Joe Murphy Article 11th March 2023

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I have my little stock team down on eggs with the exception of an old 2008 hen who doesn’t lay and
2 late bred hens from last year who have also not laid; however, all 3 are sitting on pot eggs. I will
slip a youngster under them at the appropriate time. So far everything has gone well and the birds are
looking well. I received a phone call from the lad who purchased my bird at the online Show of the
Year auction. He explained to me that one of his friends had told him after reading my column that I
was not happy because the bird was not paid for. He explained he had sent the money to the wrong
address, (think the Reedings) and this had been rectified. I explained that I had paired the hen up and
she would be laying very soon, and if he wished once the babies were ready to move. He could come
and collect the hen and he can have to 2 babies away with him to race. He thanked me for this offer
and appreciated the gift of the 2 youngsters and looked forward to coming to Thornton to collect the
babies and to also see the stock birds.

Photographer

Last year at this time I had a request from a photographer named David McIntosh of Dunfermline;
who wished to visit me and take some photos of my pigeons. David had taken pictures of feral
pigeons in the park etc, but wished to have a better insight into racing pigeons. He visited when the
birds were sitting eggs and some had hatched, and he was quite amazed at the contentment of the
birds and how others guarded their youngsters in the nest. He enjoyed it so much that he came back
later on when the babies had left the nest and were just starting to fly up to a perch. Needless to say, a
friendship grew between us and he visited us last Sunday for a couple of hours. David has asked if I
would do a questioner for him and he also wished to have a photograph of me holding a bird while
the other birds were going about in the loft, which he has forwarded onto me, which I have added to
my column. I think it is a good picture and David has done a wonderful job catching the other birds in
the background.

Good to see John Hardwood Back

It was good to see John’s article back in the BHW last week; however John said ‘I did not get it quite
right’ when I wrote about him in my column. To be honest I didn’t want to comment on John’s health
issues; as I felt this was a personal matter for him and his family. Nonetheless; it is good to see his
column in the BHW.

Dewar Trophy Winners & Runners Up

I have been working on my file regarding my book on the SHU Dewar Trophy Winners from its first
introduction in 1973 up to this 50 th year. I’m hoping to cover ALL these winners and runners up;
however, I have hit a snag as I require some more details on these wonderful winning pigeons, and
unfortunately some of these fanciers are no longer with us. I thought more about this after receiving
some Old Gazette’s from Brian Peat at the Forfar presentation (see below). I’m hoping some other
fanciers have memories or old stories on these winning fanciers and pigeons. I’m also struggling to
find information on the following fanciers, if so, can you please contact me either by phone or email.
The pigeons I require information on are as follows; 1983 winner Sandy Bain of Wick (I have no
details) 1985- W Gibson of Auchinleck (I have no details); 1994 – J Telfer of Allenton who was
Runner Up (I have no details); 1997- A H Maxwell of Dumfries who was the Runner Up (again no
details); 1998- J Ferguson of Eastriggs (no details); 2002- S Kelly of Glasgow (no details); however
I’m led to believe he raced his pigeons in Lanarkshire federation and topped the federation 3 weeks
on the trot with a North West Federation bird that came into him as a stray. I have some details on the

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2007- Mr & Mrs Mark Goldie of Eastriggs (However I require more details on their pigeon). I hope
fanciers can help me out on the above; Nevertheless, the more information I obtained on any of the
Dewar Trophy winners, the more interesting this story will be. You will get my phone number and
email address at the bottom of my column. This year is the 50 th anniversary of this wonderful award
and I would love to compile this book on the winners and their wonderful pigeons. I would like to
thank all the fanciers who have so far; supplied me with details so far; this has been great as many of
these people knew or were personal friends of the winners of this Prestige Award.
Angus Federation Of Racing Pigeon Societies Trophy Winners For 2022

Pete Penman of Thornton accompanied me to the above presentation, as it was mostly going to be a
male evening. There were fanciers from the above federation and Dundee federation and there was
also the Tayside Combine trophies to be presented. Starting with the Angus federation Davie Glen
won the Fancier Of The Year Trophy with a staggering 290 Points; he also won the young bird
average and had the 1 st bird from Harrogate young birds. Kenny Droog & son won the following; Old
Bird Average; Combined Average; 3 Longest Race Average & 1 st Billericay. Charlie & Glen
Cameron won 1 st federation SNFC Alencon thus winning the Kevin J Murphy Memorial Trophy
(this photograph did not turn out, and cannot be used); they also won 1 st Huntingdon and the 2-bird
average from Huntingdon; D & D Hay won the Ian Gray Memorial trophy for the Lowest winning
velocity.
Forfar Racing Pigeon Club; Trophy Winners 2022 are as follows; Top prize winner was Kenny
Droog & son who won the following trophies. Old Bird Average; Combined Average; 3 Longest
Inland Race Average; Best Average 3 Longest Old Bird And Young Bird Races; Best Average
Billericay OB & Harrogate YB; Old Bird Points; Young Bird Points (Share); Combined Points; 1 st
Wakefield; 1 st Newark (2); 1 st Billericay; 1 st Darlington Yb; Young Bird Of The Year; 1 st Yearling
Newark (2); 2 Bird Average; 2 Bird Combined Average.
D Glen won the following trophies; Young Bird Average; Best Average 1 st 6 Ob Races; Best Average
1 st 5 Old Bird And Young Bird Races; Young Bird Points (Shared); 1 st Newark (2); 1 st Huntingdon; 1 st
Harrogate Yb; Old Bird Of The Year; 2 Bird Yb Average
Ian Scott won the Highest Winning Velocity trophy.
To date; 2 weeks after this presentation I have not received the list of Dundee Federation or Tayside
Combine winners to go with a report and photos.
Joe’s Joke

GIRL'S NIGHT OUT
The other night I was invited for a night out with the girls.  I promised my husband that I would be
home by midnight.  Well, the hours passed way too quickly and the margaritas went down way too
easy.  It was around 3:00 a.m., when just a bit tipsy, I finally headed for home. Just as I walked in the
door, the cuckoo clock in the hall cuckooed three times. Quickly realizing my husband would
probably wake up, I cuckooed another nine times.  I was really proud of myself for coming up with
such a quick-witted solution in order to avoid a possible conflict with him.  Because I, even when
totally smashed, know that three cuckoos plus nine cuckoos total twelve cuckoos - midnight. 
The next morning, my husband asked me what time I got in and I told him midnight. He didn't seem
concerned at all.  Whew!  Got away with that one! Then he said, "we need a new cuckoo clock”.
Then I asked him why, he said, ‘Well last night our clocked cuckooed three times, then said, ‘Oh No’

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cuckooed four more times, cleared its throat, cuckooed another three times, giggled, cuckooed twice
more, hiccupped, and then fell over the coffee table and passed wind.

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
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