The Joe Murphy Column

[Ian McKay]

The Joe Murphy Column

 

What a week we had weather wise prior to our 2nd national race from the south coast, it rained the whole week and we could not get any training in whatsoever. In fact Kevin struggled to get an hour with the birds flying round about the loft. On the Saturday morning he phoned me to say the 4482 birds were liberated at Littlehampton at 07-00 am into a North West wind. He expected the winners to be home in his area about the 5 o’clock mark. He also wondered as the weather was brighter if I would meet him halfway and give the national birds a toss from Thornton. We met up about 9-45 and I brought the birds with me as I entered the Glenrothes/ Markinch area I set the hens out to go first. There must have been about 20 hens and these were let go at 10-35 I then put the crate back into the car and drove home and let the cocks (9) sit for a while and these were liberated at 10-50, I then texted Kevin the times of release. Margaret told me a couple of fanciers had called while I was out with one wanting a weather report which she gave. Margaret and I travelled up to Arbroath after lunch time and on arrival Kevin said as I placed an empty crate down ‘Oh did you let my pigeons go’ I told him not to be so smart. He then informed me that he had 6 cocks home and 6 hens and they were coming in penny numbers. Needless to say we sat out in the back garden and every now and again we would see a bird close its wing and drop onto the loft. This continued all afternoon and then we heard of the leading birds being timed in from the national with club mate Charlie Cameron timing at 17-45 hours. Then Margaret said ‘Here’s a bird’ we thought it might be a ‘trainer’ as it came from the wrong direction (so to speak) when it dropped on the loft Kevin said ‘It’s a national bird’ and he timed her in. This hen’s sister has already won a 1st prize her sire was bred by my good friends Ian Crammond & Nigel Langstaff double NFC winners. The cock contains the very best of Euro Diamond bloodlines and is the sire of 2 x 1st prizes last year. The dam is also the mother of 2 x 1st prize winners and is a pure Bernard Deweerdt being from a full brother to his famous ‘Iban’ when he was paired to a daughter of ‘Kedir’, again 2 of the top pigeons in the Deweerdt racing loft. This hen went on to win 19th section C 46th open in the Scottish national so we are well pleased with her efforts. Five minutes later we had another hen drop she is a full sister to the cock we donated to the BHW Charity Sale at Blackpool in January 2016. Again another Deweerdt her sire is a son of ‘Clovis’ one of Bernard’s best racing pigeon to the loft 2011 to 2014 he won 125 national 6248 birds, 231st international Perpignan 17.971 birds and was 1183rd international St Vincent 11.388 birds. He was also recorded into the top 13 on PIPA list of birds who had won from 3 Perpignan international races. ‘Clovis’ was a son of ‘Kedirtje’ another top long distance champion. The dam of our 2nd pigeon was bred by Mark Gower from a direct son of ‘Kedirtje’ so you will see that this hen is very much inbred. As a matter of interest this hen won 23rd section B 61st open in the Littlehampton national. We timed in 2 more birds that should make the national open result (the first has been missed out on the open result but Kevin has notified the secretary) this should be in the 300+ mark and this is a full sister to our 18th open Ypres and 18th open Clermont winner as well as a brother to our 86th & 134th open SNFC Alencon 573 miles winners. As a matter of interest cousins also won 4th & 19th open SNFC Clermont winner. Sire is a Gilmour Brothers of Leven blue cock a direct son of ‘Robbie’s Boy’ winner of 1st open SNFC Falaise. The dam of all the above winners is a Ritchie & Whyte of Fraserburgh hen a direct daughter of ‘Last Chance’ winner of 1st north section 42nd open SNFC Tours 721 miles. Our 4th bird winning 106th section C 440th open is from another Gilmour Brothers cock a son of ‘Robbie’s Boy’ when he was paired to his granddaughter The dam of our pigeon is a direct daughter of George & Brian Hunter of Dunfermline’s champion hen ‘Kingdom Spirit’ winner of a DOUBLE GOLD Award in the SNFC for winning 10 TIMES from 500 mile races. Who says blood does not tell. As a matter of interest we were still 2 cocks and 6 hens missing from the training toss on the Saturday, one cock returned the next day hawked. While all but one hen returned throughout the day. I said to Kevin ‘The hens have followed race birds somewhere and have been miles off their line of flight’. So on Sunday I checked out the BHW Race Programme at the back of the book and noticed there was only 2 north road organisations racing on the Saturday from Perth. These being London North Road Combine and North Thames NR Combine so I phoned Ray Luffman to have a chat and he informed me that they liberated at Perth at 11-00am. So the hens must have clashed with these race birds and have been halfway down the country before they broke away and headed for home. I have told Kevin not to train them anymore and just lift them into the next national race. One thing for sure is the ‘cobwebs’ are well and truly out of their heads. I will let you know how we get on with these birds in the forthcoming nationals.

 

SNFC Littlehampton

 

The SNFC Littlehampton race is won by Mrs A Mitchell from Edinburgh and I believe this lady fancier is also the winner of the SNRPC Billericay race flown on the same day. If this is correct then she will be to the best of my knowledge the first individual LADY fancier to win a national and also the first to win both nationals on the same day from different race points - well done Mrs Mitchell. 1st section C 2nd open is Dave Baldie of St Andrews who won 3rd section C 10th open from the Buckingham race a few weeks ago. 1st section A 9th open is Craig Halbert of Eastriggs who 1st open SNFC Ancenis in 2015. 1st section D 19th open is Davie Jamieson who had a fantastic race which the press officer will cover in his report. 1st section E 102nd open is C Walker of Law with 1st section G 238th open Eric & Neil Yule of Kintore in Aberdeenshire with 1st section F 344th open going to Robert Reid of Beath well done to all the above. Also to all the fanciers who managed to get birds home in this very testing race. Good Luck to all in the Ancenis and Ypres races flown this week. We are not going to the longest race this year our candidate failed to return from a training flight from Dundee. We hope however to have a good team away to Ypres so fingers crossed. Well done once again to the secretary Mary Pryde and her team on putting out the probable open result so quickly OUTSTANDING.

Craig Halbert 1st section A

 

Dave Baldie 1st section C SNFC

 

Results

 

Angus Federation

The members sent 262 birds to Littlehampton with the Scottish National Flying Club liberated at 07:00 am with 4482 birds liberated into a North West wind. This turned out to be a very hard race with many pigeons missing however the consistent loft of Ian Scott of Forfar takes 1st federation and 3rd open in the National. Ian is also 3rd federation 14th open national 5th fed & 36th open national. Eric Galloway of Forfar is 2nd & 10th federation and 12th & 47th open national. Charlie Cameron of Arbroath is 4th federation and 18th open national. David J Liddle of Forfar is 6th federation 37th open SNFC while Bob Baldie of the same club is 7th federation 39th open national. National winner Davie Glen of Forfar is 8th federation and 44th open with Kevin J Murphy of Arbroath 9th federation and 46th open national. Well done to one and all and we take our hats off to Ian Scott on another fantastic result as he won 1st federation 13th open SNFC from the Buckingham race 2 weeks ago.

East section winners are as follows: 1st 4th 5th 7th & 8th Charlie Cameron of Arbroath with Kevin J Murphy winning 2nd 3rd 6th & 9th places. The 10th spot goes to D & D Hay of Gourdon.

Club Winners are as follows: Forfar 158 birds I Scott; Gourdon 19 birds D & D Hay; Arbroath 40 birds Charlie Cameron; Montrose 5 birds A S Whyte; Inchcape 40 birds L McKay.

Arbroath RPS for the 9th old bird race of the season from Littlehampton flown on the 18th June 3 members sent 40 birds these were liberated at 07-00 hours into a North West wind. Taking 1st place on a velocity of 1109 is Charlie Cameron with a yearling blue bar hen flown on roundabout; she is bred from a pair of Belgium birds bred by Ludo Vansant. 2nd & 3rd club is Kevin J Murphy with 2 yearlings (see above for details of their breeding).

 

Ian Scott 3rd open SNFC

 

 

 

East of Scotland Federation

News from press officer John Baillie of Tranent who informs us that the Littlehampton race for the East Of Scotland Federation being convoyed with the SNFC: What can we say about the race, probably not a lot, as the returns are not good, in fact half the members of the Federation did not return their clocks for a strike off. I can't remember a race from the English coast being so bad. As you know Joe there will always be fanciers that get good returns from a race and we always expect to lose some birds, but not in the way this race has panned out. On with the results and topping the federation this week is Jim McNeil of Tranent with a 3 year old hen winning 33rd open, Jim also takes 9th open in the federation and 172nd open SNFC. In 2nd place is the constant loft of John Bird of Prestonpans with his good 3 year old hen "Peg" who wins 41st open national. 3rd & 10th open federation is yours truly John Baillie of Tranent with 2 yearlings winning 42nd & 185th national. Tom & Scot McEwen Elphinstone fill the 4th federation place also winning 66th open SNFC. Staying in Elphinstone we have Richard & Jamie Combe in 5th position winning 80th open national. Then it is back down the hill to Prestonpans for 6th open federation to the loft of Mr & Mrs March winning 87th open national. Still in the Pans to Tam Waddell who takes 7th federation who wins 105th open. The final position of 8th federation and 141st open national is taken by Graham Wardhaugh of Dirleton.

Prestonpans Homing Society: Taking 1st position winning the club is John Bird with his good hen "Peg". This hen has now topped the federation from Newark as a youngster and then went on to be 2nd open in the Pentland midweek race as a yearling, she has also won 2nd fed Leicester and now 2nd federation Littlehampton with a 62nd open SNFC Buckingham squeezed in between and now 41st open SNFC from this Littlehampton race. In between all these good positions as a youngster she smashed her leg as a 2 year old the week after she was 4th open Ridsdale. In 2nd position 42nd open national is yours truly John Baillie with a yearling cock bred from a pair of ‘House of Aarden’ stock birds, his sire being a son of the great ‘Padfield Invincible’. In 3rd club position 66th open is the father and son partnership of Tom & Scott McEwen with a red pied yearling hen. Her sire a red Deweerdt bred by Mark Gilbert the Winkfield ‘ACE’ and the dam was bred from stock Tom bought from Brian Cunningham when he had to give up the birds. Well Joe as you know we now move onto the SNFC channel races however this Littlehampton race will surely have an effect on the entries for Ypres and Roye races. Wishing all the best for you and Kevin for the main channel events coming up, yours in sport John B’.

 

Fife Federation

Dunfermline LRPC news from David Kennedy who writes ‘Hi Joe, from the

Littlehampton old bird race the winner this week taking first this week is John Robertson with a velocity of 1100ypm winning 26th open national . John timed a yearling roundabout hen with the bloodlines being Venner of Street. In 2nd place is Eddie McWilliams velocity 1044ypm winning 136th open. Eddie timed Tam Paterson of Plean crossed with his own bloodlines. This bird was Eddie’s 3rd bird from Buckingham winning 196th open in the SNFC. Third place goes to John Skelton with a velocity of 1031 ypm winning 177th open. John timed a 3 year old Debaere hen. She won the club Leicester race and was 2nd west section and 26th open in the Federation result; John also wins this week’s nomination. Another very hard race with plenty of empty perches once again from a national race yours David’.

Glenrothes & Leslie PC news from Rosie Armit who informs us the members sent 66 birds to the SNFC Littlehampton race and taking 1st place is M McMurchie with a velocity of 1028 winning 184th open with a 4 year old blue chequer hen flown on celibate system. Her sire is an Ardreas Drapa while her dam is a Peter Vista. Mick also takes 2nd place winning 301st open with a 4 year old Van Loon hen flown on celibate system. 3rd spot are Turpie & McCord winning 113 section C with a 3 year old blue pied hen sent sitting 10 day eggs. Her breeding is unknown as she came in to Terry as a yearling from a fancier in Southern Ireland and was tossed next day from Falkirk and beat him home. In 2015 she won 6th club Berwick on Tweed, 1st club, 1st section 9th federation Wakefield. 6th club 8th section 29th open Leicester then 6th club 5th section 22nd open federation Portsmouth and was 171st open 47th section C from the SNFC Portsmouth result. She has also been 16th section 90th open Fife federation Clermont (not bad for a stray) yours Rosie’.

North of Scotland Federation

Buckie RPC news from Gavin Russell who notifies us the 7 members sent 46 birds to Arniston on the 12th of June but due to bad weather the birds were brought back to Brechin. Winning 1st club 3rd west section 6th federation is Mr Consistent John Cumming with a velocity of 972, he timed in a 2 year old blue chequer cock flying natural. His sire if from Paul Thomson of Forres from the late Dennis Dall lines while the dam is from Dam Wullie Donachie of Dundee. In 2nd club 4th west section 12th federation is yours truly Gavin Russell with a velocity of 954. I timed in a 2 year old blue bar cock flying natural. Sire is a Gyselbrechts while the dam is a Janssen from Mark Doran of Broxburn in West Lothian. 3rd club is Neil Christie with a velocity of 727 with a 3 year old grizzle hen sorry no history on its breeding at the moment. As you can see by the velocities this turned out to be a very difficult race returns were poor all over the federation.

Pentland Hill’s Federation

News from Andy Miller who updates us with the federation open result as the Pentland birds were in conjunction with SNFC Littlehampton race. With 86 members sending 1118 birds this being 889 birds in the SNFC with 229 federation birds. Taking 1st federation and 1st open SNFC is Mrs Ali Mitchell of Castlebrae with a widowhood cock, breeding is Gaby Vandenabeele from stock obtained from George Willie & Paul McAloney of Lanarkshire when paired to a Marijke Vink hen bred from stock by Mick McMurchie of Glenrothes. 2nd and 4th federation are Willie Pryde & son from Easthouses who are also 7th & 17th open SNFC. 3rd fed and 10th national is A Young of Danderhall with 5th fed and 20th open national is yours truly Andy Miller of Sighthill. 6th fed and 34th national is J Dewar of Bonnyrigg followed by 7th federation open to W Smith of Danderhall. 8th federation and 38th national is P McCue of Gilmerton with D & J Allen of Woodburn in 9th federation 48th open national and finally in 10th federation and 52nd open is Sammels & Lunn of Castlebrae. Returns range from 10 to 50% to most lofts in the federation Joe so this will have a knock on effect to the other races yours Andy’.

 

Joe’s Joke

 

An older gentleman was on the operating table awaiting surgery and he insisted that his son, a renowned surgeon, perform the operation. As he was about to get the anaesthesia, he asked to speak to his son. "Yes, Dad , what is it?"

"Don't be nervous, son; do your best, and just remember, if it doesn't go well, if something happens to me, your mother is going to come and live with you and your wife...."

(I LOVE IT!)

 

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