The Joe Murphy Column

[Ian McKay]

The Joe Murphy Column

 

This week’s column is short as I have been struggling to find the time to sit down and compile an article. I had an appointment with my doctor as I have been having problems with my right shoulder and right foot. He thought I had gout in my foot which was unfounded but I must have stubbed my big toe and it has been giving me a hell of a pain. The problems from my shoulder are from a previous injury so I have been using Ibuprofen Gel for both these ailments. We are also helping our daughter out by watching her kids after school until she comes home from work after 6pm, so spare time is at a premium just now.

 

Result

 

Last week’s article was away by the time this result came in.

St Andrews club held its final young bird race of the season with the Fife Federation race from Ripon, which was also their young bird open race. Dave Baldie once again won the 1st x 5 positions in the club with the Frans Zwols pigeons, and 1st, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th & 19th open federation from an entry of 626 pigeons. The winner is a blue cock on darkness and flown on the roundabout system, his sire is a late bred cock retained for stock from the original Frans Zwols stock pigeons and is a direct son of FRANZZ x TIP TOP 01,

Who is a direct daughter of Tip Top Junior x Francine. The dam is a direct daughter of the Tip Top Pair which has bred winners including 6th section 28th open SNFC Billericay; she is a full sister to Tip Top Witpen responsible for 10 x 1st federations. Tip Top 99 is the grand dam of Rose winner of 1st open SNFC Ypres, she is also a full sister to the dam of Fran-Tastic winner 3 x 1st federations and 2 x 1st section winner with the SNFC. Franz himself is now responsible for 7 x 1st federation winners, 13 x 1st joint 1st federation winners and 13 SNFC Diploma winners. Dave’s success story continued and from the SNFC YB national race form Buckingham he timed a young Frans Zwols cock now named ‘Frans Boy’ at 16-33pm on the winning day to win 1st section C 2nd open from an entry of 1833 birds, this young cock has previously won 2 x 2nd feds this year beaten by a granddaughter of Fran-Tastic on one occasion and by a pigeon we bred on the other, his brother was our timer from the young bird national last year known as ‘Young Frans’ who won 3rd section C 18th open, being a direct sons Fran-Tastic a winner 3 x 1st fed; 1st section C 7th open SNFC Buckingham; 1st section C, 21st open SNFC Billericay. What an end to the season with these incredible Frans Zwols pigeons winning in the last two seasons 25 x 1st clubs, 15 x 1st federations, they have now won 6 x 1st section C with the SNFC and the ultimate dream was realised this year when ‘Rose’ won 1st section C 1st open SNFC Ypres. Please see photo of the Ripon federation winner as well as one of Willie Donachie & Dave Baldie.

 

Ripon Fed winner for Dave Baldie

 

Willie Donachie & Dave Baldie

Young Bird National

 

The Scottish National Flying Club held their last race of the season from Buckingham a distance of about 300 miles to the central belt of Scotland. 221 members sending 1833 birds on Thursday 14th September and these were not liberated until the following Monday at 08-30am. In 2015 they basketed the young birds on the Thursday and had a Friday race due to a bad forecast for the weekend. Therefore I (and many others) cannot believe that they did not carry out the same procedure this year. They could have basketed the birds on Sunday and had a Monday race with the youngsters only being in the baskets overnight. Everyone who studied the weather forecast knew we would not get a race over the weekend. Why did the race controllers not call for the race to be postponed until we had a better forecast and these young pigeons could have been kept in their lofts than sitting in a basket for 4 days? Even at this the losses from this race are again diabolical with many fanciers with a lot of empty perches. Of this convoy only ONE pigeon made 1100 velocity and was one of only 2 south section pigeons to record over 1000 ypm. The other 25 birds had 3 in section C (north of the Forth) 12 in section B (east of Scotland) and 10 in section D (central and west Lothian area) Congratulations to C K Hannah of Ecclefechan on winning 1st section A 1st open with his grizzle cock. Dave Baldie has an excellent pigeon in 2nd open and 1st section C position with A W Robertson of Edinburgh winning 1st section B 3rd open. Hamish Ferguson of Broxburn wins 1st section D 5th open. Big Derek Hay of Kirkintilloch wins 1st section F and 1st west region and 64th open flying 300 miles; Derek had 7 of the 8 pigeons timed in from this race into his section which had 92 pigeons entered; well done big man after winning your appeal to get back into your rightful section. 1st region E 74th open is Geordie Harris of Dunipace whom I wrote about last week as he is not in the best of health at the moment, hopefully this will give you a good boost Geordie. First section G 1st north region 129th open are Jim & Ann Donaldson of Peterhead flying 382 miles and timing in at 10-24 on the 2nd morning of the race. Only 121 birds from the entry of 1833 birds made it home on the day with the last open position of 184 doing a velocity of 610. As I write this article 4 days after the race quite a number of birds are still missing and this has put a dampener on the finish to the 2017 season. The biggest concern I have heard is the length of time the birds were in the baskets when it was proven in 2015 travelling down overnight and up the next day was a success. Okay in 2015 it was a south west wind and the birds were up at 09-45 am and the last open position of 258 was won at 15-20 hours so all over in just over 5 hours. This year it was a North West wind and after 4 days in the basket how could they expect youngsters to fly 300 plus miles on the day. Surely they could have brought them back up to Leicester to give them a fighting chance. If what I have been told is true that it was raining at Leicester so they decided to keep them and released them at Buckingham. These babies would then have to navigate their way past this weather to get back home to Scotland. If this is genuine there needs to be some changes made for next season or I can see a LOT of fanciers walking away from this once great club.

 

Angus & Kevin Orr of Brightons

 

I noticed in this week’s paper the above father and son partnership have done very well with their youngsters, winning 12th & 22nd open in the RPRA One Loft race winning £1559. Then in the above SNFC young bird national they won 2nd section D 6th open winning £1124 so a good weekend all round well done Angus & Kevin. I have included a photograph of them taken at the SHU awards last year.

 

Kevin & Angus Orr

 

Good SNFC Birds

 

When I get time I will start to study the results and highlight these good birds however if you have a bird that has won a Gold; Silver or Bronze award during 2017. Then drop me an email with your birds details (and a photograph if you have one) and I will give your pigeon some publicity. It is surprising how many fanciers outside of Scotland who remark about this feature within my column. You all know your pigeon’s performance better than I do so feel free to drop me a line. This week I’m going to include a montage of John Thomson of Spay Bay in the North of Scotland. John’s Magnificent Seven all scored in last year’s young bird national flying 400 miles.

 

John Thompson Magnificent Seven

 

Angus Federation Champion

 

Angus Federation points champion for the 2017 season is Ian Scott with 288 points, the runners up are Macaulay Ferguson & Curran 3 points behind on 285 and in 3rd place is David Liddle on 272 points. Other winners are as follows; Davie Glen 228 points; Bob Baldie on 201; Eric Galloway on 68; Kenny Droog & son 62; Kevin Murphy 56; Willie MacKnight 54; Glen Cameron 32; W Nicol 30; Mike Leggett 26; Les McKay 21; J Fraser 21; T McAree 20; A & S Whyte 16; C E Bell 13; D & D Hay 11; R Greig 9; D Smith 6 and G Campbell on 6 points.

Lost Bird

 

Received an email from William Wallace (not him from Braveheart) who writes; ‘Hi Joe I sent you letter regarding a pigeon gifted to me from my late fathers strain which has escaped from my new loft that I’ve just erected. I’m about to restart if application is accepted with Dumfries flying club. This pigeon is a blue white flight cock he is a 2015 late -bred wearing an old ring SU 04 F 4846. He is of great sentimental value to me. I hoped you could possibly ask in your column and see if any of your readers get him in. He has never been out the loft in his lifetime and my mother is giving me grief over this. I would appreciate any help keep up the good work I love your column yours William Wallace mobile number 07752689901.

Joe’s Joke

 

How Do Court Reporters Keep Straight Faces?

 

These are from a book called Disorder in the Courts and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and published by court reporters that had the torment of staying calm while the exchanges were taking place.

 

ATTORNEY: How old is your son, the one living with you?

WITNESS: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.

ATTORNEY: How long has he lived with you?

WITNESS: Forty-five years.

 

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