A big thanks to Danny Dixon from Dunloy who presented the cups and trophies.
B & D Coyle – Top Prize winner with 8 wins: 1st Roscrea OB, Skibbereen Inland National OB, 1st Kilbeggan YB, 2nd Roscrea YB, Cloughmartin YB, 1st Fermoy YB, 3rd Roscrea YB, Dunmanaway YB National, Sammy Thompson Memorial Cup. They also win Champion OB and YB, Combined Inland Average, Combined Average.
Jimmy Hanson – Second highest with 6 wins: 3rd Roscrea OB, 2nd Dale OB, Fermoy 5Bird OB, Bude OB, Penzance OB, and Penzance Classic. Jimmy also wins Coronation Cup best average 2 Dales, Bude and Penzance, Best Average 1st Dale and Bude, S McAlary yearling Cup Penzance.
3rd Highest with 2 wins Sean Diamond: 1st Kilbeggan OB, 3rd Fermoy and OB Inland Average.
4th Highest win 3 wins Lawrence Hanson & Son: 1st Fermoy OB, 4th Fermoy OB, Dale YB National also Best Average 2 OB and YB Dale and David Platt Memorial Cup
5th Highest with 1 win M & J Howard & Son: 1st Roscrea YB and Young Bird Average.
6th Highest with 3 wins T & J McDonald: 2nd Fermoy OB, Skibbereen Yearling National, 2nd Kilbeggan YB.
7th Highest with 2 wins Paul O’Connor: 2nd Roscrea OB, Plougastel OB National and OB Cross Channel Average.
8th Highest with 1 win Terence McCrudden: 1st Dale OB and J McAlary Yearling Cup
9th Highest with 1 win D Quinn winning Fermoy 5Bird Young Bird: Diamond Bros & G McLaughlin win Old Bird Combined Average.
Adrian Moffatt PO.
Randalstown awards 2024 season
Randalstown HPS held their end of season prize-giving recently in their clubrooms.
Stewart Brothers, Ian and Eric were the top prizewinners this season with 270 points and won the following awards: Inland Average cup, John Millar Shield, Skibbereen OB Inland National (2nd Combine) Cup, Marrion Cup for Lowest winning velo on the channel, Boyd Cup for channel average, S & V Millar Cup Bude (2nd Combine), Penzance Cup, Penzance OB Classic cup, Champion Old Bird, Mr & Mrs Magill cup most points OB, David Bell cup INFC OB National, McKay Cup 1st & 2nd YB Races, YB Average, Adair Shield Best average two YB National NIPA and the Cotter Trophy for Highest Prize-winners.
John Millar was runner up in the prize list and topped the Mid Antrim Combine in a hard INFC Penzance Friendship National race finishing 10th Open National. John won the J Shaw cup for Dale 1 and Castledawson Cup for Dale 2 (3rd Combine).
J McNeill & Son won McKeown Cup for Dale YB National NIPA, Webb Cup INFC Penzance Yearling National (2nd Combine), Bell & McDowell cup INFC Penzance YB National.
W & W Gilbert won Lowest winning Velo in Young birds, Roscrea cup, Lynch Shield and Dunmanway NIPA YB National cup.
Old Birds winners:
1st Roscrea - Stewart Bros 13th MAC & 13th Section 2796 birds
2nd Roscrea - Stewart Bos 6th MAC & 13th Section 2831 birds
1st Fermoy - Stewart Bros 19th MAC 1636 birds
2nd Fermoy - John Millar 9th MAC & 13th Section 3158 birds
Skibbereen OB Inland National - Stewart Bros 2nd MAC & 7th Section, John Millar 19th Section.
1st Dale - John Millar 14th MAC & 15th Section 1363 birds
2nd Dale - John Millar 3rd MAC & 4th Section 927 birds
Bude - Stewart Bros 2nd Combine & 2nd Section, 30th Open NIPA 4014 birds
Penzance - Stewart Bros 26th Mid Antrim Combine
Penzance OB Classic - Stewart Bros 18th Mid Antrim Combine
INFC Penzance Yearling National - J McNeill & Son 2nd & 6th MAC & 21st & 49th Open 3086 birds, Stewart Bros 170th Open
INFC St Allouestre Kings Cup - Stewart Bros 4th & 5th MAC & 204th & 205th Open
INFC Penzance Friendship National - John Millar 1st & 3rd MAC 10th & 42nd Open 1308 birds
The final old bird race of the season was the Irish National Flying Club Friendship National from Penzance held on Saturday 13th July.
Liberation took place at 8.00am in light northerly winds. Another hard race followed with many birds missing at dark.
Randalstown fancier John Miller timed two good birds on 1096 & 1046 to win 1st & 3rd Mid Antrim Combine, 2nd & 5th Muckamore Centre, 8th & 30th North Section and 10th & 42nd Open National 1308 birds. John's first bird timed at 16.46pm was a 3yo blue w/f cock bred by Glen Buckley. It had four inland races and both Dale races while racing on widowhood. The tough Dale races took a bit out of him and he had lost a bit of weight. John paired him and built him up with one of the later races in mind.
John's second bird timed at 17.00pm was a 2yo blue hen bred by David Campbell of Eastway. She was paired to the 10th Open cock and also had four inland races and both Dale races. The pair were sent sitting around 17 days. A top result for a very popular fancier and secretary of the local club.
Young Birds 2024:
1st Kilbeggan - Stewart Bros 13th MAC & 17th Section 2242 birds
2nd Kilbeggan - N Percy & Son 12th MAC & 15th Section 2398 birds
1st Roscrea - J McNeill & Son velo 1648
2nd Roscrea - Stewart Bros 13th MAC & 14th Section 2527 birds
Cloughmartin - Stewart Bros 21st MAC & 47th Section 2046 birds
Dale YB National - J McNeill & Son 15th Section & 84th Open 2997 birds, Stewart Bros 17th Section & 103rd open
Fermoy - J McNeill & Son velo 1391
3rd Roscrea - W & W Gilbert velo1165
Dunmanway YB National - W & W Gilbert velo 1529
INFC Penzance YB National - J McNeill & Son (2nd day).
Mervyn Eagleson - Mid Antrim Combine PO.
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Noel Percy & Son had a steady young bird season winning from Kilbeggan. Photo: freelance
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W & W Gilbert won Dunmanway YB Nat ands had lowest winning velocity in young birds. Photo: freelance
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Randalstown secretary John Millar was runner-up for top prize-winner and topped Mid Antrim in the Friendship Nat Penzance. Photo: freelance
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John Edgar receiving M &J Howard & Sons Trophies. Sadly Michael passed away recently RIP Michael Photo: freelance