The first winner of the trophy in 2008 was ace fancier John Patterson of Ballylesson. John Patterson was born and bred in Doagh area and in 2009 this coveted trophy was won by the Doagh loft of Anthony & Norman Lewis. The Lewis Brothers have been involved in pigeon racing for most of their lives through a close family circle. Their late grandfather Jimmy McGrugan was a member of Doagh HPS since the fifties with his father James and brother Thomas, who was a former INFC secretary. Uncle Jim still races under the partnership J McGrugan & Son. The Lewis's grandfather was a life long friend of John Patterson and passed away in March 2008. They would like to dedicate their racing success to grandfather Jimmy and a very supportive family circle.
Anthony & Norman started racing in 2001 with young birds, like most new starters they did not enjoy much success, winning only a few club prizes. They did have one good pigeon, a FVW cock, purchased from the late Bertie Fletcher by father Norman Snr. This blue cock is now grand father and great grand father to Le Premier and Jimmy both Section C winners from France.
The brothers won their first race from Mallow with a blue cock in 2003. This cock was bred by Geoffrey Douglas of Wilton Cross who has bred them a lot of good pigeons over these past few years. They met Geoffrey through Syd Collins and it was a turning point for them. 2004 saw the brothers move to their present address and a new start was made to build a team that would first of all win the clubs Yb Averages. After this was achieved the race team went on to win the Inland Average, Combine average and in 2007 and 2008 were top prize winners in the club. 2007 was a memorable year winning 18 club trophies, two NIPA Trophies and an RPRA Award.
Lets look at the two Section C National winners with the NIPA, 1st Club, 1st Section C & 5th Open St Malo OB National with a 2yo blue cock Le Premier. This cock is a Wildermeersch x George Pearson cross. The brothers paired him to a Belgium panis hen obtained from the National Champion Willie McClelland of Ballyclare, they bred a blue cock named Jimmy 1st Club, 1st Section C & 4th Open Lambella OB National, plus RPRA Award for best performances 450 miles plus. It was to get better as they clocked a blue cock from good friend Alan Darragh to win 2nd Club & 3rd Section C & 10th Open collecting the Horace Devince Mamorial Trophy, Best 2-Bird Average. It was something special to clock two birds on the day from France from only three entered. The Lewis Brothers also won the Jack Campbell Memorial Trophy for the second successive year.
The next target for the Lewis brothers was the winning of the INFC Trophy. This was achieved in 2009 as they collected the Charles Hunniford Memorial Trophy at the National Dinner in the Stormont Hotel. The opening National was the Skibbereen OB Inland and it was to be a great race for A&N Lewis winning 4th, 30th & 238th Open from 3,755 birds. The race winner being Cromie & Magee from Ballynahinch. The 4th Open winner was a yearling blue cock named Stormy, he had a little bit of history from Skibbereen winning 25th Open INFC Skibbereen YB National in 2008. The full brother to Stormy was 238th Open in the Skibbereen OB National. These two Van Reet cocks are grand children of the brothers main sprint/middle distance stock cock The Sheriff bred by Jeff Greenaway of Universal Lofts. This is what you call a stock cock, as he has bred 12x1st prize winners and over 40 prize winners. The 30th Open winner was a Van De Weyer cock and all three cocks sent on Widowhood.
The second leg of the Hunniford Trophy was the Skibbereen YB National and another great race for the Lewis Loft as the young hen Abi won 7th Open from 3,118 birds, the race winner Hutchinson Bros of Ashfield. Miss Abi was sent on a eight day youngster and the week previous flew a hard Rosscarberry YB National with the NIPA. Her sire is The Sheriff when paired to a direct Van De Weyer hen and she is an aunt to Stormy.
The two main families used for breeding are Le Premier who has bred 6x1st prize winners, these are combined with birds from Alan Darragh for Channel/Distance races. The Sheriff is the main pigeon for the sprint/middle distance family. Always on the look out for a successful cross they have used the Van De Weyers which up to date have proved very successful. The Lewis Brothers currently race 19 Widowhood cocks and 13 Natural Pigeons (2009 season). They breed about 50 young birds and they all go onto the Darkness. At the end of the season a few special late breds are kept for future breeding to keep the lines going. The aim for the future is to enjoy their pigeons and hopefully win another National, which would be terrific for the family. They also hope to get back to the NIPA and INFC dinners, when you get to see the cream of the pigeon fancy receiving their trophies. When your name is called out the feeling is unbelievable, and that alone should give fanciers the inspiration to do well in National racing. The Lewis Brothers would like to thank all those people who have helped them in some way or another since 2001, especially Alan Darragh who has given them some good advice, encouragement and is always on hand for any help needed.
Some top results for the Lewis Loft, 1st Section C & 5th Open NIPA St Malo OB National 2006 (1,792); 1st Section C & 4th Open NIPA Lamballe OB National 2007 (1,518); 3rd Section C & 10th Open NIPA Lamballe OB National 2007 (1,518 birds); 5th Section C & 32nd Open Rosscarbery NIPA YB National 2006 (3,834 birds); 5th Section C & 13th Open NIPA St Malo OB National 2008 (3,824 birds); 10th Section C & 131st Open NIPA Yearling Cocks National 2009 (1,337 birds); 8th Section C & 107th Open NIPA Bude 2008 (8,634 birds); 9th Section C & 20th Open NIPA Tullamore 2008 (19,496 birds); 10th Section & 91st Open NIPA Fermoy 5-Bird (1,446 birds); 15th Section C & 66th Open NIPA Fermoy OB (26,075 birds); 17th,19th&33rd Section C & 93rd, 101st & 163rd Open NIPA Rosscarbery YB National 2008 (4,329 birds); 26th Section C & 124th Open NIPA Rosscarbery OB National (8,737 birds); 37th & 54th Section C & 132nd & 240th Open Rosscarbery OB National 2006 (7,832 birds); 4th, 30th & 238th Open INFC OB National Skibbereen 2009 (3,755 birds); 7th Open INFC Skibbereen YB National 2009 (3,118 birds); 25th Open INFC Skibbereen YB National 2008 (3,489 birds); 61st & 247th Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National 2006 (3,804 birds); 199th Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National 2009 (4,134 birds). The A&N Lewis Loft have made made their mark in a very short space of time and I am sure they will have many more victories to come.
A & N Lewis of Doagh & District with the Charles Hunniford Memorial Trophy.
Best Ave (North Sect) Skibbereen OB and YB Nationals.