Jim Donaldson of Peterhead

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Copied from Facebook 22nd November 2026

The Jim Donaldson Story – A Historical Rewrite of a Scottish Long-Distance Legend

The remarkable story of Jim Donaldson of Peterhead begins not with Jim himself, but with his son — a young lad who kept a small group of pigeons in the back garden. When his interest faded as he entered steady employment, the pigeons remained, cared for by Jim’s wife, Ann, who had grown deeply fond of them. Her enthusiasm persuaded Jim to build a proper loft, unknowingly setting in motion what would become one of Scotland’s greatest long-distance racing histories.

While reading through pigeon journals, the Donaldsons noticed an advert for a charity sale held in memory of a fancier who had died tragically in a car crash. Jim attended, and two pigeons — both bred by local fancier Dave Scott — immediately caught his eye. He purchased one, while Scott bought the other. A conversation between the two men sparked a friendship that would ultimately shape Jim’s entire racing future.

Jim visited the Scott lofts and was captivated by their quality. Dave Scott gifted him a pair of youngsters, and these became the foundation of the Donaldson family of long-distance pigeons. Scott’s birds were based on the renowned lines of Norman N. Dall of Ladybank and the Atwell Brothers of Newport, both famous for producing National winners. An additional influence came from a grizzle hen from Mr Geddes of Greengairs — her daughter would go on to win 4th Section, 7th Open SNFC Nantes and become a goldmine in the stock loft, producing generations of National performers.

Further introductions came via six birds from Sid Beard of Hemel Hempstead, carrying the blood of “Lancashire Rose” and the famed “Blue Anglia.” From this came the pigeon that would become the cornerstone of the modern Donaldson loft: Circus Boy. He flew out to 480 miles before being lost in a short race, but not before producing youngsters that proved themselves as the only pigeons home on the day in an incredibly tough event. Astonishingly, Circus Boy was later recovered in the south-east of England near death, returned home, and nursed back to health — going on to breed winners at every distance.

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Management, Methods & Philosophy

Jim races around 35 pairs of old birds on the natural system, with some cocks and hens held as mates specifically for National candidates. The loft houses both old birds and a large young bird team, and is built with Scotland’s harsh climate in mind — enclosed yet exceptionally ventilated.

Old birds are mated mid-February. Due to weather, training before the first club race is minimal, sometimes only a couple of 30-mile tosses. Jim relies heavily on home exercise twice daily for an hour.

Long-distance candidates receive minimal training. Instead, Jim uses the club inland programme as preparation, often “lifting” pigeons into races between 150 and 200 miles, plus one critical 300-mile race. After this, the birds are given open loft before being sent to 600–700 miles in their preferred condition — a system reminiscent of that used by long-distance master John Wills.

The young birds face a severe testing regime, racing weekly up to 220 miles, with around 10 selected for the 360-mile young bird National. Only birds with iron constitution survive to become part of the Donaldson long-distance team.

Feeding is tailored to stage and condition. Old birds have constant access to food, with mixtures altered during breeding, early racing, and the final push toward the long Classics. Peanuts and small seeds are added when pigeons begin to tighten up in condition. Importantly, Jim avoids preventative medication entirely — relying on natural health and selection through the race basket.

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The Champions of the Donaldson Loft

From this system came one of Scotland’s greatest long-distance teams. Among the standouts:

Donnann

1st SNFC Sartilly, from a Dall cock × “Rennes Lass.”

Little Jenny

1st North Section Sartilly
2nd North Section Rennes
1st North Section 6th Open Nantes

Little Lara

Multiple top North Section positions in Sartilly, Messac, Liege, Chenoise.

Chequer Cock 2682

5th North Section Frome
52nd Open Clermont
1st North Section Tours 707 miles

Bluetoon Lass

A consistent hen scoring across 339–631 miles.

Niort Lady

1st North Section 34th Open Niort at 775 miles.

Reims Girl – One of the greatest ever

1st North Section Reims
1st North Section Tours
Multiple 2nd North Section finishes beaten only by loftmates
Winner of the SNFC Gold Award, the furthest flying Gold Award winner in SNFC history.

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Unmatched National Performances

Across 1995–2006, the Donaldson loft achieved:
 • Multiple 1st North Section wins across Sartilly, Rennes, Nantes, Falaise, Messac, Tours
 • 1st Open SNFC Sartilly
 • Major prize lists at 600–775 miles
 • Repeatedly winning the SNFC North Section Averages

Jim Donaldson’s loft became a fortress of long-distance class, built not on gimmicks but on sound pigeons, commonsense management, and proven bloodlines.

This article is a historical rewrite of the original long-form material documenting Jim Donaldson’s extraordinary achievements.

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