JOURNEY’S END – WITH JORDAN HUGHES - 27-02-26

JOURNEY’S END – WITH JORDAN HUGHES

East Antrim Amalgamation Season Overview & Prizewinners

The curtain came down on another ultra successful season for the members of the East Antrim Amal at the 2nd awards night held at St John’s Masonic club in Larne!

A few thank you’s first and foremost

Firstly, to our secretary Mr Mark McCormick, Mark takes care of most things including weekly results, pools, meetings, subscriptions etc without him the organisation does not exist!

To our chairman Tom Cairns & the club reps who give up their own time to attend meetings and make decisions in the best interest of its members!

To Alistair McNaughton & the Larne boys for organising the dinner & having us along it’s much appreciated.

To Mrs Magil for handing out our awards

To Jordan Hughes for publishing out reports to the homing world weekly and putting the word out of the class on display up our end of the country!

Over the ob/yb season 77 members raced 20,529 pigeons for in the region of £2000 of pools & prize money.

I have to say I was curious to see if we could have bettered the first season and we did, returning section winners, double section winners, open winners and not one but two national winners! Absolutely outstanding!

Some familiar names taking the silverware

D&J Campbell (Eastway)

O/B Points cup

Combined points cup

Champion old bird

Another super season for Davy, what can you say about a man who’s been at the top for a lifetime & still rattling out top results! Absolutely sensational flying, Well done!

G. McKenna (Eastway)

Y/B points cup

Champion Y/B

With no less than 4 EAA wins this year it’s business as usual for Gary & Reilly flying out of their skin especially with the ybs and is now Y/B points cup winner for the second year running. Two absolute gentlemen who deserve all the success, Well done !

Special medals were awarded to our national winners

A&N Lewis (Doagh) Dale Y/B Nationals winners

A.Thompson (Ballyclare) Plougastel O/B National

The aforementioned are in my own view are two of the best flying outfits on this island, totally consistent & always at the business end of the result especially the nationals.

Dedication brings success & results, massive congratulations to you guys! Well done.

Press officers performance of the year goes to McMullan bros of Glenarm, turning in a double section winner from Penzance & Penzance classic 5th open! A fantastic pigeon!

Well done to all our winners throughout the year!

I think it’s fair to say that Y/B season was without a doubt the most challenging on record, everything is getting harder and more expensive but I would encourage you all to keep going, keep pushing because we are all part of the best sport on the planet!

I mentioned at the dinner the importance of our clubhouses and I’ll mention it again tonight

Your fathers & grandfathers built those clubhouses you have the privilege of attending every Friday night, they belong to you the members and each one has many stories to tell. They have provided the memories that last a life time. Cast your mind back to Covid when the fancy was plunged into free fall at the mere possibility that we might not be able to meet up to racemark our pigeons, absolute disaster, one that we navigated and moved on. “The club” is where you go to race mark your birds talk to your fellow members have the weather discussion and race conditions, how long it will take them etc pay your money including the wee extra side interests you have for the craic! These are all exploits that have upheld for years upon years, and the returning the clocks, even better if you have an early one shaking hands and talking about other results coming in THIS IS THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF PIGEON RACING IN THIS COUNTRY anything other than that and your only a loft number with no foundation!

I would encourage you all to think about what your club means to you and do what you can to maintain it!

I have enclosed the pictures from the prize giving.

I want to thank everyone I spoke to throughout the year it was my privilege and pleasure getting the individual view weekly!

Better days are ahead! Keep er Lit

Jonny Baxter EAA PO

Carrick Soc HPS Prizegiving

A little prize night presentation of Carrick Social.

G. Robinson top prize winner 4 of the last 5 years winning inland Nat OB Cup inland Nat YB Cup M McMurtry Vase for best Averages OB&YB Inland nationals, and combined OB&YB Averages Cup. 10x1st in Total.

2nd D&J Armstrong & son winning The Myrtle Robinson Meritorious Cup, sorry no pic.

3rd Hugh Bigger of the Mr&Mrs Reid & Bigger Partnership Winning the Dodds Cup for the Blue Ribbon race in the old birds (Plougastel).

W. McClean A nice section win this year.

Crawford & McDowell to much work Joe.

J. McMaw Winner of G Irvine cup best Averages Bude Penzance & France, OB Averages, Channel Averages, YB Averages, YB Channal Nat a big well done for Jeff.

T. Creighton & son. & J. McIheron. Many Thanks for the support throughout the season. A Special Thank You to Eva Bigger for the lovely spread she put on.

George Robinson Carrick P.O

Kingsmoss HPS Prizegiving

Kingsmoss held their annual show and prize giving and I would like to thank the members for putting on a great display of food and drinks thanks very much.

G&C Lowry took the show trophy for another year, highest prize winner for 2025 goes to W Gault & Son runner up J Dawson & Son congratulations very well done.

Tom Cairns Kingsmoss P.O

Yours in Sport ,

Jordan Hughes 

N.I.P.A. Press Officer

JORDAN HUGHES

‘JOURNEYS END’

 N.I.P.A PRESS OFFICER

Mobile:  07713808554

Email:  jordanhughespro.gmail.com

Facebook Messenger

WhatsApp

Results & Info Links

www.pigeonnetwork.com

www.nipapigeons.co.uk

www.elimarpigeons.com