Farming Life - Wednesday 04/01/12

[willie reynolds]

RPRA (Irish Region) Awards 2011

Secretary Robert Reid has listed the various winners in the RPRA (Irish Region) for 2011, the competition for Best Individual Bird Performance over the two cross channel races from Talbenny and Penzance has been won by W & J Smyth of Ballymena who enjoyed a great old bird racing season and a super result from their favourite race Penzance. Ian Horner from Springvale Soc won the Young Fancier of the Year, the Best YB Performance was awarded to Gregg Bros & McCandless (Ligoniel) and Best All-Round Performance bird was raced by Donnelly Bros (Newry City). The awards were presented at the NIPA Ladies Night as usual, special guest John Hefferan assisted by NIPA President Joe Kelly from Londonderry RPS carried out the duties. Robert Reid asked that all members submit claims for the various awards, 14 days after the competition. For the Meritorious Awards that will be July and then September for the rest. Deadline Dates will be confirmed at the AGM and I have suggested the full information is listed in the NIPA Hand-book issued each year.

Sect A – Karl Murphy Coalisland & Dist Vel 1106, Sect B – W & J Smyth Ballymena & Dist Vel 1166, Sect C – W Campbell Ligoniel & Dist Vel 1158, Sect D – Cowan & McCartney Dunedin FC Vel 1092, Sect E – O Fitzpatrick & Son Gilford & Dist Vel 1147, Sect F – Jackie Crossan Downpatrick HPS Vel 1020, Sect G – Donnelly Bros Newry City Vel 1086, Sect H – Alan Hall Omagh & Dist Vel 1005. Overall winner was W & J Smyth, Ballymena & District HPS. GB08B 10313. Last season the overall award was won by Danny Dixon, that’s two in a row for Mid Antrim lofts.

Irish Region Mileage Awards 2010: 0-250 Miles won by G & M Atcheson Glengormley, 251-450 Miles won by Tom Wilson Gilford & Dist, 451+ Miles No winner. Best Young Bird Performance 2011 won by Gregg Bros & McCandless Ligoniel & Dist. Best All Round Performance 2011 won by Donnelly Bros Newry City. Young Fancier Mileage Awards 2011: 0-250 Miles won by Ian Horner Springvale, 251-450 Miles won by Ian Horner, 451 + Miles No winner. RPRA (Irish Region) Young Fancier of the Year 2011 won by Ian Horner.

The majority of the members like a little publicity while others are not so bothered, I would like to be able to give coverage to the various awards listing those who were considered for the competition, unfortunately I never get my hands on the applications. Same goes for the Overall Awards presented at the Blackpool Show each year, again some coverage would be well deserved, I have found this almost impossible to have done. I did one year manage to attend the presentation, at my own expense I might add, but other than that it gets nothing but general coverage and nothing local. I have watched these awards for many years going back to the time when few knew about them and applications were not asked for annually. It has got a lot better in the Overall RPRA awards and the Irish Region over many recent years have won a large number of the top awards and trophies, bringing the same back to Northern Ireland for the year. Doing the list of winners is very simple, getting more than that is almost impossible. Hard to believe we had no winner for 451 Miles and above.

Rasharkin & Dist Open Show

Rasharkin & District HPS: This season the Rasharkin & Dist just held two shows, one each for Old Birds and Young Birds, the final event was held on Saturday 17th December and the judges from Ballymoney and Coleraine included Danny Dixon, Derek McMullan, Billy Hutchinson, Sean Diamond and Paul O’Connor. Best in Show was won by A C & T Tweed, and Best Opposite Sex Davy Mairs. Most Points over the Show Series was won by W & J McClean with the runner-up Jimmy Robinson & Son.

Results: Young Birds T/W – 1st & 4th A C & T Tweed, 2nd, 3rd, VHC & HC W & J McClean, Reserve H Cubitt, Commended J Robinson & Son. Judge Billy Hutchinson. Young Birds Handled – 1st, 4th & Reserve W & J McClean, 2nd & HC J Robinson & Son, 3rd D Mairs, VHC P McDonald, Commended H Cubitt. Judge D Dixon & D McMullan. Young Bird Eye-sign – 1st H Cubitt, 2nd W McFetridge, 3rd W & J McClean, 4th, Reserve & VHC J Robinson & Son, HC & Commended A C & T Tweed. Judge S Diamond & P O’Connor.

Big Boxing Day event in Kells

The big Boxing Day Show in Mid Antrim was hosted by Kells & Dist just outside Ballymena, this event has been going for as long as I can remember. Weather conditions were much improved from one year ago and birds were penned from a wide area. Just short of 300 birds were available for the team of judges from the Ulster Fed in Belfast including Jim Braniff (Fortfield), Jim Lennon (Grosvenor), J Jackson and G Braniff. Victor Montgomery from Springvale in the Ballyclare area won three classes and with that Best in Show and Best Opposite Sex. Others with Red Cards included T & K Mawhinney (Donaghcloney) 1st Old Bird T/W, W & N Gilbert (Randalstown) 1st Old Bird Eye-sign and Ken Wilkinson (Antrim) 1st Young Bird Eye-sign. Club Chairman Brian Swann thanked all who supported the Annual Show, all those who supplied prizes, those who set the clubrooms up including Show Secty Alan Barkley, and Francis Connon for sponsorship. He congratulated all the top winners and hoped to see them all return next time.

Results: Old Bird T/W – 1st & VHC T & K Mawhinney, 2nd J & B Balmer, 3rd G & R Lawrie, 4th D & R Turkington, Reserve V Montgomery, HC T Shanks & Son, Commended A Barkley & Son. Old Bird Handled – 1st & VHC V Montgomery, 2nd T & K Mawhinney, 3rd & Reserve A Neill, 4th F Simpson, HC & Commended K Wilkinson. Old Bird Eye-sign – 1st W & N Gilbert, 2nd & 4th F Simpson, 3rd V Montgomery, Reserve T & K Mawhinney, VHC, HC & Commended A Neill. Young Bird T/W – 1st, Reserve & HC V Montgomery, 2nd T & K Mawhinney, 3rd & Commended A Neill, 4th F Simpson, VHC J & B Balmer. Young Bird Handled – 1st, 2nd & HC V Montgomery, 3rd A Neill, 4th A Barkley & Son, Reserve D & R Turkington, VHC K Wilkinson, Commended T & K Mawhinney. Young Bird Eye-sign – 1st K Wilkinson, 2nd & 4th V Montgomery, 3rd T & K Mawhinney, Reserve & Commended J & B Balmer, VHC D & R Turkington, HC W & N Gilbert.