The Joe Murphy Column

[Ian McKay]

The Joe Murphy Column

 

It has just been confirmed that Billy Bilsland of Ayton has triumphed in winning the Buckingham young bird national to accomplish his 7th Scottish National Flying Club win and now equals history maker John Hodgson of Annan. Plus Billy has also won 1st open SNRPC so if you count this he is an 8 times national winner. From the SNFC Buckingham race Billy timed in a red cock to win the race on a velocity of 1697 being one yard ahead of the 2nd placed bird raced by W & M Smith of Tranent. Fife’s previous young bird national winner Willie Hay of Methil is 3rd open with 2014 Buckingham young bird national winner G A Firth of Lockerbie in 4th place with Billy Bilsland in again to take 5th place. As a matter of interest this youngster is a full sister to Welltower David winner of 1st open SNFC Ypres in 2016. The national winner has now been named ‘Welltower Iain’ after Billy’s brother. His sire is a mealy stock cock who is also the father of ‘Welltower Isla’ Billy’s 1st young bird national winner from Leicester in 2012. The mealy cock is a son of Billy’s good mealy hen ‘Greer’s Girl’ that won 1st section E 1st west section 3rd open SNFC Ypres in 2009 flying 455 miles. The dam of Welltower Iain is the 2015 1st open SNFC Portsmouth winner ‘Welltower Greer’ whose dam was a full sister to ‘Billy’s Choice’ the 1st open SNFC Buckingham winner in 2014. I have often stated that Billy Bilsland is a very dedicated pigeon fancier who yes is a ‘full time’ pigeon fancier. But let us be honest here so is everyone who is retired and keeps racing pigeon’s including me. I just wish I had this extra free time to spend with my birds when I raced them. Billy also timed in a chequer hen ring number 1914 to win 22nd open SNFC Buckingham national. Now with all the losses we have heard about youngsters this year here is something to make you all THINK!! Billy has a young chequer hen number 1914 he sent her with the Up North Combine to the Oakham race which was held over till the Monday 29th August and she was his first bird home flying 220 miles. He then basketed her for the Scottish National Racing Pigeon Club from Peterborough on the Friday but the birds did not get liberated till the Sunday 3rd September and 1914 won 1st open national flying 240 miles. She was then basketed on the following Thursday for the SNFC Buckingham race again a hold over until 11th September and wins 22nd open SNFC Buckingham flying 270 miles. Therefore she has flown 730 miles in the space of 12 days which is more miles than some youngsters fly in a YEAR. She has also raced the full young bird programme with the UNC plus private training from Billy during the week. She is not alone in completing this programme as there are others in his race team who have undergone the same undertakings. As I write this information on Billy 3 days after the race he informs me that he has 50 birds home from his entry of 60 from the national. Billy was a professional cyclist and would compete against the VERY BEST in the UK and would often leave his house in the west of Scotland with his bike in the back of his van and drive down to the midlands and compete in races. Then he would drive home and be back at work on the Monday morning. He even moved to Belgium to compete against the best on the continent and he held his own. I have told you how he was 3rd open from Ypres when he was beaten by 2 birds from the east section. ‘Greer’s Girl’ performance that day to win 3rd open being so far west in the country was truly outstanding and I honestly believe that this was the motivation that made Billy move to the east side of the country. If you study the Scottish national results you will see that Stewart Roberts moved from Kirkliston (near the Forth Road Bridge) to Ayton and won 3 young bird nationals flying into this area. Hence the reason Billy moved to this little village and he has set the bench mark by now winning 8 nationals in the space of 5 years. He is an out-and-out pigeon man who moved house to compete against the best in the east and he has without doubt proved it by now becoming a SNFC History Maker. Readers can also see from this short report and you can read my story on Billy in the 2017 Year Book that he has built up an outstanding team of pigeons during this short space of time. He is also a very modest man who is appreciative of all the help his good friend David Reed of Chainbridge Lofts has done for him these past 5 years.

 

7 times Scottish national winner Billy Bilsland

 

Results

 

North of Scotland Federation

 

Buckie news from Gavin Russell who writes ‘Hi Joe on the 3rd September we had 3 members sending 24 birds to Consett and taking 1st club is Neal Christie with a blue chequer cock doing a velocity of 1303.7 his sire and dam are Jan Aarden from Tumley Lofts. In 2nd & 3rd club is John Cumming with his 1st bird a mealy hen doing a velocity of 1303.4 her sire is from a D Dall line from Paul Thomson of Forres while the dam is from Ronnie Wilson of Keith. John’s 2nd bird is a blue chequer cock on 1205 his sire is from Callum Miller of Wick while his dam is from Johnnie Strachan of Inverallochy lines. From our last race from Ripon on the 10th September NO birds were sent by members. John Cumming wins the old bird averages and young bird averages so well done John. That is the season over for another year, how times flies past. We would like to say a big ‘THANK YOU’ to you Joe from all our members for adding our results to your column, keep up the good work you do for the sport in Scotland yours Gavin Russell’.

News of the North of Scotland Federation from George Duthie of the last federation race from Ripon with 27 members sending 315 birds liberated into a light south west wind. The west section had 15 members sending 178 birds and these dominated the race with A Milne of Devern Valley wining both section and open. His club mate A Wilson is 2nd in both with A J Reid of Keith winning 3rd open. First east section and 4th open is Walter Masson of Fraserburgh & District with George Duthie of the same club is 2nd east section 5th open. G R Duncan of Keith wins 4th to 10th section and is 6th to 12th open.

East section had 12 members sending 137 birds, I have given the top 2 in the section above Dave & Calum McDougall of Peterhead & District are 3rd section 15th open with club mates George Taylor in 4th section 16th open. C & M Williams of the same club are 5th 7th & 9th section also winning 18th 20th & 22nd open. Jim & Ann Donaldson are 6th 8th & 10th section and 19th 21st & 23rd open.

Clubs First Bird: A Milne wins Devern Valley; A J Reid wins Keith; W Masson wins Fraserburgh & District; J Thomson wins Elgin & District; D & C McDougal win Peterhead & District and R McKenzie wins Inverurie. My thanks to George for supplying the federation result I have heard that the members are happy to receive some publicity for their efforts. Look forward to receiving you from the same or next season Joe M.

The Pentland Federation

 

Press officer Andy Miller has had problems with his computer hence the reason we missed out ONE race however the every consistent Andy has supplied the young bird open result flown from Buckingham race point were 36 members sent 405 birds to the race 368 with the SNFC and 37 with the federation. As stated this was in conjunction with the Scottish National Flying Club and is a distance of 278-290 miles for most members. Winning 1st federation is the ‘Champion old bird loft’ this season of W Pryde & son John from Gorebridge who supplied Andy with the following details. We timed a blue pied darkness young cock flown on the sliding door system. You’ll be pleased to know that this bird is ¾ of your (Andy) own breeding from a grandson of ‘Van Allen’ when paired to a daughter of Steve Lapinskie of Dalkeith Bovingdon national winner ‘Ashley’s Wish’. On the other side of the pedigree is breeding from your Kuwaiti pair, ‘Petrol & Diesel’. (Andy Miller writes, 2 rings on their way to you for next year John) Andy would like to send his congratulations to all the officials and workers of the federation for all their hard work and once again they have had another good season.

2nd federation is J Allen of Easthouses with K Dick of Edinburgh Premier in 3rd spot. Willie Kinnear & sons of Danderhall are 4th & 10th with A Young of the same club in 5th spot. McCormack & Fraser of Castlebrae are 6th with Andy Miller of Sighthill in 7th place. The inform loft of Brown & Black of Woodburn are 8th & 9th and ALL the above should be well up in the national race.

 

Garden Competition Winner

 

Margaret and I attended the Fife Council presentation at Glenrothes for the ‘Fife in Bloom’ completion which is for gardens and hanging baskets. Margaret had already been awarded a ‘Gold’ medal for her hanging baskets however I was invited for the Area award. Which consists of gardens from 6 local villages within the county and I won the Area award and a Silver Gilt for my efforts. So we were well pleased and I have attached a couple of pictures to go with this article.

 

Joe Murphy with his prizes for Best Garden

Margaret's Gold Medal winning baskets

Obituary

 

Sandy Bain of Duns: I was sorry to read about the passing of Sandy who was a proper gentleman. A native of Wick where he was a very successful fancier and this continued when he moved down to Duns winning the east section from Reims in 2002 then 1st east section 1st open Eastbourne national in 2011. He had also achieved a SNFC Gold Award in 1996. He flew a good pigeon and I remember going to do a short loft report on him and his lovely wife May. Unfortunately she was killed in a car accident and poor Sandy never got over her loss. I extend my heartfelt sympathies to the family at this sad time.

 

Davie Hamilton of Kennoway: I was saddened to read on the internet about my ex club mate Davie who died peacefully, at home on Saturday, 27th August, 2016. I was disappointed that I didn’t know as I would have attended the funeral. Davie was aged 81 and a loving husband of Jean, he was also an adored dad of Hazel, and a father-in-law of Andy, also much loved grandad of David and Emmajane, also a proud great-grandad of Holly, Kaden, Kobe and Daisy, to whom we send our heartfelt condolences.

 

Joe’s Joke

 

The mother of a 17-year-old girl was concerned that her daughter was having sex.

Worried the girl might become pregnant and adversely impact the family's status, she consulted the family doctor. The doctor told her that teenagers today were very wilful and any attempt to stop the girl would probably result in rebellion. He then

told her to arrange for her daughter to be put on birth control and until then, talk to her and give her a box of condoms. Later that evening, as her daughter was preparing for a date, the mother told her about the situation and handed her a box of condoms. The girl burst out laughing and reached over to hug her mother, saying, ‘Oh mum! You don't have to worry about that! I'm dating Susan!'

 

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