Ian McKay Posted July 22, 2016 Report Posted July 22, 2016 The Joe Murphy Column I received a few phone calls after my column of 1st July appeared with 2 of these being past SNFC winners so people whom I have a high regard for and admire their frank and honest opinion. Now the SNFC officials and committee will not like what I’m going to highlight but believe me this is not ME speaking it is the members who are sick to death with what is happening to this great club. The majority of the fanciers whom I spoke to all highlighted the amount of losses we have experienced this year in National racing. Many people have been cleaned out of yearlings and some people have only 10 old birds left in their loft and in fact I heard of a fancier who has only ONE old bird left for racing. I wouldn’t be surprised if this last national from Roye is one of the lowest entries we have (I have just seen the information on the web site today - 258 members sending 1135 birds. I have to congratulations the race control team who decided due to the poor weather forecast for Friday and Saturday in Scotland to hold the race on Thursday 14th July with an 8-45am liberation into a light North West wind.) I know we don’t know how bad the low lying mist was at the race point and it was just a pity the birds could not have been away at 06-00am then we could have had birds home on the day before the rain comes in tomorrow. Still I don’t want to knock these lads as they took this decision to help the birds and the members. Back to my conversations with fanciers who say ‘Why are we still putting 20 birds into a race basket when the transporter is going half full’? Why not put 15 birds per basket and if someone comes in late you can add an extra bird to each basket. I’m sure the rule says ‘The Maximum to be 20 birds per basket for channel racing and 22 for inland racing’ so why on earth do we keep putting 20 birds in a basket when we can spread them evenly out. You can bet your bottom dollar the south section don’t put empty baskets back onto the transporter when it calls at the last stop. They will have spread all their birds out to make sure each basket goes and they will not have 20 birds in them. I hope someone from the south tells the truth on this but I have it from good authority that this is what happens. Quit e a number of the people that I spoke to have highlighted the fact the SNFPC had a race from France with 44 birds (this was the same day we were at Ypres) they had 11 birds per crate and on the FOLLOWING Tuesday had 36 birds home. We had 20 birds in a crate and did not have a good race with many birds still missing. Surely the officials can see the less birds in each crate is of great benefit to the well-being of the national birds. Another point raised it why are we not using Geraldy transporters? I have heard the old story that it is in the constitution that ‘the birds must go on wicker baskets with savings in them’. This would be when Dr Anderson was the president we are now in the 21st century and our pigeons must come first SO CHANGE IT. For Ancenis race we basketed 294 birds again with 20 birds into each basket, when they arrived at the Midland National FC (who were taking the birds to Ancenis) they were then transferred into Geraldy Crates with 17 birds (normal 25 birds) this has water on both sides and ALL birds can drink in these crates. Plus a hopper system is in place to feed the birds none of this ‘throwing the corn round the bird’s feet’ WHICH is still going on today within our sport and many Scottish organisations continue to feed their birds like this. We all know that dehydration is a killer and it is detrimental for our pigeon’s but I can assure you that there is no problem with the Midland national transportation as I have spoken to their chief convoyer (ex SNFC Convoyer) Ian French. Who also informs me that the birds can all drink within the basket highlighting the Midland birds were held in these crates for 9 days and brought back to Bedhampton and released with fanciers having 28 birds home out of 29 sent. You cannot get a better advert than this and it is something the SNFC has to look into. Ian also pointed out that the temperature inside the transporter can be regulated with fans or air condition depending on how hot the weather is. He said, ‘When we arrive at the race point the transporters are positioned so the birds can see north. When released they are away within a minute, none of this coming out from semi darkness baskets into bright sunshine’. We don’t need to highlight the famous man Einstein to tell us going with the Midland national is a step in the right direction as far as our birds are concerned. I’m going to be quite honest and say every fancier in the SOUTH section is agreeing with me just now. WHY because in these 4 races with the Midland national to Ancenis the South section has won 1st open national. However if I was living in the south section then this would be the race I would keep my birds for. Plus the most important FACT in these 4 races the national winners have been timed On the Day. The small Scottish convoy are carried up the bulk of the country with these Midland birds coming straight up the centre of the country. With the Scottish birds having to continue on the same line for home hitting the Solway area first but good luck to them they cannot help were they live. I have also heard fancier’s tell me that they are debating as to leave the SNFC or join to join BOTH nationals. The sad thing is these are ‘Die in the wool’ SNFC members, but they are sick to death of the heavy losses and their birds not being treated like the athletes they are. It has also been emphasized another reason the North section lads did not go to Ancenis was they had to take their birds to Bo’ness which is south of the Forth Bridge. How many people would travel 200 mile round trip to send their pigeon to a race, (only the dedicated believe me) The SNFC have to consider these members because if they continue to treat the north lads with contempt they could end up like the SNRPC who cut the north section out completely, which will be to the detrimental of the national and the racing pigeon sport in general. Every year the SNFC hold a late bred sale or young bird sale and the money goes into the funds. For years and years we heard the same old story to buy a state of the art Transporter. Well £1000’s of pounds have been obtained and still we are using 2nd hand transporters with little blue drinkers clipped onto a basket. At one time the centre of the basket did not allow 2 drinkers on so the birds only had one drinker per basket (sorry once again for highlighting it 20 birds). If the national committee cannot see these problems with the amount of losses we have experienced racing in their club then something is drastically wrong. To quote the famous Albert Einstein who hits the nail on the head when he said – ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’ and the national are doing just this!!!. I’m going up to Kevin’s early tomorrow morning to see his Roye pigeons arrive home (well I hope so) I don’t think it is worth going up tonight as there will not be many pigeons up into his neck of the woods on the day with the late liberation. I will inform you next week how we get on. East of Scotland Federation Received some news from press officer John Baillie who writes ‘Hi Joe please find some details on the winning pigeons of Richard & Jamie Combe of Elphinstone starting with their Ancenis hen, I have sent a photo of her and the chequer pied hen that won her SNFC Silver award at this year’s Reims national. They timed a 3 year old chequer hen to win the 2nd section B 17th open Ancenis this hen is bred from their own family and is closely related to many previous winners at this longest national race. In 2015, she competed in 3 nationals as a 2 year old featuring on the result of them all winning: – 58th section B 110th open Billericay, 24th section B 69th open Alencon & 124th open Clermont. This year she was targeted at Ancenis and flew 5 federation races before going to the SNFC Buckingham race in preparation for this distance event. She has been on the widowhood system all year and was never trained. Her sire is a stock cock (he also sired their 1st pigeon from Ypres race on the same day) who is a direct son of ‘Lyla’ 1st east region 5th open SNFC Tours in 2008. ‘Lyla’ was also the mother of last season’s 1st east region 4th open SNFC Ancenis and is also the mother of a hen who clinched her Silver Award at the recent Reims national (see picture). The dam of the chequer hen is a stock hen who won 26th open SNFC Clermont in 2012 (her only national race before retirement), she herself a granddaughter of ‘Lyla’ (mentioned above) and ‘Scout’ winner of 2nd section 8th open SNFC Andrezel in 2009 and 2nd section 10th open SNFC Bourges 2010. Also attached is a photo of the winner of Richard and Jamie’s Silver Award winning hen mentioned above. This 3 year old chequer pied hen has won 6 SNFC diplomas, being 130th open Maidstone in 2014, 38th open Ypres 2014, 197th open Billericay & 106th open Alencon in 2015 and 285th open Buckingham & 89th open Reims in 2016. My thanks to John Baillie for the information and photographs, he has also sent a photograph of his 3rd section B 22nd open SNFC Ancenis winner this is a 2 year old cock a first timer across the channel who contains Jan Aarden bloodlines from his good friends I Cousins & sons of Wales. John has also included a picture of ‘PEG’ bred and raced by fellow club mate John Bird of Prestonpans. This year alone this hen as won 2nd open Leicester (federation) then she won 62nd open SNFC Buckingham, then won 40th open SNFC Littlehampton and now she win’s 2nd open in the SNFC Ypres race. Here we have another candidate for the Dewar Trophy which is given to the Scotland Bird of the Year. Murphy Birds success Received an email from Anthony Morley who wrote ‘Hi Joe a short note, in 2010 I bought a cock from Graeme White out of your Sporting Challenge sale and my mate bought 4 young birds from a club sale. Anyway I paired the red cock from Graeme to a red hen bred by you and Kevin and sent a young red cock up to Steve Ferguson of Annan and he scored in 2014 from the Scottish National Flying Club from Ypres and this year he won 33rd open Scottish national from Ancenis. This pair has now bred prize winners over the channel for 3 different fanciers and I've sent a youngster from the pair to the French young bird Derby. Another young bird from the sale bred by you and Kevin bred a cock who was 30th open N.M.C.C Saintes last season when paired to a hen out of your Sporting Challenge donated by Eggy Jamison of Galashiels. I just thought I would let you know yours Anthony Morley’. I thanked Anthony as it is good to see your birds doing well for others which bring me onto the BICC international race from St Vincent last weekend. Were 62 members sent 277 birds liberated at 06-15 into an East Wind only 4 gallant birds made it home on the day with the famous Mark Gilbert of Winkfield taking the first 3 open places and Mr & Mrs Connolley of Marden is 4th. Both lofts had more returns the next day with Mark being 5th 6th 20th 21st 22nd & 35th open I believe these birds were at the Pau International race 3 weeks ago – tremendous flying!! The Connolley’s were 41st 54th & 59th. With my dear old friend John Tyerman president of the BICC timing in his Murphy Cock to win 18th centre section 53rd open. John only sent 2 but was very pleased to see him home. Due to John’s health issues he has not had the time or effort in getting his birds properly prepared for across the channel and in fact he has raced his birds on the North Road to get some flying time into them. Fanciers may remember that the Murphy Cock won from Bordeaux last year for John. Ancenis Hen of R & J Combe John Baillie 22 open Ancenis winner John Baillie Parksyde Ambition John Bird good hen R & J Combe Silver Award winner Joe’s Joke Poor Room Service A hotel guest calls the front desk and the receptionist answers, "May I helpyou?" The man says, "Yes, I'm in room 458. You need to send someone to my room immediately. I'm having an argument with my wife and she says she's going to jump out of the window." The receptionist says, "I'm sorry sir, but that's a personal matter." The man replies, "Listen you idiot. The window won't open... and that's a maintenance matter’. 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
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