Ian McKay

What for he disna play it's football guy's no manegerial merry go round Get the players to do the job or get rid of them they get paid plenty and swan about like prima donnas If it was you or me that did not do our job we would be moved on that's life but not these Super Farts they just play p--h pick up there pay cheque and the board shift the manager on it is easier to get rid of him So yes he will get humped and we will get another plonker and so the merry go round goes on Cadonas could run it better they have experiance in running Merry go Rounds :drinking-coffee-200:

NO :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Hey it's the Dandy Dons your talking about we are used to it :emoticon-0179-headbang:

Oor bus broke doon :emoticon-0179-headbang: :emoticon-0179-headbang: :emoticon-0179-headbang:

Yi were lucky the other team played WELL :emoticon-0136-giggle:

A late entry to the Auction your chance to share in the £50,000 expected prize fund in this OLR Please see Lot 8

Mornin folks :drinking-coffee-200:

Well done the Macs :emoticon-0136-giggle:

The Joe Murphy Column Received an email from Phil Gardner the director of Respiro San Dry and other produces he wrote ‘Hi Joe hope all is well with you up country as I see that you are having it bitterly cold just now. I attended Epsom Show and this was brilliant with a good friendly bunch of lads organising it and I sold out of almost everything of the small products and 100 buckets of Respiro gone by 13-30 pm. I wasn't expecting this to happen and had a mad rush making more stuff so I had something to sell for Doncaster, this Show was unbelievable, non-stop from 09-15 until 14-30 then it all steadied up, Lee and Carly should be rightly proud of this year’s show. The other great thing was the numbers of people who came on to the stalls at Epsom and Donny to say how good the Trident 3 in 1 had been for them. One fancier had 8 years of misery and was ready to pack in racing if he had another year of the dreaded ‘Young bird sickness’ luckily all went well with Trident for him, he was close to tears telling me about it but it was good to get this positive feedback. I also had a lad saying he couldn't understand how someone who doesn't race pigeons and has no formal qualifications could make the products I do but I told him that I read a lot had good contacts, friends prepared to try things with me and that I listened to other people and their opinions, best regards Phil G’. I’m hoping to catch up with Phil at the SHU Show in Lanark in December. SNFC AVERAGE TROPHY WINNERS This week I’m going to cover the Scottish National average trophy winners these are the hardest trophies to win in the whole country as you are competing against fanciers from the WHOLE of Scotland, from Gretna in the south to Wick in the north; from Eyemouth in the east to Ayrshire in the West. Starting with the Clive Newcombe Memorial Trophy for the best average ALL old bird races 2016; The East Region Average Trophy for the best average ALL races 2016 and the Section B Average Trophy; plus one of the hardest trophies to win in the Scottish National the Robert Telfer Award for the best average ALL races 2016 these were all won by John Baillie of Tranent. An outstanding achievement by John as all the others Regions North, South and West Averages Trophies were NOT WON. As were the Section A, E, F and G Average Trophies NOT WON, which makes John Baillie’s achievement the more exceptional well done John. John Baillie with his trophies and Silver Award winner The memorial trophy in memory of the late president Dr Wm Anderson for the best average Reims; Ancenis and Roye is won by David Jamieson of East Calder The News of the World Trophy for the best average from Reims and Ancenis and the Ellsworth Challenge Trophy for the best combined average from Reims and Ancenis is won by David & Rosemary Osborne of Locharbriggs The Tommy Buck Trophy presented by Tommy in memory of past president Dr and his good lady Mrs Anderson for the best average from Reims and Roye races and was won by John Bosworth of Elphinstone. The section C Average Trophy is won by Jim Doig of Cardenden and the section D Average Trophy won by David Jamieson of East Calder. All Time Greats Received a couple of pictures from Jim Hannah of Blantyre with the first of these consisting of the great Eddie Newcombe of Macmerry who was a Double SNFC Kings Cup winner in 1979 & 1984; then we have the late Jimmy Little of Cockenzie who won the SNFC Nantes race in 1985 with 'Five Times a Lady'. Third fancier is Jimmy Jackson who won the Kings Cup from Rennes in 1985 with ‘Howden Gold’ and then we have Dave Scott who bred Jimmy Jackson’s Gold Cup winner. It is quite interesting to note the Jimmy Jackson attended the SNFC dinner and presentation last month to collect his trophy for 1st section B from the Buckingham inland national race this year. Which proves what a quality pigeon fancier he is to still be winning at the top level in the Scottish National 30 plus years later can’t keep a good fanciers down eh Jimmy well done!!! The other photograph is the good chequer cock of Cowie & Mackie's of Aberdeen that won 1st section 46th open Alencon SNFC flying 611 miles in 2015. Then this year the chequer cock was clocked from SNFC Reims race flying 606 miles and won 3rd section G and 92nd open. As a matter of interest James Cowie brought this bird down to Jim Hannah in May this year to be photographed as he was spending the day in Edinburgh. Cowie & Mackie of Aberdeen Scottish Homing Union Trophy Winners 2016 Over the next few weeks I’m going to cover the SHU trophy winners these also come into the category of Good SNFC Birds. I start with the performances of the Dewar Whisky Trophy for the best channel performances by an old bird and accordingly crowned Scotland’s Bird of the Year 2016. A S Thomson & son of Port Seaton with their chequer hen SU14P 5619 who won 4 times in 4 Scottish nationals in the same year being 286th open (no section prize) from Buckingham a distance of 286 miles participating against 4328 birds she recorded a velocity of 1272. She then went to the Littlehampton national race and won 18th section B 45th open flying 370 miles with a winning velocity of 1083 ypm participating against 4482 birds. She was then entered into the Ypres national race with a convoy of 2324 birds and had a distance of 428 miles to her home loft in Port Seaton and she won 15th section B 45th open. Then to crown off a great season she was then entered into the last old bird national from Roye contesting against 1135 birds and she won 1st section B 2nd open flying a distance of 494 miles and triumphantly won the Scottish Homing Union ‘Dewar Trophy’ to be hailed ‘Scotland’s Bird of the Year’ in 2016’. The ‘RUNNER-UP’ to the Dewar Whisky Trophy Winner is John Hodgson & son of Annan with his chequer pied hen SU14S 6614 from the SNFC Littlehampton race flying 311 miles she won 6th section A 50th open doing a velocity of 1080 she was then sent to the Ancenis race a distance of 535 miles and she won 19th section A 26th open doing a velocity of 789. Then entered into the last old bird channel race from Roye she won 9th section A 93rd open flying 444 miles and recorded a velocity of 849 she also won 7th section 9th open in the Solway Federation from the same race. *********************************** While going through the results of the above pigeons I also came across a couple of very good pigeons belonging to the A S Thomson & son of Port Seaton who also have a chequer cock SU14P 5617 who has also flown very well in 2016 and his history is as follows. As a youngster he won 138th open Buckingham a distance of 286 miles, then as a yearling he won 132nd section B 219th open Portsmouth flying 363 miles a few weeks later he was entered into the Eastbourne race a distance of 385 miles and won 48th section B 70th open. This year he competed in 4 national races and won in all 4 of them being 52nd section B 164th open Buckingham then he won 17th section B 43rd open from Littlehampton a distance of 370 miles. He was then entered from the Belgian race point of Ypres a distance of 428 miles and won 6th section B 7th open and finally he was entered into the last old bird national race from Roye and he won 17th section B 49th open flying 494 miles. This chequer cock requires one more section win from an inland race to attain a Meritorious Bronze award and one more section win from over the channel to achieve his SNFC Silver Award so we wish him luck in accomplishing these awards. The partnership also have another exceptional pigeon who has done very well for them this being chequer cock SU12P 6400. In 2014 he won 45th section B 59th open from Maidstone a distance of 359 miles he was then entered into the Ypres race and won 19th section B 29th open. The following year he won from 3 nationals being 18th section B 24th open Billericay a distance of 332 miles he was then sent to Portsmouth a distance of 363 miles and won 117th section B 197th open he was then sent to the last old bird race from Clermont and won 35th section B 96th open flying 509 miles. In 2016 he won 40th section B 125th open from Buckingham a distance of 286 miles. I don’t know if he was injured or lost after this as he has not appeared on any other national results that I have seen but never the less a very good pigeon you must agree. Our congratulations go to the above fanciers on their wonderful achievements with their outstanding birds during 2016. Joe’s Joke A group of Britons were travelling by tour bus through Holland as they stopped at a cheese farm a young guide led them through the process of cheese making, explaining that goat's milk was used. She showed the group a lovely hillside where many goats were grazing. 'These' she explained, 'Are the older goats put out to pasture when they no longer produce.' She then asked, 'What do you do in Scotland with your old goats?' A sprightly old gentleman answered, 'They send us on bus tours! 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

Class 1 AACTW 30 birds 1 G Campbell 2 G McKenzie 3 A Winter 4 D&D Hay 5 A Winter Class 2 AAHTW 28 birds 1 MCord & Turpie 2 E&N Yule 3 E&N Yule 4 D&D Hay 5 D&D Hay Class 3 LOC 32 birds 1 C&A Carrie 2 E&N Yule 3 D&D Hay 4 B Craig 5 MCord&Turpie Class 4 LOH 29 birds 1 A Winter 2 A Winter 3 MCord&Turpie 4 MCord&Turpie 5 MCord&Turpie Class 5 LYC 38 birds 1 G Campbell 2 C&A Carrie 3 G Campbell 4 A Whyte 5 A Whyte Class 6 LYH 31 birds 1 E&N Yule 2 A Winter 3 MCord&Turpie 4 E&N Yule 5 MCord&Turpie Class 7 EYESIGN 33 birds 1 G Campbell 2 C&A Carrie 3 D&D Hay 4 D&D Hay 5 MCord&Turpie Best in Show- G Campbell Best Opposite Sex- A Winter Thanks to all the pigeon guys for the support to our little local show and making it a success Big Thanks to our judges Kevin Elliot and Ian McKay Big Thanks to the three Family members (my wife included) for doing the catering Thanks to our sponsors this year Blackhorse Pub Montrose Greame Ried Fotheringham Property Development JNS Joinery Spar Shop Gourdon Market Bar Montrose Gourdon & Dist RPC David Hay

Happy Birthday guy's hope you have a nice one Ray don't eat too much Birthday cake :emoticon-0136-giggle: :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Bad result for the Dandy Dons but nothing new there :emoticon-0179-headbang: :emoticon-0179-headbang:

Doo you mean others are talking c**p :emoticon-0136-giggle:

I thinks so Fred you dina get a lot of Jimmys in Mastrick

Welcome to the site Jimmy :drinking-coffee-200:

The Joe Murphy Column Received a 1955 Homing World Stud Book along with a note from Gavin Russell of Buckie in Morayshire who has been in hospital due to a few heart problems being attended to and we wish him well. While in hospital he was reading some of these old books with this particular book very interesting as inside the front cover was the name J S Stratton who must have been a Fifer as there are some references to the Fife Federation within the book. I will cover this in more detail in the lead up to Christmas which is a quiet time and will help me keep my weekly article going and at the same time make if of interest to readers of the column. So thank you to Gavin for the book and hope I can discover more about Mr Stratton. Young Bird Sickness Had a conversation on the above subject with one of my friends Alex and we both agreed that we never had this problem years ago when the majority of fanciers fed farm grain. We would go and purchase Beans (sometimes the husks were also in the bag) wheat and barley from the farmer. Alex believes that now fanciers buy grain that is polished and this could be one of the reasons for young bird sickness as we do not know what they are putting on to clean the food. Another think that Alex has done in the past is give a small piece of Charcoal down the youngsters throat and he has not had young bird sickness since he has started doing this to his babies. Here are some thoughts for fanciers to mingle over and my thanks to Alex for his opinions and conversation. YPRES RACE This race as been going since 2008 and is a very good race in the fact that every race has been won on the day of liberation; it is also a chance for the members to commemorate the many thousands of Scottish soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War. Stefaan Van Moerbeke encouraged the SNFC to race from the town and presented trophies to the club. This year’s Ypres winner was Billy Bilsland of Ayton on the east coast of Scotland he won with his chequer white flight cock named ‘Welltower David’ wining the Burgomeister Trophy presented by the Burgomeister of the town of Ypres and awarded to the winner of the race. Next we have the Dale Newcombe Trophy presented by his wife Karen in memory of this wonderful fancier and again it was presented to the winner of the Ypres race. Billy also won the Yearling Trophy for the 1st yearling plus this bird also 1st section B Trophy all to the national winner W L Bilsland of Ayton. Next we come to John R Bird of Prestonpans with his good hen ‘Peg’. This pigeon won 3 times in the SNFC during 2016 being 14th section B 63rd open from Buckingham a distance to 285 miles. A few weeks later ‘Peg’ won 15th section B 41st open from Littlehampton a distance of 370 miles and she was then sent across the English Channel to the Ypres race and she won 2nd section B 2nd open flying 428 miles. ‘Peg’ won the ‘Cher Ami Trophy’ for being 2nd open in the race and there is a lovely story attached to this trophy and I think it very appropriate to highlight it at this time (Amnesty Day) as many members may not know about this. ‘Cher Ami’ (French for ‘Dear Friend’, in the masculine) was a homing pigeon who had been donated by the pigeon fanciers of Britain for use by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France during World War I and had been trained by American pigeoneers. She helped save the Lost Battalion of the 77th Division in the Battle of the Argonne. On October 3, 1918, Major Charles White Whittlesey and more than 500 men were trapped in a small depression on the side of the hill behind enemy lines without food or ammunition. They were also beginning to receive friendly fire from allied troops who did not know their location. Surrounded by the Germans, many were killed and wounded in the first day and by the second day just over 190 men were still alive. Whittlesey dispatched messages by pigeon with the pigeon carrying the first message, "Many wounded. We cannot evacuate." was shot down. A second bird was sent with the message, "Men are suffering. Can support be sent?" That pigeon also was shot down. Only one homing pigeon was left: ‘Cher Ami’. She was dispatched with a note in a canister on her left leg, stating, ‘We are along the road paralell to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For HEAVENS sake STOP IT’ As ‘Cher Ami’ tried to fly back home, the Germans saw her rising out of the brush and opened fire. For several moments, ‘Cher Ami’ flew with bullets zipping through the air all around her. ‘Cher Ami’ was eventually shot down but managed to take flight again. She arrived back at her loft at division headquarters 25 miles (40 km) to the rear in just 25 minutes, helping to save the lives of the 194 survivors. In this last mission, ‘Cher Ami’ delivered the message despite having been shot through the breast, blinded in one eye, covered in blood and with her leg hanging only by a tendon. The metal case carrying the life-saving message was still attached to that dangling leg. The Allies stopped firing shells at the Lost Battalion, and they were eventually able to break out of enemy territory to safety. ‘Cher Ami’ became the hero of the 77th Infantry Division. Army medics worked long and hard to save her life. They were unable to save her leg, so they carved a small wooden one for her. When she recovered enough to travel, the now one-legged bird was put on a boat to the United States, with General John J. Pershing personally seeing ‘Cher Ami’ off as she departed France. Upon return to the United States, ‘Cher Ami’ became the mascot of the Department of Service. The pigeon was awarded the Croix de Guerre Medal with a palm Oak Leaf Cluster for her heroic service in delivering 12 important messages in Verdun. She died at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, on June 13, 1919 from the wounds she received in battle and was later inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame in 1931. She was stuffed and is kept on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. She also received a gold medal from the Organized Bodies of American Racing Pigeon Fanciers in recognition of her extraordinary service during World War I. Cher Ami is stuffed and on display at the Smithsonian Continuing with the SNFC trophy winners the 1st section A trophy is won by Colin Beattie of Annan; 1st section C trophy won by Jocky Scott of Kennoway. 1st section D won by Lewis McCalley & Son of Avonbridge 1st section E won by John Lawrie & Son of Newmains 1st section F won by David & Robert Morris of Johnstone and 1st section G won by George P Taylor of Peterhead ROYE RACE Moving on to the last old bird national race from France the winner of the race was Jocky Scott of Kennoway who won with his blue tic eyed hen ‘My Gem’ this pigeon has already won 3 times in the Scottish National being 108th section C 322nd open from Maidstone in 2013 flying a distance of 376 miles. She went back the following year to the same race point and improved her position by winning 33rd section C 149th open. Last year she competed from the Eastbourne race (Ypres was cancelled due to the national not being able to go over the channel) and she won 165th open (no section prize) flying 402 miles but then she has come up trumps by winning 1st open Scottish National to win the T Dickson Memorial Trophy (he was past secretary of the SNFC), The Elinor Main Memorial Trophy, and 1st section C Trophy all to Jocky Scott of Kennoway. Roye SNFC Winner Jocky Scott The Owen McIvor Memorial Trophy presented by his family to the 2nd open winner who also wins the 1st section B Trophy this was the father and son partnership of Sinclair Thomson & Son of Port Seton. Their 2 year old chequer hen won 4 times in 4 Scottish nationals this year being 286th open (no section prize) from Buckingham a distance of 286 miles; she then went to the Littlehampton national race and won 18th section B 45th open flying 370 miles. Then entered into the Ypres national race a distance of 428 miles to her home loft she won 15th section B 45th open and to crown off a great season she was then entered into the last old bird national from Roye a distance of 494 miles and she won 1st section B 2nd open to triumphantly be hailed ‘Scotland’s Bird of the Year’ in 2016’ winning the Scottish Homing Union ‘Dewar Trophy’. Other section winners were 1st section A won by Billy Van Nuil of Gretna. 1st section D won by John McNeill of Broxburn; 1st section E won by John Stokes of Carstairs; 1st section F won by Morris Brothers David & Robert of Johnstone and 1st section G won by Alex Fulton and Andy Ritchie of Banff. Good SNFC Birds Our next pigeon to win is a cock who has won 3 times from Ypres and twice from inland nationals. His number is SU12P 4830 and he is down on the national results as a chequer, a chequer pied, a slatey and a mealy cock regardless of his colour he is raced by lady fancier Karen Newcombe of Macmerry in East Lothian. As a yearling the mealy cock won 6th section B 11th open Ypres flying 426 miles the following year he was again sent back to Ypres and won 44th section 70th open. Last year he was 15th section B 20th open from Billericay a distance of 330 miles. Then this year 2016 he won twice being 341st open from Buckingham a distance of 283 miles by winning 34th section B 64th open again from Ypres. I thought this cock had clinched his SNFC Silver Award but obviously Karen did not claim this award a good pigeon and entitled to some publicity. Billy Bilsland of Ayton with blue bar hen NEHU13BOR 1752 named ‘Welltower Margaret’ after Billy’s sister, she was bred in 2013 with her sire a chequer cock who won 7th SNFC Maidstone in 2013 as a yearling. He was bred by Joe Gormley of Lenzie from his Super-Crack bloodlines. The dam of Welltower Margaret is ‘Welltower Isla’ winner of 1st open SNFC Leicester young bird national in 2012 and turning out to be an outstanding breeding hen. ‘Welltower Margaret’ was bred in 2013 and has won 8 SNFC diplomas and the amazing thing is she is only 3 years old. Her triumphant positions are as follows: In 2013 she obtained 16th section B 17th open from Leicester young bird national flying 228 miles. The following year 2014 she gained 13th section B 14th open from Maidstone a distance of 339 miles she continued her successful ways by winning 36th section B 61st open from Ypres a distance of 403 miles. In 2015 she collected 5th section B 5th open from Portsmouth a distance of 348 miles when Billy took the 1st x 6 open positions in the race. ‘Welltower Margaret’ continued on her winning ways by attaining 5th section B 7th open from Eastbourne 366 miles. This year 2016 she succeeded in winning 76th section B 217th open from Buckingham 270 miles then secured 11th section B 28th open from Littlehampton 354 miles. She finished off a triumphant year by winning 13th section B 23rd open from Ypres a distance of 403 miles. She has now triumphed from 7 different SNFC race points and is without doubt a very special pigeon and will win a SNFC Meritorious Inland Bronze Award for winning 5 times from inland national races as Billy did not claim it in 2016 however this wonderful hen could also win a SNFC Silver Award next year if she wins once more from a channel race. We wish ‘Welltower Margaret’ and Billy Bilsland all the best for the 2017 season. Ypres SNFC Winner Billy Bilsland Joe’s Joke Bob, a 70-year-old, extremely wealthy widower, shows up at the Country Club with a breathtakingly beautiful and very sexy 25-year-old blonde-haired woman who knocks everyone's socks off with her youthful sex appeal and charm and who hangs over Bob's arm and listens intently to his every word. His mates at the club are all aghast. At the very first chance, they corner him and ask, 'Bob, how'd you get the trophy girlfriend?' Bob replies, 'Girlfriend? She's my wife!' They are knocked over, but continue to ask.’ So, how'd you persuade her to marry you?' 'I lied about my age', Bob replies... 'What, did you tell her you were only 50?' Bob smiles and says, 'No, I told her I was 95.' 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

The ref was conned

While they get there salary raised every year by a committe of there pals :emoticon-0179-headbang:

They collect information from every survey that's done even your shopping surveys never fill in a survey for a company / exhibition center or from people in the street it all goes back to big brother They should look at there own expenses and claims first but we are entitled to it NOT you is the reply !!!

The birdroom is the place I have had one 20yrs it failed 2yrs ago I opened it printed circuit shorted out sent it back fixed for £10 including carriage Can't get better than that

Will the RSPB ask them where they were bred before culling them!!!

I took heaps of photos and also some teeny clips although I had expected something a bit more spectacular Marlene

The Joe Murphy Column Today, 10th November while sitting in the kitchen my wife Margaret was drying her hair when she said to me ‘Look at next door’s shed a bird has just landed on it’. When I got up and looked out the window there was the sparrow hawk sitting looking for birds in the woman next doors bird table. She feeds them every day and we have lots of sparrows; a robin and black birds going about the place due to her leaving out food. I managed to take a picture of this ‘pest’ while sitting looking for its prey. The funny thing was my birds were in the aviary and never moved as obviously they never saw the hawk. Hawk on next door shed SNFC Trophy Winners Remaining on my highlighting the 2016 Scottish national winners this week I’m going to cover the 2 inland nationals from Buckingham and Littlehampton. Starting with the first of these races flown on Monday 6th of June after a 2 day holdover, the convoy of 4328 birds were liberated at Buckingham at 08-15am into a north east wind. The winner was a yearling chequer pied hen named ‘Lady Indi’ and she put up an outstanding performance to win the race flying into the extreme west of Scotland to the town of Ardrossan in Ayrshire, to the loft of Lindsay Cowan & Mark Findlay. ‘Lady Indi’ won The Five Times A Lady Trophy, 1st national Hen and 1st section F Trophy congratulations to Mark & Lindsay. 1st national Cock and 1st section C Trophy is won by my old friend from Leven Ron Stevenson. 1st section A is won by Jimmy Dalgliesh of Ecclefechan; with 1st section B trophy won by another old friend Jimmy P Jackson of Dunbar. 1st section D is won by Peter Keogh of Broxburn, with Davie Allison of Hamilton winning 1st section E trophy. 1st section G (north section) is won by another dear friend of mine Stuart Maskame of Peterhead congratulations to all the above fanciers. We now come to the Littlehampton inland national race flown on Saturday 18th June with the convoy of 4482 birds released at 07-00am into a light north west wind. This was a tough race however a lady fancier Mrs Ally Mitchell of Castlebrae club showed the rest of us how it should be done by winning the race. Creating history by becoming the first individual lady fancier to win a SNFC race, she timed in her 2 year old blue cock now named ‘Castlebrae Henry’ who wins the Maidstone Trophy for winning the race flying 370 miles, he also wins 1st National Cock and 1st section B Trophy. As a matter of interest Ally also won the SNRPC inland race from Billericay on the same day, congratulations to Mrs Mitchell on her fantastic achievement. The 1st National Hen trophy in the SNFC is won by another lady fanciers namely Karen Newcombe of Macmerry. The 1st section A trophy is won by Craig Halbert of Eastriggs. 1st section C trophy by Dave Baldie of St Andrews; 1st section D trophy won by David Jamieson of East Calder; 1st section E trophy won by Callum Walker of Law; 1st section F trophy won by Robert Reid of Beith and 1st section G trophy won by Eric & Nicky Yule of Kintore our congratulations to all the above winners. Happy to be Home I was speaking to my dear friend Billy Bilsland of Ayton who informed me that he had received word from the SHU reporting his chequer cock the winner of the SHU Dewar Trophy ‘Welltower Roman’ (named after Billy’s grandson) The bird was reported in Germany by Hans Werner of Krummhorn, as you can imagine Billy was over the moon an d wanted Scotland’s 2015 Bird of the Year back home. For fanciers who do not know ‘Welltower Roman’ performances he won 12th open SNFC Alencon racing 520 miles and then won 7th open SNFC Clermont flying 487 miles in the Scottish National Flying Club. We both spoke about how we could get the pigeon back to Scotland and I contacted a friend who said he could help out while Billy had also been speaking to fanciers who were going over to the Kessel show in Germany. To cut a long story short Billy spoke to Carl Gunther of Dumfries who was going to the show and Billy gave him Hans’s details and he in turn contacted Hans and made arrangements to meet up at the Kessel show. Carl brought Billy’s pigeon back home to Scotland and he travelled over to Dumfries to collect him and cannot thank Hans and Carl for all there assistance. As a matter of interest ‘‘Welltower Roman’ was entered in this year’s Gold Cup race from Reims were the convoy were liberated on 24th June 2016. Billy has also informed me that since the cock came home he as fell into a moult with all his outside cover feathers falling and it would seem he is happy to be back home in Ayton. More Good News Received some good news from Jamie Toal of Ireland who writes, ‘Hi Joe sorry I have not been in touch regarding the updates on your pigeons that we purchased. We now have a family reared and tested were we had the option of flying the channel with a strong team we flew them in land and trained hard we hadn't much luck until we hit the channel first race we knew we had a chance we got tenth and an open position with a black white flight hen from your black white flight hen 11AF 926 and your young black cock 12 2553 this hen went on to be second the following week from 260 miles and in the first hundred in open the next week she was 3rd open from 296 miles so was put aside for the Kings Cup race and on last toss from 30 miles was reported dead killed by hawk which was a pity but that is pigeon racing for you. All our team flew up to 296 miles with minimum losses and I'm very pleased that some I have bred for friends are also being clocked. One of them in particular is half Jan Theelen that was clocked 2 years running from France flying 440 miles roughly receiving a Bronze Award plus £200 and 2 x 1st clubs. The little chequer white flight hen SU11 3915 bred me a lovely blue pied cock that won us 1st club from 296 miles in the young bird national being the only bird on the day and was 23rd section 34th open. The father was bred for us from a friend called Sean Hughes who also bought pigeons from your good self this cock was bred of a blue pied of yours, I’m sorry but I have not got the details at hand but Sean insists they are winning out of turn for him with pigeons gaining section prizes most weeks. They are all in some way related to the pigeons both he and I have received from you. I have also bought a couple of pigeons from Gene Gormley as he has to cut down and believe it or not the pigeons we bought were also bred in your loft as Gene had some birds from you as well. Which proves that the birds you gave us are producing the goods thanking you once again yours Jamie Toal’. It is good to hear that other fanciers are doing well with birds from us which gives us confidence in knowing that birds we have parted with are still producing winners. I still have to many cocks which I must cut down but have picked out a very special Deweerdt red cock that had it not been for this Charity Sale would not be leaving my stock loft. I will include a picture of this cock who is going to the Show of the Year sale at Blackpool GB13B 13365 My gift to Blackpool Show Not Good News Noticed in this week’s edition of the Scottish Sunday Mail ‘Probe into Doped Doo’s headline: this states; ‘A team of pigeon racers is under investigation after allegedly feeding their birds cocaine to make them fly faster. The Staffordshire racers’ birds tested positive for the drug’. This is the first I have heard of this maybe the editor can throw some light on the subject?? Good SNFC Birds This week I’m highlighting 2 pigeons who have won the SNFC MERITORIOUS BRONZE AWARD for pigeons who have won 5 times from Inland national races. We start of this week with 2013 SNFC Ypres winner Dave Glen of Forfar whose blue bar cock SU12AF 746 named ‘Lowson Lad’ has 9 wins in the Scottish National to his status. He wins a SNFC Meritorious Bronze Award this year for gaining 5 wins from inland national races as an old bird. As a yearling in 2013 he won 4th section C 25th open from Maidstone a distance of 401 miles that same year he competed from Ypres and won 114th open flying 465 miles although he did not win a section prize. In 2014 he again contested from the same 2 race points and won 5th section C 26th open from Maidstone and then gained 3rd section C 15th open from Ypres. The following year 2015 he won 17th section C 83rd open from Portsmouth a distance of 407 miles he was then entered into the Eastbourne race which is 20 miles further and he obtained 14th section C 47th open. In 2016 he won 3 national diplomas being 27th section C 137th open Buckingham flying 330 miles thus accomplishing winning his SNFC Meritorious Bronze Award. Nevertheless Dave then entered him into the Littlehampton race and he responded by successfully gaining 22nd section C 56th open flying 415 miles he was then set up for the channel event from Ypres and triumphed by winning 6th section C 15th open. He now requires ONE more win from the channel to achieve a SNFC Silver Award thus achieving a Double Award in the national. You must agree a truly outstanding pigeon raced by a very accomplished fancier whom we congratulate on ‘Lowson Lad’s’ success well done Dave. Dave Glen Pat Doherty of Linwood in Renfrewshire has a chequer pied cock SU12R 1382 named ‘Con-Ker’ after his grandchildren this cock also won 5 times from inland races and now wins his SNFC Meritorious Bronze Award As a 2 year old he won 3rd section F from Maidstone flying 382 miles the following year he won 3 times from the national being 6th section F from Billericay a distance of 356 miles. Then he was entered into the Portsmouth race point a distance of 374 miles and won 2nd section F he was then sent to the Eastbourne race a distance of 404 miles and he was again in the prizes to win 16th section F. This year he won 20th section F from Buckingham a distance of 301 miles and was sent back to the Littlehampton race unfortunately he did not win another national diploma. However this pigeon has done exceptionally well as it is not an easy route flying into the far west of Scotland so well done to Pat. Major Reduction Sale Received the above news of the Padfield Family sale due to ill health with the majority of their stock team to be sold, plus some 2016 stock, this is a lifetime’s work available to long distance enthusiasts. This sale will take place on Comparethepigeon.com commencing on the 24th of November and an advert will appear soon so watch out for it. I’m sorry to hear this sad news as the lads have proven they are without doubt top quality pigeon fanciers who are not afraid to compete against the very best. I hope the sale goes well for them. Joe’s Joke As an airplane is about to crash, a female passenger jumps up frantically and announces, "If I'm going to die, I want to die feeling like a woman." She removes all her clothing and asks, "Is there someone on this plane who is man enough to make me feel like a woman?" A Scotsman stands up, removes his shirt and says, "Here, iron this!†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

I didn't catch the Supermoon in the evening because of cloud cover but I got it early morning Marlene