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Wee bit of info here Davie

STORIES OF THE CHAMPIONS

 

Part 7

 

by Keith Mott

 

I've had the great pleasure of writing in the pigeon fancy press for almost 45 years and in that time I have visited most of the premier lofts in the United Kingdom. I think it's fair to say that I have handled and inspected more National, Classic and Combine winners than most fanciers. Cameron Stansfield of the Elimar website recently asked me for my top ten pigeons that I have come across in my 45 years visiting premier lofts in the UK and on the Continent. A very hard request to fulfil! I went through thousands of pigeon photographs in my archive files and came up with nearly 80 ‘once in a life time’ champion pigeons. There is probably more in there, but as always, Keith has done his best! This request inspired me to write about some of these great pigeon, so in the coming weeks we are going to feature my ‘Stories of the Champions’, which will feature pictures and the short stories of the history behind the best of the champion pigeons that I have come in contact with in my time in the sport. Over the coming weeks we are featuring the very best of long distance and sprint and one article on world class breeders. I have lined them up in no particular order or preference, as I do not want to offend anybody and I hope my readers enjoy my choices! Here's Part 7.

 

CH. ‘TRAILL’S SPARK’ John Traill of Thornton

 

 

 

 

 

When John Traill passed away in June 2001, the sport of long distance pigeon racing in Scotland lost one of its greatest champions. I met ‘jock’ in the mid 1990s, when I visited his Fife loft while on a ‘Many Miles with Mott’ video tour with Albert Taylor and we found him to be a real gentleman pigeon fancier. He loved long distance pigeon racing, with the highlights of his 55 years in the sport being twice 1st open Scottish National Flying Club.

 

 

 

John Traill had many premier positions in the SNFC through the years, with his best being: 1995: 20th open SNFC Niort, 80th open SNFC Rennes, 1996: 1st, 8th open SNFC Niort (690 miles), 1997: 11th open SNFC Rennes, 1st, 30th open SNFC Nantes (620 miles) and he also won 2nd open SNFC Nantes (620 miles) and 1st open Fife Federation Dorchester (400 miles). He won numerous positions in the first thirty open in the Scottish National Flying Club. His National winners were: Champion ’Traill’s Spark’, dark chequer cock, winner of 1996: 1st open SNFC Niort, 690 miles, being liberated at 06.00hrs and clocked 10.20hrs next day, 1995: 27th open SNFC Niort, 1992: 1st open Fife Federation Dorchester (400 miles). Champion ’Nancy’, the frill blue chequer hen named after John’s wife, Nancy. She won in 1997: 1st open SNFC Nantes (620 miles) and in 1996: 8th open SNFC Niort (690 miles).

 

 

 

On my visit John told me, he could trace his National winning family back to some of those original pigeons he had in 1951. The main stock pair was a blue chequer hen bred down from the old Traill family and before being put to stock, she was a useful racer, winning many major prizes including 2nd open Federation. John told me she was the dam of the loft! Her mate was a handsome blue chequer pied, being produced from a gift egg from Keith Cochrane, and he was bred down from the Eddie Newcombe bloodlines. This wonderful stock pair bred the Niort National winner, Champion ‘Traill’s Spark’. When John introduced new stock he preferred to bring in a good hen, bred close to good 600 mile winners and out of a consistent loft. He didn’t have many crosses over the years, but some successful ones were from Dennis Dall, Bobby Carruthers, Keith Cochrane and J. & J. Keir. John’s work was a driver on the railway and told me, he had great support from his wife, Nancy with his pigeons and his family as a whole were very interested in his hobby. He was president of the Thornton Club and Fife Federation for 23 years. A well respected fancier!

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I think she contained a bit of Spittal & Hutton, Leslie bloodlines. Spittal & Hutton used to exchange birds with John Ellis, Wellbank.

 

My pigeon rosary beads the last 2 years has bred a frill pigeon each season with 2 different cocks so I was trying to find out where the frill was coming from

Was thinking it was coming from the cholet hen of j/j keirs she was of g/son off trails spark x g/daughter of my little lady

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My pigeon rosary beads the last 2 years has bred a frill pigeon each season with 2 different cocks so I was trying to find out where the frill was coming from

Was thinking it was coming from the cholet hen of j/j keirs she was of g/son off trails spark x g/daughter of my little lady

I was in Jock Traill's loft mid 90's, other than Nancy, I can't remember seeing any other birds with a frill.

 

My Little Lady had John Ellis blood in her through birds from Spittal & Hutton.

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