Ian McKay

Nae chance they might not remember they were there :drinking-coffee-200:

But will you be tempted to part with your hard earned cash Fred :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Yir gettin better :emoticon-0136-giggle:

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The Joe Murphy Column The last of the 4 articles written by Scottish fanciers in the 1955 BHW Stud Book is ‘Finding Time’ by Stewart Brown of Condorrat Glasgow, which I will now cover. When requested to write an article for the HW 1955 Stud Book I was relieved by the suggestion that I should do so as a long serving club secretary, as well as a fairly successful long distance racer, for I imagine the choice of a subject for articles of this kind must be a problem for most. So much has been written on all aspects of pigeon racing in previous Stud Books and then ‘Chairman’ and ‘Silvertip’ in their weekly notes tell everything there is to know about our hobby , and their knowledge is the result of practical experience over a long number of years. General opinion has it that secretaries are very seldom good pigeon racers, perhaps the explanation is that they are too busy looking after the interests of their club to have time for their own, and therefore it’s not a job that many fanciers seek, rather is it a case of having it thrust upon them, for that certainly was the case with me as I was appointed at a meeting of the club, the Condorrat Homing Society, at which I was not present. Had I been I would not have accepted. I reckoned I hadn’t the time for it, but as that was 27 years ago I still hold the position, I must have found it somehow. Our membership has varied a lot in that time, around 20 when I started, 7 only for a time during the war, and since them about 40 competing lofts with over 60 individual members, but the spirit of good fellowship amongst us has not varied during that time and there has never been one case of dispute or unpleasantness. Of course, as is usually the case, some do a lot more of the necessary tasks than others, but they don’t grumble and the others never criticize and our policy of keeping charges as low as possible and paying out only a small amount of prize money may account for the smooth working of our club. Many of the members, the older ones especially look upon it as a medium for training their birds for the more important races such as the Midland Federation Open, the Central Combine event from Dol and the Scottish National Flying Club from Rennes and Nantes, and I can’t recall any one of these when at least one of them didn’t take a prominent position. As the subscriptions are only 10/- (shillings now 50 pence) and birdage is 4 pence and 6 pence for ALL club races, there is no great accumulation of funds, especially with every rising railway charges and in addition to that we have our birds transported by lorry from the marking place, the local Memorial and Welfare Hall, to the station. We pay our £50 over the fourteen races and this more or less is the amount we derive from outside sources, and annual Free Gift Scheme for which we have only the number of tickets that can be readily disposed of by the members. There is also an annual show arranged which has always proved a profitable venture, mainly because of the enthusiasm of the members. It is open to their friends and our neighbouring clubs and we have an entry of from 300-400 birds. Just the ordinary racing pigeons are entered and so far we have been blessed by the absence of the Show Racer, not that I have anything against them as such, but shows such as ours is no place for them. On exhibition we have the winners of the various club races during the season and members birds which have scored in the Combine and National races. These create a lot of interest amongst the large attendance we always have. Club pools are only to 1/- (shilling 5 pence in today’s language) amounting to about £20 each race, and 5 per cent of these to club make a further income. Winners are paid out after clock checking except in ‘photo’ finishes, when they are held until velocities are finally calculated. In addition we have accumulator, K.O. competitions etc. Secretaries appear to me to be either a very long time on the job or just one or two seasons, the former is because they have got used to it. Generally speaking the salary can hardly be the attraction and the latter give up before they have got properly broken in and devised a way of working that would leave them more time for their own birds during the racing season. At that time of the year I am at work from 7 in the morning until about the same time at night, so make a point of doing all I can for the racing season before it commences. I make up lists of members’ names, etc., for the various purposes that will be required during the whole season, race ring envelopes and labels for the hampers for every race are got ready, also slips of paper, large enough for clock variation and velocity to be worked on, for each member with their flying distance in 60th of yards for every race. Such preparations save a great deal of time. I make up race results the night of each race, and following day I finish everything connected with the race in an hour or two. I then pack my case with everything required for the next marking night and when I return home from that I write up all details and work out proportion of pools and make them ready for paying out after the race the following day. This leaves me the necessary time to look after my own birds, not just cleaning out, etc., but ample time to sit amongst them and enjoy their company as I imagine all real fanciers like to do. So much for the club secretary and now the reason for the honour of being asked to write this article- My success in the long races in recent years!! I was fortunate in securing birds, especially a cock and a hen from different sources, that have produced the birds for the job and I feel sure that there isn’t much more to it, for the majority of fancier nowadays manage their pigeons well enough to merit success. For years I did all and perhaps more for mine that I do now, but my successes were few and far between. In the case of those who do well at shorter distances only, it may be a case of their birds being stale through being too often in the basket prior to the longer distance events. I think 8 pairs all the birds necessary for a small loft, most I ever keep is 10 pairs, and breed twelve youngsters for racing and a further half a dozen in June in case they are needed, and they very often are, for young bird losses these days can be heavy and I think the average fancier around here is quite pleased to finish up with half his team, the result of so many birds on the road going in all directions. (Nothing any different from today 62 years later Joe M) I have had pigeons, except for my time in the army in the first war, since I went to school, all sorts, of course, but started with racers after being demobbed and have never had the desire to keep a lot. My back garden loft is of the usual design, half open front with 3 inches air space right along the back, 6 foot deep with 3 divisions, 6 foot either end and 7 foot centre which has ten nest boxes, five from floor to roof, in each back corner. These I find a big advantage in a small loft, taking up so little of the floor space. At one time I scrubbed out weekly, now I do that annually, the two end compartments when I pair up, and the centre when I separate. I painted the inside more than 20 years ago and all it has had since is a dab here and there as required after the annual clean up. I scrape out practically every day in the year, in the winter by artificial light, but I don’t exactly slave after them. I miss the odd day when I have something else to do. The same applies to changing the water, and although they are fed at least once every day, I reckon they would take little hurt in the winter by missing an occasional day, for hens which I notice inclined to pair with other hens get nothing to eat for a couple of days now and again and these generally are good racers. I shake a little lime from a tin over the floor and put a little sawdust under the perches and in the next boxes. This makes them easier to scrape and keeps down the smell. I favour a pigeon of medium size or slightly over, fairly long cast with not too broad flights, and when handled you are at once aware that it has a keel, not necessarily deep, in fact I don’t like one that way, but certainly not the type referred to as apple bodied. In the Scottish National Flying Club races since the war, I have been in the prize list every year and taken some good positions to in the Central Combine Dol 520 miles races. The same birds, also have won at the shorter distances and in 1953 I won the Midland Federation Averages over its fifteen races, Old Birds to Dol and young birds to Stafford 230 miles. In fact most of my long distance winners have won in previous years in both club and federation. I enter only two or three in each of the national races, but arrange to have at least one other in condition for each race as a substitute and make my final selection when I basket for the race, often the substitute has been my first home. A day or two can make all the difference and I prefer one that appears just to have brightened up prior to the marking day. My birds are mated about the 10th March, all at the same time, and long distance candidates usually rear two youngsters in the first nest, pot eggs second nest then allowed to rear a single young one and I can depend on my hens laying again when that young one is 15 to 16 days old. It is taken away at 20 days. The old birds will cast a flight usually their second a couple of days later and seem to come right into condition then and go to the race sitting 10 to 12 days on eggs with the flight just burst through and very often the next flight is cast in the basket, a condition I like as I have had a good positions with birds returning with eight and a half flights in each wing. I believe feeding the single young one keeps them in better appetite right up to the liberation. I am of the opinion that those which haven’t fed for a time are not keen eaters until the eggs they are sitting are about due to hatch. This suits my own birds for they are not of the plump type, rather are they longish cast and not prone to put on fat, in fact my this year’s winner from the SNFC Nantes race flying 613 miles taking 1st west section 3rd open national, also 4th west section 19th open in 1953 has a fairly deep keel and always appears to be lean. I noticed he was always very keen on the maize in the mixture I feed, so with a view to getting a bit weight on him, I gave him each night after feeding a little extra that I had picked, grain by grain, from the mixture. A bit extra trouble but he always looked for it and I was happy to oblige. In his case as in most of my birds that have scored from across the channel, it was like begetting like, his sire won twice for me from Guernsey and Rennes, and his dame from Charleroi and they too were bred from birds that took good positions in the National races. I like my candidates to be three years old when first sent and to give them usually two races before going to the Rennes race, first one 100 or 140 miles, then Worcester 270 miles and pleased if that should be at least an eight hour fly. For Nantes I send them to an extra race, Weymouth 373 miles. Between races I give a few tosses at 20 miles and never sent birds intended for the long races farther than that. My Nantes bird had in 1953, to tosses from 20 miles, raced from 140 miles, 20 miles toss, race 290 miles, 12 mile toss, race 373 miles, 20 miles toss and then Nantes 613 miles and he did so well that I treated him exactly the same way in 1954 and he did even better. (19th & 3rd open SNFC Joe M) I never exercise round the loft nowadays, as I got fed up years ago waving my arms, clapping my hands and throwing anything I could get hold of to keep the birds from landing. Anybody seeing me must have thought I wasn’t all there, and I can’t see much sense on getting a bird in what you consider its keenest nest condition and then chasing it off. The younger birds I give a mid-week toss whenever they miss a race. I leave the loft open when I go to work at 6-30am and my wife shuts up and feeds the birds at 1 o’clock, then I open up again about 7 in the evening and the birds flap about till I feed them a couple of hours later. Young birds are exercised twice daily and shut up immediately they drop, except when I start training, and I let them run out with the old birds in the evening. I think it teaches them to land more readily when they come singly for a race. I feed on a mixture of peas, beans, tares and maize and the only addition to this is a little hard wheat of which the birds are very fond. I give it just any time I take the notion and they seem always to be on the lookout for it. Never do I give seed or any sort and the only thing other than corn they ever get is dry bread soaked with milk, some oatmeal added and dried off in the oven. This is given only after and on returning from the long races and my birds get only this and a little wheat for a day or two. Cod liver oil is given and I think it give just to be in the fashion, only during the moult – a little on the corn. My biggest difficulty is keeping strictly to never more than ten pairs is to have a fair proportion of younger birds included. I have lost only one bird in overseas races since the war and it’s not easy to discard old favourites that have done well, when the end of their racing days is in sight, but from club records I know that yearlings are essential for success in club racing, they win more than their share in our club out to Weymouth 373 miles. In conclusion, I would advise young fanciers not to have birds from too many different sources and to try and get children or grandchildren from the actual birds that have won, for very often brothers and sisters to a champion are of no use. Since I have always kept so few myself, I advise others to do the same the first step in that direction is to breed very few youngsters for once they are there and complete the young bird programme, fanciers are reluctant to part with any. And why turn what should be a labour of love into hard work? Stewart Brown. SNFC Award Winners In my highlighting these in my column I received a couple of emails from winning fanciers with some information that I did not know about. The first is from Lewis McCalley who wrote ‘Hi Joe, Just a quick thank you for mentioning our young bird in your column this week. It is much appreciated and I'm looking forward to receiving the trophy you and your good lady have put up at the S.H.U show this coming Saturday. If it's not too much trouble could you give my public thanks to the Woodroffe Brothers-Albert, Dave and Fred in a future column? The hen was one I got from them in April this year. I've been fortunate enough to have had their birds for 3 years now and couldn't speak highly enough of these pigeons or the brothers themselves. The Woodroffe’s have had a fantastic season being champions of Section 4 and top loft in UNC 2016, although to be fair they don't have many bad seasons, thanks again, Lewis McCalley’ The second email was from Pat Ward who won a Bronze Award in the SNFC this year and he writes ‘Hi Joe, thank you for your write up of my chequer hen SU12CA 2649 who won a Bronze Award with the SNFC (NOT 2648). Some more information about this bird, she was 1st Central section 2nd open from Ypres in 2014 with the Central Scotland 3 bird club flying 449 miles. In 2015 she was 1st Central section 1st open from Burbure flying 453 miles also with the Central Scotland 3 bird club. She also has club cards to her name. The bird was a gift pigeon from my good friend Jim Smith of Polmont and funnily enough 2648 was her nest mate who also scored at club level. Many thanks once again and regards Pat Ward’. Good SNFC Birds Continuing with this feature of highlighting good birds I now come to pigeons that have won their 3rd section and open diploma during the 2016 season. Starting with Joe Hunt of Dundee whose blue bar cock SU14DF 1256 won 8th section C 29th open from Eastbourne in 2015 flying 422 miles then in 2016 he won twice being 105th section C 428th open from Littlehampton a distance of 409 birds. He was then set up for his first channel race from Ypres and he won 21st section C 54th open flying 463 miles. Our next pigeon is also a blue cock SU13P 7757 raced by J Robertson of Edinburgh as a 2 year old he won 40th section B 49th open from Portsmouth flying 364 miles he was then set up for the Ypres race that was cancelled due to not getting into France and went to the substitute race from Eastbourne a distance of 387 miles and he won 21st section B 27th open. Then in 2016 he was entered into the Littlehampton race a distance of 372 miles and he won 67th section B 154th open winning him his 3rd inland national diploma. We now move south to the loft of G Dalgliesh & son of Ecclefechan near Lockerbie whose blue pied cock SU13S 5415 has also won 3 times in the Scottish National. As a two year old he won twice being 4th section A 102nd open from Portsmouth a distance of 306 miles. He then went to the last old bird race of the season from Clermont a distance of 461 miles and won 3rd section A 15th open and in 2016 he again won this time from Buckingham a distance of 231 miles being 45th section A 118th open. To the above 3 fanciers we send our congratulations on the achievements with their birds and hope they continue to succeed in 2017. Photograph Margaret and I attended the SHU Show yesterday 10th December and had a good time meeting up with lots of fanciers. The best in show was won by that wonderful husband and wife partnership of Alice & John Bell who’s very good pigeon also won best in show last year. This pigeon now goes forward to the Show of the Year at Blackpool 2017 and can compete for the Supreme Championship class and we wish them all the very best at this event. I have included a photograph of them with their winning trophy. John Bell with trophy for Best in Show SHU 2016 Best in Show for John & Alice Bell Joe’s Joke A married couple are out one night at a dance club. There’s a guy on the dance floor giving it large: break dancing, moon walking, back flips, and the works. The wife turns to her husband and says, "See that guy? Twenty years ago he proposed to me and I turned him down." The husband says, "Looks like he’s still celebrating!" - 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.fancierchat.co.uk and www.pigeon-chat.co.uk also www.pigeonbasics.com who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland. © Compiled by Joe Murphy

Read this article and spread it around https://thealdenham.wordpress.com/2017/01/10/the-great-raptor-rip-off/

Happy Birthday Andrew have a nice one :drinking-coffee-200: :drinking-coffee-200:

Jim I sent you a PM

OH are you going too :emoticon-0136-giggle: :emoticon-0136-giggle:

If my chauffeur is up for it I will be there look forward to meeting some members :emoticon-0136-giggle: :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Well done Dava :drinking-coffee-200: :drinking-coffee-200:

Good point Willie

The Joe Murphy Column This week I’m going to highlight the story in the BHW Stud Book of 1955 written by James Kilgour of Salsburgh on the ‘Start of the Season’. I am greatly honoured by our editor’s request to write an article for the HW 1995 Stud Book, although I think it is the hardest task I have ever been asked to perform. However I will try and make this article interesting for the novice as I am sure there are older fanciers, like our Editor, I could be classed a novice myself. I should like to start at what to me is, the start of the season, namely immediately after you have timed in your 500 mile winner, because, unless this pigeon is correctly treated it will be unlikely that it will repeat his triumph in the years to come. One sure way to ruin your champion is to let it gorge itself with beans and cold water. I am sure that Joe McGhee after his gruelling marathon win in the Empire Games did not sit down to a gig dinner; his trainer would put him on a careful diet and make him rest. This is exactly the treatment required by your champion pigeon. After you have clocked in your pigeon, give it nothing to eat or drink that day, but four or five times at two hourly intervals give him glucose mixed with warm milk and allow it rest and quietness. Treated this way our Champion will soon be flying freely around home again, none the worse for its hard flight, and it should give a good account of itself the following year. Moult: Next comes the moult and unless you have your pigeons through a clean and perfect moult, then your chances are dim for the in-coming season. Any bird which grows spindle-end flights or knotted feathering must be rested for the full season. Fret marks are usually the sign of a hard race and if you can account for the fret marks in this manner, then they are nothing to worry about, but if they are present after the racing then you must look to the health of your birds. Don’t stint feeding during the moult, it is far better to give a little extra and increase the wheat and maize content with a little linseed added. Give them plenty of baths. During the moult I seldom let my pigeons out of the loft, as rest is essential and I am sure it is a stain for some of the birds to fly in the very ragged conditions they fall into, but on the few occasions on which they are shut out I shut the cocks and hens out together as I think they fly about more contentedly, and you sometimes strike a good mating when an old cock deserts his season’s hen and starts showing up to a new mate, while many are content to stick to their old loves. After the birds have completed their moult I put them on a very severe diet until about one month before mating. Any that show signs of cracking will never make a 500 mile pigeon. However, if the fancier has bred some late breds, then these must have an abundance of food at all times to ensure a steady and unchecked growth. During the winter I help pass the time away by making experimental mating’s on paper, although these are often changed a dozen times before mating season arrives. In-breeding: I am a great believer in in-breeding or line-breeding to maintain success, i.e. in-breeding within a proven 500 mile family. I am very fond of half-sister to half-brother mating; grandparents to grandchildren and good results can also be obtained from brother and sister. One of my best cocks this year is from a father and daughter. I find the birds suffer nothing in size or stamina, but maintain their type characteristics and racing ability. In a family like this, one must be very careful if he decides to use a cross as one faulty cross could undo years of patient progress. Mating: I mate up the birds the second weekend of March and allow them to rear their own youngsters, after which they sit on pot eggs until I require them in their favourite condition for their selected 5000 mile event. I have clocked them sitting in various conditions from three days to eighteen days on eggs, and feeding from eight to twenty one days. Training: I start training when youngsters are moved from their parents, and avoid at all costs the cold east winds which blow in the early part of the season, as training in these winds takes the fire out of your birds, the fire which will be so essential to them when called on to make their supreme effort in the classic races. Before the fourth race, Preston 150 miles, my birds do no forced exercise at all but have the open hole from early morning until late at night. From Preston onwards, I start force exercise for half an hour at night. My 500 mile candidates I step up to thirty minutes morning and night as early as possible in the mornings and as late as possible at night, as these are the times when pigeons are not keen on flying, and at the same time these are the times most likely to clock birds in 500 mile races. About three weeks prior to the selected event I stop all basket work and the birds received the exercise as already detailed, and this training I finish about three days before basketting. The birds enjoy these last three days of peace and quietness. Feeding: I feed each pair in their own nest box in which I place a one pound jam jar with the bottom half filled with cement. This allows the birds to each the beans easily and makes the jars harder to upset. I am what will be termed a ‘heavy feeder’ as I don’t believe in keeping the birds on the keen to ‘nippy’ side. This method may be all right for sprint races but in not beneficial for stamina tests. I have beans before the birds at all times and after morning exercise I give them a little wheat, while after evening exercise I give a little maize. I increase or decrease the wheat or maize according to the weather. I am a firm believer in cod liver oil as a growth and stamina producer, given either to the birds in capsule form or smeared in their feeding. If used on their feeding it must be freshly mixed as required. Condition: Now a word on condition don’t be misled by bloom on the pigeons feathers because bloom can be artificial and unless this is the result of careful training and exercise then it may mean absolutely nothing. To prove this to your own satisfaction, let some of your birds have the open bowl in all kinds of weather and keep some shut up. Those shut up will be covered in bloom, while your open bowl pigeons will be rough but ready, and if the weather is dirty they will show little bloom. Body: Another misleader, in my opinion, is the term ‘body’ a good few take this term loosely and sacrifice the pigeons fitness by allowing it to put on weight and ‘Weight’ is not body. A pigeon in condition will increase its body when it nears it’s ‘peak’, but at the same time it will become lighter or, should I say, more buoyant and give you the impression that if you released your hands it would stay suspended in mid-air. Facts, Fads and Fancies: To the novice I say, buy your stock from proven 500 miles who are right at the top at the present time, not from so and so birds who were flying well 20 years ago. Nurse them as youngsters to 100 miles, and again as yearlings to 250 miles, and when they mature you will have a pigeon capable of flying round the clock. Be severe in selection and kill any weaklings or diseased pigeons. Stick to the facts by breeding to proven bloodlines, characteristics and types. Leave the ‘fads’ such as eyesign, pink vents, white streak tail feathers etc., to their followers who eventually rely on the basket. Don’t use any pills or speed medicines because in 500 mile racing it is the bird’s condition and stamina that count, and these are produced only by careful handling and training by a fancier whose heart and soul are in the sport- a fancier 365 days of the year. You cannot expect your pigeons to do hard work if you yourself do not do your share. Pigeon racing is such a highly competitive sport that any half measures are not good enough. Conclusion: If this article helps any novice towards his 500 mile goal or even makes interesting reading, I shall be more than amply repaid for my trouble. James Kilgour Winning Family I received an email with some good news from my friend Rob Glover of the Midlands he wrote as follows; ‘Hi Joe hope you and the family are all well and may I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Very Good New Year. You may remember the pair of blue bar youngsters you sent me down in 2013 well one of them has won 4th Ace Long Distance Awards and 175th Ace Middle Distance Awards in 2016. This blue hen SU13 5134 won the following: 1st section 17th open MNFC 2 Bird race, 9th Leicester continental club, 31st section 121st open MNFC Bordeaux 2015. Then this year she won 3rd Leicester Continental Club, 5th Leicester federation and 20th Warwickshire federation, 12th section 53rd open MNFC Ancenis in 2016. She also won 2nd Leicester federation & 4th Warwickshire federation; 3rd section 11th open MNFC 2 Bird Race, 2nd Leicester Continental Club; 5th section 61st open MNFC Bordeaux in 2016. As you know Joe SU 13 5134 is a ½ sister to Kevin’s ‘My Little Rachel’ winner of 1st club 1st Angus federation 2nd section C (213 birds) and 4th open SNFC Gold Cup race from Alencon flying 573 miles against a convoy of 1355 birds. She is also ½ sisters to your Barcelona Challenge pigeon that won 9th Narbonne 500 miles 2012: he was also 15th bird to the loft and won 5.691 open Barcelona International 25.294 birds 2013. 5134 is also a niece to Kevin’s 18th open SNFC Ypres 454 miles 470 members 2404 birds 2014 and 19th open SNFC Clermont 540 miles 343 members 1500 birds also. She is also related your red cock 1154 winner of 86th open SNFC Alencon 573 miles (421 members 1427 birds 2014) he also won 134th open SNFC Alencon (400 members 1416 birds) in 2015. As you know Joe all the above pigeons have the same sire a direct son of Gilmour Brothers of Leven’s good chequer cock ‘Robbie’s Boy’ winner of 31st open Falaise who then went on to win 1st open SNFC Falaise in 2006 from an entry of 2039 birds. Robbie’s Boy is the sire of the following winning birds: 6966 winner of 421st open Eastbourne 400 miles; 23rd section C 85th open Clermont 524 miles; 47th section C 284th Eastbourne; 310th open Maidstone 375 miles winner of 4 SNFC Diplomas. 4303 winner of 22nd section C 102nd open Maidstone 375 miles; 26th section C 64th open Clermont 524 miles. He is the grandsire of the following birds; ‘My Gem’ winner of 1st section C 1st open SNFC Roye 2016 for Jocky Scott of Kennoway flying 510 miles against 1135 birds entered by 258 members ‘Wee Mo’ winner of 2nd section C 42nd open SNFC Ancenis in 2016 for Willie Donachie of Dundee being the furthest flying bird on the race result at a distance of 635 miles from an entry of 294 birds entered by 100 true long distance members. ‘June’ winner of 4th section 4th open SNFC Clermont in 2012 for Davie Davidson of Methil flying 524 miles from an entry of 1622 birds entered by 370 members. David J Liddle of Forfar 1st section C 13th open SNFC Leicester young bird national winner. Brian Kinnear of Pitlessie in Fife 2nd section C 26th open SNFC Buckingham young bird national winner. He is also the great grandfather of following winners; 18th open British Barcelona Club Bordeaux 32nd open BIIC Agen Robbie’s Boy was paired to a full sister of Jock King of Kirkcaldy’s famous hen ‘Mary’ 11 times winner from France into Scotland she won a SNFC Gold Award and a Gold Award in the SNRPC for the following positions; 106th open SNFC Newbury: 152nd open Clermont: 8th 30th 35th 92nd & 92nd open Falaise: 17th & 66th open Reims: 19th 58th & 80th Alencon. The Sister to Mary is bred from the best of the late Jock Traill of Thornton bloodlines being from ‘Traill’s Spark’ winner of 1st open SNFC Niort 690 miles, ‘Survivor’ 2nd open SNFC Nantes 620 miles, and a Dale Newcombe cock bred from ‘Danny Boy’ winner of 2nd 5th & 9th open Rennes and 38th open Frome (Danny Boy was the best pigeon in Scotland between 1997 and 1999 winning the SHU Dewar Trophy) the dam of Dale’s hen was ‘Kardale Regatta’ winner of 6th 64th 127th 154th & 211th open Sartilly and 34th open Nantes she was also a SNFC Gold Award winner and turned out to be a great stock hen. However two pigeons stand out in the annuals of the great Scottish National Flying Club's history, the first of these being a pigeon who won ten times from channel races flying into Scotland from Sartilly (499 miles) and Rennes (542 miles). This famous achievement was accomplished between the years of 1987 and 1994 by a chequer pied hen named ‘Fortune Lady,’ she was raced by Mr & Mrs Smith of Elphinstone in East Lothian. Since 1994 she has been the only pigeon ever to achieve a Double Gold Award in the SNFC. In 2008 the Scottish National introduced a Silver Award for pigeons that won three times from France racing into Scotland and even this was very hard to win. A blue bar hen named ‘Kingdom Spirit’ a late bred in 2008 with an old ring placed on her leg was raced by George & Brian Hunter of Dunfermline from the Kingdom of Fife in Scotland. She won her 1st SNFC Silver Award in 2011 the following year she won her SNFC Gold Award and then in 2013 she won her 2nd Silver Award and repeated history 21 years later as she then became the second pigeon to win a Double Gold Award in 2015. This ‘Pigeon in a Million’ performances are as follows: in 2010 she won 26th open Reims (567mls) then 30th open Clermont (524 mls) 2011 she won 31st open Messac (573mls) and 69th open Clermont. In 2012 she won from the Gold Cup race from Alencon being 36th open then the following year she won 22nd open from Alencon then 90th open from Clermont. In 2014 she won 120th open from Alencon and the following year won 58th open Alencon and 67th open from Clermont. ‘Kingdom Spirt’ also won: The Scottish Homing Union DEWAR TROPHY for Scotland’s Pigeon of the Year’ 2010, She was runner up for this award in 2011. She correspondingly she won 1st prize in the Joe Murphy One Bird Sporting Challenge from Alencon in 2012 competing against a select band of quality pigeons to win the highest placed bird in the completion being 36th open Scottish National Flying Club. The Dam of 5134 is a daughter of George & Brian Hunter of Dunfermline great pigeon ‘Kingdom Spirit’ mentioned above. So you will see that 5134 is bred for the job and I cannot thank Joe Murphy for breeding me this quality pigeon. Wishing you and Kevin all the best for the 2017 season yours Rob’. Good SNFC Birds This week I’m going to highpoint the birds and loft of Andrew Agnew & son of Kelso from the Scottish Borders they won the Newbury national in 2005 and have consistently been on the Scottish national results over the years. They have 2 exceptional pigeons in their loft at the present time and I feature the chequer cock SU13 355 first. As a yearling he won 116th section B 178th open from Maidstone a distance of 325 miles, a few weeks later he was sent over the channel to Ypres a distance of 393 miles and landed with his loft mate to win 47th section B 77th open. Then last year he competed in 3 national races and won twice. Being 52nd section B 89th open from Billericay a distance of 297 miles. He then went to Portsmouth a distance of 330 miles but just missed the result, he was then set down for the last old bird race of the season from Clermont a distance of 473 miles and he won 155th open but did not win a section prize. Then in 2016 he was sent to the first national old bird race from Buckingham a distance of 252 miles and he won 39th section B 123rd open so 5 times open prize winner in the Scottish National. Andrew & son also have a chequer hen SU13 363 who has won 6 times in open national results. As a yearling she had the same treatment as the chequer cock above going to Maidstone inland national and she was up with the leaders being 8th section B and 8th open from an entry of 2941 birds. She then went to Ypres and landed with the chequer cock mentioned above to win 46th section B 76th open from an entry of 2404 birds. Then in 2015 she was sent to Billericay inland national and won 11th section B 12th open from an entry of 3406 birds she was then sent to Clermont the last old bird race of the season and she won 122th open from an entry of 1547 birds but like the cock above did not win a section prize. Then in 2016 she competed in 2 nationals with the first being from the Littlehampton race a distance of 337 miles and she won 7th section B 15th open from an entry of 4482 birds she was then set up for the channel event from Ypres and she obliged by winning 4th section B 4th open from an entry of 2323 birds. You will see from the above that she has been 4 times in the top 15 open positions from 4 Scottish National events with her other 2 wins (one inside the top 80) and the other in 122nd open place. There are not many pigeons with performances like this within Scotland and I for one take my hat off to Andrew and his good chequer hen (not forgetting his other chequer cock) The Murphy Hen 5134 Father of 5134 Mother of 5134 Uncle of 5134 Ian Gilmour Robbie's Boy 1st SNFC Falaise Joe’s Joke An explorer goes into an undiscovered tomb for the first time, and in the centre of the tomb there’s a lamp. He picks it up, and as he starts to rub the dirt off of it, a genie comes out of the lamp and says, “I want to know the person you hate the most.†The explorer says, “That’s got to be my ex-wife. Why?†“I am a cursed genie. I will grant you three wishes, but whatever you wish for, your ex-wife will get double that amount.†“Okay, I wish for a billion dollars.†“Granted, but you ex-wife gets two billion dollars†“I wish for a mansion in California with a swimming pool, and tennis courts, everything.†“Granted, and your ex-wife gets two." "Now make your final wish.†The explorer walks around for a few minutes, returns to the genie with a stick, and says, “You see this stick? I’d like you to beat me half to death with it.†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.fancierchat.co.uk and www.pigeon-chat.co.uk also www.pigeonbasics.com who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland. © Compiled by Joe Murphy

Same here he does not have a bed and thinks I don't go to mine either :emoticon-0179-headbang:

Don't think we can do that I looked at yours in Sept and it shows I looked today and it will show Will check this out Billy Ian

Yes we prefer doom and gloom in the pigeon world but read all of what DEFRA print not part of it :emoticon-0136-giggle: :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Hope you are not trying to spoil my chauffeur driven trip to Blackpool :drinking-coffee-200:

Ian's "contraption" It actually looks a lot better than in this photo but I hope you get the idea

Hi Ryan and Walter yes the things we doo to keep our birds I have today tried my new fangled contraption and it works perfect no blocking will get Marlene to put up a picture of it so you can have a laugh but as I say it works and that is all that matters to me :emoticon-0136-giggle:

I would doubt if it will affect the Show of the year as the restrictions are on Poultry NOT pigeons

Update on the corn vac system lifting it up to next floor Although I have succeeded in lifting the corn up it keeps blocking so had an idea about fitting a permanent tube on the bottom of the wheelie bin after a struggle I manage to fit it, threw in some corn and switched on still blocking, so made hole bigger although it was better still blocked and had to be watched (remember I already imploded a bin) so was being very careful gave up and went to visit a friend who actually worked in Spillers foods when they had a mill in Aberdeen. Explained to him what I was trying to do and said I was going to try a funnel system he suggested to put small legs on it to stop it from blocking itself, came home and found a dog collar I did not use after dog got an operation on his foot, a pair of scissors and a roll of tape later I had the contraption in my hand ready to trial after supper and in the dark torch in my gob I filled an ice cream tub switched on the vac and plunged the contraption into the corn to try and block it but to my amazement it lifted it all in seconds what a hit am I am happy bunny tonight, Tomorrow I will give it 25kg to see what happens can't wait to see result as I said to my friend might be Heath Robinson but it worked and that's what matters to me and cost me nothing :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Not now :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Happy Birthday folks have a nice one :smiling-scarecrow-329:

Good mornin folks a bit windy here Have a nice day :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Mornin all he have a nice day :drinking-coffee-200: