INFC Update Gold Medal/French Diploma - R Johnston (Patron)

[willie reynolds]

INFC Gold Medal

It will be a major feat if we see a Gold Medal win from the INFC Kings Cup in 2010. My reasons for coming to this conclusion is two fold. Due to various circumstances no Kings Cup race was flown in 2007 and 2008. With no race in those two years we need to go back to 2006 for Kings Cup winning pigeons. The INFC Gold Medal has been up for competition for some 30 years and in that time only eight have been won. To win this Gold Medal the winning pigeon must be four times in the Open prize list.

I was somewhat surprised but nevertheless delighted when INFC secretary Trevor Topping informed me that two Hall of Fame diplomas had been won in 2009. The two Hall of Fame winners had missed the Kings Cup races of 2007/08 and it is a magnificent achievement to hold them for all that time and then go on and win the Diploma. That is at least two pigeons we know of that can win a Gold Medal in 2010. The lofts that can achieve this feat are former Kings Cup winners Paddy Rock & son Martin from Skerries, South Section; and the Stewart Bros, Randalstown, North Section, the second Diploma the brothers have won.

Let me go back to 1995, in itself a remarkable year - for what reason? That year we saw no less than three Gold Medals won - Yes three! Burns Bros of Comber Social won a Gold Medal with a blue chequer hen, 114th Open 1992, 73rd Open 1993, 95th Open 1994, 188th Open 1995. Frank Scott Dromore with a blue w/f hen 31st Open 1992, 67th Open 1993, 62nd Open 1994, 8th Open 1995. This hen is one of the greatest pigeons to fly with the INFC having been an Open prize winner from the YB National and Yearling National plus 71st Open NIPA Dinard OB Derby. The final Gold Medal was won by Gordon Kirkpatrick, Ballymacbrennan, his winner a son of the famous Hermes a Double Hall of Fame winner and a Gold Medal giving Gordon another record - the only INFC member to win two Gold Medal Awards.

1995 was indeed a remarkable year with Jackie Patience of Lurgan 1st & 2nd Open - another record no less than six Hall of Fame Diplomas were won by J Waring & son, Lisburn. Mr & Mrs Flanagan, Downpatrick; Jimmy Cullen, Dublin; G Killops, Drumcree; N Black & Sons, Dromara, who won two. The National Champion was Kirkwood Bros, Ballylesson.

A year like 1995 does not come along too often as it takes a few good years in succession with good returns to see the success rate that we saw in 1995. The 2009 Kings cup race from Vannes was good with all the prizes being won, so perhaps we are set for a run of good Kings Cup races.

Going back to the INFC Gold Medal. In 2009 two fanciers, Gary Benson and Sam Corrigan came within a whisker of winning the coveted Gold Medal. Both these brilliant hens competed in the 2009 Kings Cup having each won a Hall of Fame diploma. The record of Gary Benson's hen - 2004 51st Open, 2005 44th Open, 2006 12th Open. Sam Corrigan's hen - 2004 22nd, 2005 29th Open, 2006 28th Open. the blue hen of Sam Corrigan has a brilliant race record from France as you can add to her Hall of Fame Diploma 10th Open INFC Friendship National from Fougeres. The blue hen named Blue Lady was clocked on the day from the 2009 Vannes Kings Cup and in a fast race was just out of the Open prize list - this is five times she has flown France and for the record Gary Benson also clocked his super hen on the winning day. Just to add spice to this report both hens on the winning are in great shape and the plan is to go for the gold Medal in 2010.

Sam Corrigan won a very hard YB National from Penzance in 2002 with the INFC, 1,616 birds were liberated at 9 am into a light variable wind and Sam's red chequer hen won 1st North Section, 1st Open, velocity 982ypm, collecting pools and prize money of £1,927. The J M K McGugan Perpetual Cup is awarded to the National winner but it was a race to remember for Sam as he clocked a second pigeon winning 8th North Section, 8th Open, velocity 926ypm. These two pigeons clinced the De Scheemaecker Trophy for the Best 2-Bird Average. The Kings Cup winner in 2002 was Joe Doheny, Malahide, from Redon.

The 2009 season has been another good one for Sam Corrigan at the highest level. His 4yo blue cock Blue Boy in 2009 was the winner of a NIPA French diploma Award with the following record: 2007 28th Section E, 115th Open Lamballe OB National; 2008 7th Section E, 23rd Open St Malo OB National; 2009 51st Section E, 186th Open St Malo OB National. the 3yo blue chequer hen Checker Lady is also well on the way to being another Corrigan star having won in 2009 a NIPA French Bronze Diploma Award with the following performances: 2008 25th Section E, 147th Open St Malo OB National; 2009 3rd Section E, 7th Open St Malo OB National.

The Corrigan loft continues to produce a steady stream of top class distance pigeons and he has another one in pole positions for a Hall of Fame Diploma with the INFC in 2010. Bred in 2003 this blue cock won in 2006 199th Open Vannes Kings Cup, with no Kings Cup in 2007 and 2008 he had to wait until 2009 for his second crack at the Kings Cup and a good job he made of it winning 43rd Open and a framed Diploma. The years may not be on his side but knowing Sam Corrigan he will only be sent if he is in tip top condition.

In my mind the Corrigan loft is in the Premier Division when it comes to National racing and one that I would have on my shortlist to win another National.

The French Diploma

This highly coveted award was won in 2009 by Robert Russell of Beech Park Social for the Best Average NIPA St Malo OB National and INFC Vannes Kings Cup. When first awarded the Open prize list was 170 prizes and the winner was decided on a points total rather than the time and distance method.

The French Diploma was won in 2009 by Robert Russell but the highest points total still stays with Allan McDonald of Portadown. Allan is a key member of the INFC being a former secretary and now the club's auditor. The record was set in 1988 when Allan clocked a 2yo blue hen known as Clan Lady of Busschaert x Janssen breeding from the NIPA Dinard Derby after some 15 hours on the wing to win 5th Open (166 merit points).

Little did he know than what was just around the corner, for one week later he was to clock a 3yo Busschaert hen at 5.04 pm on the day from Rennes to win 1st Section, 1st Open, velocity 1333ypm collecting the King George V Challenge Cup and also setting another record as he was the first Portadown fancier to win the Kings Cup, then two years later in 1990 George Willis from the same town won the Kings Cup from Rennes.

Allan's Kings Cup winner was named Clan Queen and she was a daughter of Clan Express a cracking racing pigeon, himself a son of Clan Gold the foundation hen of the loft direct from Allan's close friend former Kings Cup winner Jackie Patience from Lurgan. For 1st Open Clan Queen collected 170 merit points giving a total of 336 merit points to collect the French diploma. This record will take a lot of beating and now all the top National flyers know the task ahead for the 2010 season. Allan McDonald has also won 2nd Open INFC Penzance Yearling National with a blue chequer Busschaert cock Clan Prince.