It was a great 2014 season - Dane Nelson

BY RUDDY ALLEN OBSERVER STAFF REPORTER

Friday, December 19, 2014    

DANE Nelson, who has retained the crown as champion jockey following the departure of main rival Dick Cardenas, said that although finishing the year without a Classic winner it was a great 2014 season as he had accomplished a lot.

Nelson was nine winners in front of Cardenas when the Panamanian departed the island earlier this month.

“I feel great…it is a wonderful feeling to be crowned champion jockey once again as this is my third consecutive title. I am just happy as the battle between me and Dick (Cardenas) was a close race and that is good for the sport and the racing fans in general. I am sorry to hear about his father as I was looking forward to the competition for the rest of year, but I am nonetheless happy with winning the championship,” Nelson told the Complete Racing Guide.

“There were a lot of ups and downs but it has been a great 2014 season for me. I went to Trinidad and Tobago to ride on three occasions where I rode five winners including a three-timer, so the season was a great for me. I am riding in good form and I just want to continue,” he added.

Nelson knows very well that success only comes with hard work.

“It hasn’t been that easy as I have been training really hard. To be successful you have to be dedicated and committed in whatever you are doing. Thanks to the trainers, owners, grooms, fans and everyone who has supported me on this championship journey,” he said.

The reigning champion jockey who did not ride a Classic winner this year said that riding over a 100 winners for the year was great accomplishment.

“In life, every jockey’s dream is to ride a Classic winner but unfortunately, I was not able to ride any this year but there were some good achievements for me instead. I had two five-timers, took triples and four-timers regularly and as a result, I was able to pass 100 winners. Not many jockeys are able to ride 100 winners in a year and for me to do so was good, this is a great achievement for me. It has elevated my career,” he declared.

Nelson trailed Cardenas for most of the start of the season, and was at one point five winners behind the former champion, but a blitz late in the year turned the tables for the man dubbed the ‘Warrior Chief’.

“The turning point in the championship for me came on November 8 (Superstakes Day), when I rode those three winners to go one ahead. It changed the situation and gave me a chance of winning and successfully defending my title as the champion jockey. I knew once I was in the lead heading into the last quarter of the year it would have been difficult to beat me,” said Nelson.

Nelson will start a four-day suspension tomorrow but will be available to ride on December 26 (Boxing Day).

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It was a great 2014 season - Dane Nelson

Ity and Fancy return for seventh season August

Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

Ity and Fancy

With six years under their belts, Ity and Fancy Cat are gearing for the seventh season of their popular comedy series.

Speaking with THE STAR recently, Ity Ellis said they are currently preparing to launch the seventh season of the Ity and Fancy Cat show. He said the show should be on air in August.

“It’s going to be good. We were jolted by the World Cup, we wanted to make the World Cup pass. But we got some exciting and useful material,” he said.

“It is going to be influenced by local and international stories that are interesting and have captured the attention of people.”

Ity added that this year they want to utilise social media on the show by inviting viewers to submit their own funny videos.

“There are so many footage in people’s phones that are funny. I think that is an element that would be attractive to people. You know how Jamaicans are, we love to see ourselves on camera,” he said, adding that they would select a video each week that will be aired on the show.

Also in the area of social media, he said he is currently in talks with popular YouTube personalities so that they might have a segment on the show.

While there will be new elements, Ity stressed that the hidden camera segment and sketches will still be part of the show, as they have helped with the longevity of the show.

“The first thing is that people have to like it. Once it caught on and people loved it, that attracted sponsors. The key is also for us to want to do it,” he said.

Eventually, Ity says the intention is to expand the brand.

“Doing it for seven seasons, you want to put it on a certain level. We want to embark on new projects to segue from the Ity and Fancy Cat show,” he told THE STAR.

“We don’t want to do it forever. We want to do other stuff. We are now eyeing other projects to embark on.”

But as for this season of the show, Ity said viewers should just expect lots of laughter.

“Laughter and more laughter. We want them to expect laughter and edginess. There is so much in the news so prepare yourself ’cause we are going there,” he said, adding that the show will continue to be aired on TVJ on Sundays.

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Ity and Fancy return for seventh season August

Ity and Fancy return for seventh season August

Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

Ity and Fancy

With six years under their belts, Ity and Fancy Cat are gearing for the seventh season of their popular comedy series.

Speaking with THE STAR recently, Ity Ellis said they are currently preparing to launch the seventh season of the Ity and Fancy Cat show. He said the show should be on air in August.

“It’s going to be good. We were jolted by the World Cup, we wanted to make the World Cup pass. But we got some exciting and useful material,” he said.

“It is going to be influenced by local and international stories that are interesting and have captured the attention of people.”

Ity added that this year they want to utilise social media on the show by inviting viewers to submit their own funny videos.

“There are so many footage in people’s phones that are funny. I think that is an element that would be attractive to people. You know how Jamaicans are, we love to see ourselves on camera,” he said, adding that they would select a video each week that will be aired on the show.

Also in the area of social media, he said he is currently in talks with popular YouTube personalities so that they might have a segment on the show.

While there will be new elements, Ity stressed that the hidden camera segment and sketches will still be part of the show, as they have helped with the longevity of the show.

“The first thing is that people have to like it. Once it caught on and people loved it, that attracted sponsors. The key is also for us to want to do it,” he said.

Eventually, Ity says the intention is to expand the brand.

“Doing it for seven seasons, you want to put it on a certain level. We want to embark on new projects to segue from the Ity and Fancy Cat show,” he told THE STAR.

“We don’t want to do it forever. We want to do other stuff. We are now eyeing other projects to embark on.”

But as for this season of the show, Ity said viewers should just expect lots of laughter.

“Laughter and more laughter. We want them to expect laughter and edginess. There is so much in the news so prepare yourself ’cause we are going there,” he said, adding that the show will continue to be aired on TVJ on Sundays.

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Ity and Fancy return for seventh season August

Theatre season off with a bang

JAMAICAN theatre is entering 2014 with a bang.

The Kingston-based playhouses are awash with new productions, a total of eight plays, seeking to capture the theatre-going public’s attention.The productions range from comedy to musical revues.Scarlett Beharie, president of the Jamaica Association of Dramatic Artists, said the Yuletide/New Year’s holiday period is known as the unofficial kick-off to the theatre season.“It’s not the most plays that we have had opening at this time. However, it is significant in that it shows the resilience of the theatre scene as it has been a very challenging year in terms of mobilising audiences,” Beharie said.“However, the total number of plays that ran over 2013 remains one of the highest we have seen in recent times,” she continued.For over seven decades, the curtains have risen on Boxing Day for the National Pantomime.The Barbara Gloudon-penned The Golden Macca Fat, took to the stage at the Little Theatre in St Andrew, continuing that tradition which has been carried over from the days when the Pantomime played at the historic Ward Theatre in downtown Kingston, which now stands in disrepair.Embassy Saga, with Jamaican comedy king Oliver Samuel, also had a Boxing Day opening.Following an impressive run with Ladies of The Night, award-winning producers Jambiz International also opened If There’s is a Will There is a Wife. This is running at the Centrestage Theatre in New Kingston and stars Glen ‘Titus’ Campbell, Sakina Deer, Sharee McDonald Russell, Camille Davis and Courtney Wilson.The Green Gables Theatre lights up with the musical revue Jamaica Sweet, written, directed and composed by David Tulloch. This production stars Deon Silvera, Terri Salmon, Rosie Murray and Michael ‘Stringbeans’ Nicholson.DMH Productions is the force behind the other Boxing Day opener, To The Finish. Directed by Dahlia Harris and Suzanne Beadle, this dramatic piece stars Carl Samuels, Jerry Benzwick, Nadean Rawlins and Chris McFarlane. The local theatre fraternity zoned in on the entire holiday season, and as such there were productions opening just before Boxing Day and immediately after.David Tulloch’s second play for the season, Clash, which stars Keith ‘Shebada’ Ramsay and Garfield ‘Badboy Trevor’ Reid opened at the Green Gables Theatre on Christmas Day.On December 27, veteran theatre producer and playwright Basil Dawkins opened his production, My God Don’t Wear Pajamas at the Little Little Theatre in St Andrew.(From left) Coach Reid and athlete Victoria Speid played by Carl Samuels and Julene Robinson wait expectantly while parents Bertland and Grace Speid played by Christopher McFarlane and Nadean Rawlins confer in a spirited moment during Dahlia Harris’s ‘To the Finish’ currently playing at the Pantry Theatre in New Kingston (NCW PHOTOS)Tish (Sharee McDonald-Russell) and Kim (Camille Davis) turn their charms on the hapless yam farmer “Abe”(Glen Campbell) in Patrick Brown’s “If there is a Will there is a Wife” currently playing at the Centre Stage Theatre in New KingstonHilary Nicholson as Mrs Sharon Jenkins in a pensive moment during Basil Dawkins’ My God Don’t Wear Pajamas currently playing at the Little Little Theatre (NCW PHOTOS

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Theatre season off with a bang

Priceless season for Boys" Town

THEY have been playing beautiful football for years, but have not won a Premier League for even longer.

They have not been the busiest in the transfer market, as they depend on a lot of home-grown talent. They are not quite the Arsenal of England, but Boys’ Town.The wait for Boys’ Town’s return to the glory days are peaking at nearly 24 years, and coach Andrew Price knows the pressure is mounting to deliver that priceless trophy.But in explaining his lack of push to acquire real talent, Price sounded very much like the Frenchman at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, whose famous words are, “I believe”.Said Price: “I believe if we are consistent throughout the season and keep our team fresh when the play-offs start and enter that phase on a high, then we can be challenging for the title.“I believe any of the format suits Boys’ Town and what we basically have to do is be consistent. We have to have our game right up there so we can challenge for the title.”Not unlike Wenger, the pressure to deliver is very much the same for Price to lift that trophy for the first time since 1989.“There is always pressure, especially when you are a club that is rich in tradition. Our supporters definitely want trophies. We have won trophies, but not the Premier League title, and that is what is outstanding from the club in recent times,” he noted.Since returning to top-flight football in 2006, Boys’ Town managed to finish second on two occasions in 2011 to Tivoli Gardens by eight points, and went even closer the following year, losing by a point to Portmore United 67-66.But it wasn’t third time lucky for the ‘Red Brigade’ and they faltered last season in fifth, some 16 points adrift of champions Harbour View.“The expectation this year is as usual to try and win the premier league title. So our aspiration for the club, our officials and the supporters is to try and win the premier league title, and in the last couple of years it has come within an arm’s length,” said Price.“So we just have to put in more effort and be more consistent and I think that we should be there at the death,” he added.But unlike most clubs and similar to Arsenal, Boys’ Town were not too busy in the transfer market, acquiring just three players in Anthony Dawes from Cavalier, the speedy Jevanie Mitchell (Portmore United), and Kemar Campbell (Rockfort).They have lost the promising Marvin Morgan to Waterhouse, so the players will join the old bunch led by Michael Campbell, Renae Lloyd, Daemion Benjamin, Nicholas McMorris, Marvin Stewart, Shane Edwards, Wayne Ellis, Carlos Wright, goalkeeper Kirk Porter, and the promising Orane White, who could have a breakthrough season coming from the Under-21 ranks.“We have a talented bunch of players with a blend of youth and experience, and if you look at our squad this year we have promoted at least six players from the Under 20 team that reached the final of the KSAFA Under-20 competition,” said Price,“So it’s about development and bringing them to the fore. We believe that we should be very competitive this season,” he emphasised.

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Priceless season for Boys" Town

Folk Singers begin season

Entertainment

Thursday, September 12, 2013

THE Jamaican Folk Singers will pay tribute to their late founder, Dr Olive Lewin, during their 2013 concert season which runs this weekend (September 13-15) at the Little Theatre in St Andrew.The group’s Musical Director Christine MacDonald Nevers notes that this year’s performances are the first without Lewin, who died in April of this year.“For the past 46 years, the Jamaican Folk Singers has honoured Dr Lewin with every performance, every rehearsal. We honour her for the sacrifices she made and the work done in unearthing and preserving Jamaica’s culture through folk music. This year will be no different, but takes on added significance since her passing.”Under the theme ‘Tribute and Celebration’ MacDonald Nevers says that patrons will be treated to the excitement of children’s games, and will also experience the drama of court proceedings where all matters are addressed.MacDonald Nevers has been musical director of the group for the past 10 years, but stresses that she grew up on the Jamaican Folk Singers as her mother, renowned soprano Marilyn Brice-MacDonald, remains one of the groups longest- serving members.“The Folk Singers is a part of who I am, and I continue to work towards the mission of the group which is to preserve Jamaica’s folk music and ensure that Jamaicans can have access to the music.”The 2013 concert season presents another opportunity for the group to use Jamaica’s folk music and its messages to uplift Jamaica, whilst highlighting some of the values of “old Jamaica”, with the music encouraging respect and understanding among people of different backgrounds.The Jamaican Folk Singers began as a group of friends who were invited by Olive Lewin to share her enthusiasm for Jamaica’s folk music, which developed with her experience in collecting and researching Jamaica’s folk music. From the group’s first public performance, there has been focus on maintaining respect for our traditions and for the people who have kept them alive. The Jamaican Folk Singers in a scene from their concert season last year.

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Folk Singers begin season

Humberto first hurricane of season forms in the Atlantic

News

Wednesday, September 11, 2013 | 4:54 PM

HAMILTON, Bermuda (AP) — Humberto grew to hurricane force far out in the Atlantic early Wednesday, becoming the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, while Bermuda shook off a drenching by Tropical Storm Gabrielle.Humberto’s maximum sustained winds were near 80 mph (130 kph) and the US National Hurricane Centre said it could gain more strength before a weakening trend likely starts, with the storm still far from land. It was centred about 340 miles (550 kilometres) west of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands and was moving north at 9 mph (15 kph).Meanwhile in Bermuda, Gabrielle caused several power outages overnight, but no major damage was reported on the British Territory.The Government announced that all public schools were reopening and there would be sporadic ferry service.The island’s meteorology service warned that strong winds and rain would continue to pelt Bermuda as the storm heads north.It is unusual for this much time to pass in the Atlantic season without a hurricane forming, though not unheard of. Hurricane Gustav was the first of the 2002 season when it formed on September 11 of that year. The record for the latest first-of-the-season hurricane is October 8, 1905, based on records dating to 1851.

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Humberto first hurricane of season forms in the Atlantic

Wisynco brands to power up schoolboy football this season

Sport

Sunday, September 01, 2013

The island’s biggest football competition, the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) urban area Manning and rural area daCosta Cup, has a new partner on-board.Leading Jamaican manufacturer and distributor Wisynco, through their brands Bigga, Wata, Powerade and Domino’s will sponsor this year’s schoolboy football competition that includes the Under-19, Under-16 and Under-14 competitions.The Under-19 Manning and daCosta Cup sponsorship will be led by Bigga, with associate brands Wata and Powerade, while the Under-16 and Under-14 urban and rural competitions sponsorship will be led by Wata with associate brands Bigga, Powerade and Domino’s on board.Wisynco and ISSA have forged a three-year relationship with a sponsorship package valued at $45 million. The sponsorship is set to benefit the over 42 senior schools that play in the Manning Cup, as well as the 83 institutions that will be vying for the rural area daCosta Cup.Wisynco’s managing director William Mahfood re-emphasised the company’s mantra of improving the lives of the Jamaican people, as well as its commitment to the development of sports and youth in Jamaica. The Wisynco Group direct investment in football has exceeded over $35 million in the last four years, which was the largest investment that the company had undertaken for any single sport.“We are proud to partner with ISSA for the schoolboy football championship, and congratulate the organisation for their success of almost a century, in the development and support of senior and junior schoolboy football across the island. With the sponsorship of schoolboy football we re-affirm our commitment to sports and football in particular,” Mahfood said.This instalment of Jamaica’s Under-19 football competition, the Manning Cup, is expected to be another stellar year with the several new sponsorships as defending triple champions St George’s College will go in search of a hat-trick of titles, having won the Manning Cup in 2011 and 2012. They will be hard-pressed by many-time champions Jamaica College, who last lifted the trophy in 2010.Also looking forward to lifting the trophy is last year’s beaten finalist Hydel, who are expected to retain the services of the much-travelled coach Geoffrey Maxwell.DaCosta Cup champions Glenmuir will also have their work cut out as they aim for back-to-back titles under stalwart coach Patrick ‘Jackie’ Walters. They will face stern competition for the title from 2011-2012 champions Rusea’s, as well as St Elizabeth Technical.The Wisynco Group involvement in football has borne fruit with the likes of former national player Fabian Davis rising to the fore, having endorsed the Bigga brand back in 2002. Wisynco has also been involved with the Jamaica Premier League Clubs Association.Dr Walton Small (left), president of ISSA, greets Francois Chalifour, director of development and marketing at Wisynco, while (from left) Carlo Redwood, LIME’s vice-president for marketing, Captain Horace Burrell, president of the Jamaica Football Federation, and Burger King’s sales and marketing manager Sabrena McDonald look on during last Thursday’s launch of the 2013 ISSA Schoolboy Football Competition at the Terra Nova Hotel. (PHOTO: GARFIELD ROBINSON)

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Wisynco brands to power up schoolboy football this season

Blake pulls plug on track season

Sport

BY PAUL A REID Observer writer Friday, July 19, 2013

MONTEGO BAY, St James — There are indications that former IAAF World 100m champion Yohan Blake has called it a day on his injury ravaged season.Shortly after the announcement of his withdrawal from next month’s IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia, after failing to get over a hamstring injury he suffered in April this year, Blake released a statement that his season was over.“Unfortunately, I will be unable to defend my title this year at the World Championships in Moscow. I know this is very disappointing news for my fans and supporters, but please understand that pulling out was the best decision for me at this time,” the statement read.It continued: “I would like to thank you all for your love and support. I know that I have a long and bright future ahead of me, so I will see you guys next year on the track!”Blake, whose personal best 9.69 seconds set late last year makes him the joint second fastest man of all times with American Tyson Gay behind Usain Bolt, was injured while running a 100m race at the UTech Classic in mid-April and took an eight-week break before running a 200m just before the JAAA National Senior Trials. However, he later withdrew from the Trials as his management team said he was not fit enough to compete.As the winner of the men’s 100m gold medal at the most recent IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, in 2011, Blake had an automatic bye into the World Championships and was not obligated to compete at the National Trials.

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Blake pulls plug on track season