Glenavy & Dist - Dinner & Prize Night 2009

[willie reynolds]

GLENAVY & DISTRICT ‘ANNUAL’

The Glenavy & Dist. Club, within the NIPA, uniquely centrally positioned geographically with members in Sections B, C, D & E, held its Annual Dinner Dance on Friday 6 November. The venue was a new one, this year in the Gil-Good Lodge, Ballinderry. A capacity crowd of 60 plus attended and a first class evening’s entertainment was enjoyed by all. Chief guests were Trevor Topping, secretary INFC, a good friend of the club and his wife Florence. Music was by Tennessee, regulars at the event, who did their usual good job. A slight delay with the meal due to a power failure earlier in the evening was explained and understood. Compliments to the kitchen for what was achieved in the circumstances. Superb - well worth waiting for.

A feature of the occasion is seeing the truly magnificent display of trophies, all together, for distribution on the night; a real spectacle. Indeed, when one glances at the main items of silverware and the previous winners, it registers why members of the club feel so obliged to keep to standards set - there is a history to be lived up to. A few years ago the membership of the club truly read like a whos-who, icons of the sport. Appreciate that Bob Harkness, G K Porter, Bob Porter, McCartney Bros, Tennyson Bros, Yarr Bros, W G Boomer, J G Galway, Downey & Dodds, J&J Hunter, T Beckett & Son, Houston & McDonald, D Harbinson, Fleming Bros etc were all members and in some cases still are. In their time there was not much at any level not won by this contingent. It was a privilege, and still is, to race with Glenavy & Dist with the members always taking such a pride in their club and to see that this is not being forgotten, at a time when the sport generally appears to be going through tough times, numerically. When the club was at its height there were 40 plus members racing.

It is obvious that the running of the club is a team effort. Officials, led by Jim Ross President, Chairman John Harkness, Treasurer D S Porter, General Secretary Gordon Parker, Race Secretary Stephen McLaughlin, Ring Secretary John Withers, Clock men D Scott and D Harbinson and Man Friday Harry McKeown, treasurer for a majority of the club’s 40 plus years in existence, as busy as ever, ensure the efficient running of the club. The importance of team effort was stressed by Chairman John Harkness, MC for the evening, in his fitting address. Members such as Hugh Mallon & Son, who faithfully attend to baskets every week, an on-call David Coulter etc are not taken for granted, stressed John, “the atmosphere and enthusiasm right across the board is the key to success with everyone involved”.

And now to the Prizegiving! Appreciate that the Glenavy run a Gold Wing YB every year, probably the first and longest going event of this type in N Ireland. Main sponsors are Henry Beattie & Son/Versa Laga with rings being sold throughout the Province and beyond, available from various outlets. Keep watching for details of the 2010 event. Once again the 09 race from Mallow was a huge success. Jack Connolly, another of the club’s long standing unsung heroes, continued his task as convoyer, with transport being handled by Mervyn Irwin of Killyleagh and ,as usual, visiting fanciers assisted with ringing, clock setting etc, sincerely appreciated, commented the Chairman. The race turned out perfect, maybe on the fast side for some? Winners were as widely separated as Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland to Carrickfergus in the North, the way it was always intended. It was nice to see the principal winners at the prize function and it was a proud member of the Cooney Bros partnership Monaghan who stepped up to resounding applause to collect the Beattie & Son Rosebowl and a cheque for just short of £1500 as the overall winner. David Calvin, Bondhill, was next to the table as runner-up, collecting a cheque for over £1200 and over £600 for 4th. A nice situation seeing David is being married in a week or two. Incidentally, his fiancee, who was with him at the function, is a charming young Miss Williamson from Bondhill. She is a daughter of Ronnie whom she feels some of us may know! Third to the table was R Mulligan, again from Monaghan, collecting a cheque for nearly £900. Locally, David Mawhinney Dollingstown was 5th, followed by S Corrigan Loughgall, McAteer& Pearse Newry, C&H Beattie Gilford (Sponsors), E Murray Donacloney (2 birds together), Joe Brown Dollings town ( 3birds together), E Mc Knight Portadown, D&B Lyness Lurgan, Rafferty & Toman Gilford, G Douglas Lurgan, D Calvin Bondhill (again), D Harbinson Glenavy (‘the only one’), T McClean Annaghmore (3 birds), R Williamson Bondhill, T McClean (again), T & K Mawhinney Donacloney, D&T Armstrong Carrickfergus, G&A Campbell Armagh, D&B Lyness Lurgan (again), Donnelly Bros Newry and A Cousins Ballylesson, completing the prize list. Everything about the Gold Wing 09 was positive and it was particularly pleasing to see the two major prizewinners travel all the way from Monaghan to collect their awards. Congratulations to all those successful, the best of luck in 2010.

Now to the domestic scene: top prizewinner for 2009 was P McGarrity, a reflection of a good season from start to finish - a well-merited performance, a target for all in 2010, and nobody will know this better than Paddy. Well done! Runner-up, actually the top overall monetary winner was James Courtney with a substantial cheque that included the breeder/buyer, both cuts. Jimmy is a real competitor, well known in various sporting pursuits, including greyhounds, motorcycling and horses. Gordon Parker & Son were third to the table, followed by S McLaughlin & Sons, E Russell, J Harkness, D Coulter, A McAllister, M Taylor, D Scott, G K Porter, D M Lilley& Withers, H McKeown, H Mallon & Son, G&S Owens, F Denvir, J Ross and P Johnston. 18 members received prize money.

On to the trophy front, and a truly stunning array there is, as was mentioned earlier. More than 40 were presented. The list reads: P McGarrity collected the Flynn, Meighan, Bushe and members show cup, J Courtney won the Dean, Biggerstaff, Mulholland, McAllister Mem, Harbinson, Heatherington YB INFC trophy and two Stacey Parker YB trophies, Gordon Parker & Son collected the Pakenham Arms, McDonald Mem and Ballymac trophies, S McLaughlin & Sons win the Jess trophy and two Stacey Parker YB cups, E Russell collected the Countryman trophy for lowest winning velocity, John Harkness won the Harbinson, Thompson Civic Week, Hamilton, McCartney, Lowry, Gilmore and Glenavy Filling Station trophies. These cover some of the major averages - Channel av, Old Bird av, including NIPA Classic, Channel av including Nationals etc, D Coulter won the Glenavy Spar trophy, this is for the Kings Cup where David was 1st and 2nd club, A McAllister won the Novice trophy, M Taylor collected a Stacey Parker YB award, the G K Porter loft won the Totten trophy for the OB NIPA French National, the late G K Porter would have been proud of this, Mrs Dorothy Porter now directs operations, D M Lilley & Withers collected the J Flynn, Harkness and Houston trophies, these cover combined averages, including NIPA Nationals and Derbies, H McKeown won the Scott trophy, average 1st two Channel OB races and, of course, the Beattie & Son Gold Wing cut glass vase went to the Cooney Bros Monaghan, as covered earlier.

An excellent occasion, fully up to Glenavy standards, enjoyed by all, the perfect
springboard for next year - the show season is well under way, on Wednesday evenings in the clubrooms, where everyone is welcome. Here’s to 2010!

Text Jackie Hunter.

Call back later for the photo display.