The Joe Murphy Column

[Ian McKay]

The Joe Murphy Column

 

For the last old bird national from Roye 258 members sent 1135 birds to the race as I said last week our hats off to the race control team who on watching the weather forecast decided to release the convoy at 08-45am on Thursday 14th July into a north west wind. There was one good thing we would have the sky to ourselves as no other organisation would be racing on a Thursday. With the late liberation I did not expect pigeons to get into Kevin’s area on the day so told him I would come up to see him early the next morning. However on the Thursday night I received a phone call informing me that birds were being timed in just after 21-00 hours so I gave Kevin a phone. I had just settled down to watch the 10’o clock news on TV when he phoned me to say that Jocky Scott of Kennoway had a good bird at 21-46 flying 510 miles. I told him this would not be far away from taking the top spot and I was up at the crack of dawn and arrived at Arbroath just before 6am. However I have to say I was a little disappointed Kevin had not phoned the car phone to say he had a bird. We patiently waited and watched the sky and checked out the SNFC Lib Line and the arrivals seemed to be well spread out. It was not until 10-02 that a chequer hen came over the house and landed on the aviary and nearly fell over she was going that hard. This yearling hen had previously won a 2 x 1st prizes for us as a youngster and this was her 1st attempt at the channel. She is from a chequer cock from the double NFC winners Ian Crammond & Nigel Langstaff of Fontwell and contains the best of their Euro Diamond bloodlines so THANK YOU to Ian and Nigel. The dam of the chequer hen was a bird I purchased direct from Bernard Deweerdt when I visited him a few years ago. This hen is starting to turn out the goods so I’m well pleased. Unfortunately when the open result came out we missed it by 2 yards which is a pity, but that’s pigeon racing and 2 yards over 523 miles is a long way, but this chequer hen and her sister are our future.

 

Fife Winner

 

I was over the moon when I heard that Jock Scott of Kennoway had won the national as he used to be the club press officer and would often have a coffee or a breather when he brought his result. Jocky wins 1st section C 1st east region 1st open with a blue bar hen she was timed at 21-46 on the day to record a velocity of 1150. This hen as previously won 108th section C 322nd open from Maidstone in 2013, the following year she again scored from the same race point winning 33rd section C 149th open and last year she won 165th open from Eastbourne proving she is a very useful pigeon. Her sire was a Belgium rung cock and her dam was bred by Gilmour Brothers of Leven being a direct daughter of their 1st open SNFC Falaise winner ‘Robbie’s Boy’. Needless to say Ian and Robbie are over the moon that their Falaise winner is now the grandsire of the SNFC Roye national winner. 1st section B 2nd open is the top loft of Sinclair Thomson & son of Port Seton with 1st section A 11th open going to Billy Van Nuil of Gretna with a chequer Norbert Sierens crossed Vandenbroeke cock is a very special pigeon as he has previously won 8th section A 19th open Clermont in 2014 last year he won 1st section A 4th open Clermont and this year he has already won 13th section A 83rd open from Reims Gold Cup race and now wins again for the 4th time in the Scottish national a very good pigeon so well done Billy. 1st section D 19th open is John McNeill of Broxburn with a 2 year old chequer hen. We now come to one of the team performances of the race winning 1st 2nd & 4th section E 21st 22nd & 27th open is J Stokes of Carstairs truly outstanding well done. 1st sections G 1st north region 90th open are Fulton & Ritchie of Banff flying 592 miles well done gentlemen a great performance. 1st section F 94th open is the ever consistent Morris Brothers of Johnstone in the extreme west of the country this being their 2nd section F win this year as they were 1st from Ypres well done to you both. Some other interesting news from this Roye race Billy Bilsland of Ayton timed his blue bar cock to win 4th section B 5th open this is the same cock that won 5th section B 7th open last year from Clermont not bad winning 2 very good positions in the top 10 of the SNFC. Tom & Scott McEwen of Elphinstone timed in their 2nd bird at 05-53 to win 37th open this same cock won 3rd section B 5th open Clermont last year who says that class does not come to the top. Well done to all who made the result in what has once again been a very hard race, I know the north wind would sort out the wheat from the chaff but once again all I hear from fanciers is the amount of birds lost. The national cannot continue with discontent from members who have lost ½ to ¾ of their teams at in SNFC races. Ok we will always have birds at the appointed time of arrival and members except this but they will not put up with waiting for hours and hours and not seeing a pigeon. The national officials and committee need to address this problem is it the transporters? Do the birds have adequate water supply i.e. water on both sides of the baskets (not just a couple of blue plastic drinkers on the end of the basket) Are there too many birds in each basket (you all know my feeling on this YES there are too many) Does the national need to be like the BICC –BBC- NFC and have their members notify them prior to each race so that they know how many birds are going to the race and have it worked out to the amount of birds in EACH basket. I could go on and on but the MOST IMPORTANT issue is the amount of losses the members have experienced flying with the club this year. I said it last week some people are so fed up of the losses they are thinking of going with the other national next year. One thing for certain they are more organised and seem to care for the welfare of their members birds ok they do not have the same amount of birds going but their returns are 80% better than the SNFC I rest my case!!!!

 

East of Scotland Federation

 

News from John Baillie who writes ‘Hi Joe, thank goodness the old bird racing season is now over however we have the stressful young bird racing to look forward to (some hope). Tom & Scott McEwen of Elphinstone had another great race from Roye with the SNFC winning 7th open and timing in at 21-48 on the day with another bird early next morning to win 36th open timed at 05 -53. Tom and Scott's winning hen was bred in 2011 and won 151st open Clermont in 2015 and she also won 257th open from the Buckingham national this year. She was sent sitting on a 3 day chick and on her 2nd flight. She is bred from their Mark Gilberts stock birds which are the famous Deweerdts. Her sister is an SNFC Silver Award winner and her mate mentioned above who won 36th open Roye he won 5th open from the SNFC Clermont race last year. You wonder what future this chick (youngster) from this pair might do in the future. I will attach a picture of Tom & Scott’s blue hen to go with this story. Yours truly John Baillie timed in at 04-16 the 2nd morning and I found this yearling chequer cock on top of the aviary at 04-12. He was definitely was not there at 23-10 when I closed the loft up. This yearling cock has now won 3 SNFC diplomas this year and he has been flown on roundabout all year but was sent sitting 4 day eggs at basketting for Roye. His positions are 120th section B 290th open Littlehampton, 39th section B 77th open Ypres and now 12th section B and 23rd open Roye I have forwarded a picture of my chequer cock to go with your column. He is bred from the Brugemanns lines of Dave Implett crossed with a hen I had bought with N Black & sons of Northern Ireland from their very best bloodlines. Once again Joe thank you for covering our federation and club in your weekly column it is well received many thanks yours John’.

 

Angus Federation

 

Before I start with the Roye race let me highlight a dear friend of mine Bill Dorward of Arbroath who was a competitor in my sporting challenge a few years ago. As many of you will know Kevin moved to Arbroath due to work commitments and joined the local Arbroath club which Bill is the president. Over the years Bill has achieved some outstanding results being 5th open from Le Farte Bernard and also scored high up from Tours. This year Bill won 7th open SNFC Reims flying 579 miles with a chequer hen who also won 2nd section C she also wins the H.A. French trophy for the nominated pigeon in the race he also wins the H.A. French Challenge Rosebowl for the wives or lady friends of a competing member of the club also with a nominated bird. Bill has not been keeping well this past year but this has given him a ‘great’ boost and I believe he and Charlie Cameron (who won 8th open in the same Reims race) are both looking forward to the annual trophy presentation on 22nd October in the Glynhill Hotel in Renfrew. Kevin has kindly forward me a photograph of proud Bill holding his winning hen. For the 10th old bird race of the season from Roye with the SNFC 2 members sent 14 birds liberated at 08-45 into a light North West wind. Taking the number 1 spot and winning 98th open is Charlie Cameron with a 2 year old black hen sitting 8 days at basketting. She is bred from a son of ‘Snowcap’ winner of 4th open SNFC Reims in 2003 and her dam is from ‘Little Dorrie’ winner of 3rd open SNFC Reims in 2010. Who says breeding does not tell well done to Charlie who has had a very good year with his old birds. All young birds bred this year are now up at his son’s Glen’s who has moved to Arbroath and will be race by Glen. Fanciers may recall that Glen won the north section TWICE last year while living in Aberdeen so he is very capable fancier and look forward to enjoying future racing with him. 2nd club is Kevin J Murphy with a chequer hen doing 817 missing the open result by 2 yards.

 

Phone Call

 

Sean Hughes phoned to say that he had won 31st open INFC St Allouestre with a bird bred down from stock he purchased from me a couple of years ago. This bird contained the old Ritchie & Whyte bloodlines of ‘Last Chance’ winner of 1st North Section 42nd open SNFC Tours flying 721 miles. My thanks to Sean for this information and I hope Lou McGee helped him out. It is good to see other fanciers doing so well with birds obtained from me however it is more important that they inform you.

 

Bill Dorward of Arbroath with his 7th open Reims winner

 

Ian Gilmour

 

Jocky Scott 1st SNFC Roye

 

John Baillie's good yearling

 

Tom & Scott McEwen's 7 open hen

 

Joe’s Joke

 

My wife has these days when she wants us to "talk about things". We were discussing aspects of our future so when it was my turn I asked her "What will you do if I die before you do?â€. After some thought, she said that she'd probably look for a house-sharing situation with three other single or widowed women who might be a little younger than herself, since she is so active for her age. Then she asked me, "What will you do if I die first?" I replied, "Probably the same thing."

 

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