Annual General Meeting - 18/03/2020
Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 6:23 pm
Over 40 season’s success story for Mid Antrim Combine -
As we look forward to the new racing season of 2020 the final AGM for local fanciers will be Mid Antrim Combine to be held in Ballymena & District clubrooms on Wednesday 18th March at 8.00pm, all members are welcome but voting will be just two delegates from each member club. All the local clubs with the exception of Cullybackey, Broughshane and Harryville competed in 2019, but individual members from the respective clubs did take part. In changed circumstances I would be hopeful that all three clubs could return to full competition with their friends and compete locally as one unit again in the MAC. The only sad aspect is the fact the club don’t compete rules them out of our Champions League. The whole thing set up by the late Davy Campbell was a bit of fun with local competition for a big bird area when the best bird into Mid Antrim was usually more often than not pipped for 1st Section by shorter flying lofts in Crumlin, Muckamore and Antrim, some fantastic lofts racing in those days. The season coming will be the 44th year of competition and over those years we have produced many Champions and many Champion Birds, a number up to 1st Derby in the old days, and 1st National in both the NIPA and Irish Nat FC.
When started , no loft was asked to join, all competing lofts in the Ballymena Area that was three clubs in the town and the surrounding villages of Ahoghill, Cullybackey, Broughshane and Kells all listed in a combined result. Over time a number of cups were presented for competition and that included a number of memorial awards for some of the highly respected flyers in the area. The Billy McIlhagga Cup is for first local bird in the NIPA France OB National, Les Mairs Cup for the OB Fancier of the Year, Bryan Eagleson Cup for Best Ave Talbenny, Bude & Penzance, Stewart Herbison Cup for YB Average, Ken Parker Cup for Combined Average and the latest Tommy Shanks Cup for Old Bird of the Year. They are remembered every single year.
The competition has been expanded to include the famous Champions League where the local clubs nominate four lofts to compete firstly in a League process and then followed by a knock-out competition for the cross channel programme with the final at Penzance. Over the last couple of years we have had a knock-out for both old birds and young birds including all member lofts, Diplomas were presented for this and the Champions League last season and we also presented Diplomas for Champion Old Bird and Champion Young Bird.
Mr & Mrs Robinson after a best ever old bird season especially on the cross channel programme were to win Ahoghill Flying Club the Champions League for the first time beating J Eagleson & Sons of Ballymena in the final from Penzance. The clubs got £200 for the winner and £100 for the runner-up through sponsorship provided by President Danny Dixon. From Penzance M/M Robinson were to also win the Old Bird Knock-out plus£50 for themselves beating the strong loft of Jimmy Rock.
Champions League winners have been - 2008 Harryville (R H Clements), 2009 Rasharkin & Dist (D Dixon), 2010 Ballymena & Dist (M Graham), 2011 Randalstown (S Millar), 2012 Cullybackey (Reid Bros & McCloy), 2013 Cullybackey (A Darragh), 2014 Rasharkin & Dist (Steele & McNeill), 2015 Rasharkin & Dist (D Dixon), 2016 Rasharkin & Dist (J & M Milliken). 2017 Rasharkin & Dist (D Dixon), 2018 Rasharkin & Dist (J & M Milliken). 2019 Ahoghill Flying Club (M/M Robinson).
The Champion birds of 2019 were easy enough to work out, J Eagleson & Sons had already won the NIPA Champion in Sect B for the old birds, then in young birds W & J McLean and Blair & Rankin won the NIPA Champion in Sections A & B, and to that we added in the young birds Danny Dixon bird Red Lighting winning 3 x 1st MAC. Diplomas were awarded to all 4 Champion Birds in the MAC.
Remember all this comes for a membership fee of just £3.00 per member club to cover the annual costs of RPRA membership fees, any Associate members are £3.00 as well. Some £2,250 was sponsored over the past 3 seasons and all paid out.
In 2019 Rasharkin & District lofts dominated and the overall winners had Danny Dixon 6 x 1sts, J & M Milliken 5 x 1sts, C & D Jackson (Kells) 4 x 1sts, Surgenor Bros (Kells) 3 x 1sts, Blair & Rankin (Ballymena) 3 x 1sts, Mr & Mrs Robinson (Ahoghill) 2 x 1sts, W & J Smyth (Ballymena) 2 x 1sts, W & J McLean (Rasharkin) 2 x 1sts,and single race victories for John Millar (Randalstown), Harry Boyd (Kells), Fred Barkley (Rasharkin), Hugh Boyd (Randalstown), T & M Morrow (Associate), R H Clements (Associate), M Graham (Ballymena), and J Smyth & Son (Ahoghill). One diploma was presented to the various winners, regardless of the number of wins.
Cup & Trophy winners in 2019 –
Old Bird Inland Average won by G Gibson Associate vel 1475, Cross Channel Average won by Hugh Boyd Randalstown vel 1200, Old Bird Ave and McIlhagga Memorial Cup for 1st MAC St Malo won by Hugh Boyd vel 955, B Eagleson Memorial Cup best average Talbenny (1) & (2), Bude and Penzance (Not won in 2019), T Shanks & Son Cup Old Bird of the Year won by J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena (GB18B-12586), Les Mairs OB Fancier of the Year won by J & M Milliken Rasharkin, Young Bird Ave won by Blair & Rankin of Ballymena & District, New North Cup best average Bude & Talbenny YB won by R H Clements Associate vel 1420, Combined Average not won 2019, and Young Bird of the Year won jointly by Blair & Rankin Ballymena (GB19B-16063), W & J McLean Rasharkin (GB19R-09522), and D Dixon Rasharkin (GB19B-22567).
Club Points Shield for Old Birds and Club Points Shield Young Birds both won by Rasharkin & District. Champions League won by Ahoghill, INFC Points Cup won by D Dixon Rasharkin. Old Bird Knock-Out won by Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill, and Young Bird Knock-Out no competition 2019.
Sponsorship from Danny Dixon and Village Inn Dunloy -
Champions League winners Ahoghill Flying Club £200 (M/M Robinson), runner-up Ballymena & District £100 (J Eagleson & Sons). Irish Nat FC – Skibbereen O/B £50 won by D Dixon (Rasharkin), Yearling Sennen Cove £50 won by Blair & Rankin (Ballymena), Kings Cup St Allouestre £100 won by Martin Graham (Ballymena), Friendship Lamballe £100 won by J Smyth & Son (Ahoghill), Skibbereen Y/B £50 won by D Dixon (Rasharkin), Penzance £50 won by D Dixon (Rasharkin).
NIPA – Barleycove Inl Nat £50 won by J & M Milliken (Rasharkin), Fermoy 5 Bird £50 won by W & J McLean (Rasharkin), Castletown Ylr £50 won by C & D Jackson (Kells), Penzance Classic £50 won by C & D Jackson (Kells), Saint Malo OB Nat £100 won by Hugh Boyd (Randalstown), Talbenny YB Nat £50 won by Blair & Rankin (Ballymena), Castletown 5 Bird £50 won by J & M Milliken (Rasharkin), Skibbereen YB Nat £50 won by J & M Milliken (Rasharkin). Old Bird Knock-Out £50 won by Mr & Mrs Robinson (Ahoghill), Young Bird Knock-Out no competition.
Over recent seasons the diplomas and trophy engraving have been sponsored by Danny Dixon, for that we are most grateful. The AGM for Mid Antrim Combine will be held in Ballymena & District HPS Clubrooms on Wednesday 18th March at 8.00pm. Applications for membership and resignations required in writing, all members welcome, only member club delegates can vote.
Mid Antrim Combine has a very proud history, an organisation set up for the benefit of the entire membership in Mid Antrim and from those early days membership was extended to include lofts in Rasharkin, Randalstown and then when they were based in the Ballymena Area, the New Antrim Amalgamated. Well done to all those who have worked so hard over its 40 odd year standing now affiliated to the RPRA, and thus ensuring every member is protected by its rules and regulations.
Joint dinner Ballymena & District and Harryville HPS held in 1986.
Homer (r) with younger brother Michael just before he returned home to Orlando in Florida
having been on holiday since early in the New Year. Before he left for America Michael was
secretary in both Harryville HPS and the old Mid Antrim Two Bird, long time back.
As we look forward to the new racing season of 2020 the final AGM for local fanciers will be Mid Antrim Combine to be held in Ballymena & District clubrooms on Wednesday 18th March at 8.00pm, all members are welcome but voting will be just two delegates from each member club. All the local clubs with the exception of Cullybackey, Broughshane and Harryville competed in 2019, but individual members from the respective clubs did take part. In changed circumstances I would be hopeful that all three clubs could return to full competition with their friends and compete locally as one unit again in the MAC. The only sad aspect is the fact the club don’t compete rules them out of our Champions League. The whole thing set up by the late Davy Campbell was a bit of fun with local competition for a big bird area when the best bird into Mid Antrim was usually more often than not pipped for 1st Section by shorter flying lofts in Crumlin, Muckamore and Antrim, some fantastic lofts racing in those days. The season coming will be the 44th year of competition and over those years we have produced many Champions and many Champion Birds, a number up to 1st Derby in the old days, and 1st National in both the NIPA and Irish Nat FC.
When started , no loft was asked to join, all competing lofts in the Ballymena Area that was three clubs in the town and the surrounding villages of Ahoghill, Cullybackey, Broughshane and Kells all listed in a combined result. Over time a number of cups were presented for competition and that included a number of memorial awards for some of the highly respected flyers in the area. The Billy McIlhagga Cup is for first local bird in the NIPA France OB National, Les Mairs Cup for the OB Fancier of the Year, Bryan Eagleson Cup for Best Ave Talbenny, Bude & Penzance, Stewart Herbison Cup for YB Average, Ken Parker Cup for Combined Average and the latest Tommy Shanks Cup for Old Bird of the Year. They are remembered every single year.
The competition has been expanded to include the famous Champions League where the local clubs nominate four lofts to compete firstly in a League process and then followed by a knock-out competition for the cross channel programme with the final at Penzance. Over the last couple of years we have had a knock-out for both old birds and young birds including all member lofts, Diplomas were presented for this and the Champions League last season and we also presented Diplomas for Champion Old Bird and Champion Young Bird.
Mr & Mrs Robinson after a best ever old bird season especially on the cross channel programme were to win Ahoghill Flying Club the Champions League for the first time beating J Eagleson & Sons of Ballymena in the final from Penzance. The clubs got £200 for the winner and £100 for the runner-up through sponsorship provided by President Danny Dixon. From Penzance M/M Robinson were to also win the Old Bird Knock-out plus£50 for themselves beating the strong loft of Jimmy Rock.
Champions League winners have been - 2008 Harryville (R H Clements), 2009 Rasharkin & Dist (D Dixon), 2010 Ballymena & Dist (M Graham), 2011 Randalstown (S Millar), 2012 Cullybackey (Reid Bros & McCloy), 2013 Cullybackey (A Darragh), 2014 Rasharkin & Dist (Steele & McNeill), 2015 Rasharkin & Dist (D Dixon), 2016 Rasharkin & Dist (J & M Milliken). 2017 Rasharkin & Dist (D Dixon), 2018 Rasharkin & Dist (J & M Milliken). 2019 Ahoghill Flying Club (M/M Robinson).
The Champion birds of 2019 were easy enough to work out, J Eagleson & Sons had already won the NIPA Champion in Sect B for the old birds, then in young birds W & J McLean and Blair & Rankin won the NIPA Champion in Sections A & B, and to that we added in the young birds Danny Dixon bird Red Lighting winning 3 x 1st MAC. Diplomas were awarded to all 4 Champion Birds in the MAC.
Remember all this comes for a membership fee of just £3.00 per member club to cover the annual costs of RPRA membership fees, any Associate members are £3.00 as well. Some £2,250 was sponsored over the past 3 seasons and all paid out.
In 2019 Rasharkin & District lofts dominated and the overall winners had Danny Dixon 6 x 1sts, J & M Milliken 5 x 1sts, C & D Jackson (Kells) 4 x 1sts, Surgenor Bros (Kells) 3 x 1sts, Blair & Rankin (Ballymena) 3 x 1sts, Mr & Mrs Robinson (Ahoghill) 2 x 1sts, W & J Smyth (Ballymena) 2 x 1sts, W & J McLean (Rasharkin) 2 x 1sts,and single race victories for John Millar (Randalstown), Harry Boyd (Kells), Fred Barkley (Rasharkin), Hugh Boyd (Randalstown), T & M Morrow (Associate), R H Clements (Associate), M Graham (Ballymena), and J Smyth & Son (Ahoghill). One diploma was presented to the various winners, regardless of the number of wins.
Cup & Trophy winners in 2019 –
Old Bird Inland Average won by G Gibson Associate vel 1475, Cross Channel Average won by Hugh Boyd Randalstown vel 1200, Old Bird Ave and McIlhagga Memorial Cup for 1st MAC St Malo won by Hugh Boyd vel 955, B Eagleson Memorial Cup best average Talbenny (1) & (2), Bude and Penzance (Not won in 2019), T Shanks & Son Cup Old Bird of the Year won by J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena (GB18B-12586), Les Mairs OB Fancier of the Year won by J & M Milliken Rasharkin, Young Bird Ave won by Blair & Rankin of Ballymena & District, New North Cup best average Bude & Talbenny YB won by R H Clements Associate vel 1420, Combined Average not won 2019, and Young Bird of the Year won jointly by Blair & Rankin Ballymena (GB19B-16063), W & J McLean Rasharkin (GB19R-09522), and D Dixon Rasharkin (GB19B-22567).
Club Points Shield for Old Birds and Club Points Shield Young Birds both won by Rasharkin & District. Champions League won by Ahoghill, INFC Points Cup won by D Dixon Rasharkin. Old Bird Knock-Out won by Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill, and Young Bird Knock-Out no competition 2019.
Sponsorship from Danny Dixon and Village Inn Dunloy -
Champions League winners Ahoghill Flying Club £200 (M/M Robinson), runner-up Ballymena & District £100 (J Eagleson & Sons). Irish Nat FC – Skibbereen O/B £50 won by D Dixon (Rasharkin), Yearling Sennen Cove £50 won by Blair & Rankin (Ballymena), Kings Cup St Allouestre £100 won by Martin Graham (Ballymena), Friendship Lamballe £100 won by J Smyth & Son (Ahoghill), Skibbereen Y/B £50 won by D Dixon (Rasharkin), Penzance £50 won by D Dixon (Rasharkin).
NIPA – Barleycove Inl Nat £50 won by J & M Milliken (Rasharkin), Fermoy 5 Bird £50 won by W & J McLean (Rasharkin), Castletown Ylr £50 won by C & D Jackson (Kells), Penzance Classic £50 won by C & D Jackson (Kells), Saint Malo OB Nat £100 won by Hugh Boyd (Randalstown), Talbenny YB Nat £50 won by Blair & Rankin (Ballymena), Castletown 5 Bird £50 won by J & M Milliken (Rasharkin), Skibbereen YB Nat £50 won by J & M Milliken (Rasharkin). Old Bird Knock-Out £50 won by Mr & Mrs Robinson (Ahoghill), Young Bird Knock-Out no competition.
Over recent seasons the diplomas and trophy engraving have been sponsored by Danny Dixon, for that we are most grateful. The AGM for Mid Antrim Combine will be held in Ballymena & District HPS Clubrooms on Wednesday 18th March at 8.00pm. Applications for membership and resignations required in writing, all members welcome, only member club delegates can vote.
Mid Antrim Combine has a very proud history, an organisation set up for the benefit of the entire membership in Mid Antrim and from those early days membership was extended to include lofts in Rasharkin, Randalstown and then when they were based in the Ballymena Area, the New Antrim Amalgamated. Well done to all those who have worked so hard over its 40 odd year standing now affiliated to the RPRA, and thus ensuring every member is protected by its rules and regulations.
Joint dinner Ballymena & District and Harryville HPS held in 1986.
Homer (r) with younger brother Michael just before he returned home to Orlando in Florida
having been on holiday since early in the New Year. Before he left for America Michael was
secretary in both Harryville HPS and the old Mid Antrim Two Bird, long time back.