EAST DOWN COMBINE

with Clifford Browne

 

East Down 2 Bird Enters 50th Year

 

The EDC 2 Bird club AGM was held in Crossgar on Monday February 13th 2017. The chairman opened the meeting by requesting a minute’s silence for those members who had died during the previous year .It was noted from the minute book by the members present that the club had been formed on February 7th 1967 and has continued without a break since then with membership at one time over the 100 member mark making it one of the largest 2 bird clubs ,at present membership is at 70plus and already this year new interest is being shown by some .

The meeting continued with Apologies being received and accepted and the minutes of the previous Year’s AGM were read and passed .The chairman thanked the Secretary Dorothy Smyth for her work during the racing season both as Secretary and also Treasurer and also thanked the assistant Secretary Sam Duke . Dorothy Smyth was also thanked for all her hard work in connection with the Dinner /Prize distribution which it was felt was the best ever and has now become an event not to miss Dorothy was also thanked for running of the Gold Ring event . The prize winners were congratulated and it was hoped that 2017 would be as successful as 2016 if not more so and that the membership would continue to grow. The Treasurer presented the accounts which showed the club in a very healthy financial state again mainly due to excellent housekeeping.

The next item was the election of office bearers for 2017 and this saw little change from the previous year with the addition of Paddy McComb to the committee. The main offices being filled as follows;

President Clifford Browne

Chairman Francis Gilmore

V/Chairman Colin Smyth

Secretary /Treasurer Mrs Dorothy Smyth

Asst Secretary Sam Duke

EDC Delegates D Smyth & A Lockhart

IHU Delegates C Smyth & A Lockhart

 

The very popular leagues will again be in operation for 2017 and Sponsorship has again been forth coming for some of these .All clubs within the Combine will be receiving membership forms for the 2017 season which secretary Dorothy Smyth will need returned by the date on the form to compile the various League tables etc . Membership fees remain at £10 for the full season or £5 for Young Birds only .The dinner /prize distribution which is proving so successful has been arranged for the 2017 season for the 26th January 2018 and again will run on the format of the 2016 dinner and will be followed with the AGM on the 12th of February 2018 .

Again for the 2017 season the club members will have the opportunity to take part in a young Bird golden ring event where Members will nominate 5 rings of their own at a cost of £10 in total but nominations will only need to be placed with the 2 bird secretary on or before the date on the form in early August 2016 which gives members the chance to get their prospective entries well trained. This event will be held in conjunction with the last young bird club race.

     

NEW FOR 2018

The 2 bird club are also going to hold a Golden Ring event for Old birds and this will be flown on the 6th OB race of the 2018 season and will be run on exactly the same lines as the young Bird event with entries being with the Secretary by the 2nd OB race of the season.

 

In addition to the above competitions the club is continuing the £1 optional pool this season ,this means that members will be able to enter each of their 2 birds each week in this pool at 1£ each and there will be 4 prizes each week with 1st 40% , 2nd 30% , 3rd 20% & 4th 10% . Each race will stand on it’s own with no monies being carried over.

There should be something there for everybody and it is hoped that the club will have a record membership this season.

 

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East Down Combine Breeder/Buyer 2016

The East Down Combine is again running their Breeder/Buyer competition and the relevant information on this for everyone is ;

Only EDC members can buy birds, but NIPA and Ulster Fed members can enter birds for sale with a maximum of 2 birds per member.

There will be 4 Prizes ,1st -50% , 2nd 25%, 3rd -15% 4th 10%

50% to breeder & 50% to buyer

To be raced for in the 1st Skibbereen YB Derby

Auction will be held in the Temple Golf & Country Club on Thursday 30th March

Auction time 8pm

Auctioneer Doley Croskery

IMPORTANT: 1) The buyer must race the bird to their loft

2) Birds Ring numbers cannot be changed under any circumstances

3) All Breeder/Buyers must be claimed on the Derby Envelopes

The address of the Temple Golf & Country club is

66 Church Road

Temple

BT27 6UP

For further information contact Dorothy Smyth on 07789231086

This event last year saw the winners C & D Smyth & sons who bred and raced the winner lift a cheque for £1714 so it is a competition well worth having an entry for.

 

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Ballylesson Treasurer retires after 40 years

At the recently held AGM of the Ballylesson club the club’s esteemed Treasurer with 40 years service Mervyn Patterson stood down in order to spend more time with his grandchildren. Mervyn’s Grandfather had been one of the club’s founder members back in 1945. In recognition to Mervyn’s service to the club he was presented with a beautiful engraved crystal and the club members wished Mervyn and his wife Margaret every good wish for the future.

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Well that is it for this week, I have included several more photos from the 2 bird dinner.