Dromara HPS celebrates another successful year at annual dinner

Dromara HPS held their annual dinner and prize distribution as usual in the Pheasant restaurant, Annahilt on Friday, 15th February.

Unfortunately numbers were down a little this year with some members unable to attend due to health reasons and the club would like to wish Albert McKinstry and Harry Silcock speedy recoveries.

Although there were some older members missing it was great to welcome two new members Mathew Russell and Christopher Rooney with his wife Gail.

After a beautiful meal Mr and Mrs Rooney presented the prizes and cups.

As everyone knows Dromara is a very strong club but this year surpassed all expectations with the club being the only club in Ireland to have its members win two I.N.F.C. Nationals, N. Black & Son winning the Friendship National and N. Edgar & Son winning Skibbereen National.

The Edgar partnership had a fantastic young bird season as well, winning the N.I.P.A. Youngbird National from Rosscarbery.

N. Black & Son also won the N.I.P.A. section D Old Bird channel fancier. Russell Bros also had another great season winning the highly prized McBride cup for the channel averages plus winning Penzance Classic.

C. & L. Fryers had the first bird from Dromara in the King’s Cup. McKinstry Bros had some great results along with T. Marshall & Son, first bird in Penzance young bird, D. McCandless Yearling National winner.

Mr & Mrs Stevenson again did very well inland plus beating the big boys on the channel by winning first Talbenny.

H. Silcock had some great positions and were very unlucky to be fourth open Friendship National and still be only second in the club.

After the prizes and trophies were handed out Mrs Rooney presented Fiona Stevenson with a bouquet of flowers, a small token of thanks for the hospitality from her and Bobby throughout the year.

As usual the highlight of the evening was the ballot. With Stanley McKinstry not attending this year his luck was taken up by Fiona Stevenson who won a lot of prizes, in fact they won so many young birds Bobby thought he might not even have to breed any of his own.

N. Edgar & Son and N. Black & Son kindly donated two young birds each. Edgar’s two were won by new member Chris Rooney and Mr & Mrs Stevenson and Black’s two young birds were won by Gordon Kirkpatrick and Mr & Mrs Stevenson. C & l Fryers’ young bird was won by non fancier William Skelly who is putting it into the stable of N. Black & Son to be raced. Cromie & Magee and Son’s was won by Russell Bros, Mr & Mrs Stevenson’s by Chris Rooney, Russell Bros by H. Silcock, T. Marshall & Son’s by Mr & Mrs Stevenson and A. Bradley’s was won by P. Connor.