sapper756

Always happy to help

Copied from Facebook Scottish national flying club yb sale list Many thanks once again to those who have gifted a young bird very much appreciated If anyone has more details regarding their yb I can add to post Anyone who feels they would like to donate a yb please contact myself and I'd add to the list Yours in Sport Michael Currie President SNFC

Massive Thank You to Stuart Culbert for the donation of young birds to the kids show winners. Below is pictures of the winning lofts with their birds 👏

Copied from Facebook 'It takes into account the contradictions in him. He has an aggressive side, but there is a lyrical undertone to him, as the fact that he keeps pigeons shows.' - Finnish composer Osmo Tapio Everton Raihala on his 13-minute symphony 'Barlinnie Nine', written in honour of Duncan Ferguson, 2005.

Shaun Lindsay Thomas

Little D

I was very sorry to hear the sad news about the passing of Jocky King from Kirkcaldy from Margaret (who was informed by one of her friends). I could not believe that fanciers had not contacted me with this sad news, as I was a club mate of Jock’s while racing in Novar club. When I was a lorry driver, I used to toss Jock’s pigeons for him and he also joined me when I visited other top lofts as my time as press officer for the SNFC while obtaining information on the national winners. I have also been privileged to have viewed and handled many SNFC winners over the years; especially during my time as the club’s ‘Press Officer’ during 2005 to 2007. However, as I have also been blessed as being a BHW scribe during my time in the sport I have visited and handled other household SNFC national winners. It is quite staggering how the Kingdom of Fife has achieved a fantastic record of winning 1st open SNFC over the years. Obviously, I wasn’t born when they first achieved their first win away back in 1913 when A C Christie of Leslie won the Gold Cup race from Rennes; other Gold Cup winners were as follows D Macauley of Dunfermline won it in 1929; Mr Robert Duncanson of Leven won the Gold Cup and H.M. The Kings Cup from Rennes on the 10th of July 1931 when he timed in his blue chequer hen rung SURP25F6279. The convoy of 4749 birds were liberated at 05-50am on the 10th of July and she was timed at 7-55-7pm doing a velocity of 1171 for the 562 miles 789 yards, winning £149-5 shillings. I will include a copy of the official race diploma and a photograph of Bod Duncanson. I don’t know how I came about the National diploma or the photographs, but I found them amongst some of my old SNFC books. I hope they turn out ok to go with this column. We then had Swain Brothers of Markinch winning from the Rennes race point the following year. Dave Fowler of Methil won the same event in 1954 and two years later Andrew Galloway of Leslie won the Gold Cup race. The following year 1957 Harry Scott of Markinch won 1st open from the Nantes race with his winner flying 625 miles to its home loft. George Robertson of Cupar won 1st open SNFC from the Beauvais National race which I think as also an Usher Vaux race in 1963. Three years later Jimmy Hamilton of Kennoway won the Gold Globe for winning 1st open Nantes with his red pied hen ‘Nan’s Pride’ who was purchased by Louella Lofts. (I digress a little hear as I travelled down to Leicester with Jimmy Hamilton to collect her after she stopped laying and Mr Massarella gifted her back to Jimmy to spend the latter years of her life in her old loft in Kennoway. This was a great experience for me to go and visit Louella Pigeon World and one I will never forget. Six years later it was the turn of John Duthie of Methil to win the Scottish national when he won 1st open Niort with his blue hen ‘Fifer Lass; who was flying a distance of 691 miles. The following year one of the top fanciers in Fife Dennis Dall of Ladybank won from the same race point flying 697 miles with his wonderful hen named ‘Rowena’. Two years later my old club mates John Honeyman & Son of Kennoway won the Gold Cup event from Rennes; I was also privileged at this time 1992 when Kevin and I won 1st open SNFC Avranches with ‘Mystical Rose’ our chequer hen (this being her 4th time being timed from France. Two years later on the centenary year of the SNFC; dear friends of mine Matt McLaughlan & son Mathew of Glencraig won the top event and the Gold Cup. Low and behold Jock Traill of Thornton (the village we now live) won 1st SNFC Niort in 1996 flying 690 miles with his hen ‘Traill’s Spark’. Margaret and I were in Jock and Nancy’s Traill’s house when their daughter Senga came in. I was obtaining details for my BHW weekly Joe Murphy Column and their daughter Senga came up with the name for her dad’s winning chequer hen, this being; ‘Spark’; Which was broken down as follows; ‘S’ was for Senga, ‘P’ was for Paul and ‘A’ was from Andrew, these were both Jock & Nancy’s grandsons. ‘R’ was for Rona. their daughter in law (Keith’s wife) and obviously ‘K’ was for Keith (their son). Whom I’m still in contact with to this day and he informs me that he still enjoys reads my column. The following year this great fancier won 1st open Nantes with ‘Nancy’ named after his wife. Continuing this great run of Fife fanciers winning the Scottish National Flying Club we had Jim Farmer of Lochgelly who won 1st open Chenoise in 2002 flying a distance of 582 miles and his chequer hen ‘Penny’ who was timed on the day. Two years later in 2004 from Falaise national race MacAndrew & Dow of Cowdenbeath won 1st open Falaise (1) with ‘Crossgates Special’ then we had another west of Fife fancier winning the national from Alencon Gold Cup race when Frank Tarnawski of High Valleyfield won with his 5-year-old chequer hen ‘Marisia Nawski’ the first part of the name is after his Granddaughter and the ‘Nawski’ part is his nickname for his wife. I have been privileged to have viewed and handled many SNFC winners over the years; especially during my time as the club’s ‘Press Officer’ during the years of 2005;2006 and 2007. My very dear friends of mine (Ian & Robbie) flew as Gilmour Brothers from Leven won 1st open Falaise with their blue cock ‘Robbie’s Boy’ in 2006. (This cock also turned out to be a wonderful stock cock being the grandsire of Kevin’s 4th open Alencon and his ½ sister is the dam of 1st open SNFC Roye 2016 for Jock Scott of Kennoway.) Back to my story; Two years later in 2008 Willie Hay & Son of Methil won 1st open Leicester YB national with their chequer hen ‘Mission Impossible’. In 2010 the Ypres national was won by Austin Whitaker of Methil who named his winner ‘Davies Dream’ after his brother Davie who was an outstanding pigeon man (I remember him from many years ago, a true ‘doo man’. The following year 2012 we have Jock King of Kirkcaldy winning 1st open from Clermont flying 523 miles with his chequer pied cock ‘Mary’s Boy’ as he was a direct son of Jock’s champion hen ‘Mary’. In 2016 from the Roye race we had Jock Scott of Kennoway flying a distance of 510 miles winning top spot with his blue hen ‘My Gem’. Her sire was a Herbot cock named ‘The Bully’ while her dam was a direct daughter of Gilmour Brothers of Leven’s (mentioned above) winner ‘Robbie’s Boy’. The following year 2017 another dear friend of mine Dave Baldie of St Andrews won the national Ypres race with his blue pied Frans Zwols hen named ‘Champion Rose’. The following year from the same Ypres race point another Fifer won the national this being Jim Doig of Cardenden with his grizzle hen ‘U Dun It’ this yearling hen was sent to the race on a newly hatched youngster (her first of the season) and she won the national by a clear 5 yards. Moving on to the 2020 Maidstone national event the winner was Brian Chalmers of Kennoway with his 4-year-old blue hen ‘Cassie Anne Blue’ her sire was from friends in Wales while the dam was by his good friends Jim & Garry Peggie of Methil. Which believe it or not this father and son partnership own the National Maidstone race the following year with their chequer pied hen named ‘Wilma’ after Jim’s wife and Gary’s mother beating a convoy of 3459 birds. She also won a SNFC Bronze Award her positions are as follows; 2018- 89th section Buckingham; 2019 -61st section 171st open Buckingham; 2019 55th section 195th Maidstone; 2019 51st section 199th open Huntingdon; 2021- 1st section 1st open Maidstone. Sire is Vandenabeele Dam Lambrecht a sister to 1st section 10th open YB National 2013 she is the G/D via B Chalmers. Last year we had Jock Scott of Kennoway who won his 2nd open Scottish National race with his chequer cock named ‘Mason’. This yearling cock was the only pigeon in the convoy doing over 1000 ypm, beating the other 2- day pigeons in the south section flying 60 miles less from the Grevillers race, which was a distance of 486 miles to his home loft in Kennoway. An outstanding performance by this pigeon and well done to Jock on winning his 2nd SNFC race. I wish all Fife members of the SNFC all the best for the 2025 season and I hope I can report on another national winner in Fife. I have added a few photos to go with this column, Joe Murphy. Please continue to keep the news flowing; to Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 Flutorum Avenue Thornton by Kirkcaldy KY1 4BD or phone 01592 770331 or Email to joejmurphy1@gmail.com REMEMBER THE J IN THE MIDDLE or log onto www.elimarpigeons.com; www.pigeonbasics.com www.thecanadianpigeoninternational.com who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland © Compiled by Joe Murphy

Copied from Facebook More great stuff from WP WORTLEY , George Jackson Annan. Enjoy. George Jackson was a very able, highly regarded fancier and administrator who competed into Annan in the mid part of the last century. He only kept twelve pairs of pigeons but had a fantastic record extending over many years with the highlights being 4th Open Rennes 1951 and 2nd Open Nantes 1960. He was described as ‘the best small team fancier in Scotland’ and in 1962 ‘Clydonian’ wrote “such was George Jackson’s reputation in cross channel racing that if he won either or both of the Scottish National races, no one would be surprised, he has been so near often enough to deserve winning”. Following his success from Nantes in 1960 he penned an article for the Squills Annual from which I quote “my fascination for pigeons started at a very early age. Fantails were my first interest and with brother, John I spent many hours just watching them. I joined Annan Homing Club in the late 1920’s and have got to say that my entry into the pigeon club did not break any records as I had to wait a number of years for my first success; winning from Stafford with a young Blue Cock by 5 minutes. I thought I had arrived and success would follow, but alas my troubles had just started, when I examined the win I could find no reason for it so I came to the conclusion it was just a bit of luck”. He continued “Annan Club has produced a number of good fanciers who earned a name for themselves and the Club in the pages of history of National racing, with the two most prominent individual fanciers being John Kirkpatrick and Will Robertson. I believe that the standard of any Club’s racing must be measured by the best racers in the Club and one must be suitably prepared to compete against these fanciers or perish. With this in mind I bought my first pigeon for £1 from the late James Compton from Bradford on Avon. This young Chequer hen proved to be a good buy and put my foot on the first rung of the ladder of proceeding to build a team to enable me to take my place among the better fancies. In the 1940’s I obtained further pigeons from Harry Hoad from Horsham containing the bloodlines of Champion ‘Greta’ and several of his other champions. I could see the quality of the team improving and believed that through these introductions I had firmly set my feet on the ladder of fame. In later years it was noted that all my best pigeons went back to these original Osmans. Still searching for knowledge and a keen desire to further improve the family, however I introduced a Red cock from Charlie Patterson of Denton, Manchester, who had proved himself a great racer in the Manchester area. The Red cock, ‘6156’, mated to an Osman Red hen ‘4980’proved to be the perfect stock pair. (The Red cock was Bricoux x Sion with a big slice of the famous ‘L29’). From this pair I produced many of my best 500 milers including ‘783’ the Red hen that was 4th Open Rennes National 1951 and ‘The Owl’, a further Red hen which scored from all distances. A chance meeting with John Davidson from Tarbolton added more class to the team through the medium of a Chequer hen; the strain being Edmondson Barker, which seemed to dove-tail into my ever improving family. Year by year I could see the quality of the family improving, Every major trophy in Annan Club has come my way and over the years I have won a 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Club from Lancaster to Dol. I have won every honour in Open Solway Federation races and the Solway Continental Club, which was founded in 1956. I have won this race three times against the cream of Solway Channel racers. The South of Scotland Channel Club was formed in 1959 and I won the first race from Dol. I have been a member of the S.N.F.C. since 1931 and have scored prominently and consistently over the years from all race points but have not yet won a National with my best positions being 4th Open Rennes and 2nd Open Nantes. The 1960 Nantes National was flown on 16th July with a convoy of 1,354 birds being liberated at 6.20am into a light N.W. wind. F. Trzebniak from Dunbar timed at 10.04pm to win the Classic on 1,135ypm. George Jackson timed at 8.54pm to be 2nd Open on 1,093ypm. George’s pigeon was Blue Chequer hen ‘2809’, it flew Dol in 1959, was 174th Open Rennes in 1960 and was doubled back into Nantes to be 2nd Open.” George also raced a fine Red cock named ‘Wee Geordie’ that scored with the National on several occasions with his best position being 11th Open Rennes. It should be understood also that it was George Jackson who sold Grizzle cock ‘Galabank Producer’ to Louis Massarella. John Kirkpatrick suffered from a terminal illness and in his final years, Willie Graham assisted him to care for his pigeons. Through the friendship, Willie obtained a number of birds from him including a Grizzle cock that was bred from the Grizzle hen obtained from Arthur Hill when she was coupled to ‘Galabank Duke’. In time Willie passed the Grizzle to his close friend, George Jackson. One day George had a visit from Arthur Cogman, Louis Massarella’s loft manager, who enquired if he had any direct Kirkpatrick pigeons for sale. George let him see the Grizzle cock and he agreed to purchase it. Whilst it had not produced anything of note at that point in time, the following season George won the Federation from Dol with a direct son. In the hands of Louis Massarella the Grizzle cock was coupled to top quality hens and produced a number of winners indeed such was his ability as a breeder he became known as ‘Galabank Producer’. George was a former Secretary of the Solway Federation and also contributed articles to the Gazette and Pigeon World. Importantly, however, he was a wonderful orator and if an issue needed to be raised concerning the South Section at the S.N.F.C. A.G.M., George stood up and spoke on behalf of the South Section members. Away back in the early 1980’s when I was initially troubled with Pigeon Fanciers’ Lung’ I made contact with Doctor Lynch to seek his advice. He told me that he was attending the Ayr Dam Park Show and was willing to speak to me at the show. Jacqueline and I travelled to Ayr, therefore and met Doctor Lynch and through his intervention I was fortunate to have consultation with Doctor Boyd. When we were at the Show, we went for a cup of tea and in the cafeteria met two older gentlemen from Greengairs, who enquired where we came from. When I said ‘Annan’, they smiled and said that they attended the Scottish National AGM each year “just to hear George Jackson speak” and added “he was the best speaker in the country”. I should add that the family were all similarly gifted, with sons a daughters being brilliant speakers. When I wrote about George for the S.N.F.C. Centenary Book I asked his daughter Elizabeth if she could provide me with a photo. She kindly assisted by providing me with two photos which I have copied herewith. One of the photos shows George Jackson talking at a local Fireman’s Dinner. Elizabeth said that viewing the photo always caused a laugh in the house as it shows the table ‘loaded with beer bottles’ and the truth was that her father was teetotal. Having made reference to the article that George wrote for the Squills Annual in 1961, he concluded the article by stating “your pigeons must be fit to fly 500 miles, that’s the reason why I believe in hard training. Youngsters? I breed 20 and race them to 180 miles, my St Malo winner flew Christchurch, 300 miles as a youngster. My conviction is that if you wish to succeed in in our sport you must have good pigeons, you must feed well, you must train hard and above all you must have control over your pigeons and yourself. George’s son, George Jnr., joined the Police Force in adult life and was for a time stationed at Earlston in the Scottish Borders at the same time as John Tyerman. He and John became close friends and entered the pigeon fancy in partnership. Whilst John made frequent reference to forming a friendship with John Carmichael at Earlston it should be understood that their initial pigeons came from Annan with one of the Annan pigeons flying from Pau with the English National into the Borders. Having made reference to George writing for the Fancy Press I have most copes of Pigeon World, one of which contains an article by compiled in 1947 by George Jackson, which states “Annan H.C. held their annual outing to Whitley Bay on September 1st. A 52 seater carried a happy crowd to this seaside resort. The Jamieson family were there in force, seven in number, including Mr. and Mrs. J. Although busy harvesting they worked on Sunday so as to be forward for the trip. Matt and John are the pigeon men in this industrious family, Willie Gass has promised to give them a hand with the threshing. The Thomson family were there in force also and it was good to see Mrs. Thomson looking so well after her illness. She takes a great interest in her sons’ hobby. Leaving Whitley Bay at 7.30 we passed through never-ending view of houses in the course of erection and all eyes were right or left when a pigeon loft was spotted. The singing was loud and long. ‘Dougie’ and Andy Muir, Matt Jamieson, Willie Graham and that cavalier of song, Willie Gass and our Jock excelled themselves in songs old and new and the ladies gave splendid support. I am sure Carl Levis would have made some discoveries among the band of songsters. Annan was reached at 11.15, ‘the end of a perfect day’. Incidentally, the ‘Dougie’ to whom George Jackson referred in his article was Bob Douglas, who was affectionately known as ‘Dougie’ and lived close to John Kirkpatrick and George Kean. He was a very good fancier and gained a number of positions from the Classics. I was told by George Kean that he had great control over his pigeons and during the winter months encouraged them to night fly by putting the birds out at night as he scraped the loft. I understand that he had lights in the shed and at the back door and having cleaned the shed out and changed the water, he called the birds in to feed them. He was also leading fireman in the local fire part-time Fire Service and was awarded the BEM for his contribution to the fire service. In 1939 the Rennes National was flown on a Saturday with a convoy of 4,390 birds being liberated at 7.10am into a South West Wind, which turned to North West over the final part of the journey. Conditions were such that it was thought that there would be no arrivals on the day. Three very game pigeons did make home on the day of liberation, however. John Kirkpatrick timed into Annan at 10.17pm and then timed a second arrival at 10.58pm. These two birds were split by the same Bob Douglas who timed at 10.37pm. John Kirkpatrick had won the Rennes Classic two years previous and when the clocks were controlled on the night of the 1939 Classic, fanciers who had knowledge that he had timed thought that he had won the race for a second time. It was very cold the following morning with an overcast sky, but notwithstanding the conditions, Anderson Brothers timed into Shieldhill, Near Falkirk, at 4.57pm to win the race with a velocity of 1020ypm from 550 miles. Kerr Brothers from Armadale were 2nd Open and this was in fact the second occasion that the brothers had come close to winning the event as they were 2nd Open in 1920, being beaten by Doctor Anderson. Burrell Brothers from Douglas Water were 3rd Open and H.Scott from Markinch was 4th. We publish several photos with this article; (a) George Jackson in his garden, (b) George Jackson talking at a local Fireman’s Dinner, (c) Chequer hen that was 2nd Open Nantes, (d) Annan Firefighters in the mid 1950’s; Bob Douglas is photographed on the right and (e ) Will Robertson and Willie Graham. What pleasure reflecting on these great names from former years.

Copied from Facebook Federation would like to apologise for the oversight on the Fed card. Please insert Reading on the weekend of the 30/31st May as a duplicate fed race with the SNFC.....normal birdage applies....apologies again

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Little D and Willow

Copied from Facebook

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As announced yesterday on the SNRPC Facebook page, the auction will be held this year for the first time live on Facebook. The sale will run for 7 days from 6/4/25 A massive thanks to all the fanciers who have donated! 1. PETER KEOGH WINCHBURGH 2. BRIAN CHALMERS KENNOYWAY 3. T&G WEIR LINLITHGOW 4. JOHN HADFIELD BLACKBURN 5. F&W ROBERTSON DANDERHALL 6. JIMMY MARK TRANENT 7. MARTYN BROON BONESS 8. ROBERT WALKER EYEMOUTH 9. A ORR & SON BRIGHTONS 10. TAM MANGER BONESS 11.DANNY HENDERSON DUNDEE 12. C&C CAMERON ARBROATH 13. SCOT RUSSELL DENNY 14. KEN BUCHANNAN HAMILTON X2 15. D H OGILVIE STIRLING 16. AS THOMSON & SON PORT SETON 17. DUNCAN KNOX DUNBAR 18. DAVID MCBEATH AVONBRIDGE 19. NORMAN RENTON FOULDEN 20. P. W VIRTUE COCKBURNSPATH 21. A&E LUKE DUNBAR 22. MASKAME & CORDINER PETERHEAD 23. CAMMY HEEPS BONESS 24. MIKE PARKER SOUTH WALES 25. GEORDIE HARRIS DUNIPACE 26. RYAN HAY & FAMILY BANFF 27. LAWRENCE & CURRAN DUNDEE 28. GEACH BROS, MCKENNA & CHAPMAN HARTLEPOOL X2 29. BOB MCKIE BLACKHALL MILL 30. HENRY BORTHWICK WINCHBURGH 31. STEVE FARRAGHER LIVERPOOL 32. BRIAN KELLY CHIRNSIDE 33. SCOTT MORRISON GRANGEMOUTH 34. GORDON MACKENZIE BROXBURN 35. KEVIN WHITHAM DUNBAR 36. IAN ROSS KIRKINTILLOCH 37. VIC COUPAR DENNYLOANHEAD 38. HBW DUMBARTON 39. RAB HAMILTON CAMPUS 40. JOHN GLADWIN LEIGH-ON-SEA 41. BLACK & COUPE DANDERHALL The sale will be shared on all different pigeon groups but bids will only be accepted under each lot on the official SNRPC page Phone bids will be accepted also to the SNRPC secretary David McArthur or you can private message the SNRPC Facebook page if you wish to remain anonymous. Many thanks! 🙏🏼

3 years ago where it all started Who would of thought I would go onto win what I have done so far.

Copied from Facebook WILLIE DAVIDSON Aberdeen & Federation Y/B Breeder Buyer sale 612 Club Gt.Northern Rd Sunday 20th April 2025 Penning 13:00 Sale 14:00 Payout £100 Breeder £100 Buyer Race to be flown from Swallwell 23th August(if no race then 30th August Wetherby) Under SHU rules Terms ) If pigeon not in pen,ring number to organisers by Sunday 11th of May Payment by Monday 12th of May. We need the support so come along and spend some money. Donations for the raffle will be greatfully received.

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J.S Irving Brydekirk Thanks again to the main man, WP....quality as per. Brothers Scott and Peter Irving entered the pigeon hobby as schoolboys. Their father shared a close friendship with Dode Lupton who gave the schoolboys a pair of pigeons, which they kept in a modified rabbit hutch. In time a small loft was erected in the garden at the rear of the family home and the two boys joined the strong Annan Club under the loft title ‘Irving Brothers’. In those early years the brothers obtained every encouragement from their mother, who became as keen on the pigeons as the boys. As they assembled their team the young fanciers obtained stock from a number of local fanciers including James Dalgliesh, Matt Jamieson and Dode Lupton. Not only did Dode assist them with stock but he provided valuable advice and this advice formed the basis of their future management regime. It should be understood that Dode was in fact the uncle of John and Matt Jamieson and was a good fancier in his own right as he won the Rennes National in 1950 with 2 y.o. Blue White Flight hen ‘Southern Queen’ that was actually bred by Matt Jamieson. In time Scott and Peter married and formed their own homes. Whilst Peter continued to live in Annan, Scott moved to the village of Brydekirk, which enabled him to compete in the very competitive pigeon club in the village and further enabled him to pursue his second interest, which was salmon fishing. Scott shared a friendship with Annan fanciers Alex Graham and Adam Donaldson who had a number of friends in West Cumbria and on one occasion when Alex and Adam were visiting West Cumbria they took Scott with them. One of the loft’s which they visited that day was that of Johnny Mossop and Billy Moore at Distington. This was a famous name as Johnny Mossop’s father was an exceptional fancier who competed under the loft title of Mossop & Mackie and in 1965 won the Vaux Usher International race from Nantes with Champion ‘M’s Pride’, competing against the Cumberland Combine, S.N.F.C. and the mighty Up North Combine. I read on a number occasions about the great Walkinshaw family in Ireland and was told that the family was based on introductions from West Cumbria and when talking to friend Bob McAvoy I learned that pigeons that went to Ireland were indeed from the loft of Johnnie Mossop and Billy Mackie, being sent across the Irish Sea on coal boats that sailed out of Whitehaven Harbour. Johnnie Mossop and Billy Mackie were in fact father in law and son in law. Johnnie had worked in the Mines whilst Billy had a responsible position at the Docks at Whitehaven. In addition to having a pigeon interest, Johnnie played Rugby in his youth and was an accomplished snooker player. Billy meanwhile played professional football for Workington ‘Reds’. He was also involved in the administration side of our sport being Assistant Secretary and Vice President of West Cumberland Federation and represented the Federation on Region and Cumberland Combine Committees. It should be noted also that West Cumberland was a very strong competitive Federation at that time comprising eighteen Clubs, which included a number of exceptionally good fanciers. The great pigeon ‘M’s Pride took its name from Mossop, Mackie and Moresby Parks where the partners resided. The winning pigeon was a 1961 Blue hen that went through the programme as a youngster and competed from Nantes as a yearling. In 1963, as a 2 y.o. she raced from St. Malo and then, two weeks later, went to Nantes and was 2nd Club 22nd Federation having been on the wing for 15 hours. The following season, she was 2nd Club from the first race of the season and was thereafter 3rd Club Cheltenham. She then went to Nantes and whilst she was timed she was beaten by two loft mates that were 1st and 4th Club, 10th and 22nd Federation. When it was known that the Usher Vaux race was to be flown from Nantes in 1965, concentration was on getting her right for the Classic. Johnnie Mossop had a wealth of experience in our sport, having been involved in the pigeon hobby for well over forty years. His original family contained Vandevelde x Barker x Gits bloodlines supplement in later years with the introduction of four Gits from W. Gilks from Nottingham and three Barkers from Irving and Lunt from Accrington. Through these lines emerged a Blue White Flight hen, which the partners described as the ‘The Mother of the Loft’ as she left a host of winners. She, herself, was 1st West Cumberland Fed. St Malo. A number of well-known fanciers worked successfully with Mossop and Mackie lines, including several fanciers in the Solway area. I once chaired a Quiz at Annan when Eddie Newcombe was on the Panel and he said that in his opinion the best 500 mile birds in the country were in West Cumbria and unfortunately didn’t get the recognition they deserved. Having made reference to Mossop and Mackie it should be understood that the Mossop and Moore pigeons were successful in their own right. The team contained an influence of the Mossop & Mackie family and importantly, ‘M’s Pride’. On assembling their family of birds Johnny Mossop and Billy Moore used further lines including Gits, Barker, Ameel, Kirkpatrick, Osman, Bricioux and Busschaert. Scott Irving was much impressed when he visited the loft at Distington with Alex Graham and Adam Donaldson and immediately purchased three pigeons. One of these was a Mealy cock that broke his wing and as a consequence he was put to stock. He immediately proved his worth, with the first pigeon of note that he produced at Brydekirk being 10th Open S.N.F.C. Rennes in 1980. Importantly a friendship was formed with further birds being introduced from Distington on an ongoing basis. Scott’s son, Scott Junior, had taken an interest in his father’s pigeons from when he was a wee lad and in time entered partnership with his father. In 1989 the partners were 5th Section 19th Open Rennes and one week later timed two pigeons from Niort to be 3rd Section 8th Open and 6th Section 19th Open. It was a Mealy cock that was 8th Open Niort and he subsequently proved to be a fine breeder, leaving several pigeons to win in the Club and score from the channel. 1989 was in fact the first time the members of the Scottish National competed from Niort. One year down the road the partners were 4th Open Rennes and 10th Section 38th Open Niort. Season 1991 proved extra special for the loft. They were 36th Section 50th Open from the first National of the season from Sartilly and were then 9th Section 22nd Open from the Gold Cup race from Rennes with a Grizzle hen bred direct from the hen that was 4th Open Rennes the year previous. Having scored from the previous two Niort races, Scott Irving prepared 16 pigeons for the 1991 Niort Classic. The convoy was liberated at 7.05am and the partners timed a 2 y.o. Blue cock at 5.51 to win the Classic recording a velocity of 1529ypm from 600+ miles and headed the result by 100ypm. They then timed two further pigeons at 8.31pm and 6.07am to be 3rd Section 4th Open and 14th Section 16th Open. On the day of the race the Scottish contingent was liberated with birds from several North of England organisations and the Scottish National winner was right up with the leading pigeons competing into Cheshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire. Sire of the winner was bred by Johnny Mossop and Billy Moore whilst the Dam was bred by Scott’s brother, Peter, from two late bred pigeons that he obtained from the same Mossop & Moore. The fourth National of the 1991 season was flown from Sartilly (2) and the partners were 35th Section 169th Open. At the 1991 S.N.F.C. presentation, Scott Irving stepped forward to receive a number of the prestige trophies of the Club including The Robert Telfer Trophy for the best average from all five National races. As the years passed the partners scored from the Classics on an on-going basis, consider for example that they were 1st Section 6th Open Sartilly (1) 1992. In 1997 Scott and his son won their second National from Sartilly with a yearling Blue Chequer cock and it was Scott Junior who timed the winner. In addition to being a gifted fancier, Scott senior was a very able angler and on the night of the race, he was on the Annan river assisting to police a National trout fishing competition with Scott junior being left ‘in charge’ at the loft. The convoy was liberated at 6.30am into a NNW wind with Scott timing the winner at 9.15pm. It was the only arrival into Scotland on the day of liberation, recording a velocity of 873ypm, which was appreciably different from the velocity of their Niort winner. Whilst the Niort winner was home bred from Mossop and Moore stock, the Sartilly winner was actually bred by Johnny Mossop and Billy Moore. In time, Scott Junior acquired his own property in Annan and formed his own loft remaining a member of Brydekirk Club. Scott Senior continued to race into the original loft under his own name. The months and years moved forward and eventually Scott senior chose to part with his pigeons due to health reasons and for several years the loft sat empty at Brydekirk. In time however, Scott junior began to race birds into his own loft at Annan and additionally race a team to the Loft at Brydekirk with the two sheds being numbered Loft 1 and Loft 2. Importantly, this enabled his father to be once more physically involved assisting his son to care for the team at Brydekirk. In 2018 the members of the S.N.F.C. competed from Liege for the Gold Cup race with Scott being 2nd Section and Open competing into the loft at Brydekirk. With knowledge it had been a long held ambition of Scott senior to time a real good one from the Gold Cup race, Scott junior named the pigeon ‘Dad’s Dream’. Let us now consider next generation pigeons … I explained that Scott was 3rd Section 8th Open Niort 1989 and 4th Open Rennes in 1990. The 8th Open Niort was a Mealy cock, which proved to be a fine breeder, leaving several birds to win in the Club and score from the channel. The 4th Open Rennes was a beautiful Grizzle hen, with both these birds containing the lines of Mossop and Moore. The hands on the clock moved forward and Scott gifted a young Grizzle hen to Crombie and Mechan from Annan that was bred from the Grizzle hen and the Mealy cock. This hen left a number of birds of note for Crombie & Mechan including ‘Shawhill Prince’ that was 7th Section Lille as a yearling, 1st Section 2nd Open from the S.N.F.C. Blue Riband event from Liege as a 2 y.o. and 3rd Section 5th Open from the equivalent event from Reims when 3 y.o. On that occasion he was entered in the Joe Murphy Sporting Challenge, which he won. Such was the quality of this pigeon that Jim Crombie and John Mechan were offered a ‘blank cheque’ by a fancier in Germany to purchase the pigeon but declined the offer. In 2006 Jim and John were once more 2nd Open from the S.N.F.C. Gold Cup race, which on this occasion was flown from Alencon. Their winning pigeon a 4 y.o. Grizzle hen that had scored previously from the 2004 Gold Cup Classic from Le Ferte Bernard, Sire was a full brother of ‘Shawhill Prince’ whilst the Dam was a direct daughter of the same ‘Shawhill Prince’. As previously explained Scott Irving senior chose to part with his original team of pigeons due to health issues; with his health not improving and the passage of time he regrettably passed away some months ago. He was an able fancier with a really good team of birds and will be remembered as a further fancier of note to have successfully competed into the magical village of Brydekirk. We publish several photos with this article. (a) Blue Cock ‘Ellen’s Wee Cracker’ 1st Open S.N.F.C. Niort, (b) Dark Chequer cock ‘Mossop’s Glory’ 1st Open S.N.F.C. Sartilly, (c) Dark Chequer hen ‘Dad’s Dream’ 2ND Open S.N.F.C. Liege, (d) Grizzl e Cock ‘Shawhill Prince’ (see text), ( e) Mossop and Mackie’s M’s Pride 1st Open Vaux Usher International from Nantes, (f) Johnnie Mossop and Billy Mackie and (g) Scott Irving (centre) photographed with Johnny Mossop and Billy Moore.