Rooster J. Cogburn

Aye this one has seen better days Andy It has adverts from some of the feeding brands of the time;Hindhaughs who used the slogan "Shines like Silver" and another brand called Doltons Also a few squeakers for sale costing 15/- to 20/- each

One theory I picked up on a while back-was that as the breeding season/number of rounds from a pair progresses,the more physically alike the offspring are to their parents. Looking at any later bred birds in our loft compared to the first round, I think there is a bit of weight in it. Couldn't say if it applies to racing ability, but certainly appearance.

Aye the old ones are always interesting to read Andy. The oldest thing on pigeons I have here is the Homing Pigeon Annual-1913

That was the first I'd seen of it Andy, would have been nice to have seen it in a paper

When I was a wean I had a few heroes, such as Brian Laudrup and Jorg Albertz The first 'big name' in pigeon racing I heard, was through my father and one of his friends in the sport. It was that of Billy Parkes of Killyleagh. Here is a wee article I read for the first time at the weekend. Hopefully be of interest to some members http://www.pigeonnetwork.com/spam/new_forums/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=185 This was before the days of Mr Busschaert, the Palmer hen, Larkins Blue, Barney, 32 cock, Danny Boy, Lightnin' etc. A cracking pigeon man, whose influence was felt in pigeon lofts all over the UK, Ireland and indeed the world.

One of the greatest accolades in pigeon racing in this country. Well done on a fantastic achievement

This is something Ad Schaerlaeckens wrote on Hofkens "HOFKENS Take the late Mr Hofkens and his so called strain. Hofkens is a great name, especially in America. He was a butcher and lived close to me. He was of an older generation but still we were kind of friends. That's why he asked me twice to organise an auction for him. That was when he was still alive of course. Because of my activities for these auctions I am pretty well informed about his birds, his results and the origine of his birds. Well, Mr Gust Hofkens himself did not believe in a strain and never wanted to have one. Later, after his death, others would show off with 'strain Hofkens'. If Hofkens would be able to read the publications about him and 'his strain' which appeared after his death he would turn in his grave. In America, and not only there, they claim to have Hofkensstrain pure whereas Hofkens himself never even thought of keeping a family 'pure'. He was always looking for better birds. He bought pigeons wherever he could provided they were good and preferably from racers in his own area. Because the pigeons he wanted were those from people who beat him in the races. When Hofkens died his birds were totally auctioned. How popular they were is shown by the fact that some days before the auction took place part of the birds was stolen despite a policeman guarded them they and night. I still have the auctionlists. They show that about one third of his birds were 'imports', so pigeons he got from other people, birds which did not even wear a ring from Hofkens. Another third he bred off of birds he imported. And pigeons with parents and grandparents bred by Hofkens himself? He hardly had such birds. Fanciers who bought pigeons in the auctions later pretended to have 'Hofkensstrain', even if it were pigeons that Hofkens did not breed himself or pigeons which Hofkens bred off of birds he purchased himself somewhere else"

Looking forward to them Andy. Keep up the good work and get well soon

If there was something in the Falkirk Herald for pigeons on avoiding hawks and keeping yersel injury free I'd be more than happy for him to read it The buggers only ever had one race and that was Ripon as a young bird. Every time he's away from the loft he comes back hurt He keeps one of our better hens(his nestmate) happy though, so as far as I'm concerned he isnae eating a piece. His hen is the doo I've jokingly said to my father for the last three years will be our first national winner . She's won a couple of 1st prizes from inland races in the club and was 161st Open Clermont 2011 then 19th Open Alencon 2012. I thought this would be her year but she too returned from Alencon with secondary flights missing. However 2014 is a new year and I've all winter to pray to our lord and our master, the lord Jesus Christ, that she will be saved

I've a soft spot fer a red one as well. Here's one of my own reds through Toddler's stuff

Aye his reds were screamers-a lot of the great old lines through them. It's been a while , but I'm sure the loft used to belong to Jock Watson and was home to the 1975 SNFC Avranches Open winner. This breeding also appeared in the 1981 SNFC Avranches Open winners for Stuart Peaston. Toddler's original birds came from Jimmy Feeney and Jock Cormack as well. He was friendly with Jimmy Hamilton from Kennoway also and I got to handle a few sons of his Gold Award winner when I was there. Theres a good photo of his Reims Section winner in the 2004 SNFC yearbook, that hen was 14th open after 15 and a quarter hours on the wing, having been no further than 60 miles that season in her preparation. The wee chequer in the third photo won the SCC Young bird race on natural flying to the perch

Been looking through some of the pigeon photographs I have on the computer and thought I'd share these. I visited Ian 'Toddler' Brown of Kirliston for the first time when I was 13 and enjoyed contact with him up until he passed on. I was fortunate enough to be gifted birds from the man and bought a lovely red chequer hen at his bereavement sale. A great auld doo man, a fancier I will never forget. I'm grateful to Roundo for sending me these photographs a while back

All the best with whatever you decide in the future Colin. Lewis

Interesting stuff Well done Derek and AB

Well done again Jock, a worthy winner indeed.

cheers for the info Davie The year she won was when John Ellis from Wellbank timed his first big winner in the SNFC. Strawberry Mealy hen, 'Wellbank Pride'-1st East Section, 8th Open. Great pigeons from the past these wans

Aye it would seem far more people remember Blue Blitz because it actually was 1st and 2nd

I've an old magazine with a write up on the partnership somewhere, I'll need to look it out. Cannae mind for sure but think the 82 winner was a red cock named 'Liddle Supreme' Some pigeon I've an old friend who handled the hen and alongside 'Moonlight Mannequin' he told me she was the most outstanding doo he'd ever seen. Class in a glass

I stand corrected and I'll have to have a word wi the auld bugger that's been telling me a lot ae nonsense He thought Sky Queen was 2nd in 64 and 1st in 65 Fechan Lass was 1st and 3rd around the same time as well I've been lead to believe. Does this sound aboot right?

Off topic a bit-I've always found it interesting that far more people seem to remember Blue Blitz over Sky Queen which was 2nd and 1st the seasons Blue Blitz was 1st and 2nd. Maybe it's the catchier name? I don't know If ye check your book Peter, Shillinglaw and Wylie was still the name of the partnership when it was won the second time in 1982

Well these are the men we have elected and if this is the case I'm sure they will do what they feel is in the club's best interests

Aye I know somebody who does it Martin, just never got round to doing it. Will maybe give them to him to do for me along with Rambo:First Blood and Kevin Costner's Robin Hood

What's the protocol for this? Is it a decision that would be made by the members or the committee John? I personally don't think any good would come to the club if the forthcoming secretary was dropped to part time.

I like the clips from Dale Newcombe and John Traill's lofts on youtube. I've the full videos here, but cannae watch them on account of not having a VHS player two of the SNFC greats

Well done all the 2013 prizewinners Special well done to my clubmates Hughie and Ruby Menzies Norrie, Duncan and Tom on breeding and racing one of the handful of pigeons to have scored from over 600miles into the NW fed this century and of course the great Tommy Blair