Joe Murphy Article 14th December 2024

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The Joe Murphy Column 

As there is not much happening within the sport up here in Scotland just now; except some of the household names within this area have decided to call it a day. With Tom McLeod of Tranent and Jim Hannah of Blantyre just 2 of the very best fanciers we have produced over the years calling it a day. As far as obtaining information to keep my article going it is like drawing blood from a stone. Fanciers don’t even speak to each other nowadays and as far as shows go, they are no defunct. I used to enjoy going to the shows in the winter months as it was a good indicator if your birds were having a good moult or not. If you won in the shows, you could then see how the birds did in the race basket and nine times out of ten you would be on the race result with them in the summer. It was all about looking after your birds 365 days of the year. I was having a good look at the youngsters I bred this year and now that they are out of the moult, I have been taken their pictures and also photographing their eye sign. I will add a couple of photos (chequer pied and blue bar)to go with this column. As there is not much feedback from fanciers nowadays; so therefore, I have been going through old articles to keep the column going. 

Tayside Highlights 

It was rather a barren year for Tayside fanciers in the National races in (1967) and this was highlighted by their absence. However, amidst the gloom one star shone brightly and that star was the Mealy Hen named ‘Wellbank Pride’ owned and raced by Jock Ellis. This hen earned the admiration of the fancy for her courageous performance in the Rennes race. While 6000 other birds faltered, this game hen plodded her lonely but resolute way northwards through the dusk, to be clocked in at 10-32pm on the night into a north-west wind. This performance was worthy of winning any National but ‘Pride’ had to be content with being 8th open and 1st East section, and the thought from Jock was ‘Well, there’s always next year’. Jock had 4 other morning stars who came trickling in to give him a full house while most of us were still waiting for their first bird. Another performance worthy, of note was that of David Ree, of Broughty Ferry, in the tough Nantes race where velocities were once again very low. Dave’s Blue Chequer hen 60T4603, was clocked at 06-16 to take 31st open 9th east section with a velocity of 657. A really excellent performance from a distance of 645 miles with only 121 birds on the result sheet out of 2000 sent. I believed Dave’s birds come down from the old Ed Harrow strain, ‘Nuff said!!’

North of the Forth 

An article written by ‘Taysider’ whom I’m assuming was the late Jim George (Round O) from Arbroath; who wrote. ‘After what has been regarded as the most arduous racing season for some years, the title of ‘Fancier of the Year’ in this part of the country must inevitably go to Robert Strachan, the Invergowrie ACE. Robert’s birds flew consistently well all season and finished with a great flourish by taking 1st and 3rd positions from the Federations 550 miles Dol race (under very trying conditions). This grand-slam finish gave him the bulk of silverware, including the R J Blair and Whitbread Trophies, for 1st bird Dol, The Melrose Drover for best average Christchurch 400 miles and Dol. Plus the much sought after Fyfe-Jamieson Trophy for the best average in the three longest federation races. However, his proudest moment ever, came when he won his own father’s memorial trophy- ‘The Strachan Memorial Cup’ for best average in ALL Federation races. Since Bob started racing in the Dundee Club in 1947 (the year I was born Joe M) he has been to the fore on more than one occasion, winning club and federation averages frequently. The fact that he is confined to a wheel-chair makes his triumphs all the more remarkable. Although he is a very successful club flyer it is his national performances that made the name of ‘Strachan of Invergowrie’ a household statement throughout the country. His finest hour was recorded by the great-hearted Blue Pied Hen ‘Tayside Princess’, who was 4th open Rennes flying 580 miles in 1955 and went one better the following year winning 3rd open, surely one of the greatest ever double triumphs at the distance in this part of the country. ‘Tayside Princesses’ lived to a good old age and left some excellent stock to carry on her line. Then one day she just disappeared and Robert never knew the fate of his fabulous hen. (It would have more probably been a hawk attack Joe M). Another of the birds which helped make the name of ‘Strachan’ famous was the courageous Red Cock ‘Starlight Special’, who was clocked at the unbelievable time of nine minutes to midnight on the day from Rennes to win 72nd open, two great efforts in this neck of the woods where day birds are very rare indeed. Robert owes a lot of his success to his great friend and ex-partner Willie Wilson of Larkhall, (another great name in the fancy Joe M), they exchanged birds from time to time, and this no doubt keeps each other in the forefront of the racing fraternity. A recent introduction is a son of J & P Dora’s 1st open Rennes national winner ‘The Fifer’ which was a surprise birthday present from his wife. This year’s Dol winner was a long cast racy-looking red hen SU59T4866, who was timed in at 11-06am on the second morning, recording a velocity of 769 ypm and collected a nice cheque for £62. Known as ‘Leading Lady’, this grand hen is a grand-daughter of the legendary ‘Tayside Princess’. Next bird home was his more fancied contender blue chequer 62T5715, one which can be considered to be a channel veteran with several 500-mile jaunts behind her. She was timed at 11-26am and registered a velocity of 741 ypm and took the lion’s share of the pools with a fine total of £92. So much for the joys of pigeon racing on to the hard knocks one has to take in his stride. Bob lost the bulk of his young bird team at the Riccarton smash, however, those that were left pressed on to the bitter end, in the true tradition of the Strachan pigeons, and no doubt next season they’ll be doing their best to make their master once again the Tayside Fancier of the Year. 
I hope readers have enjoyed this short story on 2 of Scotland’s Great Fanciers. 

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 - cogeco.ca -forum@pigeonbasics.com who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland
 

Cheq Pied Eye-1.BMP