G & R Lawrie - Ballyclare & District HPS

In the last race of the season, the top racing father/son partnership of George and Richard Lawrie sent ten birds to the NIPA Rosscarberry Y/B Inland National. They timed eight birds in eight minutes taking the first five positions in the Doagh Centre with their other three birds making it eight of the first eleven birds in the centre.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Nov 2017, 08:19 BST
Updated 11th Dec 2017, 22:23 BST
George & Richard Lawrie - Ballyclare & Dist - pictured with loft manager JamesGeorge & Richard Lawrie - Ballyclare & Dist - pictured with loft manager James
George & Richard Lawrie - Ballyclare & Dist - pictured with loft manager James

They took the following NIPA Open positions 81st, 82nd, 88th, 109th, 111th, 164th, 171st & 172nd.

In the old bird season they started well winning 1st Club 9th Section C Gowran Park and 2nd Club 10th Section C Corrin. They won the Ballyclare club five times and in National racing took the following positions: 164th Rosscarbery O/B 180th and 300th INFC Yearling National Sennen Cove, 177th Open INFC Kings Cup, 156th NIPA Talbenny Y/B Nat, 31st Open INFC Penzance Y/B Nat, 93rd N/Sec INFC Skibbereen Y/B Nat plus eight positions in the Rosscarberry Y/B National.

The partnership were the top prize winner in the Ballyclare & Dist, taking 34 top 10 positions in their club, where a member can only win two prizes per race. All of the partnership’s birds are bred off stock obtained from their good friend Wayne Doonan of Cock Crow Lofts. They have bought the best Wayne has to offer over the last nine years of the Van Loons and Herman Ceuster families. In nine seasons racing, these birds they have won 180 prizes and 23 x 1sts - all bred from Wayne’s stock. George and Richard would like to thank Wayne for the quality stock he has supplied them with over the years to get them to where they are in the sport today.

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T MOONEY & SON - MILLVALE

2017 saw the small backyard loft of Tommy Mooney and Son, Millvale (Newry) win a coveted INFC Merit Award for a bird twice in the INFC Friendship National prizes. This game three year old hen was 25th National 2016 from Quimper flying 12 1/2 hours for 1027 ypm. This year from Lamballe she was timed at 08.35am on the third morning for 13th National on 330 ypm winning £854. Only 16 birds were home in race time. Sire is a Van Reet cock that won the NIPA Open from Fermoy and dam is a Van Den Bosche hen from our good friend Martin Mulholland. This year she got two Inlands, two Talbenny’s and Penzance. She was sitting six days with a big youngster still in the nest.

The Mooney loft was only one of six lofts across Ireland to finish in the prizes from the INFC Kings Cup and Friendship National. The Kings Cup prize winner is a three year old cock timed early second morning for 213th National. Sire is a son of a hen that was 13th Kings Cup for Tommy’s late brothers Frank and Freddie who raced as Mooney Bros and also contains bloodlines of twice 1st Section G NIPA St Malo also for Mooney Bros. Dam is from their good friend Paul Swindell.

Tommy Mooney Senior probably has one of the best records in Ireland for a small team backyard loft. He is a former runner up in the Kings Cup with a single entry and won the INFC Skibbereen YB National also with just one bird sent. He has won the mighty NIPA Open on numerous occasions spread over five decades - wins in the 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s and 2010.

Another interesting fact relates to Tommy Senior’s late brothers. They raced to a 16 feet loft in Bessbrook and also won a number of NIPA Opens. The first of these was in a YB race from Gormanstown in 1947 velocity 1218 ypm and the last was in 2009 from OB Bude velocity 1678 ypm. That’s Open wins to the same small loft 62 years apart.

CARRICK & DISTRICT HPS CUP WINNERS 2017

Robert Reid has supplied his club list of awards for 2017 season. A large number of cups and trophies were won by Mr & Mrs R Reid & Son and Elliott Bros, lifted a lot of cups also, after a top season.

M/M Reid & Son won – J Clawson Cup (Rosscarbery YB Nat), Morrow Cup (Y B Points), Stroller Cup (Young Bird Ave), Hamilton Memorial Cup (Rosscarbery Nat & Skibbereen Nat), McAllister Cup (Lowest winning Velocity), E Burgess Cup (Best Ave YB Nat NIPA), T Tierney Cup (Best YB Performance), H Hamilton Cup ((1st YB Nat & Race Before), Turner Cup (YB Nat Talbenny), E Gilliland Cup (1st YB Race), R Surgenor Memorial Shield (5th YB Race), A Patton Cup (YB Knock-Out).

Elliott Bros won – McGifford Cup (Cross Channel Ave), Graham Cup (Old Bird Ave), Elmhurst Cup OB Points), Shankill Cup (Inland Points Ave), E Tierney Cup (Best Ave to Penzance), S Murphy Cup (Penzance Old Bird), M/M R Reid Trophy (Sennen Cove Classic), J Tierney Cup (Best Ave 1st & 2nd Talbenny), D Tierney Cup (Best Ave 2nd Palbenny & Penzance), T Binding Trophy (Best Ave last 2 OB Races), G McAllister Cup (1st Bude).

T Creighton & Son won – E Skelton Cup (Highest Winning Velocity), M/M R Reid Trophy (Rosscarbery OB Nat).

Degnan & McKee won – M Tierney Cup (6th OB Race).

S Beattie & Daughter won (R Bowen Cup (Best Ave Fermoy).

NI WINTER FAYRE

The Winter Fayre was held recently. I would personally like to thank all who supported and helped in any way at the event - the stallholders, the staff of the leisure centre and all who attended. All in attendance enjoyed the day out. Many Thanks for your support. New Kid On The Block

LARNE & DIST MOOT

The Larne & Dist HPS held a very successful Pigeon Moot recently in their own clubrooms with the world famous Jos Thone as the star guest.

One of the main organisers, Mr Rab Mills, would like to thank, on behalf of Larne & Dist HPS, the following: Jos Thone, John Wheatcroft, Wesley Sawyers, the members of Larne & Dist who helped in any way, Ian Moxham, H Beattie & Son, Beyers Corn plus all the fanciers who attended the successful event. Many thanks to all concerned.