Joe Murphy Article 4th January 2024

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As we start off a New Year, may I wish ALL readers of my column, all the very best in Health & Happiness
for 2024. These are the most important items within each and every one of our lives. I always look forward
to the New Year as one never knows what is in front of us; however, there is nothing we can do about it;
except take each day as it comes. It is the same with our racing pigeons; how many winners are in our loft at
this time of the year, Only God Knows; and by this time next year you may have a champion in your loft. (I
HOPE YOU DO)
Away back in 1966 it was the same story for a partnership competing in the Scottish National Flying Club;
successful races come and go, however only one pigeon leads the way to bring honour and glory to its
owners, by winning the Blue Riband race of pigeon racing sport in Scotland; thus, gaining the GOLD CUP.
However, like lightning one never knows where this honour is going to strike next. The 1953 winner
Montgomery Brothers, in their speech at the presentation of the club’s trophies, related that prior to their
winning, in discussing their chances of winning the National, his brother expressed the opinion that; ‘They
had as much chance of winning the national as being struck by Lightning’.
Lightning, however does strike in likely place and in the year 1966 the honour of winning the Rennes race
and the Gold Cup was won by M Nash & sons of Croy. By their performances in races from 60 to 60 miles
that are well known far beyond the boundaries of Club, Federation and Combine of which they are
members, and their winning the Scottish National and all that goes with it came as no surprise. The present
partners are the third generation of the Nash Family who have raced pigeons in this district. Inscribed on the
old bird average cup of the Kilsyth Club is the fact that it was won by James Nash in the years 1906 & 1907.
About five years ago Matt Nash (son of James) and his two sons moved to the Condorrat end of Croy and
while retaining their membership of the Kilsyth Club they joined the Condorrat Club. They were not long in
making their presence felt thereby increasing, if that is possible, the keenness of the competition in this old
established club. During my conversations with Jim Nash, I questioned him about his prospects in the
national from Rennes. I was impressed with his quiet confidence of doing well, which is not surprising when
we take into consideration how his team of pigeon had been performing, they certainly looked the part. I am
well aware that bloom and past form are fickle jades, but I also knew that Jim and John Nash were
exceptionally keen and observant fanciers. Nothing was too much trouble to them as far as their pigeons
were concerned, nothing was left to chance. Jim spends two evenings a week as physical instructor and sees
to it that his pigeons are put through the same rigorous performance of up at day break and down the road
for exercise before the majority of us are out of bed. On this occasion my parting words to Jim were that, ‘I
would look forward to coming out to Croy to see the Rennes National winner n 1966’.
When the great day arrived, it brought the news that the pigeons had been held over. The information on
Saturday 25 th of June 1966, was that the 5,730 pigeons entered from 3,030 lofts had been liberated at 06-15
hours in a west wind; later in the day reports from several cricket matches suggested that a belt of rain was
passing over the midlands of England and we were left wondering if it would spoil the race. So, we waited
wondering where the lightning and the honour and glory would strike this time. Those of us in Mid-Scotland
normally hear the rumbling of the thunder away in the south in the form of birds having been timed and
wondered if the lightning has also struck in that area. This then was the situation on the evening of Saturday
25 th June. About eight o’ clock news filtered through that a pigeon had been timed in Annan, 480 miles, a
few minutes after seven o’clock, and another about a quarter to eight. Out came the pencils and paper and
from rough calculations t appeared that pigeons flying around the 540-mile mark would be required to be
timed on or before 20-45 hours.
Now let us go over to the loft of Matt Nash and sons at Croy. Experienced are well aware of the tension
which builds up as the time approaches when they feel winning pigeons might be expected to arrive. There

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is always hope while you know of no birds being timed, but when you know birds have been timed and the
ticking clock seems to gather speed with every passing minute. Jim and John together with a few friends
had, of course, been busy with calculation and reckoned the absolute deal line would be 21-10 hours. Jim
looked at his watch; it was now 21-00 hours, the fatal minutes had arrived, every second counted now; five
agonising minutes passe-six-seven. Jim turning to a friend rose saying, ‘Watch that blue hen drops out of the
sky now to win’. He was about to open the door to enter the house when John shouted, ‘Here is the blue
hen’.
The timing was all over in a matter of a few seconds, it is easy to imagine the excitement and relief at having
timed a pigeon. There were more hurried calculations; had the blue hen done the trick? The phone was kept
busy as there was always the nagging thought that somewhere in Scotland another pigeon had done better
still. Having got a pigeon, thoughts turned to the other good pigeons still to come and a watch was kept until
night closed in on the scene. The final count of birds on the day was 11 in the south, 10 in the west and 3 in
the east. The Nash pigeon was not only the winner but had flown further than any other pigeon on the day,
further I cannot recall, that the first three pigeons consisted of one from each of the three sections.
When I had the information confirmed that M Nash & Sons were the winners, I phoned to arrange a
convenient time to call and photograph the winner. Jim’s first words to me were, ‘Well you have had your
parting wish granted’. The winner ‘Daphnie’s Delight’ SURP63 48652 is as lovely a blue hen as anyone
could wish for. There she was tight of feather in lovely condition, sent sitting eight days on eggs and
growing her first primary flights. You will know how keen she was when I tell you that she had taken to her
eggs on return, which to me is an indication of the skill of management displayed by her owners. She is the
kind of pigeon we all desire to possess, showing her quality right from the start. As a young bird she won 1 st
club 3 rd federation Lancaster 140 miles. Then as a yearling she won 1 st club Dumfries 62 miles; 2 nd Penrith
103 miles; and 3 rd club Whitchurch, then 4 th club Bournemouth 372 miles. In 1965 as a 2-year-old she won
1 st club 6 th open and 8 th Scottish Midland Federation velocity 1207; winning £38-12 shillings. She was sent to
Avranches and was timed but not placed. This year she got four races before going to Rennes and her great
triumph, winning 1 st Scottish National Rennes from the cream of Scottish pigeons, velocity 1086 over the
551 miles 300 yards. Trophies won include; ‘The King George V Cup; the club Gold Cup, the H A French
‘Jubilee’ Challenge Trophy, the Mrs H A French ‘Challenge Rose Bowl (two nominated birds) these being
‘Daphnie’s Delight’ and ‘Baron Barbeg’. The BHW Trophy, West Section Cup and Co-operative Special.
She was bred by John Reid of Stenhousemuir; for me to reiterate here the successes obtained by other
fanciers by birds bred by John Reid would savour an attempt o ‘Paint the Lily’.
Her sire is a blue cock 9828, nestmate to his well-known ‘Tryst Girl’. Their parents are a pair of Delbars, a
blue cock Belge 58 3058832 and a blue hen Belge 56 3056786 presented to John by Mr S Bishop. The cock
‘832’ is from ‘Coppi’ and ‘Montesi’ and the hen ‘786’ is from ‘803’ and ‘812’. ‘803’ is an own brother to
‘Favori’ and ‘812’ is from ‘Old Delbar of 43’
Note; ‘Daphnie’s Delight sire 9828 is inbred to the champion stud pair ‘75’ and ‘Lelyke’; ‘803’ being a son
and ‘Montesi’ a granddaughter.
Dam of ‘Daphnie’s Delight’ is a blue hen NU62L6821 bred by J W Langstone of Worchester, bought at
Langstone’s sale by Lance Severn of Bulwell and presented to Jock Reid.
Her sire is a blue chequer white flight cock NU58N-15 Lot 11 at the sale; he was bed from a blue white
flight cock ‘Delbar’ a grandson of ‘Le Bon Bleu’. Dam of 6821 was Langstone’s well known Sister to
Cinderella’ the winner of the 1956 NFC Pau race. The sister herself won 3 rd 110 th & 8 th open in 3 consecutive
English nationals from Pau.
This pedigree could be considerably extended but Scottish National winners require no pedigree, it will be
found that very soon they will be featuring in the pedigree of others. I have seen and handled very many

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Scottish National winners; one of my earliest being D McInroy’s of Dundee ‘Lady Betty’ and my first
attempt of taking a photograph was of McGinn Brothers winner of 1927.
Many of the successful came as bolts out of the blue; unknown except within their own locality; however, I
usually found that they had be trying for years with varying success as the SNFC certificates they produced
to me proved. To the best of my knowledge there is only one fancier who, sending a single pigeon, won the
national at the first time of trying, and that was my old friend John Robertson of Slamannan in 1930 and
who came near to winning the Nantes race in 1955. The cycle of success waxes and wanes in the very best
of lofts. A prepotent pigeon or pair of pigeons appear and produce a generation or two of successful racers at
the long distances; but when they are gone so also is their success. As an enquiring looker on there appears
to be a common failing in not realising that you cannot sell pigeons and still have them. Winning lofts are
healthy lofts, it is a gamble whether a grand new loft will be a healthy one or not. As each SNFC Rennes
race comes round and the result published my thoughts turn to the between three and four thousand bitterly
disappointed fanciers, it is a common experience and nothing that they need be ashamed about because they
have at least tried.
I will continue with part 2 of this story next week; as I have to have 3 articles away to the pigeon papers
before the Christmas holiday period.
I hope fanciers have had a good Christmas and I wish EVERYONE WHO READS MY COLUMN; ALL
THE VERY BEST FOR THE 2024 SEASON.

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
www.pigeon-chat.co.uk who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland