W.D.

T MAC'EWAN

J TRAIL

Think you are correct there, if the burd went too far into the dark it will just sit there and not move. If its 5yr old it must have done something to earn its perch, shame to lose it so easily?

Did you ever get him back?

If the tatties were too big and you cut them in half they used to fly anywhere apart from where you aimed them Lewis, hit Big Kenny White's windae early one morning by mistake n woke them up, no the brightest o things to do. Was that your Y/bs ranging down our way???!!! They canna be any slower than some o mine, I'v got cocks that dive under the dookit when you let them oot, they have been hawked in the past mind you, so they're no takin any chances.

That wis fur getting doos off the roofs Lewis! None of them shop bought wans either, hand made with billard elastic and the tongues outa old shoes.Great fun I had wi them when I was younger.

Dont know what the Paul Smith one is, but I've got one that worked for me in the past when neighbour had up to 20 cats at times,(his daughters' worked in cat shelter and brought them home) your welcome to it if you like Martin? Haven't used it in years.

Sorry to here this you must be gutted losing an old favorite like that.

Get well soon Lewis, your wee sis must have thought it was you she was feeding?!!!

RIP

Best thing on the telly for ages. Have to agree with fifer though our wee wan woke up last week when it was on and came through, he can now say Ecclefechan with the best o them??!!!

One of the best sprint men I knew used to feed his Poultry mix, I only found out by accident when I met his wife buying it and asked how many hens they had, only to be told they didn't have any?!!! Dont know if there was much pellets in it though?

Yes been using it for the last couple of years now, as its all my local stockist has. Find it a bit dear for what you get quality wise, though the last couple of lots I've had have been a bit better, not so much dust and the dari seems to be cleaner or of a better quality than usual. Use mainly Irish mix and High Protein Economy,Paid £12-50 and £10-75 for them, there has been £2 at least put on the price lately. So dont really know if its good value or not as I dont have many other stockists nearby to compare with?

Yes me too, got two bags full ready for next year. Read somewhere that they repell insects as well, dont know if thats true but dont remember ever seeing any greenfly on them during the summer? The birds love them too for nesting, and will collect them quicker than the straw I put down at the same time for them.

Lewis tried to pm you but your box is full!

Ah, you're giving away too many trade secrets there Lewis?!! Anymore where that came from?

RIP

Using Countrywide Trapping mix, similar to Red Band, also some Hormoform too, this is added to CW Irish & HP Economy,and poultry mix, 1l measure of each,Hormoform smaller measure. Birds only split last week so still moulting.

But thats the way that most of us were brought up King Billy, a man or a doo wasn't anything until it had scored in the National?!

Yes it was Lewis, talk about nae luck?!! I can remember being given the blue hen to handle as a wee boy and had to use two hands to hold on to it.

Correct me if I get it wrong again, but didn't Fortune Lady of Jim Smith come from a Gold Award Winner, that also came from a Gold Award Winner, all paired to the same cock from Tom McEwan?

Mine is not just a loft visit, but a couple of villages?!! Going back to when I was a laddie, Coalburn/Lesmahagow was the best place in the world to me, full of National Flyers. Names like the Harrisons, Scott Bros, Gray & Mitchell, Auld Tam Meikle and Alec his son, Bobby Hislop, Wee Billy Davidson, Kerr Stainthrope,Aitken & Walker, John Cosgrove etc. sorry if I missed anyone out. This was in the days when the SNFC was King, and if you had Doos you were a nobody until you had scored in the Nats.I used to tag along with my dad on the Sunday after Rennes to The Inn's at Coalburn where the men used to meet and talk about the race, and listened to all the stories about the birds that had or hadn't scored, and gobbled it all up, loved it and wouldn't have missed it for the world. Great Times and still think about them.

Wee Jocky Harrison's Blue Hen from the 60's/70's. Something like 13 times across the channel, 11 times clocked, and 9/10 diplomas, this was in the days just before the gold award started, some of her positions were in the Fed open from the Channel. She looked like a cock bird and once got thrown out a show by the judge saying it was in the wrong class!!!

Thoughts to Gareth and all the family. Shocked to hear the news, God Bless you George, its going to be hard to imagine nat racing without him. RIP.

Great Result, Thats One bird we would all like to have in our team!!!