The Joe Murphy Column

[Ian McKay]

The Joe Murphy Column

 

I’m like everyone else ‘sick as a parrot’ with the SNFC losses from Bedhampton and the Gold Cup race from Alencon and I’m glad to a meeting of the Management committee to discuss the matters of this race will be held. The thing that annoys me most is that these losses could have been avoided. For years we have been using old federation transporters that are not fit for national racing were the birds are in the baskets for 3 to 4 days. These federation transporters are ok for picking up birds on the Friday night and liberating them the following morning. For years we have been putting 22 birds (inland) and 20 birds (channel) into baskets. Last weekend this was dropped to 17 birds per basket for the Ypres race and thankfully this turned out to be a better race with all the open positions won by pigeons on the day and some birds even as far up Spay Bay near Elgin. I have also heard that a bird was timed the following morning in Orkney flying 613 miles. Quite a number of fanciers did not participate in the Ypres race as they were so discussed with the losses from the Bedhampton and Gold Cup race. I have heard that many members will not race again this year with the club as they are so dismayed by the heavy losses that they have put what birds they have left by for the year. While others who are in both nationals would rather send to Arras with the SNRPC rather than go to Falaise with the Scottish national. Quite a number of people have expressed they have joined or are going to join the SNRPC if things don’t change dramatically within the SNFC. The main issue as far as I have been told is TRANSPORTATION of the birds; and too many birds in a basket and the MOST IMPORTANT topic NO access to water on BOTH SIDES of the basket. I have said this before and I repeat myself once again about the amount of money the club has obtained over the years from direct children from National winning pigeons. This happens every year and I can remember a youngster direct from Willie Kinnear & son famous pigeon ‘Auld Reekie’ going for over a £1000 and he won the race in 2004. All this money collected has been put into the club funds and we could have bought at least 2 Geraldy transporters outright during this time. But what happens there are shortfalls on the running of the club and the money from the sales is used to clear the debt and to balance the books. 2018 is not far away and the officials need to hire Geraldy transporters for next year NOW show the members that they accept their mistakes and show a willingness to fix the problem. Because if they don’t then there will be a large drop in membership which also has a knock-on effect as through time the club will not be able to employ a full time secretary.

 

Death City

 

The above heading is quite appropriate when you think of the losses from the Alencon race however I received a phone call from Alan Smith of Edinburgh whom I spoke to many years ago and at that time he highlighted problems with using Alencon as a race point. Alan raced his pigeon in France about 16 years ago and like everyone in a new country tried to learn the language as quickly as possible and was soon a member of the local pigeon club. He used to get his birds to fly about 1 ½ hours in the morning and then at lunch time he would go onto the (motorway) to Alencon which would take him 35 to 40 minutes to drive and liberate his birds. Then at night he would again give the birds some exercise round the loft. He worked hard at his pigeons however he could not get into the top bracket of the federation (known as the Groupmont). As hard as he worked at the birds his performances were not what he was looking for. One day a young lady (who spoke French and English) came up to Alan and said that this old man wished to speak to him would he mind going to a local restaurant and joining him for coffee. The 3 of them went and the young woman became the interpreter and informed Alan that the old gentleman was the Champion fancier 20 years ago. He lived near Alan and had watched how much work he had put into the pigeon and when told Alan trained from Alencon the old champion said ‘Death City’ there is something about Alencon an atmosphere he did not know what it was but knew there was something bad about the City. He informed Alan to train from Domfront and he would win with his pigeon and he took the old champions advice and never looked back. Alan told me this story when the Scottish national first started going to this race point away back in 2005 and I recorded this in my column but this information has gone unheeded. Maybe some of the club members will take this on board now and change this race point. Let us not forget Alan is not highlighting this just for the sake of it or because the national has had a bad race this year. He highlighted this over 12 years ago and we have continued to race from this location and to be honest we have not had great races over the years. Alan also informed me of Colin Crees pigeons which you will read below; my thanks once again Alan for your contribution.

 

Alencon to Spain

 

Received a phone call then an email from Alastair McCudden of Rosyth in Fife, who informed me that one of his entries at the Alencon race; has been reported by a fancier named Alberto Perez who lives Spain. Alberto is located in Valdovino which is in the region of Coruna and is in the top west corner of Spain just above where Spain borders with Portugal. I googled this and you have the Atlantic Ocean on your left and to the north the Bay of Biscay. It looks like the bird has flown directly south from Alencon (only God knows why). I have emailed the fancier and awaiting a reply. Thought your readers of the column may find this of interest kindest regards Alastair’. I went on Google maps and had a look for Valdovino and it looks like the bird (or birds as I don’t think this bird would be its own) has flown south from Alencon to Le Mans; Tours; Poitiers; Niort; Bordeaux reaching San- Sabastian then heading right over Santander; Gijon and reaching Valdovino on the tip of the coastline. If it went down the coast line as I have mentioned above it is 837 miles or 1348 kilometres and would have taken it 12 hours 12 minutes. However as the crow flies in a straight line over the Bay of Biscay it is 516 miles and would be the last point of land prior to heading out into the Atlantic Ocean. It makes you think we sit in our back garden waiting on the birds to return from a race and low and behold this bird has gone the other way and to be honest there is no way it is going to fly from Valdovino back to Rosyth in Scotland as this is 883 miles as the crow flies.

 

Good SNFC Birds

 

The winner was J Gilmour of Ecclefechan who timed in a chequer cock 3693 for a velocity of 1049 to win the race our congratulations to Mr Gilmour well done. 1st east section and 2nd open is Colin Crees of Ladykirk in the Scottish Borders he timed in a mealy cock which is an exception pigeon as he has won 5 times in the top 70 in 5 national races. In 2014 he won 25th section B 68th open Alencon flying 512 miles that same year he also won 13th section B 61st open from Clermont flying 480 miles. Then in 2016 he competed in the Gold Cup race from Reims a distance of 520 miles and won 21st section B 70th open he was then doubled back into the Roye race and won 10th section B 15th open flying 464 miles and now he has come up to win 1st section B 2nd open Gold Cup race from Alencon thus now winning his SNFC Gold Award for 5 times a winner from France. Do not think the above winner is a flash in the pan because Colin won a SNFC Gold Award last year with a chequer cock 594 who won 6 times in the top 63 open positions within 5 nationals. Before going on about this bird you will notice the distance is different from the above winner and I’m assuming that this is because Colin is now measured by the GPS system. In 2014 the chequer cock won 4th section B 10th open from Alencon a distance of 511 miles that same year he competed from Clermont and attained 3rd section B 25th open flying 480 miles. In 2015 he accomplished 1st section B 3rd open from Alencon and in 2016 he succeeded twice being 10th section B 35th open Reims Gold Cup flying 520 miles then into the last old bird race from Roye to triumph being 24th section B 63rd open flying 464 miles to gain the Gold Award. HOWEVER he was sent to this 2017 Alencon race and he was also timed on the day of the race to win 3rd section B 3rd east region (only 3 birds on the day) and 11th open. What a fantastic pair of cocks and when you see from the pigeon press that Colin’s brother Davie won 1st & 2nd open SNRPC Reims last week. My congratulations to the brothers on making history within the pigeon sport in Scotland. Andrew Agnew from Kelso wrote the following ‘Dear Joe, hope you and your family are all keeping well, this is just an update on my good hen ‘Border Belle’ SU13 363 she is Cooremans bred pigeon and has won the following performances. In 2014 she won 8th section B 8th open from Maidstone and then she won 46th section B 76th open from Ypres. In 2015 she won 11th section B 12th open Billericay and was then sent to the Clermont race and she won 122nd open (no section prize) the following year she again had the 2 national races the first from Littlehampton where she won 7th section 15th open and then from Ypres she won 4th section 4th open. This year she was won 314th open from the inland Buckingham race and now wins 5th section B 9th open from Ypres. As you can see Joe that is 5 times in the top 15 in national racing with the Scottish national flying club. She has now secured the SNFC Silver Award and will be retired and be paired to my Bedhampton national winner ‘Monty’ to hopefully breed some more like herself. (What price would these birds be worth on PIPA if raced in Belgium Joe Murphy) Anyway keep up the good work on highlighting good Scottish pigeons Joe I know people look forward to reading about them in your column, all the best for the rest of the season to you and Kevin kindest regards Andrew’. Another outstanding performance from this race was by Jimmy McGinty of Blackburn who sent 2 hens to the race and timed both of them in to win 3rd section D 31st & 4th section D & 38th open with the first a red hen who won 32nd section D 16th open SNFC Roye last year. Another pigeon who won at Roye last year was a mealy hen for Dave Baldie of St Andrews in Fife as he won 14th section C 46th open and now wins 4th section C 34th open with a mealy hen that previously won 14th section C 46th open Roye last year. Gerald Macpherson of Broughty Ferry (just outside Dundee) clocked 2 yearlings with the 1st a chequer hen that is bred from a Jack Alexander of Monifieth cock that contains the very best of the late John Ellis of Wellbank bloodlines. The dam was a ½ sister to Euro Diamond now the reason I know about this is a while back I had in my article that Gerald had let a Brockamp pigeon go as it had stopped filling its eggs. A fancier phoned me up and asked if Gerald had any more of these Brockamp birds for sale. He was recommended the mother of the yearling timed in from Alencon (flying 569 miles) but he refused the offer. The next day Gerald had another yearling home to win 43rd open this pigeon contains Jelle Jellema bloodlines. While on about Gerald his brother Michael who won 2nd open SNFC Reims last year timed the furthest flying pigeon in the result to win 32nd open flying 578 miles. East of Scotland Federation news from John Baillie who write ‘Hi Joe please find information from our members from the Alencon race. John Baillie was 5th section B and 26th open, this 2 year old cock was bred direct from my House of Aarden pair of Padfield family. George Veitch won 6th section B and 37th open this could only be described as a disaster of a race with only 47 birds making it home in race time. However some birds have been wandering in over the past few days with George Veitch's Gold Cup winner ‘Karamojo’ from 2016 came home on the Thursday when we were basketting for Ypres race.

 

Jimmy McGinty

 

Ypres

 

The convoy of 2320 birds entered by 409 members were liberated at Ypres on Saturday 8th July at 06-40 am into a west to south west wind. Margaret and I travelled up to Arbroath in the afternoon and were caught up in football traffic as Dundee were playing Arbroath in the town. Kevin had sent 9 birds to the race and was hoping for a better race than the last national as he did not get a bird home. We settled down to look for pigeons when word came that Dave Baldie in St Andrews had a good bird at 18-12 and then we noticed on the lib line that fellow Angus federation member Davie Glen had timed in at 18-50 we wondered if this was his good blue cock ‘Lowson Lad’ as he only required one more section prize to gain his SNFC Silver Award. It was a bit windy down in the garden and we moved up to the side of the house when all of a sudden a ‘blue flash’ and there was Kevin’s blue hen ‘Lynne’ on the top of the aviary. Boy was she racing and when she landed she fell forward then composed herself. This hen won 70th section C 202nd open Buckingham from 4169 birds. She was then sent to Bedhampton and won 9th section C 26th open and in this Ypres race she won 24th section C 63rd open she had previously won 25th section C 63rd open from Ypres last year and is a half-sister to ‘Lucky’ (same dam) who won 4 times for us in SNFC inland racing. Her mother is named ‘Jenny’ and was bred by fellow scribe Adrian Duggins from his Leo Van Rijn bloodlines and her sire was a direct Leo Van Rijn cock I purchased from Holland with the help of Adrian. Kevin timed in his 2nd pigeon a pied hen to win 43rd section C 153rd open she previously won 118th section C 483rd open from Bedhampton this year and is bred from son of Brian Johnstone of Pencaitland Deanview Blue Star who won both a Silver and Gold Award with the Scottish National. The dam of the pied hen is Bridget a hen bred by John McGee of the Barcelona One Loft in France. His 3rd pigeon to make in 190th open on the national result was a yearling. His sire was bred by the Macaloney family while the dam was a direct daughter of Ron Lilleby famous ‘40 cock’ and was a half-sister to ‘Lucky’ our good hen mentioned above.

 

Ypres

 

UK

 

Lynne

 

The winner of the race is Dave Baldie of St Andrew who won 1st federation 1st section C 1st open SNFC Ypres with a 2 year old blue pied hen named Rose a Frans Zwols pigeon from his good friend Willie Donachie of Dundee family. Rose is a previous winner from Ypres as she won as yearling when she gained 172nd open against 2324 birds. She also won 1st Federation 1st section C 11th open from Buckingham this year against 4169 birds and now she comes up and tops it all by winning the Scottish national from an entry of 2320 birds; well done Dave and Willie. When I first heard Dave’s time I remarked ‘Chris has been looking down on Dave’. Chris his wife since 1968 passed away this year and it must have been hard for him and the family. 2nd open is Davie Glen of Forfar who timed in his champion blue bar cock ‘Lowson Lad’ this widowhood cock is from Dave’s old Busschaert family of birds that have stood him well over the years and ‘Lowson Lad’ is related to Dave’s 1st open SNFC Ypres 2013 winner ‘Dave’s Dream’. In 2017 ‘Lowson Lad’ topped the federation in 2017 from Leicester and was also 3rd Grampian Combine from the same race. As a yearling in 2013 he won 4th section C 25th open from Maidstone a distance of 401 miles. The next year he won 5th section C 26th open from Maidstone. Then in 2015 he won 17th section C 83rd open from Portsmouth a distance of 407 miles he was then entered into the Eastbourne race which is 20 miles further and he obtained 14th section C 47th open. In 2016 he won his Meritorious Inland Bronze Award for gaining his 5th win from inland national races as an old bird when he won 27th section C 137th open Buckingham flying 330 miles. Nevertheless Dave then entered him into the Littlehampton race and he succeeded again by gaining 22nd section C 56th open flying 415 miles. To prove the quality of ‘Lowson Lad’ and Davie Glen as a pigeon fancier he entered him into the 2013 national race from Ypres a distance of 465 miles and he won 114th open although he did not win a section prize. In 2014 he again contested from the Ypres race point and gained 3rd section C 15th open and now in 2017 he wins his SNFC Silver Award for winning 3 section prizes from over the English Channel. Plus this wonderful pigeon won from the Scottish national race from Buckingham in 2017 and won 33rd section C 100 open from an entry of 6065 birds flying 407 miles. Therefore has now won 10 times in the Scottish National and his reputation as a truly ‘great’ pigeon. I think fanciers will agree he is a truly outstanding pigeon and raced by a very talented fancier whom we congratulate on his success in Scottish national racing well done Dave. Brian Chalmers of Kennoway is 3rd open and he has had a good season with his first bird in the previous 2 nationals winning 15th open Buckingham and he won 44th open from Bedhampton showing the quality of this fancier. Less McKay of Carnoustie is 4th open and he has been so consistent over the years and is a name to always look out for in distance races. 1st section B 4th open is Gordon Turnbull of Duns who flies a good pigeon. Another loft that has a very good race is the father and son partnership of A S Thompson of Port Seton who is 6th & 7th with many more birds on the open result which is a great team effort. They are having a fantastic season just like previous years. 1st section E 11th open is the Macaloney partnership of George Willie & Paul whom you may remember won 1st open SNFC from the first national from Buckingham. Therefore the partnership has won 2 west region and section positions in the same year well done lads. 1st section D 21st open are Jim & Colin Smith of Polmont who also won 2nd section D 4th open from the first national from Buckingham this season. 1st section G 1st north region 26th open is John Thompson of Spey Bay with a yearling Welsh rung cock flying 529 miles. John is another fancier that name often appears on the national result. 1st section F (far west section) 95th open is H Wallace of Newmilns in Ayrshire and 1st section A 187th open is J Ferguson of Annan. This race turned out to be a better race than the previous 2 events and fanciers are happy that the amount of birds in each basket dropped down to 17 birds. Another outstanding achievement; Kevin informed me that a 4 year old hen had been clocked on Sunday morning into Orkney at 10-10 hours flying 613 miles from Ypres to the loft of John Buchan. She is bred from 2 yearlings her sire was bred from John Ellis of Wellbank ‘Surprise’ bloodlines and was bought at a sale his dam was a Pete Patrick of Thornton hen bought at his entire clearance sale. She is a half-sister to Mary the Double Gold Award winner. Dam of the Ypres hen was a gift youngster from Herbert Mackenzie containing some good distance blood flying into Orkney from Hastings 569 miles. This hen flew Ypres last year but was out of race time. John would like to thank the secretary Mary Pryde for her assistance in getting the Orkney entries away to the national. In the East of Scotland Federation John Baillie informs us that the federation had a good race from Ypres with 10 birds on the open result, winning 8th open SNFC and 4th section B is Jim McNeil, this hen is bred from a Taylor Bros of Newbiggin cock when paired to a hen from the late Jackie Blackhurst of Easthouses. Next we have John Bird of Prestonpans in 12th & 14th section B and 20th & 24th open. Richard and Jamie Combe of Elphinstone timed 4 birds to win 15th & 17th section B and win 25th, 34th, 143rd and 172nd open. George Veitch of Pencaitland has 2 winning 18th & 30th section B 35th & 67th open. John Baillie wins 36th section and 83rd open with 2 year old cock ‘Parksyde Night-vision’ now winning his Silver Award with the SNFC, (I’m not sure if many 2 year olds have won a Silver Award so young so well done John Joe M). He scored twice as a yearling from Ypres he won 39th section B 77th open and then from Roye was timed at 04-10 on the 2nd morning to win 12th section 23rd open. Cambusnethan & Morningside news from Andrew Eadie who writes ‘Hi Joe from Ypres duplicating back in from the SNFC, the club and federation put up some truly fantastic results. Liberated at 06.40 into a west wind we had 17 members sending 149 birds and taking top spot and his 3rd win of the season is Tam Richardson who won 1st club, 1st section 3rd open Lanarkshire Federation; 3rd section E and 62nd open SNFC after 13 hours on the wing. The winner is a yearling blue chq cock named ‘Champagne Charlie’ after Tam’s dad who passed away early in the year. The yearling cock flew the full federation programme and is bred down from his Auld blue Craigneuk lines crossed with Stuart Hawkins (Arthur) Staff Van Reet family and last week in the comeback race he finished up 2nd club 2nd section 3rd open from an entry of 3100 birds. He was raced feeding a big youngster (see photo) and fed purely on Peanuts and Red Band. Tam is currently on vacation in Benidorm looking for Sticky Victoria, but has asked me to thank on his behalf his loft assistant Cecil Campbell (see photo) holding his 2nd bird who won 19th section E 117th open SNFC and bred by the Legend Billy L Bilsland of Ayton. 2nd club 5th section E 69th open SNFC is J Whiteford & Son. 3rd & 7th club 12th & 26th section E 96th & 144th open SNFC is J K Millar. 4th & 6th club 17th & 23rd section E 113th & 127th open are J J & K Gillon with Tam Richardson taking 5th club 19th section E 117th open with his 2nd Doo. Lastly I would like to congratulate on behalf of all the members in Cambusnethan & Morningside the Macaloney family on topping the Lanarkshire federation once again, 1st section E 11th open SNFC and all the other fanciers who took some fantastic positions in their respective clubs. Special mention to J K Millar winning the Old Bird average with a velocity of 1194.825 and the longest four races and to Tam Richardson runner up on both occasions with a velocity of 1193.345 cheers Joe yours Andy Eadie’.

 

Dave Baldie 1st SNFC

 

Dave Glen 2nd Open SNFC

 

Left to right Cecil Campbell and Tam Richardson

 

Champagne Charlie with his young birds

 

Great News

 

Received a phone call from Liam McCall of Wicklow South Road flying club who informed me that he had just been informed he had won Irish National Flying Club race from Saint Allouestre. To win the Kings Cup is every fancier’s dream and Liam could not believe he had pulled it off with his 5 year old hen, her grand dam was a hen Liam purchased from me in 2007 and he tells me that the national winner is the double of her in the hand. Liam sent 5 birds to the race along with 670 other members and the convoy of 2546 birds were liberated on Tuesday 4th July 2017 at 07:20 in a light and variable wind. Liam well his wife timed in another 2 birds to win 138th & 139th open and he also won the INFC / BHW Single birds challenge with a velocity of 1343 for the 377 miles. So some good news at long last!!!!!

 

Sad News

 

Received a phone call from Ritchie Kerr of Greenock; who informed me that his dear friend Sammy Glover who is 92 years old has decided to give up the pigeons due to his age and also health issues: Sammy has been having falls in his back garden and at the loft and he now realises that the time has come to call it a day. Sammy has been a pigeon fancier for 80 years and his father kept the pigeons before him. He has 8 hens and 7 cocks who are free to a good home if anyone is interested then give Ritchie a call on 07958517734. May we wish Sammy all the best in his retirement from the sport and I thank him for his kind words about the column.

 

Joe’s Joke

 

Your Husband Needs Rest

 

Doctor: Madam, your husband needs rest and peace, so here are some sleeping pills.

Wife: When should I give them to him? No No says the Doctor: They are for you!

 

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 Pigeon Racing the Basics who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland.

 

© Compiled by Joe Murphy