East Down Combine News

with Clifford Browne

New 1 bird Nom for East Down 2 Bird Club

The EDC 2 Bird club AGM was held in Crossgar on Monday February 10th, 2020, a night on which you may recall the weather was very poor and the attendance reflected this.

The chairman Joe McGreevy opened the meeting by requesting a minute’s silence for those members who had died during the previous year. The meeting continued with Apologies being received and accepted and the minutes of the previous Year’s AGM were then read and passed .The chairman thanked the Secretary Dorothy Smyth for her work during the racing season both in her role as Secretary and also Treasurer and he 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 had been thoroughly enjoyed by all those present and has now become an event not to miss , Dorothy was also thanked for running the Gold Ring events so successfully . The prize winners were congratulated, and it was hoped that 2020 would be another successful season and that the membership which in 2019 stood at 70 would continue to grow. The club Secretaries were also thanked for their co-operation each week .The Treasurer presented the accounts which showed the club was again in a very healthy financial state and this was again mainly due to excellent housekeeping and especially helped by the events run at the dinner.

The next item was the election of office bearers for 2020 and It was the unanimous decision of those present that the existing office bearers be returned en bloc which for 2020 are

President Clifford Browne

Chairman Joe McGreevy

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 2020 All clubs within the Combine will receive membership forms for the 2020 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.

Again for the 2020 season the club members will have the opportunity to take part in both an Old Bird Gold ring and a Young Bird gold ring event where Members will nominate 5 rings of their own at a cost of £10 for each event but nominations will only need to be placed with the 2 bird secretary on or before the dates on the form which for Old Birds is by the 2nd OB race of the season and for young birds on or before the date on the form in early August These events will be held in conjunction with ,for ,Old Birds, the 6th Old Bird club race of the season and for Young birds the 6th young bird club race.

In addition to the above competitions the club is continuing the £1 optional pool this season ,this means that members will still 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 its own with no monies being carried over.

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

NEW FOR 2020

For the 2020 YB season the club is introducing a single bird Nomination which will be run as follows.

Before the first YB race of the 2020 season each loft within the 2bird membership will be eligible to nominate a single bird, the cost will be £20.

The ring number of this bird cannot be altered, and this bird will be eligible to compete in any or all of the 7 Yb club races

The total birds entered before the first YB race at £20 each will form the total prize pot which will be equally divided over the 7 races E.G. suppose 28 members join 28 x£20 =£560

One prize per race is £560 /7 = £80 per race, so the more that join the bigger the prize, of course should your bird go missing you will not be able to nominate another. In the ee not being won the prize money for that race will be divided equally over the other races

It is hoped that this will generate yet more interest in this 2-bird club.