EAST DOWN COMBINE
Reports by Clifford Browne
2014 EDC prize-winners receive their awards at the Dinner
Friday November 21st saw around 100 members & friends of the East Down Combine at the Millbrook Lodge Hotel in Ballynahinch for the 47th Annual Dinner Dance and Prize Distribution of the Combine and although the weather outside was atrocious, inside everyone was enjoying a great evening which got underway with the chairman Len McCavery asking me to say Grace after which we all sat down to a really first rate turkey dinner.
After the meal Len McCavery got the prize distribution underway and first he introduced the top table with the chief guest for the evening being the Combine President Paddy Burns who was accompanied by his wife Mary, but before asking Paddy to present the prizes Len gave a short account of the 2014 season and extended thanks to a number of people: the office bearers and the general committee for all their assistance throughout the season and once again Marshall Bird Foods for supplying the feeding for the 2014 season, the drivers, convoyers and race controllers, the weather committee and the press officers.
One of the highlights of this evening is the awarding of East Down Combine “Fancier of the Year Trophy ” and this year for the second year in succession it was won by the Crossgar partnership of McCartan & Woodsides who have a great record for this award having on a previous occasion been runners up. This partnership had an outstanding 2014 season winning no less than 10 trophies, 2 meritorious awards and several first Open positions as well as a number of other prizes.
As you read through the list of prize winners you will see that many other lofts recorded some outstanding performances not least of which was Bob McDowell & son (Annsborough) winning the Millar Gold Cup. In the INFC Nationals again Combine members featured well up in the results in all 6 Nationals.
Once again this year after the meal and presentation of the prizes it was time to chat and catch up with old friends or dance to music supplied by “Cloud Nine” and once again I trust I have not missed anyone from the very extensive list of winners. May I also extend my own congratulations to all the winners on their outstanding performances .
I have included a selection of photos this week of some of the prize winners from the night and will have more next week, so if your picture does not appear this week it should do so in the next column.
EAST DOWN COMBINE CUP WINNERS 2014
Ringland Classic Cup - Skibbereen Classic - M Foulis (Dundonald)
Kilpatrick Cup - 1st Talbenny - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
Wm Lowry Cup - 2nd Talbenny - D & D Chew (Newtownbreda)
Derek Wishart mem. Classic Cup - Fermoy - Gordon Bros &sons (Cloughey)
Taylor Cup - Bude - D Croskery & son (Annsborough)
McCausland Cup - Penzance - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
H & S Muckle Cup - Penzance Classic - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
MacMillan Mem. Cup - St. Malo O/B Derby - R McDowell & son (Annsborough)
E Carlisle Cup - 5th Old Bird race (Mallow) - M Croskery (Annsborough)
Castlewellan Show Cup - 5th YB Race -Harper & Young (Cloughey)
Jefford Memorial - Lowest Inland vel - P McCullough & dtr (Downpatrick) vel 1266
R Johnston Cup - 1st Skibbereen YB Derby - Mackey & Lockhart (Ballylesson)
Skibbereen Cup - Ken McConaghie Skibbereen YB Derby - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
McNeil Mem.Cup - OB National King’s Cup - W Catherwood & sons (Ballynahinch)
Charity Shield - Talbenny YB Derby - J Patterson (Ballylesson)
Average Cups & Winners 2014
Brown cup-Old Bird average - R McDowell & son (Annsborough) vel 1252
McCartan Memorial - Old Bird Inland Average - Gordon bros & sons (Cloughey)
L& A Fields Mem. Cup - Best Average over OB Classic and OB Derby - R McDowell & son (Annsborough)
Mrs Magee Cup - Young Bird average - Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey)
D Logan Cup - Best Average Penzance & 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
Channel Averages-North region Cup - Best Average over 4 Channel races
McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
R Moore & Son cup - Best average over channel championship races - Burns Bros (Comber Social)
McCloud Cup - best average over all Derbies - McCormick & Muckle (Millisle)
Newcombe Trophy Best average last 4OB and Last 2 YB races - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
Edward Hardy Mem Cup Best average over last OB race and last YB races - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
Marie Cromie Mem Cup - Best Average over YB Inland Derbies - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
R Russell Mem Cup - Best average channel races and Old bird Derby - R McDowell (Annsborough)
Ian Cousins Memorial Cup - Best avg. O/B Classic & 2 Y/B Inland Derby Races - B Hogg & Sons Newtownbreda)
H Morrow Memorial Cup - Fancier of the Year 2014
McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar) 1470 points
Framed Diplomas for EDC Members performance in the INFC 2014
Skibbereen Old Bird National - 1st EDC Member- J Patterson (Ballylesson) 9th North Section 10th Open
Sennen Cove Yearling National - 1st EDC Member - C Healy (Killyleagh Central) 29th Open 2nd North Section
Saint Allouestre King’s Cup - 1st EDC member - W Catherwood & sons (Ballynahinch) 28th open 18th North Section
Quimper Friendship National - 1st EDC Member - S Milligan & dtr (Tyrella) 6th open
Penzance YB National - 1st EDC Member - J McGreevy (Crossgar) 4th open 2nd North Section
Young Bird Skibbereen National - 1st EDC Member - A Bradley (Ballynahinch) 6th North section 9th open
Champion Pigeons 2014
Old Bird - Gordon & sons (Cloughey)
Young Bird - Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey)
Achievement Award Winner 2014 (for bird placed 3 times in OB Derby result)
McCormick & Muckle (Millisle)
Framed IHU Meritorious awards for 2014
1st Talbenny & Bude - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
2nd Talbenny & Penzance - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
3 bird Channel Championship 2014
1st Talbenny - A & J Brown (Dundonald)
2nd Talbenny - B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald)
Bude - R. J . Keown (Annsborough)
Penzance R McVeigh & son (Newcastle)
Club championship points:
Old Bird Season - Dundonald H.P.S. 154points
Young Bird Season - Cloughey H.P.S. 134 points
East Section Fancier of the Year 2014 D Crockery & son (Annsborough) 572points
West Section Fancier of the Year 2014 McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar) 593 points
East Down Combine Breeder/Buyer winners 2014
Breeder R Moore & son
Buyer R Moore & Son
DIPLOMAS FOR EAST DOWN COMBINE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014
OLD BIRD INLAND CHAMPION Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey) 207 points
O/B/I WEST SECTION CHAMPION R Irwin (Dundonald) 93 points
O/B/I/EAST SECTION CHAMPION Gordon bros & sons (Cloughey) 97points
OLD BIRD CHANNEL CHAMPION McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar) 182 points
O/B/C WEST SECTION CHAMPION McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar) 91points
O/B/C EAST SECTION CHAMPION R McDowell & son (Annsborough) 71points
YOUNG BIRD CHAMPION McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar) 225 points
Y/B EAST SECTION CHAMPION McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar) 147points
Y/B WEST SECTION CHAMPION Harper & Young (Cloughey) 108 points
East Down Combine Centre Prize-winners
Crossgar: Caskey & Adair (Crossgar) - Skibbereen Classic
R McDowell & son (Annsborough) - St Malo OB Derby
W Hayes & son (Ballynahinch) - 1st SkibbereenYB Derby
McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar) - 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby
G Lyttle (Comber Social) - Talbenny YB Derby
Ballywalter R Strain & son (Millisle) - Skibbereen Classic
G Hawthorne (Millisle) - St Malo OB Derby
R Moore & Son (Bangor) - 1st Skibbereen YB Derby
Harper & Young (Cloughey) - 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby
Angus, Son & McConkey (Donaghadee) - Talbenny YB Derby
Newtownbreda: M Foulis (Dundonald) - Skibbereen Classic
A Cousins & sons (Ballylesson) - St Malo OB Derby
Mackey & Lockhart (Ballylesson) - 1st Skibbereen YB Derby
M Foulis (Ballylesson) - 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby
J Patterson (Ballylesson) - Talbenny YB Derby
Open and Section winners 2014 - Old Birds
Mullingar - 1st open - 1st East Section - Gordon bros & sons (Cloughey)
1st West Section - A& A Cheevers (Crossgar)
Tullamore - 1st open - 1st West section - R Irwin (Dundonald)
1st East section - 5th open - Burgess & Brennan (Bangor)
1st Mount Charles - 1st open - 1st East section - P McCullough & dtr (Downpatrick)
8th Open 1st West section - R Irwin (Dundonald)
2nd Mount Charles 1st open - 1st East section - Phillips Bros (Bangor)
2nd Open - 1st West Section - C & D Smyth & sons (Ballylesson)
1st Mallow - 1st open - 1st East Section - M Croskery (Annsborough)
32nd open - 1st West Section - C Lavery & son (Ballynahinch)
Skibbereen Classic - 1st Open - 1st West section - M Foulis (Dundonald)
9th open - 1st East section - R Strain & son (Millisle)
2nd Mullingar - 1st open - 1st West Section - M Foulis (Dundonald)
4th open - 1st East section - D W Carlile & son (Ballywalter)
2nd Talbenny - 1st Open - 1st West Section - D & D Chew (Newtownbreda)
6th open - 1st East section - D & K McCutcheon (Donaghadee)
Fermoy Classic - 1st Open - Gordon Bros & Sons (Cloughey)
Bude - 1st Open - 1st East section - D Crockery & son (Annsborough)
4th Open - 1st West section - S Brown & sons (Dundonald)
Penzance - 1st Open - 1st West section - Mc Cartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
4th Open - 1st East section - Ferguson & Wilkinson (Donaghadee)
Penzance Classic - 1st open 1st West Section - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
5th open 1st East Section - K Rooney & dtr (Annalong)
St. Malo O/B Derby - 1st Open - 1st East section - R McDowell & son (Annsborough)
3rd open - 1st West section - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
Young Birds
1st Navan - 1st open - 1st East section - J Trimble & son (Annalong)
1st West section - Cowan & McCartney (Dundonald)
2nd Navan - 1st open - 1st East Section - Harper& Young (Cloughey)
17th open - 1st West Section - T Horner & sons (Crossgar)
Mullingar - 1st Open - 1st West Section - S Brown & sons (Dundonald)
2nd Open - 1st East Section - W McMaster & son (Ballywalter)
Tullamore - 1st open - 1st East Section - M Croskery (Annsborough)
15th open - 1st West Section - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
1st Mt Charles 1st open - 1st East Section - Harper & Young (Cloughey)
4th open - 1st West Section - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
Mallow 1st open - 1st East Section - M Croskery (Annsborough)
6th open - 1st West Section - S & K Duke (Crossgar)
1st Skibbereen YB Derby - 1st Open - 1st West section - Mackey & Lockhart (Ballylesson)
18th open - 1st East section - R Moore & son (Bangor)
Talbenny YB Derby - 1st open 1st West Section - J Patterson (Ballylesson)
4th Open 1st East Section - Angus, son & McConkey (Donaghadee)
2nd Mt Charles - 1st open - 1st East section - K Rooney, son & dtr (Annalong)
8th open - 1st West section - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
2nd Skibbereen - 1st Open - 1st West section - McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
Y/B Derby 2nd open 1st East section - Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey)
It was a most enjoyable evening and thanks to all who organised it and ensured that it all ran smoothly. Next week I’ll have more photos of the successful prize-winners plus a report and photos of the Tyrella club’s annual prize night.
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