Ian McKay Posted January 6, 2017 Report Share Posted January 6, 2017 The Joe Murphy Column This week I’m going to highlight the story in the BHW Stud Book of 1955 written by James Kilgour of Salsburgh on the ‘Start of the Season’. I am greatly honoured by our editor’s request to write an article for the HW 1995 Stud Book, although I think it is the hardest task I have ever been asked to perform. However I will try and make this article interesting for the novice as I am sure there are older fanciers, like our Editor, I could be classed a novice myself. I should like to start at what to me is, the start of the season, namely immediately after you have timed in your 500 mile winner, because, unless this pigeon is correctly treated it will be unlikely that it will repeat his triumph in the years to come. One sure way to ruin your champion is to let it gorge itself with beans and cold water. I am sure that Joe McGhee after his gruelling marathon win in the Empire Games did not sit down to a gig dinner; his trainer would put him on a careful diet and make him rest. This is exactly the treatment required by your champion pigeon. After you have clocked in your pigeon, give it nothing to eat or drink that day, but four or five times at two hourly intervals give him glucose mixed with warm milk and allow it rest and quietness. Treated this way our Champion will soon be flying freely around home again, none the worse for its hard flight, and it should give a good account of itself the following year. Moult: Next comes the moult and unless you have your pigeons through a clean and perfect moult, then your chances are dim for the in-coming season. Any bird which grows spindle-end flights or knotted feathering must be rested for the full season. Fret marks are usually the sign of a hard race and if you can account for the fret marks in this manner, then they are nothing to worry about, but if they are present after the racing then you must look to the health of your birds. Don’t stint feeding during the moult, it is far better to give a little extra and increase the wheat and maize content with a little linseed added. Give them plenty of baths. During the moult I seldom let my pigeons out of the loft, as rest is essential and I am sure it is a stain for some of the birds to fly in the very ragged conditions they fall into, but on the few occasions on which they are shut out I shut the cocks and hens out together as I think they fly about more contentedly, and you sometimes strike a good mating when an old cock deserts his season’s hen and starts showing up to a new mate, while many are content to stick to their old loves. After the birds have completed their moult I put them on a very severe diet until about one month before mating. Any that show signs of cracking will never make a 500 mile pigeon. However, if the fancier has bred some late breds, then these must have an abundance of food at all times to ensure a steady and unchecked growth. During the winter I help pass the time away by making experimental mating’s on paper, although these are often changed a dozen times before mating season arrives. In-breeding: I am a great believer in in-breeding or line-breeding to maintain success, i.e. in-breeding within a proven 500 mile family. I am very fond of half-sister to half-brother mating; grandparents to grandchildren and good results can also be obtained from brother and sister. One of my best cocks this year is from a father and daughter. I find the birds suffer nothing in size or stamina, but maintain their type characteristics and racing ability. In a family like this, one must be very careful if he decides to use a cross as one faulty cross could undo years of patient progress. Mating: I mate up the birds the second weekend of March and allow them to rear their own youngsters, after which they sit on pot eggs until I require them in their favourite condition for their selected 5000 mile event. I have clocked them sitting in various conditions from three days to eighteen days on eggs, and feeding from eight to twenty one days. Training: I start training when youngsters are moved from their parents, and avoid at all costs the cold east winds which blow in the early part of the season, as training in these winds takes the fire out of your birds, the fire which will be so essential to them when called on to make their supreme effort in the classic races. Before the fourth race, Preston 150 miles, my birds do no forced exercise at all but have the open hole from early morning until late at night. From Preston onwards, I start force exercise for half an hour at night. My 500 mile candidates I step up to thirty minutes morning and night as early as possible in the mornings and as late as possible at night, as these are the times when pigeons are not keen on flying, and at the same time these are the times most likely to clock birds in 500 mile races. About three weeks prior to the selected event I stop all basket work and the birds received the exercise as already detailed, and this training I finish about three days before basketting. The birds enjoy these last three days of peace and quietness. Feeding: I feed each pair in their own nest box in which I place a one pound jam jar with the bottom half filled with cement. This allows the birds to each the beans easily and makes the jars harder to upset. I am what will be termed a ‘heavy feeder’ as I don’t believe in keeping the birds on the keen to ‘nippy’ side. This method may be all right for sprint races but in not beneficial for stamina tests. I have beans before the birds at all times and after morning exercise I give them a little wheat, while after evening exercise I give a little maize. I increase or decrease the wheat or maize according to the weather. I am a firm believer in cod liver oil as a growth and stamina producer, given either to the birds in capsule form or smeared in their feeding. If used on their feeding it must be freshly mixed as required. Condition: Now a word on condition don’t be misled by bloom on the pigeons feathers because bloom can be artificial and unless this is the result of careful training and exercise then it may mean absolutely nothing. To prove this to your own satisfaction, let some of your birds have the open bowl in all kinds of weather and keep some shut up. Those shut up will be covered in bloom, while your open bowl pigeons will be rough but ready, and if the weather is dirty they will show little bloom.Body: Another misleader, in my opinion, is the term ‘body’ a good few take this term loosely and sacrifice the pigeons fitness by allowing it to put on weight and ‘Weight’ is not body. A pigeon in condition will increase its body when it nears it’s ‘peak’, but at the same time it will become lighter or, should I say, more buoyant and give you the impression that if you released your hands it would stay suspended in mid-air.Facts, Fads and Fancies: To the novice I say, buy your stock from proven 500 miles who are right at the top at the present time, not from so and so birds who were flying well 20 years ago. Nurse them as youngsters to 100 miles, and again as yearlings to 250 miles, and when they mature you will have a pigeon capable of flying round the clock. Be severe in selection and kill any weaklings or diseased pigeons. Stick to the facts by breeding to proven bloodlines, characteristics and types. Leave the ‘fads’ such as eyesign, pink vents, white streak tail feathers etc., to their followers who eventually rely on the basket. Don’t use any pills or speed medicines because in 500 mile racing it is the bird’s condition and stamina that count, and these are produced only by careful handling and training by a fancier whose heart and soul are in the sport- a fancier 365 days of the year. You cannot expect your pigeons to do hard work if you yourself do not do your share. Pigeon racing is such a highly competitive sport that any half measures are not good enough. Conclusion: If this article helps any novice towards his 500 mile goal or even makes interesting reading, I shall be more than amply repaid for my trouble. James Kilgour Winning Family I received an email with some good news from my friend Rob Glover of the Midlands he wrote as follows; ‘Hi Joe hope you and the family are all well and may I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Very Good New Year. You may remember the pair of blue bar youngsters you sent me down in 2013 well one of them has won 4th Ace Long Distance Awards and 175th Ace Middle Distance Awards in 2016. This blue hen SU13 5134 won the following: 1st section 17th open MNFC 2 Bird race, 9th Leicester continental club, 31st section 121st open MNFC Bordeaux 2015. Then this year she won 3rd Leicester Continental Club, 5th Leicester federation and 20th Warwickshire federation, 12th section 53rd open MNFC Ancenis in 2016. She also won 2nd Leicester federation & 4th Warwickshire federation; 3rd section 11th open MNFC 2 Bird Race, 2nd Leicester Continental Club; 5th section 61st open MNFC Bordeaux in 2016. As you know Joe SU 13 5134 is a ½ sister to Kevin’s ‘My Little Rachel’ winner of 1st club 1st Angus federation 2nd section C (213 birds) and 4th open SNFC Gold Cup race from Alencon flying 573 miles against a convoy of 1355 birds. She is also ½ sisters to your Barcelona Challenge pigeon that won 9th Narbonne 500 miles 2012: he was also 15th bird to the loft and won 5.691 open Barcelona International 25.294 birds 2013.5134 is also a niece to Kevin’s 18th open SNFC Ypres 454 miles 470 members 2404 birds 2014 and 19th open SNFC Clermont 540 miles 343 members 1500 birds also. She is also related your red cock 1154 winner of 86th open SNFC Alencon 573 miles (421 members 1427 birds 2014) he also won 134th open SNFC Alencon (400 members 1416 birds) in 2015.As you know Joe all the above pigeons have the same sire a direct son of Gilmour Brothers of Leven’s good chequer cock ‘Robbie’s Boy’ winner of 31st open Falaise who then went on to win 1st open SNFC Falaise in 2006 from an entry of 2039 birds. Robbie’s Boy is the sire of the following winning birds:6966 winner of 421st open Eastbourne 400 miles; 23rd section C 85th open Clermont 524 miles; 47th section C 284th Eastbourne; 310th open Maidstone 375 miles winner of 4 SNFC Diplomas.4303 winner of 22nd section C 102nd open Maidstone 375 miles; 26th section C 64th open Clermont 524 miles. He is the grandsire of the following birds; ‘My Gem’ winner of 1st section C 1st open SNFC Roye 2016 for Jocky Scott of Kennoway flying 510 miles against 1135 birds entered by 258 members ‘Wee Mo’ winner of 2nd section C 42nd open SNFC Ancenis in 2016 for Willie Donachie of Dundee being the furthest flying bird on the race result at a distance of 635 miles from an entry of 294 birds entered by 100 true long distance members. ‘June’ winner of 4th section 4th open SNFC Clermont in 2012 for Davie Davidson of Methil flying 524 miles from an entry of 1622 birds entered by 370 members. David J Liddle of Forfar 1st section C 13th open SNFC Leicester young bird national winner. Brian Kinnear of Pitlessie in Fife 2nd section C 26th open SNFC Buckingham young bird national winner. He is also the great grandfather of following winners;18th open British Barcelona Club Bordeaux 32nd open BIIC Agen Robbie’s Boy was paired to a full sister of Jock King of Kirkcaldy’s famous hen ‘Mary’ 11 times winner from France into Scotland she won a SNFC Gold Award and a Gold Award in the SNRPC for the following positions; 106th open SNFC Newbury: 152nd open Clermont: 8th 30th 35th 92nd & 92nd open Falaise: 17th & 66th open Reims: 19th 58th & 80th Alencon.The Sister to Mary is bred from the best of the late Jock Traill of Thornton bloodlines being from ‘Traill’s Spark’ winner of 1st open SNFC Niort 690 miles, ‘Survivor’ 2nd open SNFC Nantes 620 miles, and a Dale Newcombe cock bred from ‘Danny Boy’ winner of 2nd 5th & 9th open Rennes and 38th open Frome (Danny Boy was the best pigeon in Scotland between 1997 and 1999 winning the SHU Dewar Trophy) the dam of Dale’s hen was ‘Kardale Regatta’ winner of 6th 64th 127th 154th & 211th open Sartilly and 34th open Nantes she was also a SNFC Gold Award winner and turned out to be a great stock hen. However two pigeons stand out in the annuals of the great Scottish National Flying Club's history, the first of these being a pigeon who won ten times from channel races flying into Scotland from Sartilly (499 miles) and Rennes (542 miles). This famous achievement was accomplished between the years of 1987 and 1994 by a chequer pied hen named ‘Fortune Lady,’ she was raced by Mr & Mrs Smith of Elphinstone in East Lothian. Since 1994 she has been the only pigeon ever to achieve a Double Gold Award in the SNFC. In 2008 the Scottish National introduced a Silver Award for pigeons that won three times from France racing into Scotland and even this was very hard to win. A blue bar hen named ‘Kingdom Spirit’ a late bred in 2008 with an old ring placed on her leg was raced by George & Brian Hunter of Dunfermline from the Kingdom of Fife in Scotland. She won her 1st SNFC Silver Award in 2011 the following year she won her SNFC Gold Award and then in 2013 she won her 2nd Silver Award and repeated history 21 years later as she then became the second pigeon to win a Double Gold Award in 2015. This ‘Pigeon in a Million’ performances are as follows: in 2010 she won 26th open Reims (567mls) then 30th open Clermont (524 mls) 2011 she won 31st open Messac (573mls) and 69th open Clermont. In 2012 she won from the Gold Cup race from Alencon being 36th open then the following year she won 22nd open from Alencon then 90th open from Clermont. In 2014 she won 120th open from Alencon and the following year won 58th open Alencon and 67th open from Clermont. ‘Kingdom Spirt’ also won: The Scottish Homing Union DEWAR TROPHY for Scotland’s Pigeon of the Year’ 2010, She was runner up for this award in 2011. She correspondingly she won 1st prize in the Joe Murphy One Bird Sporting Challenge from Alencon in 2012 competing against a select band of quality pigeons to win the highest placed bird in the completion being 36th open Scottish National Flying Club. The Dam of 5134 is a daughter of George & Brian Hunter of Dunfermline great pigeon ‘Kingdom Spirit’ mentioned above. So you will see that 5134 is bred for the job and I cannot thank Joe Murphy for breeding me this quality pigeon. Wishing you and Kevin all the best for the 2017 season yours Rob’. Good SNFC Birds This week I’m going to highpoint the birds and loft of Andrew Agnew & son of Kelso from the Scottish Borders they won the Newbury national in 2005 and have consistently been on the Scottish national results over the years. They have 2 exceptional pigeons in their loft at the present time and I feature the chequer cock SU13 355 first. As a yearling he won 116th section B 178th open from Maidstone a distance of 325 miles, a few weeks later he was sent over the channel to Ypres a distance of 393 miles and landed with his loft mate to win 47th section B 77th open. Then last year he competed in 3 national races and won twice. Being 52nd section B 89th open from Billericay a distance of 297 miles. He then went to Portsmouth a distance of 330 miles but just missed the result, he was then set down for the last old bird race of the season from Clermont a distance of 473 miles and he won 155th open but did not win a section prize. Then in 2016 he was sent to the first national old bird race from Buckingham a distance of 252 miles and he won 39th section B 123rd open so 5 times open prize winner in the Scottish National. Andrew & son also have a chequer hen SU13 363 who has won 6 times in open national results. As a yearling she had the same treatment as the chequer cock above going to Maidstone inland national and she was up with the leaders being 8th section B and 8th open from an entry of 2941 birds. She then went to Ypres and landed with the chequer cock mentioned above to win 46th section B 76th open from an entry of 2404 birds. Then in 2015 she was sent to Billericay inland national and won 11th section B 12th open from an entry of 3406 birds she was then sent to Clermont the last old bird race of the season and she won 122th open from an entry of 1547 birds but like the cock above did not win a section prize. Then in 2016 she competed in 2 nationals with the first being from the Littlehampton race a distance of 337 miles and she won 7th section B 15th open from an entry of 4482 birds she was then set up for the channel event from Ypres and she obliged by winning 4th section B 4th open from an entry of 2323 birds. You will see from the above that she has been 4 times in the top 15 open positions from 4 Scottish National events with her other 2 wins (one inside the top 80) and the other in 122nd open place. There are not many pigeons with performances like this within Scotland and I for one take my hat off to Andrew and his good chequer hen (not forgetting his other chequer cock) The Murphy Hen 5134 Father of 5134 Mother of 5134 Uncle of 5134 Ian Gilmour Robbie's Boy 1st SNFC Falaise Joe’s Joke An explorer goes into an undiscovered tomb for the first time, and in the centre of the tomb there’s a lamp. He picks it up, and as he starts to rub the dirt off of it, a genie comes out of the lamp and says, “I want to know the person you hate the most.†The explorer says, “That’s got to be my ex-wife. Why?†“I am a cursed genie. I will grant you three wishes, but whatever you wish for, your ex-wife will get double that amount.†“Okay, I wish for a billion dollars.†“Granted, but you ex-wife gets two billion dollars†“I wish for a mansion in California with a swimming pool, and tennis courts, everything.†“Granted, and your ex-wife gets two." "Now make your final wish.†The explorer walks around for a few minutes, returns to the genie with a stick, and says, “You see this stick? I’d like you to beat me half to death with 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts