INFC Race Season 1996 - Ronnie Johnston (Patron)
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:12 am
1996 was a brilliant year for the Irish National Flying Club with
record birdage and a host of outstanding performances. The Kings Cup
was flown on July 5th from Rennes and the entry was 2,954 birds. The
race conditions were good and the liberation took place at 5.54 am
into a north west wind. It was going to be a hard race but a fair one,
with only the best making the Open prize list. Winning 1st Section and
the Kings Cup was the Dromara loft of Norman Black & Sons with a 2yo
blue cock Drumiller Hill Lad making a velocity of 1030 flying 474
miles. The prize and pool money was in excess of £32,000 and some
seven pigeons won over £1,000. The Kings Cup winner collected £1,000
and the Kings Cup and NIPA Cup.
Benny McKeown & Sons from the Brooke Club finished 2nd Open making a
velocity of 1019 at 482 miles winning £1,855 with a highly fancied
pigeon. The McKeown pigeon collected the Nelson Vase, 1st RPRA member
after the winner. Third Open the top National loft of Malcolm Robinson
of Bondhill making a velocity of 1016 flying 484 miles and this one
collected £1,414, 13 years later in 2009 Malcolm was 3rd Open again.
Fourth Open to the Downpatrick loft of McCullough & Dobbin on a vel of
1004 collecting £1,088 flying 462 miles, Phillip McCullough now flying
on his own was National Champion in 2006. A magnificent race for
Malcolm Robinson clocking his second pigeon to win 5th Open on a vel
of 999 and collect another £1,745.
The Harkness Rose Bowl is for the Best 2-Bird Average and in any other
year 3rd & 5th Open would win the trophy, but it was not to be in 1996
as the Black loft clocked a second pigeon to win 8th Open and touch
off Malcolm for the Rose Bowl. I am pleased to report that the
Robinson loft did not have too long to wait for the Harkness Rose Bowl
winning this coveted trophy in 2000. Sixth Open to the Newry lofts of
the Donnelly Bros on a vel of 997 flying 446 miles and a National
winner in 2008 and 2009. J Maguire & Partners of Dundrum took the East
Down Combine Cup finishing 9th Open and with a top pooled pigeon won
£1,900 on a vel of 987. Ron Williamson of Bondhill was on the same
yard for 10th Open and collected £1,127. It was to be a brilliant year
for Williamson but more on this later.
The Yearling National from Sennen Cove had a record breaking entry of
6,041 the only time the National Club had an entry in excess of 6,000
and still a record to this day. Liberated at 7.30am into a north west
wind on June 12th from Sennen Cove this was another hard race and the
winner was clocked into my own area. Winning 1st section, 1st Open was
the Killyleagh loft of Walker & Watson on a vel of 1138 flying 298
miles. This was a class pigeon and pooled all the way to collect £3,830.
Joe Ramsey of Harryville was 2nd Section, 2nd Open flying 331 miles
and made a velocity of 1124. Joe did not miss this one and collected
£3,072. Norman Gray of Doagh also clocked the right one to win 3rd
Section, 3rd Open on a vel of 1111 flying 322 miles, the Gray pigeon
won £2,430. The South Section winner was Paddy Rock & Son Martin won
the Kings Cup from St Nazaire.
B & H Spence of Lisburn collected £1,593 in 10th Open and then went on
to clock a second pigeon in 12th Open plus another £1,336. R Cheevers
of Killyleagh clocked a well fancied pigeon to finish 17th Open and
win £1,069. The total pool and prize money was £41,000 and 1,545
members competed, these are the figures I would love to see in the
coming season.
Let me go back to the Kings Cup, four Hall Of Fame Diplomas were won,
Tom Marshall & Son of Newtownbreda, W Hardy & Son of Annsborough, Jim
Nelson of Milltown, E Matcheet & Son of Edgarstown and the National
Championship by Ron Williamson Bondhill.
The Friendship National was flown from St Malo and in a very fast race
1st Open was won by Campbell, McGeary & Campbell on a vel of 1475. The
long flying members enjoyed a good race with Diamond Bros 2nd & 3rd
Open on a vel of 1439 & 1437. W & L McCaw of Ballymoney was 4th Open
on a vel of 1400. Diamond flying 491 miles, McCaw 487 miles. Ronnie
Williamson was 5th, 11th & 15th Open.
The Young Bird National from Penzance saw a entry of 2,706 birds
liberated into a north wind and a tough race was on the cards. First
South Section, 1st Open went to the very popular Eddie Campbell of
Balbriggan on a vel of 810. Ron Williamson of Bondhill took 1st North
Section, 2nd Open on a vel of 782 winning £1,821. Third Open went to P
Boyland & Sons Cabra making 779 ypm plus £1,308. McDowell Bros & Son
of Drumnavaddy clocked a fancied one to finish 4th Open on a vel of
777 and collected £1,482.
The top National loft of Paddy Rock & Son of Malahide took 5th Open on
a vel of 766. A top race for the Strecker family of Malahide winning
5th & 11th Open on 758 & 662 ypm. A total of 91 young birds were
recorded home over the two days.
The Skibbereen Inland Young Bird National had a huge entry of 5,681
birds a record for the race. First Section, 1st Open went to Gary
Smyth of Lisnargarvey on a vel of 1099 in another hard race flown into
a light east wind. The Donacloney lofts of Eddie Murray was 2nd Open
making a vel of 1097 and this fancied pigeon collected £1,703. The
ever consistent Ron Williamson of Bondhill was 3rd Open on a vel of
1094 and collected £1,885. Fourth Open went to F Faye of Edgarstown on
a vel of 1091. The top Lurgan loft of B McNeice & Sons finished 5th
Open on a vel of 1089. The leading bird into Belfast was clocked by
McCann Bros of Britannia to take 6th Open on a vel of 1086. This bird
had been 6th Open in the Ulster Fed Skibbereen Derby the week before
the National, Jimmy won £1,036. 1996 saw record birdage, top prize and
pool money paid out and a number of hard races.
record birdage and a host of outstanding performances. The Kings Cup
was flown on July 5th from Rennes and the entry was 2,954 birds. The
race conditions were good and the liberation took place at 5.54 am
into a north west wind. It was going to be a hard race but a fair one,
with only the best making the Open prize list. Winning 1st Section and
the Kings Cup was the Dromara loft of Norman Black & Sons with a 2yo
blue cock Drumiller Hill Lad making a velocity of 1030 flying 474
miles. The prize and pool money was in excess of £32,000 and some
seven pigeons won over £1,000. The Kings Cup winner collected £1,000
and the Kings Cup and NIPA Cup.
Benny McKeown & Sons from the Brooke Club finished 2nd Open making a
velocity of 1019 at 482 miles winning £1,855 with a highly fancied
pigeon. The McKeown pigeon collected the Nelson Vase, 1st RPRA member
after the winner. Third Open the top National loft of Malcolm Robinson
of Bondhill making a velocity of 1016 flying 484 miles and this one
collected £1,414, 13 years later in 2009 Malcolm was 3rd Open again.
Fourth Open to the Downpatrick loft of McCullough & Dobbin on a vel of
1004 collecting £1,088 flying 462 miles, Phillip McCullough now flying
on his own was National Champion in 2006. A magnificent race for
Malcolm Robinson clocking his second pigeon to win 5th Open on a vel
of 999 and collect another £1,745.
The Harkness Rose Bowl is for the Best 2-Bird Average and in any other
year 3rd & 5th Open would win the trophy, but it was not to be in 1996
as the Black loft clocked a second pigeon to win 8th Open and touch
off Malcolm for the Rose Bowl. I am pleased to report that the
Robinson loft did not have too long to wait for the Harkness Rose Bowl
winning this coveted trophy in 2000. Sixth Open to the Newry lofts of
the Donnelly Bros on a vel of 997 flying 446 miles and a National
winner in 2008 and 2009. J Maguire & Partners of Dundrum took the East
Down Combine Cup finishing 9th Open and with a top pooled pigeon won
£1,900 on a vel of 987. Ron Williamson of Bondhill was on the same
yard for 10th Open and collected £1,127. It was to be a brilliant year
for Williamson but more on this later.
The Yearling National from Sennen Cove had a record breaking entry of
6,041 the only time the National Club had an entry in excess of 6,000
and still a record to this day. Liberated at 7.30am into a north west
wind on June 12th from Sennen Cove this was another hard race and the
winner was clocked into my own area. Winning 1st section, 1st Open was
the Killyleagh loft of Walker & Watson on a vel of 1138 flying 298
miles. This was a class pigeon and pooled all the way to collect £3,830.
Joe Ramsey of Harryville was 2nd Section, 2nd Open flying 331 miles
and made a velocity of 1124. Joe did not miss this one and collected
£3,072. Norman Gray of Doagh also clocked the right one to win 3rd
Section, 3rd Open on a vel of 1111 flying 322 miles, the Gray pigeon
won £2,430. The South Section winner was Paddy Rock & Son Martin won
the Kings Cup from St Nazaire.
B & H Spence of Lisburn collected £1,593 in 10th Open and then went on
to clock a second pigeon in 12th Open plus another £1,336. R Cheevers
of Killyleagh clocked a well fancied pigeon to finish 17th Open and
win £1,069. The total pool and prize money was £41,000 and 1,545
members competed, these are the figures I would love to see in the
coming season.
Let me go back to the Kings Cup, four Hall Of Fame Diplomas were won,
Tom Marshall & Son of Newtownbreda, W Hardy & Son of Annsborough, Jim
Nelson of Milltown, E Matcheet & Son of Edgarstown and the National
Championship by Ron Williamson Bondhill.
The Friendship National was flown from St Malo and in a very fast race
1st Open was won by Campbell, McGeary & Campbell on a vel of 1475. The
long flying members enjoyed a good race with Diamond Bros 2nd & 3rd
Open on a vel of 1439 & 1437. W & L McCaw of Ballymoney was 4th Open
on a vel of 1400. Diamond flying 491 miles, McCaw 487 miles. Ronnie
Williamson was 5th, 11th & 15th Open.
The Young Bird National from Penzance saw a entry of 2,706 birds
liberated into a north wind and a tough race was on the cards. First
South Section, 1st Open went to the very popular Eddie Campbell of
Balbriggan on a vel of 810. Ron Williamson of Bondhill took 1st North
Section, 2nd Open on a vel of 782 winning £1,821. Third Open went to P
Boyland & Sons Cabra making 779 ypm plus £1,308. McDowell Bros & Son
of Drumnavaddy clocked a fancied one to finish 4th Open on a vel of
777 and collected £1,482.
The top National loft of Paddy Rock & Son of Malahide took 5th Open on
a vel of 766. A top race for the Strecker family of Malahide winning
5th & 11th Open on 758 & 662 ypm. A total of 91 young birds were
recorded home over the two days.
The Skibbereen Inland Young Bird National had a huge entry of 5,681
birds a record for the race. First Section, 1st Open went to Gary
Smyth of Lisnargarvey on a vel of 1099 in another hard race flown into
a light east wind. The Donacloney lofts of Eddie Murray was 2nd Open
making a vel of 1097 and this fancied pigeon collected £1,703. The
ever consistent Ron Williamson of Bondhill was 3rd Open on a vel of
1094 and collected £1,885. Fourth Open went to F Faye of Edgarstown on
a vel of 1091. The top Lurgan loft of B McNeice & Sons finished 5th
Open on a vel of 1089. The leading bird into Belfast was clocked by
McCann Bros of Britannia to take 6th Open on a vel of 1086. This bird
had been 6th Open in the Ulster Fed Skibbereen Derby the week before
the National, Jimmy won £1,036. 1996 saw record birdage, top prize and
pool money paid out and a number of hard races.