Ian McKay

Mornin all :drinking-coffee-200:

PM sent :emoticon-0136-giggle: :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Mornin all :drinking-coffee-200:

The Joe Murphy Column I have been informed that John Lambie ex pigeon fancier and also ex Partick Thistle football manager is ill and in St John’s hospital in Livingstone (ward 25) at the moment. The information is that John is seriously ill and I know that his many friends are thinking about him at the present time and he is in our thoughts and prayers. I have included a photo of John presenting Jock Alston with the Dewar Trophy for bird of the year at the SHU show. John Lambie presents the Dewar Whisky Trophy to Jock Alston SNFC Young Bird National Received an email from John Baillie of Tranent who wrote; ‘Hi Joe I’m sitting sunbathing in the Algarve while writing this about the SNFC young bird national race from Buckingham: I personally thought that we would have received information to basket early on the Thursday for a Friday race as the majority of us had probably no idea when the next opportunity would be for a race. I thought on Wednesday it would have been the following Tuesday. On the Sunday night I was speaking with 5 different fanciers from down south and locally and they said if we liberate on the Monday I would be very lucky to get 5 of my 15 bird’s home on the day, due to time in the basket plus the possibility of the heavy showers and the North West wind. (And I know that my birds can find the drinkers no problem as I teach them to do it for 4 days when basket training them) As it was I only had 2 home on the night and another 6 when we reopened the clocks on Tuesday with a further one early Wednesday morning. The birds that arrived on the result and early next morning were only tired, very little weight loss considering the time in the baskets. The 2 that came later Tuesday afternoon were very fresh, I would say they had been put down very early on and came up with the south west wind on the Tuesday. I personally believe it was an old fashioned young bird national that we got years ago. The young bird nationals recently have been blow homes with near 100% returns and many fanciers now believe that this is the norm. I don't think that there was anything wrong with the transporter. At Musselburgh I know there were only 22 in a basket and with youngsters they look half empty. Is it that some youngsters are not trained to look after themselves in the baskets for more than one night? I know this has been a bit of a controversial season and I’m glad it's all over; from sunny Algarve yours John B’. Following on from John above I received a phone call from a very good distance fancier from England who informed me that about two 3rds of the SNFC convoy did not leave the race point. Groups of youngsters were seen on buildings throughout the area and even now (weeks after the liberation) he informed me there are still about 120 young birds roosting on the old airfield in Buckingham. A pigeon lad is going round every day to feed them and slowly the numbers are diminishing and hopefully these youngsters are making their way back home. No wonder fanciers are glad to see the back of the 2017 season, but there are issues that need to be addressed and the Annual general meeting is the place to have your say. Pentlandhill Federation Trophy Winners 2017 From the SNFC race from Bedhampton old birds the winner is J S Smith of Bonnyrigg who won 18th open. From the SNFC race from Buckingham young bird race the winner is A W Robertson of Danderhall winning 3rd open; he also wins the best average Bedhampton and Buckingham young birds being 39th & 3rd open. The best average 3 longest young bird races won by D & J Allen of Woodburn with a velocity of 1150. 1st SNFC Ypres winning 12th open and the best average 4 longest old bird races won by Willie Pryde & son John of Easthouses with a velocity of 1410. 1st SNFC Buckingham old birds won by A Mitchell of Castlebrae on 108th open. 1st SNFC Alencon winning 47th open; 1st SNFC Falaise winning 23rd open; Best Average Bedhampton (29th open) & Alencon (47th open); Best Average Alencon & Falaise (23rd open) all won by Willie Kinnear & son Barry of Danderhall. 1st SNFC Ancenis winning 5th open is (past double Nantes winner) Jim Sanderson of Easthouses. (I have heard on the grapevine that Jim has had enough of the bad races with the SNFC that he has joined the other national and may fly with them in 2018) When a die in the wool Scottish national fancier of Jim’s calibre is disgusted with what is going on in the club then WE DO HAVE PROBLEMS) and I have been trying to tell the officials this for months but they do not seem to get the message. Well if others are like Jim (and there are a few who joined for the young bird national) who will wait and see what transpires at the annual general meeting. They will have to pay their fees for 2018 but will race their pigeons with the other national. New Lothian Racing Pigeon Club trophy winners are as follows; Old bird average winner Willie Pryde & son John of Easthouses they also win the Points competition with the old bird on 24 points. Runner up to the old bird average and winners of the combined average are Willie Kinnear & son Barry of Danderhall. The young bird average winners are Helen Aitken & sons of Danderhall on a velocity of 1201.7 with the runners up being D & J Allen of Woodburn with a velocity of 1200.3 and the Allen partnership ware also runners up for the Combine average. The Breeder Buyer prize winners each winning £150.00 are as follows; Ripon breeder and buyer McCormack & Fraser with a velocity of 1488 Wakefield winners on 1218 are breeder and buyer Helen Aitken & sons; Newark breeder J Bird buyer Brown & Black with a velocity of 1105; Buckingham breeder and buyer Willie Kinnear & son Barry on velocity of 624. My thanks to Bobby Graham the federation secretary and Andy Miller the press officer for their supplying the results and news each week Christmas Race Derek Hay has informed me that the West of Scotland have taken a leaf out of the Pentlandhills federation and are going to hold an East to West Dunbar Christmas Cracker race this will be flown on Saturday 16th December 2017. This will be open to all fanciers 45 or more measured miles in a westerly direction from Dunbar Birdage set at £5 per pigeon with a 5 bird limit: it is also an Any age race: Pools - £1,£2,£3,£4,£5, Nom £5 (single bird) and Bonanza £1(no limit). The thank both Pigeon Basics and Tommy McDonagh, who have supported the race with £50 being put up for 1st open as well as providing a trophy for the winner by PB. A further £100 has been donated by Tommy to be split between the first three fanciers with young birds on the result (£50, £30, £20). All three will also receive a bag of feeding . All entry money will be paid out as prize money, less expenses. All expenses incurred will be itemised and publicised before the race. All fanciers wishing to compete must pay birdage in cash by Wednesday the 1st of November, as well as providing their loft number and preferred timing method. This can be arranged through- Derek Hay – 07776444766: Vic Couper – 01324 815440: Tommy McDonagh – 07522273103: Lewis McCalley – 07842839384 and Wullie Strang (the Glasgow one) - 07494014915 Total prize money and the allocation of will be announced after all entrants have paid. Pools sheets will be available nearer the event through the contacts above. Pools to be paid in cash on night of basketting and marking will take place the evening before the race; starting at 6pm, in Bonnybridge Homing Society, Dunure Crescent Bonnybridge, FK4 1EG. December 16th is the chosen date, although conditions and weather forecasts nearer the time will be considered. Saturday the 9th, Sunday the 10th and Sunday the 17th will remain open as options. All winning pigeons will be verified. (May I wish them every success with this new venture Joe M) Good SNFC Birds Andrew Agnew & Son from Kelso good hen ‘Border Belle’ SU13 363 she is Cooremans bred pigeon and has won the following performances. In 2014 she won 8th section B 8th open from Maidstone and then won 46th section B 76th open from Ypres. In 2015 she won 11th section B 12th open Billericay and was then sent to the Clermont race and she won 122nd open (no section prize) the following year 2016 she again had the 2 national races the first from Littlehampton where she won 7th section B 15th open and was then entered into the Ypres race were she won 4th section B 4th open. This year she was sent to the inland national from Buckingham and won 310th open and was then sent to the Ypres national and won 5th section B 9th open from Ypres. As you can see from the above she has been 5 times in the top 15 open positions in the Scottish national flying club. She has now secured her SNFC Silver Award and will be retired and be paired to the partners SNFC Bedhampton winner ‘Monty’ so hopefully they breed some quality birds like ‘Border Belle’ and keep the name of Andrew Agnew & Son to the fore in national racing. My thanks to Jim Hannah of Blantyre for sending me a photograph of ‘Border Belle’ to go with this short write up. Border Belle Another pigeon who won has won her SNFC Silver Award this year is a mealy hen flown by Dave Baldie of St Andrews in Fife she previously won 14th section C 46th open from Roye in 2016. This year she won 4th section C 34th open in the hard Alencon Gold Cup and was entered back into another hard race from Falaise where she won 14th section C 46th open to wins her hard earned award. If anyone has a pigeon that has put up good performances during the racing season and wish to give their bird some credit then drop me an email or note giving me the details and I will add it to this feature. If you have a photograph of your bird all the better however if you wish this back then please put in an s.a.e. for its return. Joe’s Joke A lady comes home from her doctor's appointment grinning from ear to ear. Her husband asks, "Why are you so happy?" The wife says, "The doctor told me that for a forty-five year old woman, I have the breasts of an eighteen year old." "Oh yeah?" quipped her husband, "What did he say about your forty-five year old ass?" She said, "Your name never came up in the conversation." 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 Pigeon Racing the Basics who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland. © Compiled by Joe Murphy

Not as late as me but been busy :emoticon-0136-giggle: Oh good morning folks :drinking-coffee-200:

Guaranteed Walter :emoticon-0127-lipssealed: :emoticon-0127-lipssealed:

Mornin all :drinking-coffee-200:

There you go Archie start him up with a part time job he can make loft visits and earn a buck or two :drinking-coffee-200:

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

Aye if you were a doo you would be Barcelona bound full pooled :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Mornin all have a nice one :drinking-coffee-200:

So you had a good night TOMMY :emoticon-0179-headbang: :emoticon-0179-headbang:

Afternoon folks been out working just in hope you have a nice day :drinking-coffee-200: :drinking-coffee-200:

The Joe Murphy Column News from Andy Miller with the Pentland Hills Federation open result from Buckingham flown in conjunction with the Scottish National: with the federation winner ‘Super Ally’ Robertson from Gilmerton who flies in Danderhall club. Ally he timed his blue hen now known as ‘Teenie’ to win 1st section B 3rd open SNFC flying 284 miles with a velocity of 1057 ypm. She was flown on the darkness system and separated she is a previous winner of 10th federation Wakefield and a pools and prize winner of nearly £1800 this season, being in the money most weeks: although he forgot to nominate her in the Eddie Newcombe Memorial race. Ally wins £433.00 with Teenie doing a velocity of 1057. Second & 9th are D & J Allen of Woodburn winning £292. Helen Aitken & Sons of Danderhall are 3rd winning £50. Willie Kinnear & Son of Danderhall are 4th & 5th winning £79. Mr & Mrs Keenan of Sighthill are 6th winning £198. With F Robertson of Danderhall club next winning £476. 8th spot is won by J Watson & Daughter of Newtown-grange who won £76. With T Nolan & son of Danderhall making up the top 10 winning £14; I have added a photograph of ‘Teenie’ sent in by Jim Hannah of Blantyre many thanks Jim. Teenie AW Robertson Good SNFC Birds I start this feature by reminding fanciers of these outstanding birds that they MUST apply to the secretary of the SNFC claiming for their awards; Bronze; Silver or Gold. Otherwise they will miss out and their pigeon excellent performances will not be recorded in the annuals of the clubs history. My first participant is Derek Hay of Kirkintilloch whose good blue hen ‘Little Owl’ was timed at 23-00 hours (in the dark) from 06-15 liberation from the Ancenis race. Derek and his wife were just going to bed when Linda on shutting the curtains said ‘There’s an owl landed on your loft’. Derek ran down the stairs and out into the back garden and low and behold it was his little blue hen from Ancenis recording a velocity of 605 ypm for the 605 miles flown and she won 2nd west section 11th open. This win achieves her SNFC Silver Award for winning 3 times from this longest race point. In 2014 she won 10th west section 46th open then in 2015 she won 5th west section 23rd open. In 2016 she missed winning silver award by an hour from Ancenis but now has completed the task in 2017 so well done to Derek and his wife Linda on this wonderful achievement. Their son is away on a course in Birmingham this week and was booked into a hotel and when he arrived he could not believe the name and sent his mum and dad a picture as it is named after their winning blue hen ‘The Little Owl’ what a coincidence. While on about Derek he has had an excellent season in both the Glasgow Federation and SNFC winning the following positions: In the SNFC he won from Buckingham - 8th section E 8th West Region 19th open and 105th section E. From Bedhampton he won 58th section E 457th open; Alencon disaster - timed ONE yard off the result with a velocity of 399 (national races close at 400 ypm) From Ancenis he won 2nd section E 2nd West Region 11th Open: and from Falaise he won 4th section E 5th West Region 28th Open. In the Buckingham young bird National he won 1st , 2nd , 3rd , 4th , 6th , 7th , 8th section F ( only 8 birds recorded in this section in race time) He also won 1st , 6th ,7th ,9th ,13th , 18th ,19th West Region, 65th , 152nd , 155th open SNFC. From the Peterborough race with the SNRPC young bird national he won 1st , 2nd , 4th section F, 2nd , 5th 11th West Region, 90th , 137th and 171st open. In his club he won 12 x 1st , 10 x 2nd , 11 x 3rd , 11 x 4th, and in his federation he was over 40 times in top 10 in his section, including having the 1st x 5 federation birds in last young bird race. One of Derek’s top youngsters this year is known as The Watchman see photograph. This cock claims the board inside the entrance trap within the loft and will not let birds in if he is in the loft hence Derek has named him ‘The Watchman’. This young cock has won the following positions 2nd club 3rd section 11th federation 1st Gold Ring from Alnwick 102 miles (beaten by loft mate): 1st club, 1st section 1st federation (by 20 ypm) from Seaham a distance of 133 miles; 3rd club 3rd section 3rd federation probably 3rd Combine (beaten by 2 loft mates who dropped with him and they won the federation by 40 ypm) from Wetherby 177 miles; 1st federation 1st section F 2nd West Region 90th open SNRPC Peterborough flying 280 miles (in a head wind): 4th section F 9th West Region SNFC Buckingham 300 miles again into a head wind. ‘The Watchman’ is a bad trapper and as you will see from above he has been beaten twice for 1st place by a loft mate. Derek Hay's Little Owl Derek Hay with the Watchman The Watchman patrolling his area Hotel Continuing with the Good Birds theme we come to George Veitch of Pencaitland has also won a SNFC Silver Award with his chequer cock known a ‘RA’ named after the Egyptian Sun God (see photograph) this 7 year old was on the probable result from Portsmouth in 2015. He scored from Maidstone winning 82nd section B 210th open and he was then sent to Ancenis and won 6th section B 27th open flying 594 miles. The following year 2016 he again scored from Ancenis winning 9th section B and 49th open and now wins 2nd section B 6th open to win his SNFC Silver Award. When you also take into consideration that this chequer cock bred ‘Karamojo’ winner of 1st open SNFC Reims Blue Riband Gold Cup race in 2016 it is little wonder that George has retired him to the stock loft. George Veitch 'RA' raced by George Veitch I come to Colin Crees of Ladykirk in the Scottish Borders who timed in a mealy cock which an exceptional pigeon known as ‘The Florizoone’ as he has won 6 times in the top 70 in 6 national races. In 2014 he won 25th section B 68th open Alencon flying 512 miles that same year he also won 13th section B 61st open from Clermont flying 480 miles. Then in 2016 he competed in the Gold Cup race from Reims a distance of 520 miles and won 21st section B 70th open he was then doubled back into the Roye race and won 10th section B 15th open flying 464 miles and now he has come up to win 1st section B 2nd open Gold Cup race from Alencon flying 512 miles winning his SNFC Gold Award for 5 times a winner from France. However this brave man sent the mealy cock back to the Falaise race which turned out to be another very hard race and he was timed on the 2nd day to win 3rd section B 58th open flying 482 miles, a truly good honest pigeon. Do not think the above winner is a flash in the pan because Colin won a SNFC Gold Award last year with a chequer cock ‘The Banker’ who won 6 times in the top 63 open positions within 5 nationals. Before going on about this bird you will notice the distance is different from the above winner and I’m assuming that this is because Colin is now measured by the GPS system. In 2014 the chequer cock won 4th section B 10th open from Alencon a distance of 511 miles that same year he competed from Clermont and attained 3rd section B 25th open flying 480 miles. In 2015 he accomplished 1st section B 3rd open from Alencon and in 2016 he succeeded twice being 10th section B 35th open Reims Gold Cup flying 520 miles then into the last old bird race from Roye to triumph being 24th section B 63rd open flying 464 miles to gain the Gold Award. HOWEVER he was sent to this 2017 Alencon race and he was also timed on the day of the race to win 3rd section B 3rd east region (only 3 birds on the day) and won 11th open. What a fantastic pair of cocks and when you see from the pigeon press that Colin’s brother Davie won 1st & 2nd open SNRPC Reims last week. My congratulations to the brothers on making history within the pigeon sport in Scotland. Joe’s Joke The mother of a 17-year-old girl was concerned that her daughter was having sex. Worried the girl might become pregnant and adversely impact the family's status, she consulted the family doctor. The doctor told her that teenagers today were very wilful and any attempt to stop the girl would probably result in rebellion. He then told her to arrange for her daughter to be put on birth control and until then, talk to her and give her a box of condoms. Later that evening, as her daughter was preparing for a date, the mother told her about the situation and handed her a box of condoms. The girl burst out laughing and reached over to hug her mother, saying, 'Oh mum! You don't have to worry about that! I'm dating Susan!' 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 Pigeon Racing the Basics who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland. © Compiled by Joe Murphy

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

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

Happy Birthday hope you have a nice day and enjoy after your close call Enjoy life Gary :drinking-coffee-200: :drinking-coffee-200:

PM sent

Well done Mark your doing well for the short time you have done this :drinking-coffee-200:

Not completely unanswerable as in other forums and the BHW. 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

Checked this bird this morning and as thought it cannot fly it has grown a new tail which is three quarters up so I presume it has been attacked and had a lucky escape but future looks bleak :emoticon-0127-lipssealed:

Happy Birthday Andy now you are officially an OAP it only gets harder to do everything but Hey Ho have a nice day :drinking-coffee-200: :drinking-coffee-200:

Thanks just found it :emoticon-0136-giggle:

OK Thanks

Handed in today