EAST DOWN COMBINE

Reports by Clifford Browne

The Ballylesson club held their New Year show on Saturday the 27th of December 2014. The club extends its thanks to the judges Dolen Croskery, Mickey Croskery & Michael Jennings who did a fantastic job with the cards being awarded as follows: 

Old Cocks - 1st J Patterson 2nd J Patterson 3rd C & D Smyth & Sons 4th J Patterson Reserve J Patterson V.H.C J Patterson H.C P & C Johnston Commended Mackey & Lockhart

Old Hens - 1st Johnston & Gillispie 2nd Mackey & Lockhart 3rd C & D Smyth & Sons 4th J Patterson Reserve Johnston & Gillispie V.H.C Mackey & Lockhart H.C P&C Johnston Commended Mackey & Lockhart

EYE SIGN - 1st C&D Smyth & Sons 2nd Mackey & Lockhart 3rd J Kirk & Son 4th J Patterson Reserve Johnston & Gillispie V.H.C J S Albert H.C C&D Smyth & Sons Commended J Kirk & Son

Young Birds - 1st S Casement & Son 2nd J Patterson 3rd H Patterson & Son 4th Mackey & Lockhart Reserve H Patterson & Son V.H.C J Patterson H.C S Casement & Son Commended J&S Albert

B.I.S C&D Smyth & Sons

B.O.S J Patterson

B/Y S Casement & Son

AGM AGENDA

Members will have by now received notification of the Combine A.G.M, along with the agenda and accounts, which is to be held in the War Memorial Hall in Crossgar at 2pm on January 10th 2015 and I would encourage members to attend as there are a number of race programmes to be voted on and it appears that the majority are in favour, where possible, of bringing the Combine race points further east. The other main item is a proposal concerning the pick-up times where birds are having to be race marked on a Saturday. The agenda has the normal items of AGM business and an initial look at the accounts would indicate that the Combine is on a sound financial footing and had a good year again showing a healthy surplus on the income and expenditure account.

Next week I’ll be reporting on the EDC AGM.

East Down 2bird News

The East Down Combine 2bird club will be holding their Annual Dinner and Prize Distribution in Magee’s Lounge, Crossgar on February 13th. Tickets are priced at £13 each and can be booked through Dorothy Smyth with the evening commencing at 7.30 pm for 8pm. Would all cup holders ensure that they return their trophies to Dorothy Smyth as soon as possible and ideally this could be at the EDC Annual General Meeting on January 10th.

Bobby McConnell

It was with deep regret that I learnt of the death just before Christmas of Bobby McConnell who had raced for many years in the Annalong club and had been that club’s former Secretary, a position which he held for over 40 years but failing health forced him to give up his pigeons two years ago. A good administrator, he was a past President of the East Down Combine and was also Vice Chairman for a number of years as well as helping to raise funds for the two transporters which the Combine possess and he also set up the Combine’s Champions Leagues which ran for several years. Bobby, as well as being a good administrator, was also a good fancier with many good results over the years. To his wife and family I extend my deepest sympathy at this sad time.

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