The Joe Murphy Column

[Ian McKay]

The Joe Murphy Column

 

 

I would like to start of this week’s article by wishing my good lady a Very Happy Birthday which is on Friday 29th April. I hope she has a lovely day and I know all children and grandchildren will be spending some time with her as they all LOVE her so much.

 

 

Angus Federation 2015 Trophy Winners

 

Received an email from David Liddle of Forfar with the Angus Federation trophy winners he wrote ‘Hi Joe I have been meaning to send a list of our trophy winners for last season to you for ages and have finally got round to doing it. Our presentation was held at the end of February in the local bowling club with just under 50 members and friends in attendance. Our guest was Bruce McKenzie from Dundee who as you know, won the SNFC race from Clermont last year.

 

Our main trophy winner was Ian Scott who won the following; Old Bird Average, Combined Average, Three Longest Inland Race Average, Best Average Three Longest Old Bird and Young Birds, Best Average Clermont and Wakefield YB, Old Bird Points, Highest Velocity, 1st Leicester, 1st Portsmouth and 1st Clermont. Next was Davie Glen who won the Young Bird Average, Best Average First Six OB races, Young Bird Points, Combined Points, 1st Newark, Best Old Bird, Best Young Bird and the 2 Bird Old Bird and Combined Averages.

Other winners were Macaulay, Ferguson & Curran who won 1st Ripon YB and 1st Yearling Leicester; David Liddle who won 1st Wakefield OB; Eric Galloway who was 1st Wakefield YB and Mike Leggett who won the 2 Bird Young Bird Average. Our members again had a good year from the nationals from the SNFC Clermont race Ian Scott was 2nd section 8th open and 18th section 48th open. Davie Glen was 7th section 18th open, Willie MacKnight was 8th section 18th open and Eric Galloway 11th section 26th open. At the Eastbourne race, Davie Glen was 2nd & 14th section, 5th & 47th open while Ian Scott was 13th section 46th open. From the Portsmouth race Ian Scott was 4th section 31st open and Eric Galloway 5th section 37th open. In the SNRPC, Davie Glen was 1st & 3rd section, 18th & 33rd open from Billericay while at the young bird Peterborough race Macaulay, Ferguson & Curran were 1st & 3rd section, 21st & 55th open, I have attached a photograph showing some of the trophy winners with Bruce McKenzie; All the best to Kevin and you for the 2016, yours David’.

 

 

Race Results

 

Central Federation

Broxburn & Uphall RPC news from Bernie Britton who writes ‘Hi Joe please find the club and federation result for the above club were 5 members sent 143 birds liberated at 10-00 am into a North East Wind. Taking 1st place is John McNeill with a blue bar pied yearling hen on roundabout she is a Gabby out of John’s stock loft from D & J Hawkins’s & Evans as a matter of interest she has scored as a young bird. The next 2 places are won by Hamish Ferguson sorry Joe no information on the birds. John had a good race in federation being 2nd, 10th, 11th, 12th & 13th. With Hamish being 3rd & 4th fed and Gordon MacKenzie was 14th, 15th & 16th federation Well done lads, thanks’ once again Joe for all your help and all the best to you and Kevin for the new season ahead yours Bernie’.

 

East of Scotland Federation

 

News from John Baillie who writes ‘Hi Joe as you know Tom McEwen who was our press officer last year took a heart attack and he has asked if I could send the results from East Of Scotland and Prestonpans club onto you. Tom is now on the mend, he popped in to see me this morning before going for a hospital for a check-up and we had a ‘wee blether’. The club and Federation would like to thank Tom for sending in the results over the last few years. (I would also like to thank Tom for doing a wonderful job Joe M) The federation postponed the Saturday race until Sunday due to the very cold North Wind which was forecasted. The birds were liberated from Ridsdale at 09-05 into West to South Wind. Topping the federation is Tom & Scott McEwen of Elphinstone with a 2 year old cock bred from the very best. Tom and Scott also take 6th open. In 2nd spot is Tom Waddell of Prestonpans who also fills the 8th open place. In 3rd open is Mr &Mrs Burgess of Ormiston with yours truly John Baillie of Tranent club in 4th open place. Fifth position goes to Mr & Mrs March of Prestonpans, with the number 7th spot taken by J McNeil of Tranent. G Wardhaugh of Dirleton is 9th with 10th open position filled by John Bird of Prestonpans .Very few birds missing at the end of the afternoon Joe so a good race all round and well done to the officials.

Prestonpans Homing Society, taking 1st place is Tom & Scot McEwan of Elphinstone the winners sire is bred directly from a brother of ‘Bob's Choice’ 1st West Durham Amalgamation Clermont for Paul Stobbs and the dam is from Mark Gilbert being a double granddaughter of Emiel. I think Tom’s wife Marlene’s name should also be on the partnership with all the work she does every day cleaning and looking after the 3 lofts. In 2nd place is Tam Waddell with a yearling hen bred from Kevin Lawson bloodlines (Tam won the Danderhall Christmas Race in 2015) Yours truly John Baillie takes the 3rd spot with a Vandenabeele yearling cock bred from Alan Pollards stock birds, his brother topped the Federation last year. Joe I hope this is what is required all the best to you and Kevin for the 2016 season, yours John’.

 

Pentland hills Federation & New Lothian R.P.C.

 

News from Andy Millar who writes ‘Hi Joe, The above organisations held their first race of the 2016 season from Ridsdale a distance of 60-72 miles for the federation members on Sunday 17th April with 14 clubs sending 2133 birds. Liberated at 09-05 into a west to south west wind and winning the top award of 1st Federation and New Lothian RPC is the loft of Rab Halley & Tam Kelly from Musselburgh, who race their pigeons through Woodburn club in Dalkeith. Their timer is a yearling blue bar cock flying to 12 day eggs. The sire was bred by Craig Booth from North East of England and the dam was bred by Burntoft Lofts. The birds are flown on open hole and prior to the start of the season they had 2 tosses from Soutra approximately 12 miles prior to the race. Returns were excellent throughout the federation Joe a good start to the new season. Helen Aitken & Sons of Danderhall are in 2nd place also timing in a yearling. A Young of the same club takes the next 2 places with his first bird a 3 year old followed by a yearling. W Smith of the same club is in 5th & 7th places with a pair of yearlings. A.W. Robertson of Gilmerton also timed a yearling to take 6th spot with W. Kinnear & Son of Danderhall in 8th & 10th spots with 2 yearlings and Ronnie S Bremner of Sighthill club is 9th again with the yearling.

 

Club Winners are as follows;

 

Woodburn 122 birds; 1st Halley & Kelly 1289 Allan 1208 Allan 1187

Danderhall 313 birds; 1st Aitken 1269 Young 1262 Young 1261

Gilmerton 93 birds; 1st A.W. Robertson 1251 A.W. Robertson 1225 M. Bennett

Sighthill 121 birds; 1st Bremner 1238 Girdwood 1232.7 Girdwood 1232.5

Bonnyrigg 157 birds; 1st A. Dewar 1230 Smith 1213 Benson 1195

Edinburgh Premier 228 birds; 1st Dick 1225 Affleck 1154 Hutton 1145

Easthouses 310 birds; 1st J. Pryde 1220 W. Pryde & Son 1214 W. Pryde & Son 1212

Castlebrae 115 birds; 1st L. Mitchell 1208 A. Mitchell 1163 A. Mitchell 1156

Loanhead 147 birds; 1st Simpson 1152 Murray 1133 Lawrie 1132

Rosewell 73 birds; 1st Cunningham & Ness 1131 Cunningham & Ness 1051 Winter 1044

Edinburgh West 54 birds; 1st C. Bennett 1111 C. Bennett 1072 Lamb 1053

Arniston 28 birds; 1st Ray 1088 Mercer 1013

New Lothian 83 birds;

Traprain 289 birds; 1st Thomson 1265 Thomson 1263 Thomson 1261

 

New Lothian RPC from the Ridsdale old bird race flown Sunday 17th April the convoy was liberated at 09-05 am into a West to South West wind with 61 members sending 1223 birds. Top spot goes to Halley & Kelly of Woodburn with Helen Aitken & Sons of Danderhall in 2nd place followed by club mate A Young who took the next 2 places with W Smith of the same club in 5th & 7th places. A.W. Robertson of Gilmerton is 6th with W. Kinnear & Son of Danderhall in 8th & 10th spots and Ronnie S Bremner of Sighthill club is 9th.

Good SNFC Birds

 

This week’s 3 birds are 2 from the west section and 1 from the south section, I start with J Leggatt of Ferniegair with his blue bar cock SU11L 11187. In 2013 he won 32nd section E from Maidstone a distance of 367 miles, the following year he was sent back to the same race point and won 26th section E then in 2015 he won 28th section E from Portsmouth a distance of 361 miles. We wish Mr Leggatt all the best with him in 2016 and hope he can win again in the SNFC. Next we come to a household name in the SNFC none other than Norman Orr of Larkhall whose mealy pied hen SU11L 14151 won twice in 2015 and once in 2013. Her first diploma was won from Maidstone a distance of 364 miles when she won 40th section E. Then in 2015 she was entered for the Billericay race and won 31st section E flying 337 miles. She was then set up for the Gold Cup race from Alencon and won 25th section E flying 532 miles, so we will be keeping an ‘eye’ on her doing it once again this year Norman. We now come to past SNFC winner Derek Nordon of Langholm with his blue chequer cock SU12S 1174 he won 276th open (No section prize) from Buckingham a distance of 233 miles in 2014 that same season he was sent to Clermont a distance of 461 miles and won 9th section A 20th open then in 2015 he was sent back to Clermont and won 12th section A 80th open. So this cock only requires one more section win from the channel to achieve his Silver Award and we wish Derek all the best for the new season.

 

Joe’s Joke

 

TEN (10) THINGS I KNOW ABOUT YOU.

1) You are reading this.

2) You are human.

3) You can't say the letter ''P'' without separating your lips.

4) You just attempted to do it.

6) You are laughing at yourself.

7) You have a smile on your face and you skipped No. 5.

8) You just checked to see if there is a No. 5.

9) You laugh at this because you are a fun loving person and everyone does it too.

10) You are probably going to tell someone this to see who else falls for it. You have received this joke because I didn't want to be alone in the idiot category.

Have a great Day. Laugh, and then Laugh and sing: ‘It's a Beautiful Morning even when it's not.’ "Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many."

 

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

 

© Compiled by Joe Murphy