THE FIFER

The Joe Murphy Column May I wish all readers of my column a Very Merry Christmas and thanks for all the positive feedback I have received over the years on the column, especially all the jokes that are sent in. This feature is a great hit and some fanciers wives open the paper first just to read the ‘Joe’s Joke’ which is very nice and humbling. Gourdon Open Show Result Received an email from Margaret Hay who wrote; ‘Hi Joe many thanks for giving our annual show a mention in your column within the British Homing World. We had a very successful show last Sunday and many thanks to all who attended and to those who entered birds also a special Thank You to those who sponsored classes in the show. These were Peterkin Homes: Market Bar of Montrose: JNS Joinery: MTC of Stonehaven: D Hay (senior): Fotheringham Developments: Harbour Bar of Gourdon: Gourdon Shop: GF Bissett and Crown Hotel: Crown Hotel: Bannerman Butchers and The Brae Café from Auchinblae who also contributed raffles for the show.​ Results of the classes are as follows; Class 1; Any Age Cock Through the Wires winner Eric & Nicky Yule of Kintore. Class 2; Any Age Hen Through the Wires winner Eric & Nicky Yule of Kintore. Class 3; Likeliest Old Cock winner McCord & Turpie; Class 4 Likeliest Old Hen winner Eric & Nicky Yule of Kintore; Class 5 Likeliest young cock winner Eric & Nicky Yule of Kintore; Class 6 Likeliest young hen winner Eric & Nicky Yule of Kintore; Class 7 Eyesign winner McCord & Turpie; Best in Show was won by Eric & Nicky Yule of Kintore they also won the Best Opposite Sex title. Gourdon Show Cup was won by W Dorward with the Best Gourdon Young Bird award won by D & D Hay. Margaret Hay would like to thank Susan and Karen for catering on the day and also to others who helped make such a successful show. Thanking you once again for your assistance Joe kindest regards Margaret’. Good SNFC Birds We now come to another very special pigeon a chequer cock SU16F3020 named ‘Mr Man’ and bred and raced by Jim Doig of Cardenden in Fife. He is bred direct from an original grizzle cock from Dennis Ford of Blaenavon in Wales and is in-fact the sire of Jim’s 1st open SNFC Ypres 2019 winner ‘U Dun It’. As a yearling ‘Mr Man’ won 8th section C 22nd open from Ypres flying 446 miles competing against 2320 birds entered by 409 members. Then in 2018 he was sent to Buckingham a distance of 301 miles and won 47th section C 273rd open competing against 2941 birds sent by 441 members. He was then sent to the Liege race and won 2nd section C 29th open flying 525 miles from a convoy of 1072 birds sent by 327 members. This year 2019 he was set up for the Gold Cup race from Burdinne a distance of 516 miles and he won 24th section C but no open prize however ‘Mr Man’ now has won a SNFC Silver Award and is sire to an SNFC Winner; you cannot get any better than this. Moving to the west region my next pigeon is a blue bar hen SU12L4582 raced by A Nelson also of Hamilton. In 2014 she won 13th section E 152nd open from Ypres 2404 birds. Then in 2017 she again won from Ypres this time a section E prize of 61st flying 445 miles competing in an entry of 2320 birds entered by 409 members. In 2018 she was sent to the Maidstone national a distance of 368 miles and she won 18th section E then this year she was back over the channel to the Gold Cup race from Burdinne a distance of 521 miles and she won 5th section E 31st open from a convoy of 1251 birds entered by 358 members thus winning her Silver Award and we congratulate Mr Nelson on achieving this goal. My third bird is raced by J & C Smith of Polmont and is a blue chequer cock SU17CA2737. As a yearling he was sent to Ypres with a convoy of 2541 birds entered by 433 members and he won 5th section D 104th open flying 447 miles. Then this year he was entered into the Burdinne Gold Cup race on the 28th June with a convoy of 1251 birds entered by 358 members and he won 10th section D 61st open flying 520 miles. Two weeks later on the 12th July he was sent to the Reims race with an entry of 334 birds sent by 127 members and he won 5th section D 26th open flying 569 miles to gain his SNFC Silver Award and our congratulations to the Smith partnership on achieving this goal. Jim Doig with his SNFC Ypres winner Mr Man raced by Jim Doig Joe’s Joke Paddy and Murphy are having' a pint in the pub, when some scuba divers come on the TV. Paddy says, "Murphy, why is it them deep sea divers always sit on the side of the boat with them air tanks on their backs, and fall backwards out of the boat?" Murphy thinks for a minute then says, "That's easy. It's 'cos if they fell forwards, they'd still be in the bloodly boat!" 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 you can also view online editions on: www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk www.pigeon-chat.co.uk - www.Pigeonbasics.com - Pigeon Racing the Basics! - thecanadianpigeoninternational.com www.internationalracingpigeon.com or https://sites.google...alracingpigeon/ Who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland © Compiled by Joe Murphy

many happy returns, have a nice day

many happy returns, have a nice day

morning all hope you have a nice day and all goes well

Merry Christmas all

well done all

morning all hope you have a nice day and all goes well

The Joe Murphy Column Let me start of by wishing ALL readers of my weekly column a ‘Very Merry Christmas’ especially all the staff at the BHW offices who do a wonderful job in providing a weekly magazine throughout the year. Yes there are some teething troubles with fanciers not getting their paper on the appointed day, but 9 times out of 10 this is due to the postal service and nothing to do with the BHW staff. So let us hope they all have a peaceful and relaxing holiday period over the festive season. As for Margaret and I we will be spending it with the family and this year we are all going to meet up at Kevin’s son Kieran’s home for our ‘big party’. I’m writing this article today 25th of November as there is a deadline day to have our articles into the office at Welshpool which seems a bit strange but these deadlines have to be met. SNFC Good Birds My first bird this week is a chequer hen SU15L14370 bred and raced by Walter Boswell of Hamilton; this hen is named ‘Louella Mary’ won her award by winning 11th section E 142nd open from SNFC Ypres in 2018 flying 446 miles and competed against 2541 birds entered by 433 members. She then was set up for the Roye national and she won 3rd section E 37th open flying 508 miles competing against 747 birds entered by 186 members. This year 2019 she again went to the Roye national and she again won 3rd section E but improved on her open position from last year as she won 30th open from an entry of 935 birds sent by 215 members. ‘Louella Mary’ is a direct daughter of ‘Louella Wee Jenna’ also winner of SNFC Silver Award for the following positions won; 5th section E 11th open Clermont; 13th section E 74th open Alencon and 10th section E 32nd open Liege. She also won 84th section E from the inland national from Newbury and had previously won 1st club 1st west section Lanarkshire federation from Appleby. The sire of Louella Mary is a stock cock purchased from Louella Pigeon World being a direct son of ‘De Barcelona’ and Walter mated him to his own daughter. My next pigeon is to the loft of James Mark of Tranent who has a chequer hen SU15P8071 who won her SNFC Silver Award this year as she has won 3 times from over the channel. In 2017 she was entered into the Buckingham race with an entry of 4170 birds sent by 495 members and she won 335th open but no section prize. She then competed from her first channel race from Ypres a distance of 426miles to her loft and liberated in a convoy of 2320 birds entered y 409 members and she won 8th section B 14th open. In 2018 she was entered into the Liege race a distance of 506 miles and liberated with 1072 birds sent by 327 members she won 4th section B 16th open. This year 2019 she was again sent to Buckingham with a convoy of 3876 birds sent by 465 members and she won 351st open but no section prize. However this race set her up nicely for the Gold Cup race from Burdinne a distance of 497 miles and liberated with a convoy of 1251 birds entered by 358 members she won 8th section B 19th open. The interesting point about this hen on studying her performances she has been 3 times over the English channel and has not been out of the top 8 in section B, plus the fact she has won 3 times in the open national result and has been in the top 20 from the 3 nationals, excellent pigeon well done to James Mark. My next pigeon is a blue chequer hen GB12V02753 raced by Scott Irving Junior Loft 1 of Annan. As a 2 year old she was timed from Alencon a distance of 475 miles winning 7th section A and 14th open from an entry of 1427 birds. The following year she was again set up for the Alencon race and once again she was to the fore winning 9th section A 24th open from an entry of 1416 birds. Then in 2016 she was sent to Littlehampton a distance of 311 miles from an entry of 4482 birds sent by 510 members and she won 30th section A 217th open. She was then set up for the Ancenis race a distance of 535 miles and she won 16th section A 20th open to gain her SNFC Silver Award. My last pigeon for this week’s acknowledgment is a blue pied hen raced by W Mitchell & son of Lesmahagow who has won 3 times from Ypres. In 2017 she was 54th section E flying 434 miles from an entry of 2320 birds entered by 409 members. The following year there is an increase in birdage to 2541 birds sent by 433 members and she won 52nd section E. This year 2019 she was entered in beside the 2483 birds sent by 434 members to the Ypres race and she produced her best performance to date winning 49th section E 181st open to gain her SNFC Silver Award in the SNFC, I send my congratulations to the above birds highlighted in the feature and hope to see these fanciers names in the 2020 national results. Walter Boswell with Louella Mary SNFC Silver Award winner see text Giving up the Sport My dear friend Billy Holland has informed me that he has cancelled his sale of racing birds, there was a poor turnout at his first sale so therefor has decided to keep the remaining birds. We wish Billy all the best for the future and wish him and his family a Very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2020. I have also received a phone call from Andrew Bertram who is also giving up the sport due to health issues. See advert in this week’s BHW his birds will be sold at Easthouses Minders Welfare on 29th December with viewing from 12 noon with sale starting at 1pm. There are approximately 70 birds on offer, containing the bloodlines of Andrews own old family which consist of John Ellis of Dundee, Sandy Bain of Duns, Wilf Flockhart of Tranent, Dave Burns of Kirkcaldy. Andrew has some very impressive results over the years in the SNFC having won 2nd open from 4000+ birds, 5th open Rennes 5639 birds, 16th open Sartilly 3000+ birds plus 40th open Sartilly. We wish Andrew all the best in his retirement from the sport and hope his health improves in the future, Joe’s Joke Three men were at a bar discussing coincidences. The first man said, "My wife was reading A Tale of Two Cities and she gave birth to twins." "That’s funny," the second man remarked, "My wife was reading The Three Musketeers and she gave birth to triplets." The third man shouted, "Oh my, I have to rush home!" When asked what the problem was, he exclaimed, "When I left the house, my wife was reading Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves!" 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 you can also view online editions on: www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk www.pigeon-chat.co.uk - www.Pigeonbasics.com - Pigeon Racing the Basics! - thecanadianpigeoninternational.com www.internationalracingpigeon.com or https://sites.google...alracingpigeon/ Who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland © Compiled by Joe Murphy

overcast with a 4mph SW wind, temp.40F. here in Leven on the Forth

many happy returns, have a nice day

RIP Owen you will always be remembered, condolences to Family and friends,

LIVERPOOL 1 v FLAMENGO o final score, Liverpool world champs

half time of extra time score

LIVERPOOL 1 v FLAMENGO 0

time up so extra time, what a game

what a game this second half, both sides giving their all ,

LIVERPOOL 0 v FLAMENGO 0 half time score n anyone's match Ithink

LIVERPOOL v FLAMENGO

Good Pigeons for FREE JOE MURPHY. I have made some very dear friend within the pigeon sport over the years and one of these, who is very close to me is the 1000 mile man himself Henry Mair of Irvine with his ‘Lionheart’ family of birds. We travelled together to visit the ‘Legend’ himself the great Jim Biss of Norwich; whose 6 national winners contained some of Henry’s bloodlines. Henry has also had winners reported from all over the UK from Lerwick, Rennes & Pau race points with birds containing his bloodlines. Henry has taken seriously ill and was in hospital with Sepsis and was in and out of conscious and the doctors told him there was NO plan B. Thus proving how seriously ill he was. He then caught a double urine infection which was horrendous; however I’m glad to say that he has been allowed home from the hospital, but is still in a very poor condition. His poor wife Etta and their children are about off their heads with worry and all they want is to have Henry back to good health. So an EMERGINCY decision has been made and ALL his pigeons (approximately 80) will be given away FREE OF CHARGE. If anyone wishes to make a donation to Charity then I know Henry will be very grateful as he has done this all his days. Fanciers will have to arrange carriage themselves. Bloodlines are Jock Reid; John Kirkpatrick; Jim Biss; Marley Westrop; plus birds from Kings Cup winners and SNFC Gold Award winners. If interested then phone Etta on 01294 276381 their address is 42 Tollerton Drive Irvine Ayrshire Scotland KA12 0QE Request written by Joe Murphy Scottish Scribe

well done, a lovely XMAS present

dont know of any problem, ok good you are on,

many happy returns, have a nice day ,

Morning all hope you have a nice day and all goes well