Farming Life - Wednesday 23/01/13

[willie reynolds]

After a few seasons in town the Ballymena & District annual dinner and prize night moved to the Tullyglass Hotel on the Galgorm Road. We had a very good attendance of members and friends and all arrangements were in the capable hands of Martin Graham. As for the last number of years the event has been held at the start of the year just prior to the Blackpool Weekend, this time it was Friday 11th January. Chairman of the club Tom McAlonan welcomed everyone and introduced the guests who included George McDowell the Secretary of the Mid Antrim Combine, Adie McCormick from Ireland’s Own Pigeon Auctions and President of the Cullybackey HPS Brian Herbison. He invited George Eagleson to say grace and then the members made their way for the Carvery. There will be no complaints about the four course meal taken at our own speed.

The racing season just completed was one of the best to date, in fact the year overall was one of the best on record. On one particular week Ballymena & Dist had most birds away locally, on another week we had the highest entry for 10 seasons, and we finished big time winners in the Mid Antrim Combine. No less that 6 x 1sts won in the Young Bird racing, Denis Craig had 1st & 2nd Combine in his very first race from Tullamore 61/1585 vel 1541 and then Ass Secty James Harris was to top the MAC for the first time from Roscrea 97/2545 vel 1371. Blair & Rankin then won the last four races, Tullamore (3) 65/1188 vel 2004, Fermoy (2) 65/911 vel 1652, Fermoy 5 Bird vel 1652 and Rosscarbery YB Nat 46/327 vel 1670.

Billy & Joe Smyth retained the Harper Cup for Top Prize-winner and won the Bird of the Year in the MAC for the second time with the same bird. The loft also had Bird of the Year in 2009 so that gives the loft three wins in the last four seasons. They also lifted the RPRA (Irish Region) Meritorious Award in the NIPA Sect B for best individual bird performance Talbenny (2) & Penzance. For good measure they also won the New North Cup in the NIPA awarded for Best Ave Penzance OB and Talbenny YB races, which were the points mostly used by the New North when it was in operation.

The full list of the MAC awards won were: Old Bird Inland Ave won by G & A Eagleson, Ballymena & Dist , vel 1340, B Eagleson Memorial (1st 3 Cross Channel races) won by W & J Smyth Ballymena & Dist vel 1258, YB Average won by Blair & Rankin, Ballymena & Dist vel 1504, Combined Average O/B & Y/B won by Blair & Rankin, Ballymena & Dist vel 1191, Bird of the Year won by W & J Smyth GB08B 10313 (117 Points), Club Shield Y/B won by Ballymena & District (79 Points), I think for the first time.

The club paid out just short of £700 and the leading lofts were: W & J Smyth, Blair & Rankin, Mr & Mrs M Sempey, Martin Graham, G & A Eagleson, Richmond Bros, Brian O’Rawe, T R Alexander & Son, James Harris, Denis Craig, McAlonan Bros and J McNaghten & Son.

The cups and trophies were won as follows: W & J Smyth won – Talbenny (2) OB, Carnvale Cup (Ylr Nat), Penzance Cup, Simon McCrory Cup, (Ave Bude & Sennen Cove), Bill Carney Rose Bowl (Best Ind OB Performance), Mooney Cup (Best Individual Bird), Vintage Cup (Talbenny YB Nat), Ruddle Cup (YB Derby), Smyth Bros Perpetual Trophy (OB Classic & YB Nat), YB Knock-out, Harper Cup (Highest Prize-winner).
Blair & Rankin won – McCrory Cup (OB Ave), Rodger King Memorial Cup, YB Inland National, YB Inland Average, Victory Cup (YB Average), Best Ind Young Bird, Maternaghan Challenge Cup (Best Ave OB & YB Channel Nat), Combined Inl Ave, Orr Challenge Cup (Combined OB & YB Ave), AS Hughes (Cross Channel Ave).

Martin Graham won - Law Family Memorial Cup (INFC Points Average), R Law Memorial Cup (1st Yearling Penzance), INFC Young Bird Nat, Yearling Cocks Nat.
Brian O’Rawe won – Yearling Hens Nat, INFC Skibbereen YB Nat, Best Ave NIPA Young Bird Nats, Flamingo Cup (Best Ave Talbenny & Rosscarbery YB Nat).

M/M M Sempey won – Fermoy 5 Bird, Mullingar YB, Bill Carney Shield (Best Ave 2 x INFC Young Bird Nats). George & Anne Eagleson won – Old Bird Inland Derby/Nat, Old Bird Inland Average.
Smyth Bros won – Kings Cup, McIlhagga Memorial Cup (Best Ave Kings Cup & Penzance YB Nat). George Barr won – Barr Perpetual Challenge Cup (St Malo OB Nat NIPA).
T R Alexander & Son won – Slemish Cup (Talbenny (1) OB).

The old bird season started in April 14th both early races flown from Tullamore won by Martin Graham, finishing 6th Comb & 11th Sect in the opening race and 2nd & 3rd Comb and 7th & 15th Sect the second week. Moving to Roscrea W & J Smyth had the first two birds 4th & 8th Comb and 10th & 15th Sect. Martin Graham was back on top at Clonmel, the good Mealy cock was placed 4th Comb, 5th Sect & 92nd Open NIPA 1142/28,688. This bird won the first week and was 2nd in Tullamore (2). It was a tight finish in Fermoy with both lofts doing 1502ypm, W & J Smyth just ahead of Martin who timed the Mealy (c) again, they finished 4th & 6th Comb and 13th & 15th Sect. Winner of the Inland Nat from Rosscarbery was G & A Eagleson recording velocity 1525 finishing 3rd Comb, 12th Sect and 109th Open NIPA 714/6,175. In the comeback race from Roscrea on the same day W & J Smyth were the winners 9th Comb & 12th Sect. James Harris won Clonmel (2) recording velocity 1302 the loft finished 8th Comb, 10th Sect & 101st Open NIPA 1100/25,264.

Robert Alexander & Son had a top result in the first cross channel event from Talbenny, recording velocity 1120 the loft finished 7th Comb, 11th Sect & 36th Open NIPA 959/14,955. The Yearling Nat in the NIPA was flown mid-week from Rosscarbery, Martin Graham was best in the Yearling Cocks winning 7th Comb, 11th Sect & 81st Open NIPA 341/1,548 and Richmond Bros best in the Yearling Hens with the best overall velocity 1277ypm finishing 5th Comb, 6th Sect & 60th Open NIPA 305/1,310. Talbenny (2) was the first leg for the Meritorious Award and W & J Smyth performed true to form winning 1st Club with their Champion Ken-Aird Boy to finish 6th Comb, 7th Sect & 124th Open NIPA 7,039. In the comeback race the same day from Fermoy (2) G & A Eagleson had a good result with the first three birds, the winner was placed 2nd Comb, 2nd Sect & 124th Open NIPA. Martin Graham won Bude 8th Comb & 12th Sect doing velocity 1288 and on the same weekend M/M M Sempey had the winner in the Fermoy 5 Bird with “Miss Lue”. Birds for Penzance were race marked on Saturday and the race flown on Monday 25th June, made little difference to W & J Smyth and the good Ken-Aird Boy. Race winner again finishing 5th Comb, 5th Sect & 49th Open NIPA Penzance and 5th Comb & Sect and 38th Open NIPA Old Bird Classic 478/3,249 plus £250. George Barr had the winner in St Malo, and not for the first time he had the best club bird from France.

The young bird season started on 21st July the first two races Area Liberations. New member Denis Craig had 1st & 2nd Club, 1st & 2nd Combine and finished 24th Open NIPA 214/5,613, an unforgettable start for any loft, some never ever win 1st MAC. Mr & Mrs Sempey had the big result in Mullingar, 3rd Comb & Sect and 3rd Open NIPA 154/3,932. The Blair and Sempey lofts shared the top seven places in the mass lib from Tullamore on 6th August. Blair doing vel 1347 was just ahead and the lofts finished with their first arrivals 3rd & 5th Comb and 10th & 12 Sect. In the next race from Roscrea James Harris topped MAC for the first time doing vel 1371 his Duneoin Meg finished 1st Comb 99/2,545 and 7th Sect. M/M Sempey had the top two birds from Clonmel with the winner 5th Comb, 10th Sect and 147th Open NIPA 898/22,147 and then Bertie Blair won Fermoy 6th Comb and 18th Sect. The Talbenny YB Nat was won by W & J Smyth, a good bird on the day recording vel 1408 finished 6th Comb, 7th Sect and 39th Open NIPA 526/3,590 plus £210.
Blair & Rankin then set a record with the MAC winner in the last four races pushed all the way by M/M M Sempey. Starting in the Tullamore Comeback same day as Talbenny recording velocity 2004 had the loft 1st Comb, 2nd Sect and 152nd Open NIPA 450/9,167. From Fermoy (2) B Blair on 1652 was a yard ahead of M/M Sempey to win 1st Comb 65/911, 4th Sect and the Sempey team 2nd Comb and 5th Sect. In the Fermoy 5 Bird Blair & Rankin take 1st Comb, 4th Sect and 71st Open NIPA 333/1,482. Finally Rosscarbery YB Nat and the best result to date with the bird that won both Fermoy races recording vel 1670 to finish 1st Comb 46/327, 1st Sect B and 28th Open NIPA 520/4,683.

To finish a quick look at racing with the Irish Nat FC, Martin Graham was the winner of the Inland Skibbereen OB finishing 12th Comb. In the Sennen Cove Ylr Nat W & J Smyth on vel 1051 were just ahead of Blair & Rankin to give the lofts a good 2nd and 3rd Comb, Richmond Bros had the next two birds. Bobby Smyth trained two old birds during the year and had one of only two birds locally in the Plaudren Kings Cup winning a Merit Award in the process. He finished 2nd Comb on velocity 392. In the Blue Riband Penzance YB Nat Martin Grahan had two early arrivals split by a bird for M/M Sempey, in the Comb the lofts fill 13th, 14th and 16th. Finally Brian O’Rawe won the YB Skibbereen ahead of five birds for M/M Sempey, the top two arrivals finished 8th and 9th Comb.

Overall the club had a fantastic year, as mentioned earlier we had big birdage in racing getting up to 300+ in the young birds, the show season was the best for the last number of years and the 3rd Open Show held on New Year’s Day for the Mid Antrim area was better than the season previous. At the end of the racing season we had a very successful Pigeon Moot in the Ballymena United Social Club, a great effort by all concerned. It’s a big team effort at the club and most of the members give a hand without question. If we can hit that level of performance during the rest of 2013 we will be doing very well, it all does not run without help and support, and a very large number of the members assist in various ways making the job of officials that bit easier. Some lofts have already paired up and all the members are looking forward to top competition in a new season.

Diary Dates -

The Annual General Meeting of the RPRA (Irish Region) will be held in the Clarion Hotel, 75 Belfast Road, Carrickfergus on Saturday 2nd February 2013 starting at 1.00pm. If any member wishes to be on the INFC Committee please attend the RPRA Annual General Meeting to be nominated. The Agenda consists of the usual elements. 1. Minutes of the previous AGM (2012). 2. Matters Arising. 3. Statement of accounts for 2012. 4. Any other business 2012. 5. Election of Officers for 2013. 6. New Clubs. 7. Proposal by Committee that all awards be given out at the Irish Region AGM.

Following the AGM there will be a Region Delegates meeting and then at 3.00pm a General & Appeal Committee meeting. Under Any other Business we have the closing date for RPRA Awards down for discussion. Another major item is electing the RPRA Delegates and making decisions on the various resolutions set for the RPRA meeting to be held in Coventry at the end of February. Looks like another very interesting, long day.

The next big meeting will be the NIPA to be held on Saturday 16th February at 2.00pm sharp in the Protestant Hall in Glenavy. The Agenda for this will appear shortly and all clubs are expected to call meetings and mandate their delegates on voting. The INFC will be at the Lisburn Leisure Centre on Saturday 2nd March 2013. More details on both meetings later, on Wednesday a Select Committee will be meeting the INFC Secretary Trevor Topping to plan the way forward and on the same evening the NIPA Committee will meet in Dromore at 7.30pm.