EAST DOWN COMBINE
by Clifford Browne
D Croskery & son are 2016 EDC Fanciers of the Year
Friday November 18th saw members & friends of the East Down Combine at the Millbrook Lodge Hotel in Ballynahinch for the 49th Annual Dinner Dance and Prize Distribution of the Combine. The evening got underway at 8pm with the chairman Len McCavery welcoming everyone and we then enjoyed to a really first rate turkey dinner. Dinner over The Chairman Len McCavery introduced the top table with the chief guests for the evening being the Combine President Francis Gilmore and Mrs Gilmore , but before asking Francis to present the prizes Len gave a short account of the 2016 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 2016 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 it was won by the Annsborough partnership of D Croskery & son . This partnership had a very consistent 2016 season and included some outstanding performances, including winning both meritorious medals with the same pigeon. As you read through the list of prize winners you will see that many other lofts recorded some outstanding performances .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 2016
Ringland Classic Cup----Skibbereen Classic-----Cowan & McCartney (Dundonald)
Kilpatrick Cup ------1st Talbenny -----James Cleland (Annsborough)
Wm Lowry Cup -------2nd Talbenny ------J Tumelty (Newtownbreda )
Derek Wishart mem. Classic Cup ---Fermoy ----Cromie ,Magee & son (Ballynahinch )
Taylor Cup ---------Bude ------C & D Smyth & sons (Ballylesson)
McCausland Cup -------Penzance ------J & P Rice ( Killyleagh Central )
H & S Muckle Cup ------Penzance Classic ----M Foulis (Dundonald )
MacMillan Mem. Cup ---St. Malo O/B Derby -------R Strain & son (Millisle )
E Carlisle Cup ------5th Old Bird race (2nd Thurles ) -------W Hayes & son (Ballynahinch )
Castlewellan Show Cup ----5th YB Race -L McCavery (Annalong )
Jefford Memorial ---Lowest Inland vel -----W Hayes &son ( Ballynahinch ) vel 1232
R Johnston Cup ---- 1st Skibbereen YB Derby-----C & D Smyth & sons (Ballylesson )
Skibbereen Cup -- Ken McConaghie Skibbereen YB Derby --S & K Duke (Crossgar)
McNeil Mem.Cup --OB National King’ s Cup ------P Brown & son (Annsborough )
Charity Shield --Talbenny YB Derby-----K & B McConaghie & son ( Ballylesson )
Agar Bros Cup ----Friendship National Quimper ------Burns Bros (Comber Social )
CLICK HERE: Gallery of winners 2016
Average Cups & Winners 2016
Brown cup-Old Bird Average D Croskery & son (Annsborough ) vel 1350
McCartan Memorial--Old Bird Inland Average--Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey )
L& A Fields Mem.cup-- Best Average over OB Classic and OB Derby.--G Adair ( Crossgar)
Mrs Magee Cup-- Young Bird average Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey )
D Logan Cup ---Best Average Penzance & 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby -R Moore & son (Bangor )
Channel Averages-North region Cup -Best Average over 4Channel races
J Cleland (Annsboroughn )
R Moore & Son cup-- Best average over channel championship races --D Croskery & son (Annsborough )
McCloud Cup -- best average over all Derbies-- D Croskery & son (Annsborough )
Newcombe Trophy Best average last 4OB and Last 2 YB races -D Croskery & son ( Annsborough )
Edward Hardy Mem Cup Best average over last OB race and last YB races -- D Croskery & son (Annsborough )
Marie Cromie Mem.Cup --Best Average over YB Inland Derbies --- R Moore & son (Bangor )
R Russell mem. Cup --- Best average channel races and Old bird Derby------------ D Croskery & son ( Annsborough )
Ian Cousins Memorial Cup - Best avg. O/B Classic & 2 Y/B Inland Derby Races --Cowan & McCartney (Dundonald )
H Morrow Memorial Cup -Fancier of the Year 2016
D Croskery & son (Annsborough ) 1486 points
Framed Diplomas for EDC Members performance in the INFC 2016
Skibbereen Old Bird National -1st EDC Member- R Moore & son (Bangor ) 41st North Section 45th Open
Sennen Cove Yearling National ----1st EDC Member -P Murray (Crossgar) 5th Open 2nd North Section
Saint Allouestre King’s Cup --1st EDC member --P Brown & son ( Annsborough ) 12th open 9th North Section
Quimper Friendship National---- 1st EDC Member---Burns Bros (Comber social ) 3rd open
Penzance YB National-- 1st EDC Member--A Bradley (Ballynahinch ) 55th open 45th North Section
Young Bird Skibbereen National--1st EDC Member --Harper & Young (Cloughey ) 59th Open 6th North Section
Champion Pigeons 2016 Old Bird ----Harper & Young (Cloughey ) this yearling hen was in the Open result in 5 of her 6 races this year including 2nd open Skibbereen OB Derby
and is bred from gift birds from Bob Donaldson and Alfie Hawthorne.
Young Bird -Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey )
Achievement Award Winner 2016 (for bird placed 3 times in OB Derby result)
None Won
Framed IHU Meritorious awards for 2016
1st Talbenny & Bude --D Croskery & son (Annsborough))
2nd Talbenny & Penzance D Croskery & son (Annsborough )
3 bird Channel Championship 2016
1st Talbenny -- B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald )
2nd Talbenny -----J Tumelty (Newtownbreda )
Bude-- C Lavery & son (Ballynahinch)
Penzance J Maguire & ptnrs (Dundrum) )
Club championship points:
Old Bird Season -Annalong HPS 152points
Young Bird Season -Cloughey H.P.S. 123 points
East Section Fancier of the Year 2016 D Croskery & son (Annsborough) 591 points
West Section Fancier of the Year 2016 B Hogg & sons (Newtownbreda ) 596 points
East Down Combine Breeder/Buyer winners 2016
Breeder C & D Smyth & sons
Buyer C & D Smyth & sons
DIPLOMAS FOR EAST DOWN COMBINE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016
OLD BIRD INLAND CHAMPION Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey ) 254 points
O/B/I WEST SECTION CHAMPION Cowan & McCartney ( Dundonald ) 91 points
O/B/I/EAST SECTION CHAMPION Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey ) 104points
OLD BIRD CHANNEL CHAMPION D Croskery & son (Annsborough ) 149 points
O/B/C WEST SECTION CHAMPION T Marshall & son (Newtownbreda ) 49 points
O/B/C EAST SECTION CHAMPION D Croskery & son ( Annsborough ) 75points
YOUNG BIRD CHAMPION Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey ) 238points
Y/B EAST SECTION CHAMPION Gordon Bros & sons ( Cloughey ) 137 points
Y/B WEST SECTION CHAMPION B Hogg & sons (Newtownbreda ) 133points
East Down Combine Centre Prize-winners
Crossgar: Gordon Bros & sons ( Cloughey )-----Skibbereen Classic
G Adair ( Crossgar )-------St Malo OB Derby
E McLaughlin (Ballynahinch )---------- 1st SkibbereenYB Derby
S & K Duke ( Crossgar )-- 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby
A & A Cheevers (Crossgar ) -----Talbenny YB Derby
Portavogie
Harper &Young (Cloughey )----------------Skibbereen Classic
R Strain & son (Millisle )---------------St Malo OB Derby
R Moore & Son ( Bangor ) ---------- 1st Skibbereen YB Derby
Lambert & Stewart ( Bangor )------------ 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby
Ferguson & Wilkinson (Donaghadee ) --------Talbenny YB Derby
Ballylesson
Cowan & McCartney ( Dundonald )--------Skibbereen Classic
A Crawford ( Ballylesson )--------St .Malo OB Derby
C & D Smyth & sons ( Ballylesson )----1st Skibbereen YB Derby
R Johnston (Comber Social )----------- 2nd Skibbereen YB Derby
K & B McConaghie & son ( Ballylesson ) -------- Talbenny YB Derby
Open and Section winners 2016 ----Old Birds:
1st Tullamore ------------1st open----1st East Section --K Rooney ,son & dtr (Annalong)
- 1st West Section----20th open --J Patterson (Ballylesson )
2nd Tullamore------------1st open ---1st East section--Gordon bros & sons (Cloughey )
1st West section --BCT Foulis & Gill (Dundonald )
1st Thurles - 1st open ----1st East section--McComb Bros (Killyleagh Central )
7th Open 1st West section---Gillespie bros (Ballylesson )
1st Fermoy 1st open ----1st East section--Gordon Bros & Sons ( Cloughey )
13th Open---1st West Section---McCartan & Woodsides (Crossgar)
2nd Thurles -------1st open----1st West Section W Hayes & son (Ballynahinch )
3rd open ---1st East Section---Gordon Bros & sons (Cloughey )
Skibbereen Classic--1st Open ----1st West section---Cowan & McCartney (Dundonald )
2nd open-----1st East section---Harper & Young (Cloughey )
2nd Fermoy ---------1st open------1st East Section---J McCartan (Annalong )
11th open------1st West section----R Irwin ( Dundonald )
1st Talbenny -----1st Open --1st East Section --J Cleland (Annsborough )
1st West Section 3rd Open ---B C T Foulis & Gill (Dundonald)
2nd Talbenny ------1st Open------1st West Section ---J Tumelty (Newtownbreda )
2nd open ------ 1st East section--D Croskery & son ( Annsborough )
Fermoy Classic -----1st Open ----Cromie & Magee & son (Ballynahinch )
Bude ---------1st Open ------1st West section----C & D Smyth & sons (Ballylesson )
4th Open------1st East section---S McLoughlin (Crossgar )
Penzance ---1st Open --1st East Section --J & P Rice (Killyleagh Central)
1st West Section --2nd Open --M Foulis (Dundonald )
Penzance Classic----- 1st open 1st West Section -- M Foulis ( Dundonald )
2nd open 1st East Section--R Moore & son (Bangor )
St. Malo O/B Derby------1st Open -------1st East section-----R Strain & son (Millisle & Dist )
3rd open----1st West section----G Adair (Crossgar)
Young Birds
1st Navan------ -1st open ---------1st East section------D Croskery & son ( Annsborough )
1st West section-----A & A Cheevers (Crossgar )
2nd Navan ---------1st open----------1st West Section----Mackey & Lockhart ( Ballylesson )
1st East Section--18th open ---Lambert & Stewart ( Bangor )
1st Tullamore ---------1st Open-----------1st East Section-----Gordon Bros & Sons ( Cloughey )
7th Open ---1st West Section ------Irvine Bros ( Killyleagh Central )
2nd Tullamore --------1st open-----------1st West Section-----M Foulis (Dundonald )
20th open------1st East Section----Gordon Bros & Sons (Cloughey )
1st Thurles 1st open-----------1st East Section-----L McCavery (Annalong )
8th open----------1st West Section----B Hogg & sons (Newtownbreda )
Fermoy 1st open -----1st East Section ---D Croskery & son (Annsborough )
4th open ---1st West Section --E McLaughlin (Ballynahinch )
1st Skibbereen YB Derby ---1st Open---1st West section C & D Smyth & sons ( Ballylesson )
3rd open ------1st East section-----R Moore & son ( Bangor )
Talbenny YB Derby--1st open 1st West Section --K & B McConaghie & son ( Ballylesson )
10th Open 1st East Section-- R Watson & son (Killyleagh Central )
2nd Thurles ----1st open-----1st East section----Gordon Bros & sons ( Cloughey )
30th open ---1st West section---------McCartan & Woodsides ( Crossgar )
2nd Skibbereen --1st Open----1st East section------- S & K Duke ( Crossgar y)
Y/B Derby 7th open-----1st West section--------- R Johnston ( Comber Social )
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Just as I was completing this report the sad news came through of the death of Bill Mackey of the racing partnership of Mackey & Lockhart of Ballylesson,
a partnership which had been racing for over 50 years and who in 2016 were still very much to the fore in the Combine.
I extend my sincere sympathy to the family and to Albert Lockhart at this sad time.
