East Down Combine News

with Clifford Browne

2016 SEASON ABOUT TO GET UNDERWAY

Saturday April 9TH is due to see the start to the East Down Combine?s 2016 season but as I type this up the weather over the last few days has been absolutely hopeless for training which will set a lot of folk back for starting on day one but I will take this opportunity to say that I hope that club PRO?s will continue with the good work that they have been doing in past years and keep on sending their news and photos to continue to promote the East Down Combine.

A family wedding meant that I had to miss this Year?s Combine Breeder /Buyer which was again a huge success and again this event continues to grow .The 2015 sale had raised £2760 which in itself was an increase of £1000 on the 2014 sale .

EDC BREEDER / BUYER RAISES £3,430

This year?s event realised £3430 which was another £700 of an increase on the 2015 figure. The event was held on Friday April 1st in Magee?s in Crossgar. Thanks to the team that put this together -Dorothy Smyth, John Kirk ,Dean Kirk ,Colin Smyth ,Rodney McCormick ,and our very capable auctioneer Doley Croskery with a special word of thanks to Sean Milligan for supplying the pens and there was a fantastic turnout of fanciers who between them made the total raised £3,430 for the 67 pigeons .
Again this year there will be four prizes with breeder and buyer getting an equal cut of the prize money for each prize this year it will be:

1st Breeder £857 Buyer £857
2nd Breeder £428 Buyer £428
3rd Breeder £257 Buyer £257
4th Breeder £171 Buyer £171

This will be raced for in the 1st Skibbereen y/b derby on 27/8/2016 and if the winner also happens to have bred the winning pigeon the fancier will take home a cheque for just over £1700 , a tidy sum .

East Down 2 bird News

Once again this Year there has been a good uptake for membership of the 2 bird club with this year?s membership standing at 70 which has again seen the 4 leagues in operation .This year the club will be paying out 6 prizes per week in addition to the optional £1 pool per bird.
The leagues will be updated every 4 weeks on the EDC Webpage and on (Face book ) racing Pigeon NI. The 2bird club is again holding a Gold ring race, this year it will be flown from Thurles on Saturday September 3rd 2016, a 5 ring nomination, the cost is £10 and the entry forms and payment payable to the EDC 2 bird to be sent to Secretary Dorothy Smyth on or before August 6th 2016.

I know it is early yet to be thinking of the end of the season events but for those who like to plan ahead the 2 Bird dinner and Prize giving will be held on Friday 27th January 2017 in Magee?s and the AGM will be held on Monday 13th February 2017 ,also in Magee?s in Crossgar .
I have included several more photos from the very successful 2 bird dinner of February 12th as promised.

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Connaire McVeigh of Newcastle has sent me on a photograph and has asked if anyone can tell what year it was taken - don?t know the answer Connaire although I do recognise some of those in it. So if you know drop me an e-mail.

As I said at the start racing is due to commence on Saturday April 9th and as this is Doley Croskery?s first event as Race Controller we wish him all the very best in what is a difficult job in this country with its changeable weather conditions.