The Joe Murphy Column

[Ian McKay]

The Joe Murphy Column

 

I have been informed that John Lambie ex pigeon fancier and also ex Partick Thistle football manager is ill and in St John’s hospital in Livingstone (ward 25) at the moment. The information is that John is seriously ill and I know that his many friends are thinking about him at the present time and he is in our thoughts and prayers. I have included a photo of John presenting Jock Alston with the Dewar Trophy for bird of the year at the SHU show.

 

John Lambie presents the Dewar Whisky Trophy to Jock Alston

 

SNFC Young Bird National

 

Received an email from John Baillie of Tranent who wrote; ‘Hi Joe I’m sitting sunbathing in the Algarve while writing this about the SNFC young bird national race from Buckingham: I personally thought that we would have received information to basket early on the Thursday for a Friday race as the majority of us had probably no idea when the next opportunity would be for a race. I thought on Wednesday it would have been the following Tuesday. On the Sunday night I was speaking with 5 different fanciers from down south and locally and they said if we liberate on the Monday I would be very lucky to get 5 of my 15 bird’s home on the day, due to time in the basket plus the possibility of the heavy showers and the North West wind. (And I know that my birds can find the drinkers no problem as I teach them to do it for 4 days when basket training them) As it was I only had 2 home on the night and another 6 when we reopened the clocks on Tuesday with a further one early Wednesday morning. The birds that arrived on the result and early next morning were only tired, very little weight loss considering the time in the baskets. The 2 that came later Tuesday afternoon were very fresh, I would say they had been put down very early on and came up with the south west wind on the Tuesday. I personally believe it was an old fashioned young bird national that we got years ago. The young bird nationals recently have been blow homes with near 100% returns and many fanciers now believe that this is the norm. I don't think that there was anything wrong with the transporter. At Musselburgh I know there were only 22 in a basket and with youngsters they look half empty. Is it that some youngsters are not trained to look after themselves in the baskets for more than one night? I know this has been a bit of a controversial season and I’m glad it's all over; from sunny Algarve yours John B’.

Following on from John above I received a phone call from a very good distance fancier from England who informed me that about two 3rds of the SNFC convoy did not leave the race point. Groups of youngsters were seen on buildings throughout the area and even now (weeks after the liberation) he informed me there are still about 120 young birds roosting on the old airfield in Buckingham. A pigeon lad is going round every day to feed them and slowly the numbers are diminishing and hopefully these youngsters are making their way back home. No wonder fanciers are glad to see the back of the 2017 season, but there are issues that need to be addressed and the Annual general meeting is the place to have your say.

Pentlandhill Federation Trophy Winners 2017

 

From the SNFC race from Bedhampton old birds the winner is J S Smith of Bonnyrigg who won 18th open. From the SNFC race from Buckingham young bird race the winner is A W Robertson of Danderhall winning 3rd open; he also wins the best average Bedhampton and Buckingham young birds being 39th & 3rd open. The best average 3 longest young bird races won by D & J Allen of Woodburn with a velocity of 1150. 1st SNFC Ypres winning 12th open and the best average 4 longest old bird races won by Willie Pryde & son John of Easthouses with a velocity of 1410. 1st SNFC Buckingham old birds won by A Mitchell of Castlebrae on 108th open. 1st SNFC Alencon winning 47th open; 1st SNFC Falaise winning 23rd open; Best Average Bedhampton (29th open) & Alencon (47th open); Best Average Alencon & Falaise (23rd open) all won by Willie Kinnear & son Barry of Danderhall. 1st SNFC Ancenis winning 5th open is (past double Nantes winner) Jim Sanderson of Easthouses. (I have heard on the grapevine that Jim has had enough of the bad races with the SNFC that he has joined the other national and may fly with them in 2018) When a die in the wool Scottish national fancier of Jim’s calibre is disgusted with what is going on in the club then WE DO HAVE PROBLEMS) and I have been trying to tell the officials this for months but they do not seem to get the message. Well if others are like Jim (and there are a few who joined for the young bird national) who will wait and see what transpires at the annual general meeting. They will have to pay their fees for 2018 but will race their pigeons with the other national.

New Lothian Racing Pigeon Club trophy winners are as follows; Old bird average winner Willie Pryde & son John of Easthouses they also win the Points competition with the old bird on 24 points. Runner up to the old bird average and winners of the combined average are Willie Kinnear & son Barry of Danderhall. The young bird average winners are Helen Aitken & sons of Danderhall on a velocity of 1201.7 with the runners up being D & J Allen of Woodburn with a velocity of 1200.3 and the Allen partnership ware also runners up for the Combine average.

The Breeder Buyer prize winners each winning £150.00 are as follows;

Ripon breeder and buyer McCormack & Fraser with a velocity of 1488 Wakefield winners on 1218 are breeder and buyer Helen Aitken & sons; Newark breeder J Bird buyer Brown & Black with a velocity of 1105; Buckingham breeder and buyer Willie Kinnear & son Barry on velocity of 624. My thanks to Bobby Graham the federation secretary and Andy Miller the press officer for their supplying the results and news each week

 

Christmas Race

Derek Hay has informed me that the West of Scotland have taken a leaf out of the Pentlandhills federation and are going to hold an East to West Dunbar Christmas Cracker race this will be flown on Saturday 16th December 2017. This will be open to all fanciers 45 or more measured miles in a westerly direction from Dunbar

Birdage set at £5 per pigeon with a 5 bird limit: it is also an Any age race: Pools - £1,£2,£3,£4,£5, Nom £5 (single bird) and Bonanza £1(no limit). The thank both Pigeon Basics and Tommy McDonagh, who have supported the race with £50 being put up for 1st open as well as providing a trophy for the winner by PB. A further £100 has been donated by Tommy to be split between the first three fanciers with young birds on the result (£50, £30, £20). All three will also receive a bag of feeding . All entry money will be paid out as prize money, less expenses. All expenses incurred will be itemised and publicised before the race.

All fanciers wishing to compete must pay birdage in cash by Wednesday the 1st of November, as well as providing their loft number and preferred timing method. This can be arranged through- Derek Hay – 07776444766: Vic Couper – 01324 815440: Tommy McDonagh – 07522273103: Lewis McCalley – 07842839384

and Wullie Strang (the Glasgow one) - 07494014915 Total prize money and the allocation of will be announced after all entrants have paid. Pools sheets will be available nearer the event through the contacts above. Pools to be paid in cash on night of basketting and marking will take place the evening before the race; starting at 6pm, in Bonnybridge Homing Society, Dunure Crescent Bonnybridge, FK4 1EG. December 16th is the chosen date, although conditions and weather forecasts nearer the time will be considered. Saturday the 9th, Sunday the 10th and Sunday the 17th will remain open as options. All winning pigeons will be verified. (May I wish them every success with this new venture Joe M)

 

Good SNFC Birds

 

Andrew Agnew & Son from Kelso 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 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 2016 she again had the 2 national races the first from Littlehampton where she won 7th section B 15th open and was then entered into the Ypres race were she won 4th section B 4th open. This year she was sent to the inland national from Buckingham and won 310th open and was then sent to the Ypres national and won 5th section B 9th open from Ypres. As you can see from the above she has been 5 times in the top 15 open positions in the Scottish national flying club. She has now secured her SNFC Silver Award and will be retired and be paired to the partners SNFC Bedhampton winner ‘Monty’ so hopefully they breed some quality birds like ‘Border Belle’ and keep the name of Andrew Agnew & Son to the fore in national racing. My thanks to Jim Hannah of Blantyre for sending me a photograph of ‘Border Belle’ to go with this short write up.

 

Border Belle

 

Another pigeon who won has won her SNFC Silver Award this year is a mealy hen flown by Dave Baldie of St Andrews in Fife she previously won 14th section C 46th open from Roye in 2016. This year she won 4th section C 34th open in the hard Alencon Gold Cup and was entered back into another hard race from Falaise where she won 14th section C 46th open to wins her hard earned award.

If anyone has a pigeon that has put up good performances during the racing season and wish to give their bird some credit then drop me an email or note giving me the details and I will add it to this feature. If you have a photograph of your bird all the better however if you wish this back then please put in an s.a.e. for its return.

 

Joe’s Joke

 

A lady comes home from her doctor's appointment grinning from ear to ear. Her husband asks, "Why are you so happy?" The wife says, "The doctor told me that for a forty-five year old woman, I have the breasts of an eighteen year old." "Oh yeah?" quipped her husband, "What did he say about your forty-five year old ass?" She said, "Your name never came up in the conversation."

 

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