East Down Combine News
with Clifford Browne
Special Night Marks E.D.Combine’s 50th Anniversary
PART 1
Friday November 17th saw over 100 guests , members and friends of the East Down Combine meeting up at the very popular Temple Golf and Country Club for what was to be a very special evening combining the organisations Annual dinner dance and Prize distribution with a celebration of the Combine having reached 50 years since it’ s formation , first racing as the East Down Combine in 1967 .
To mark this special night the Combine had a number of special guest s present , Mr Ronnie Johnston ,who was the first vice chairman of the EDC and the present patron of the Irish National Flying Club and his wife Alice . Former EDC chairman Mr Wesley Robinson and his wife Laurette , Mrs Bessie Morrow and son Tom Morrow ,representing another stalwart of the Combine Bertie Morrow who was unable to be present and the Combine were delighted to welcome INFC Secretary Trevor Topping and his wife Florence .
The room had been splendidly prepared with a lot of work having gone into it’s presentation and a montage in pictures charting the history of the Combine over the 50 years made fascinating viewing . As you can be seen from one of the photographs we even had a special cake to mark the event and thanks is extended to a lot of people for the hard work and many hours spent putting this evening together especially Mrs Dorothy Smyth and Secretary Sam Duke ,their team of helpers and the staff at the Temple Golf and Country club.
The evening got underway at 8pm with the chairman Len McCavery welcoming everyone and we then enjoyed to a really first rate meal . Dinner over the Chairman Len McCavery introduced and welcomed the special guests and then introduced the top table with the chief guest for the evening being the Combine President John Albert , but before asking John to present the prizes Len called on Ronnie Johnston to give a brief account of how the Combine had come into existence and how it had progressed despite the initial doubt of many . Len thanked Ronnie for this insight into the early days and then Len went on to give a short account of the 2017 season and extended thanks to all those who had helped run the Combine throughout the season .
One of the highlights of this evening is the awarding of East Down Combine “ Fancier of the Year Trophy ” and this year it was won by that truly remarkable fancier John Patterson of Ballylesson who at 90 was winning this award for the 13th time -what an achievement and I will be doing a full report on this super fancier shortly. As you read through the list of prize winners you will see that many other lofts recorded some outstanding performances ,so much so that I have decided to do a part 2 to this report next week and whilst I have included a selection of photos this week of some of the prize winners from the night I will have more next week , so if your picture does not appear this week it should do so over the next week or two.
Once again in the INFC Nationals Combine members featured well up in the results in all 6 Nationals with EDC members being in the top 6 in the Open in 4 of them .
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 and may I also extend my own congratulations to all the winners on their outstanding performances .
EAST DOWN COMBINE CUP WINNERS 2017
Ringland Classic Cup----Skibbereen Classic-----Burgess & Brennan (Bangor)
Kilpatrick Cup ------1st Talbenny -----W Hayes & son (Ballynahinch)
Wm Lowry Cup -------2nd Talbenny ------Brown & McConnell (Dundonald )
Derek Wishart mem. Classic Cup ---Mallow ----BCT Foulis & Gill (Dundonald)
Taylor Cup ---------Bude ------S Regan (Ballywalter)
McCausland Cup -------Penzance ------B C T Foulis & Gill ( Dundonald )
H & S Muckle Cup ------Penzance Classic ----B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald )
MacMillan Mem. Cup ---St. Malo O/B Derby -------J & R Young (Portavogie )
E Carlisle Cup ------5th Old Bird race (Mallow ) -------J Patterson (Ballylesson )
Castlewellan Show Cup ----5th YB Race Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey )
Jefford Memorial ---Lowest Inland vel -----Gordon Bros & sons ( Cloughey ) vel 1315
R Johnston Cup ---- 1st Skibbereen YB Derby-----S Casement & son (Ballylesson )
Skibbereen Cup - Ken McConaghie Skibbereen YB Derby --B Hogg & sons (Newtownbreda)
McNeil Mem.Cup --OB National King’ s Cup ------A Crawford (Ballylesson )
Charity Shield --Talbenny YB Derby-----K & B McConaghie & son ( Ballylesson )
Agar Bros Cup ----Friendship National Lamballe------T Marshall & son (Newtownbreda )
Average Cups & Winners 2017
Brown cup-Old Bird Average M Croskery (Annsborough ) vel 1521
McCartan Memorial--Old Bird Inland Average--M Croskery (Annsborough )
L& A Fields Mem.cup- Best Average over OB Classic and OB Derby.--J & R Young ( Portavogie)
Mrs Magee Cup-- Young Bird average - B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald )
D Logan Cup -Best Average Penzance & 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby -
Brown & McConnell (Dundonald)
Channel Averages-North region Cup -Best Average over 4Channel races
B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald )
R Moore & Son cup-- Best average over channel championship races --
B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald )
McCloud Cup -- best average over all Derbies-- J & R Young (Portavogie)
Newcombe Trophy Best average last 4OB and Last 2 YB races -B C T Foulis & Gill
( Dundonald )
Edward Hardy Mem Cup Best average over last OB race and last YB races -- B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald )
Marie Cromie Mem.Cup --Best Average over YB Inland Derbies --- B Hogg & sons (Newtownbreda )
R Russell mem. Cup --- Best average channel races and Old bird Derby------------ J Trimble & son ( Annalong )
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 2017
J Patterson (Ballylesson ) 1493 points
Framed Diplomas for EDC Members performance in the INFC 2017
Skibbereen Old Bird National -1st EDC Member- M Foulis (Dundonald ) 2nd North Section 6th Open
Sennen Cove Yearling National ----1st EDC Member -W Catherwood & sons (Ballynahinch ) 22nd Open 22nd North Section
Saint Allouestre King’s Cup --1st EDC member --A Crawford ( Ballylesson ) 3rd open 1st North Section
Lamballe Friendship National---- 1st EDC Member---T Marshall & son (Newtownbreda ) 6th open
Penzance YB National-- 1st EDC Member--Mackey & Lockhart (Ballylesson ) 5th open 5th North Section
Young Bird Skibbereen National--1st EDC Member --M Croskery (Annsborough ) 11th North Section
Champion Pigeons 2017 Old Bird ----J Patterson (Ballylesson )
Young Bird -Harper & Young (Cloughey )
Achievement Award Winner 2017 (for bird placed 3 times in OB Derby result)
None Won
Framed IHU Meritorious awards for 2017
1st Talbenny & Bude --W Hayes & son (Ballynahinch)
2nd Talbenny & Penzance Brown & McConnell (Dundonald )
3 bird Channel Championship 2017
1st Talbenny -- J Patterson (Ballylesson )
2nd Talbenny -----D W Carlile & son (Ballywalter )
Bude-- S Regan (Ballywalter)
Penzance B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald )
Club championship points:
Old Bird Season -Ballylesson HPS 156points
Young Bird Season -Cloughey H.P.S. 133 points
East Section Fancier of the Year 2017 K Rooney ,son & dtr (Annalong ) 590 points
West Section Fancier of the Year 2017 J Patterson (Ballylesson ) 597points
East Down Combine Breeder/Buyer winners 2017
Breeder T & S Phillips (Bangor)
Buyer T & S Phillips (Bangor
DIPLOMAS FOR EAST DOWN COMBINE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017
OLD BIRD INLAND CHAMPION J Patterson (Ballylesson ) 192 points
O/B/I WEST SECTION CHAMPION J Patterson ( Ballylesson ) 73 points
O/B/I/EAST SECTION CHAMPION R Moore & son (Bangor ) 80points
OLD BIRD CHANNEL CHAMPION R Strain & son (Millisle & dist ) 112 points
O/B/C WEST SECTION CHAMPION B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald ) 39 points /J Patterson ( Ballylesson ) 39points
O/B/C EAST SECTION CHAMPION M Croskery ( Annsborough ) 64points
YOUNG BIRD CHAMPION J Young & ptnrs (Dundonald ) 204 points
Y/B EAST SECTION CHAMPION Gordon Bros & sons ( Cloughey ) 94 points
Y/B WEST SECTION CHAMPION J Young & ptnrs (Dundonald ) 132points
East Down Combine Centre Prize-winners
Crossgar: J Cleland ( Annsborough )-----Skibbereen Classic
J Trimble & son ( Annalong )-------St Malo OB Derby
G Lyttle (Comber Social )---------- 1st SkibbereenYB Derby
McCartan & Woodsides ( Crossgar )-- 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby
McComb Bros (Killyleagh Central ) -----Talbenny YB Derby
Portavogie
Burgess & Brennan (Bangor )----------------Skibbereen Classic
J & R Young (Portavogie )---------------St Malo OB Derby
Lambert & Stewart ( Bangor ---------- 1st Skibbereen YB Derby
Harper & Young ( Cloughey )------------ 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby
K Ambrose (Portavogie ) --------Talbenny YB Derby
Ballylesson
A Cousins & sons ( Hillfoot )--------Skibbereen Classic
NOT WON --------St .Malo OB Derby
S Casement & son ( Ballylesson )----1st Skibbereen YB Derby
B Hogg & sons (Newtownbreda )----------- 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby
K & B McConaghie & son ( Ballylesson ) -------- Talbenny YB Derby
Open and Section winners 2017 ----Old Birds:
1st Tullamore ------------1st open----1st West Section --Massey Bros (Ballylesson)
- 1st East Section----6th open --R Moore & son (Bangor )
2nd Tullamore------------1st open ---1st East section--J Trimble & son (Annalong )
1st West section --Cromie & Magee &Son (Ballynahinch )
Thurles - 1st open ----1st West section--J Patterson (Ballylesson )
3rd Open 1st East section---J McCartan (Annalong )
1st Fermoy 1st open ----1st West section--A Cousins & Sons ( Hillfoot )
20th Open---1st East Section---R Strain & son (Millisle & dist )
Mallow -------1st open----1st West Section J Patterson (Ballylesson )
3rd open ---1st East Section---Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey )
Skibbereen Classic--1st Open ----1st East section---Burgess & Brennan (Bangor )
3rd open-----1st West section---A Cousins & sons (Hillfoot )
2nd Fermoy ---------1st open------1st West Section---Cromie & Magee & son (Ballynahinch )
2nd open------1st East section----K Rooney & son & dtr ( Annalong )
1st Talbenny -----1st Open --1st West Section --W Hayes & son (Ballynahinch )
1st East Section 5th Open ---M Croskery (Annsborough )
2nd Talbenny ------1st Open------1st West Section ---Brown & McConnell (Dundonald )
3rd open ------ 1st East section--Burgess & Brennan ( Bangor )
Fermoy Classic -----1st Open ----B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald )
Bude ---------1st Open ------1st East section----S Regan (Ballywalter )
4th Open------1st West section---C Lavery & son (Ballynahinch )
Penzance ---1st Open --1st West Section --B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald)
1st East Section --4th Open --P Brown & Son (Annsborough)
Penzance Classic----- 1st open 1st West Section -- B C T Foulis & Gill ( Dundonald )
3rd open 1st East Section--P Brown & Son (Annsborough )
St. Malo O/B Derby------1st Open -------1st East section-----J &R Young (Portavogie )
1st West section----NOT WON
Young Birds
1st Navan------ -1st open ---------1st West section------B C T Foulis & Gill ( Dundonald )
1st East section--3rd Open ---K Rooney ,son & dtr ( Annalong )
2nd Navan ---------1st open----------1st East Section----Cully & Monan ( Cloughey )
1st West Section--8th open ---W White & son ( Newtownbreda )
Mullingar ---------1st Open-----------1st East Section-----McComb Bros ( Killyleagh Central )
30th Open ---1st West Section ------McCartan & Woodsides ( Crossgar )
Tullamore --------1st open-----------1st East Section-----Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey )
15th open------1st West Section----McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar )
1st Thurles 1st open-----------1st East Section-----Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey )
3rd open----------1st West Section----J Young &ptnrs (Dundonald )
Fermoy 1st open -----1st East Section ---Gordon Bros & sons (Killyleagh Central )
13th open ---1st West Section --J Young & ptnrs (Dundonald )
1st Skibbereen YB Derby ---1st open 1st West Section --S Casement & son ( Ballylesson )
2nd Open 1st East Section-- Lambert & Stewart (Bangor )
Talbenny YB Derby--1st open 1st West Section --K & B McConaghie & son ( Ballylesson )
2nd Open 1st East Section-- McComb Bros (Killyleagh Central )
2nd Thurles ----1st open-----1st East section----Harper & Young ( Cloughey )
28th open ---1st West section---------B C T Foulis & Gill ( Dundonald )
2nd Skibbereen Y/B Derby --1st Open----1st West section----- B Hogg & sons ( Newtownbreda)
3rd open-----1st East section--------- Harper & Young ( Cloughey )
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