Ian McKay Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 The Joe Murphy Column This weekend is the Blackpool show and to some people it is the highlight of the pigeon calendar as they meet up with old friends whom they have not seen for a while and in some instances this is their only meeting of the year. As is normal nowadays there are pigeon sales all over Blackpool. However, I’m not interested in these as I feel we do not need another introduction into our Deweerdt family and I intend to cross some of these with my Daniel Aeren birds this year to improve our long distance lines. I hope the Show of the Year charity sale in the show goes well and I hope my red Deweerdt stock cock (see photo) does well and may I wish the purchaser all the best with him in the future. He reminds me of his grandfather’s brother ‘Clovis’ an excellent racer and breeder who also had black splashes throughout his tail and flights. Respiro San Dry I went to meet up with Phil Gardner at the SHU Show in Lanark but he did not attend. As many fanciers asked me about Phil, when I came home I phoned him and he informed me that he had a virus and had been confined to bed. I’m glad to say that he will be at Blackpool show this weekend so I hope to meet up with him then. People’s Friend Magazine My wife Margaret gets this magazine every week and she showed me an article written by fellow scribe Colin Hill of Bletchley Park regarding ‘Modern-day pigeons having it easy compared to the Heroic pigeons during the wars. The exhibition is now housed in Bletchley Park and Colin attends 4 days a week to talk to people about pigeons during the wars. Good on him and well done Colin you are a credit to the pigeon sport. My Mistake Received a phone call from Pete Patrick of Thornton regarding my article of the 6th January issue concerning the breeding of ‘Mary’ the good blue hen raced by Jock King of Kirkcaldy. A sister to Mary (1580) was mated to ‘Robbie’s Boy’ 1st SNFC Falaise for Gilmour Brothers of Leven whom I highlighted in my article. The mother of Mary and her sister were bred from a Jock Traill cock who’s sire was a son of Jock McKinnon of Ladybank ‘Lorna’ 1st open SNFC Falaise 1997, he was mated to a Jim Hannah of Blantyre hen (who returned injured when Jim’s loft was broken into). The dam of the mother to (1580) was from a pair of eggs Pete received from Jimmy Keir of Thornton these were rung 3696 and 3697. The latter 3697 was the mother to Mary and 1580 while her nest mate 3696 bred Pete’s 1st SNRPC Saintes winner for him. This pair of eggs was from a Red Cock via Bob Moffatt of Gorebridge from his long distance family while the dam was a Bobby Carruthers of Bonnyrigg hen bred down from his famous ‘Moneymaker’. My thanks to Pete for putting the record of these birds correct. Thank You Received an email from my good friend Guy Reed of Isle of Wight who wrote ‘Dear Joe, many thanks for placing the pictures of the two dark 2016 youngsters I bred for you from the daughter of ‘Iban’ whom I named ‘Lola 2’ and ‘Paddy’ a son of ‘Tiger’ winner of 1st national Barcelona. As we were saying in our recent chat, whilst being reminded by Mat Rakes of Paulton Somerset, that racing is silver and breeding is gold, and what a wonderful piece of icing on the cake it will be, to hear of Kevin & you winning yet another Scottish National with the progeny of the two 2016 youngsters. You are very kind to promote the birds in the press, and I thank you for the time end effort I know goes into putting it all together. The condition of the birds in the pictures is a credit to your abilities as a fancier as they really shine. Best wishes with the birds and as you know there are no guarantees but it keeps us young trying to breed the good ones ‘Good luck’ to Kevin and you Joe for the season 2017 your Guy’. SHU Celtic Cup Winner Received an email and some information on the 2016 Celtic Cup winning pigeon from Allan Orr of Brightons near Falkirk who wrote, ‘Hi Joe I would like to mention our pigeon ‘Kevin's Choice’ was named after my dad’s good friend Kevin Lawson of Ollerton. Kevin bred us a fantastic kit of youngsters and as yearlings we had 3 federation winners from that very kit including ‘Kevin's Choice’ a white flight cock that won 1st North West federation Open race from Newark; also another white flight cock that had a 1st & 2nd federation. ‘Kevin's Choice’ (see photo) was raced by the father and son partnership of Angus Orr & son Allen of Brightons. We fly in the Laurieston Homing Society and the North West Federation. ‘Kevin's Choice performances in 2016 are as follows; From Kelso he won 1st club 1st federation; Otterburn he won 9th club 19th federation. Then from Appleby he won 2nd club 2nd federation then from the Ripon race he won 2nd club 2nd federation then from the Wakefield race he won 2nd club 2nd federation (beaten by loft mate) and from the final race from Newark he won 8th club 18th federation. These performances won him the ‘Bird of the Year’ in Laurieston Homing Society and also won ‘Bird of the Year’ in the North West Federation. As you know Joe he also won the Scottish Homing Union ‘Celtic Cup’ for performances up to 300 miles. ‘Kevin's Choice’ had two short races as a youngster, and 6 races as a yearling winning positions in the federation result each week. Kindest regards Joe and good luck for the new season ahead yours Allan Orr’ Top Sportsmen within our Sport Prior to Christmas while having a conversation with my wife Margaret she said ‘In your column you highlight ‘Good SNFC Birds’ why don’t you do the same for pigeon fanciers. People who have done tireless work within the sport and no-one ever hears about them. She is correct and I’m going to try and cover these very people now that the racing season is over and I have time to give them some praise. So if you know anyone within your area who comes into this category then please let me know and I will cover them in my column and if you can supply a picture of the person all the better. All you have to do is give me a call (01592 770331) telling me their details, for example they have been the club (federation) secretary; treasurer; president; basket convenor; clock setter or anything to do with the pigeon sport. Give me the length of time and anything that is of interest I will take the notes from you and compile a short feature on each individual. All I ask is you supply the important details and I will do the rest. For example: I was reading this week the Lanarkshire Social Circle presentation by Tom Corrie, he highlighted that John Lawrie of Cambusnethan and Morningside club has been the secretary since 1972 and has been Lanarkshire Federation clock setter ever since he could remember. So I contacted John Lawrie for this feature and he is going to supply me with some information which is wonderful. Good SNFC Birds While going over the Scottish national race results it is surprising how many good pigeons are being race by fanciers north of the border. Many birds have won 3 times in the national however quite a number of them have not won a section prize and it is these section prizes that matter for the clubs Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. So to the fanciers that have pigeons with 3 SNFC open diplomas but do not have section prizes I’m sorry but I have had to miss these out. Hopefully these wonderful birds can obtain more prizes in 2017 and I can highlight them then. This week we start with Alex R Rae of Aberdeen whose chequer cock SU13AB 2275 who has won 3 section prizes in the SNFC scoring twice in 2015 and once in 16. He won 9th section G (no open prize) from Portsmouth a distance of 439 miles he was then sent to the last old bird race of the season from Clermont a distance of 571 miles and he won 5th section G which is the North section (again he did not win an open position) then in 2016 he was set up for the SNFC Gold Cup race from Reims a distance of 605 miles and he won 2nd section G 27th open which was a very good performance considering the birds were released into a light North West wind. He requires one more section prize from over the channel to claim his SNFC Silver Award and we wish Alex and his pigeon all the best for 2017. While on about good SNFC birds I must congratulate Dave & Calum McDougall of Peterhead who won section G and was also 11th open flying 622 miles outstanding pigeons well done lads. Coming a little south of Aberdeen is the town of Forfar where my next pigeon is to be found to the loft of Mike Leggett with his blue pied hen SU15AF 1098. This pigeon scored 3 times in 2016 as a YEARLING being 39th section C 130th open from Littlehampton a distance of 415 miles a few weeks later she was entered into the Ypres race and she won 32nd section C 95th open flying 465 miles. She was then sent to the last old bird race of the season from Roye and she won 17th section C 52nd open flying 533 miles. As I have stated the pied hen is a youngish pigeon and she could go on to achieve a SNFC Silver and who knows maybe an SNFC Gold Award she has time on her side and we wish Mile all the best in the future with his pied hen. Coming over the River Tay heading do the south of Fife to the town of Rosyth which is near the Forth Road Bridge we find Alastair McCudden who has a red pied hen SU13F 1645 she has also achieved 3 SNFC section prizes her first was from the inland national race from Portsmouth in 2015 a distance of 372 miles and she won 56th section C 200th open. Then in 2016 she again scored from an inland national from Littlehampton a distance of 381 miles winning 45th section C 147th open she was then sent to the Roye race and won 25th section C 80th open flying 508 miles so a very good pigeon and we wish Alastair all the best with her in 2017. BMS SpecialEddie McGhee with Kevin & Angus Orr Eddie McGhee with Lewis McCalley GB13B 13365 Peter Lot Donated by Joe & Kevin Murphy Thornton Guess Who I was sent this photograph of a top official of a pigeon origination in Scotland who is just like the rest of us and has to do his share of the chores in the house. Can you guess who he is, send in your answers via the email or give me a phone. Obituary I was saddened to read in the Christmas edition the passing of Alan Bullen of Chorley in Lancashire who was one of our sports greatest characters and a very good pigeon man as well. I used to phone Alan every week when I was the federation race controller and he would give me a detailed weather report and information on who was racing from where. I know that Dennis Dall also used Alan during his time in this post. The year after we won the Scottish national we attended Blackpool show and on the Saturday night joined a company of Scottish and English fanciers in the hotel. This man kept speaking to the lads at the bottom of the table and said ‘Who is that bloke? Does he keep pigeons? How does he do? I could hear all this and had a little smile on my face then the man burst out laughing and right away I knew who is was and said ‘Alan Bullen you bugger’ and went and shook his hand. I had never ever met Alan in person (we had just spoken on the phone) but he was a great man and someone I had a lot of respect for: Rest in peace my old friend. Joe’s Joke A young man and woman got married. At the time of their marriage, the husband noticed his wife carried a decent sized metal box and shoved it up at the top of their closet. Curious as he was, the wife told him to ‘Never look in it’ no matter what the circumstances. Over the years, he saw that metal box in the closet, but never peered into it for the sake of his wife. One day, though, the wife had a stroke and was rushed to the hospital. As the husband sat grieving at home, he thought of the box, snatched it up, and sped to the hospital where his wife remained with her death coming soon. On arrival the husband pleaded and begged her to allow him to open the box by her side. "Well" she said, "I suppose now would be the right time." The husband unlatched the hook and peered inside. On one side sat two crocheted dolls, and on the other, to his surprise, sat one million pounds! "Honey, before we got married, my mother gave me this box and told me that whenever I got mad at you, I should go to the bedroom and crotchet a doll," said the wife. The husband was thrilled and thankful. He absolutely couldn't believe his wife had only been mad at him twice! "That is amazing!" said the husband to his wife. "Honey, I'm grateful beyond belief you've only been mad at me two times, but how on earth did you manage to get one million pounds?" "Oh, honey" said the wife, "That's the money I got from selling the dolls." 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...
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