the highlights on to the website.

In his latest column Wille Reynolds asks the question, has any loft won the INFC Penzance YB National and the Skibbereen YB National, the answer is yes. Tommy Patterson & son Muckamore and Kelly Bros Dublin. The top National winners are Alan Darragh 5, Ronnie Williamson 4, Buckley & son, Hutchinson Bros and McDowell & sons 3.

Now I would ask my readers to bear with me as I am going to try and list those fanciers who have won two Nationals. I am sure to miss a number of these, so if your not listed please let me know. I am going to break these up starting with the South Section fanciers, then the EDC, Ulster Fed and finally the NIPA. Top of the list has to be Joe Doheny with two Kings Cup wins, Kelly Bros two, Tony Kehoe two, Billy Cullamore two and Christy O'Connor two. These are from memory and the National Cups but you must remember that some of the new cups are less than 20 years old. If I have missed anyone out then please get in touch. In my next column I will update the Ulster Fed and the East down Combine Double National winners.

INFC Skibbereen YB National

The final YB race of the season was flown from Skibbereen with the INFC and a super result for Hutchinson Bros of Ashfield 1st Section, 1st Open winning 964 pounds. This is a third National with the INFC for the Hutchinson Bros racing a super Soontjen family.

After winning the INFC Penzance YB National Donnely Bros of Newry came close to being the first loft in the history of the INFC to win both YB Nationals in the same year winning 2nd Section, 2nd Open super performances from two class flyers. Third Section, 3rd Open to the brilliant Jeff Greenaway of Hills and Maze after his 2nd & 5th Open in the same race in 2008, top class racing by any standards.

I am delighted to be reporting success in a YB race on the land for two former National winners at the distance Frank Scott & son Dromore 4th Section, 4th Open and Henry Beattie 5th Section, 5th Open. These two fanciers are always looking to score at National level. After his stunning result from the 2008 YB Sennen Cove National winning 3rd, 7th & 8th Open David Calvin of Bondhill is 6th Section, 6th Open. The 2009 winner of the Charles Hunniford Memorial Cup is A&N Lewis Doagh and they sealed this award by winning 7th Section & 7th Open.

INFC Merit Award

This new diploma will be awarded to any pigeon that is twice an Open Prize winner from the Kings Cup or the Friendship National. Trevor Topping the INFC Secretary has confirmed three winners to date from three crack lofts.

Hall of Fame winner Sam Corrigan of Loughgall was first to claim for his 6yo blue cock Blue King 199th Open Vannes 2006 and 43rd Open Vannes 2009 both Kings Cup races. Former National winners McCartan & Woodside of Crossgar have also won the Merit Award from the Kings Cup with the 7yo blue pied hen Lisamore Queen 75th Open Vannes 2006 and 72nd Open Vannes 2009.

P McCullough & Daughter of Downpatrick former National champions have also won a Merit Award with a 5yo dark chequer cock 71st Open Vannes 2006 and 58th Open Vannes 2009. At the time of going to press Trevor has received no claims for a Friendship National Merit Award winner.

* I received a very interesting piece from David Black that appeared in Farm Week. In 1934 the newly built Kings Hall was opened by the Secrtary/Manager Sam Clark. At that time agriculture was Northern Ireland's most important industry with some 70,000 Farm Holding across the Province. The 1934 Balmoral Show was a memorable one for a well known Belfast Businessman Mr Edward Robinson who was senior director of Robinson & Cleaver Belfast's best known department store now occupied by M&S. EA as he was known was a man of diverse hobbies that included dogs, Alsations and Irish Terriers being his favorite breeds, throughbred horses with his most famous one being the filly called Gainsworth that won the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.

E A Robinson was to win the Kings Cup twice, first in 1933 from Les Sables and again in 1937 from Redon. The birds were raced from to Terrace Hill Farm just outside Belfast, Shaws Bridge in fact. the Jersey Cattle were shown under the prefix Terrace Hill and over the years won many top awards at all the leading shows.

Harkness Rose Bowl

I took a telephone call from a Dublin fancier last week, he wanted to know if Gerry O'Reily & Son of Malahide were the first South Section members to win the Harkness Rose Bowl Best 2 Bird Average from the Kings Cup. The answer is yes. The Rose Bowl was first flown for in 1972 and won by Harry Stockman of Ballynahinch, the race point was Nantes and the Stockman pigeons won 15th & 20th Open with vels of 675 and 660. You can take it that the race was hard and at that time Harry Stockman flew a super team of Bobby Harkness based pigeons.

Gerry O'Reily is very much National minded and over the years has recorded a number of National results. This year he has a very strong team entered for the Kings Cup flown from Vannes and won. The O'Reilys are a top class pigeon family and this success is well deserved. Lets hope it is not as long again before it is won by a South Section member. The top winning loft for this coveted award is N Black & Sons Dromara who have won it three times.

INFC

The tickets for the INFC Dinner to be held in the Stormont Hotel are selling fast and should be booked as soon as possible. Phone secretary Trevor Topping or Ronnie Johnston.

Michael O'Reily of Lisburn

On receiving my Kings Cup result from Trevor Topping, I saw the name Michael O'Reilly & Son of Lisburn & District again prominent in the Open result, 33rd & 90th Open from 4-Bird entry. This result brought back memories for me and let me tell you the story.

In 2004 the Kings Cup was flown from Messac and I was helping to man the Newtownbreda centre. It was a very hard race and when I arrived at the Newtownbreda Centre only two clocks had been received. Myles and McConnel of Dunedin who were to finish 3rd Open and Tom Marshall & Son Newtownbreda 4th Open.

As I look out the door Michael O'Reilly arrived and informed me that he had clocked . I took his toulet clock and run it of only to find he had clocked two birds. Michael have you clocked 2, yes I have he replied. I then told him I would reset the clock, but he told me not to bother as they were all home, having only sent two. Only 134 birds were recorded in race time (3 days). The Kings Cup winner was Jimmy Greer of Cullybackey and Myles and McConnel won the coveted Harkness Rose Bowl Best 2-Bird Average 3rd & 16th Open. Michael O'Reilly & Son finished 9th & 12th Open to finish runner-up for the Rose Bowl, vels 1070 & 1063.

Michael obtained these pigeons some 20 years ago from local fancier Graham Wolfe Putman x Jurion and over that time has added nothing to them. He would be, what we call one of the old school and keeps his pigeons as a hobby and enjoyment. I was anxious to see the stock birds but Michael told me that no stock birds were kept. One or two special pigeons are paired but the rest Michael lets them select their own mate, a love affair. This method has served him well and I don't see Michael changing the system.

The two Kings Cup pigeons have flown the Channel several times and the red hen that was 90th Open has already won 1st Club Bude. The NIPA St Malo OB National was another successful race for this top National loft. Clocking a mealy hen to win 46th Open and then a mealy cock to win 126th Open. The mealy hen would have won Section D but Michael just went through the Open. The birds are usually sent to the National races sitting 12 days on eggs, but for the 2009 season Michael decided to send them feeding small YB's, As you can see from the results it didn't make a lot of difference, its not how you send them, its what you send in my opinion that counts. The best National result for the O'Reily loft has been 2nd Open INFC Friendship National.

I would not be a bit surprised if a National victory was recorded by this loft in the not to distant future. I had a most enjoyable visit to a pigeon man who enjoys his super pigeons and has a great love for the sport.