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The Joe Murphy Column

 

Received an email from Raymond Baker of St Tugdual in France in the middle roughly of Brittany he is directly in line with Exeter if you go onto Googlemaps. He has agreed that when the season starts hecould be contacted regarding the weather in his area which is not far from theChannel. Ray wrote ‘Hi Joe, reading one of yourarticles a few weeks back, I thought you might like to be made aware of the factthat here in France during your racing season that one of the towns near to thecentre of France has a Hot Air Balloon Festival with a 1,000 balloonstaking part, now what week this arose I can’t tell you, but I remember saying to my wife, on seeing it onthe French TV. I wonder if that will affect some of the UK pigeons. Where the festivalwas, what day or weekend it was I cannot tell you, but on reading your columns, think you were referring to a racefrom Bourges. If the balloons cross the birds path afterliberation, this maybe the answer to your problems, with today’s technology you cancheck it out via your phone or laptop on Google, it may coincideor may not it will certainly open your eyes for future race programmes fromhere in France. Hope this is of some help to you and the Scottish fanciers in thefuture, Have a good Christmas and good flying 2018, Mr Raymond Baker’. His next email informed me that he managed to get some more information on the above and it was from Chambley Planet ‘Air France 54890 with a 1000balloons every other year since 1989. Ichecked this out and Chambley is justsouth east of Paris and direct south of Bourges. However the dates for the 2017 program was from 21st to 30th of July with the balloon flights taking place every day, twice in the cool part of the day,early morning from 06-15 am and late afternoon from 18-30 pm, subjectto weather conditions. The web sitesays this is the Biggest Gathering in the World. In almostthirty years, it earned a privileged spot among the major internationalgatherings around the world. There are over 12,000 hot air balloon pilots inthe world, about 200 gas balloon pilots, less than twenty pilots of “Rozières”,and maybe a hundred airships pilots. This community is supported byapproximately 40,000 permanent crew, casual and trainee pilots. Consideringthat less than 70 countries around the world have an aerostatic activity andthat three-quarters of the pilots never leave their country or their region,the bet is ambitious to unite more than a thousand pilots and balloons, everyother year in Chambley, France! Every odd year, they enjoy being here, sharingthis big party and offering a festival of colours to thousands of spectators.

 

Outcome; onchecking Google map Chambley is direct south of Bourges but the Up NorthCombine held their race in June so therefore the Air Balloon event could nothave effected them as it took place in July 21st. However this issomething else that race controllers and advisors (including fanciers) can nowlook into as I’m assuming many had never given events like this a thought. Mythanks to Raymond for his email

 

ASpecial Thank You

 

Tom McEwen of Elphinstone has asked if I would putin a special ‘Thank You’ to Paul Stobbs of Stonehaven Lofts from Co Durham.Paul has now bred Tom & Scott a dozen pigeons direct from his champions andthey have certainly hit the ground running; breeding winners from the start.Tom and his son Scott were invited down to Co Durham to view Paul’s birds andthey could not get over the quality within his stock loft; which Tom says was‘Truly Outstanding’. Prior to Christmas Scott received a text message fromWalker Couriers saying they would be coming to him the following morning with 2pigeons; this was a real surprise as they had not expecting anymore pigeonsfrom Paul. On opening the boxes they found a 6 year old hen and 4 year old cockbred direct from Paul’s champion ‘Bob’s Choice’ his Queen’s Cup winner. Theycould not get over the quality of these birds and Tom says the hen is possiblythe BEST HEN he has ever handled in his lifetime of keeping pigeons. (This issome statement as he has seen and bred some quality hens over the yearsincluding his 1st open SNFC Tours winner ‘Petite Rose’ Joe M) TheStobbs hen is a top winner bred from a Queen’s Cup winner and she has bred manywinners for Paul during her time. The 4 year old cock is also ‘Different Class’and are a credit to Paul. Tom finishes off by saying that Paul Stobbs is acredit to the sport and is one of the nicest and generous fanciers he has evermet and he cherishes their friendship.

 

Endof the Year

 

Had a phone call from Brad Foster from Canadawhom I send some pigeon information to for his Canadian Pigeon Magazine. Bradinformed me that he had 4 ½ feet of snow in the past few days (emailed me thenext day to say he had another foot of snow but the temperature was up a bit)plus the temperature was minus 31 degrees his brother in law was worse than himas he had 6 feet of snow and the temperature was minus 40 degrees. We throughit was cold here in Scotland but we could not live in weather like that. Bradalso informed me that he went out to the loft to feed his birds and noticed onehen would not come down from the front of the nest box. When he examined her;her foot was frozen to the wood: never in all his life time has he ever hadthis happen to one of his pigeons. The hen must have done a dropping and thenstood on it and her foot has frozen to the nest box. He like everyone else has to go out and emptyhis drinkers or they would be frozen solid by morning. It is funny the weatherplays such a big part of our lives; not just now but also during the racingseason.

 

This week’sphotographs

SHU SHOW JUDGES

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Ian Henderson Top Prize Winners

ian henderson top prize winners.png

 

 

 

 

LindaBrooks forwarded some pictures of the judges at the SHU show these came priorto Christmas but I had already sent my articles away to the pigeon press. The otherpicture is from Jim Hannah of ‘Belle’ the Winter’s family best in show winner.I have also scanned a photograph of Mae & Ian Henderson with the SNFC GoldCup see obituary report.

 

Good SNFC Birds

 

Received anice email from George Briggs from Dundee who wrote and thanked me for mentioninghis blue cock in this feature in my column: George said ‘Hi Joe, I was goingsend the information on the cock to you but I was sick after losing him atFalaise. His brother a slatey cock SU 14 DF3383 won 440th open from Portsmouth& 67th open 21st section C from Eastbourne in 2015and in 2016 he was 268th open 69th section C fromBuckingham; but then I lost him at Ypres. Another yearling brother also aslatey cock won 39th section C 144th open in the samerace unfortunately he was lost the following year from the very first training toss.But that’s pigeon racing Joe as you well know another interesting itemregarding the above birds they were all bred from the same stock pair of birds fromStuart Maskame of Peterhead. Thanks again Joe and I hope everyone is welland good luck to you and Kevin for the 2018 season yours George’. My thanks toGeorge and may I wish him all the best for the new season. While speaking toJim Hannah the Scottish photographer who sends me some pictures for the column;I told him that I was going to a feature on the winners of the SHU Dewar Trophyfor Scotland’s Bird of the Year. Jim says he has some pictures of past winnersof this award and will try and look them out. The first winner of this accoladewas back in 1973 to the loft of W & D Ree of Broughty Ferry by Dundee andbelieve it or not the 2017 winner is Gerald Macpherson of Broughty Ferry whichis quite remarkable. Gerald’s winner is the 1st yearling to win thishonour during the past 34 year history. I have a list of the Dewar Trophy Winners however could do with some help regarding thefollowing winning fanciers and their birds.

 

1974 Dave Rose of Aberdeen; 1975 &1979 Newcombe Brothers of Macmerry; 1980 Willie Peat of Dundee; 1982 Mackenzie& Reid of Pittenweem (think this was Kelly); 1983 W Ferguson & son Stevie of Annan; 1985 & 1993 John F Bosworth of Elphinstone; 1986 Mr & Mrs Mark Goldie of Dumfries; 1987 W Davidson & son David of Coalburn (think Harry O) 1990 Mr & Mrs Jim Seaton of Dumfries; 1991 E Hodgson & son of Annan; 1992 Brown & Black from Dalkeith; 1995 George Bell of Coldingham; 1998 Richard Combeof Elphinstone 2001 Jackie Brown of Dundee 2008 J & G Caird of Monifieth; 2012 G Dalgliesh & son of Ecclefechan; 2014 R S R & R J Rome of Annan;

 

IF ANYONE can help me bygiving me details of the above Dewar Trophy winners I would be very grateful.For example performances of the birds; if they have some breeding details andif they have a photograph of the fanciers with the trophy it would be great. Ihave contacted a few of the past winners and have received some information ontheir winners. I’m quite enthusiastic about doing this feature as it is a BIG partof the history of Scottish pigeons and these birds and fanciers deserves to havetheir details recorded in the history of our sport.

 

Old Photograph

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In my column of 5th January I had an oldpicture of a fancier standing outside his loft having a cigarette. I received aphone call from a fancier saying he thought it was Norman Fysh of Southamptonwho was a great friend of Cyril Medway who won 1st open Palamostwice. Normand and Cyril were without doubt 2 of the best long distancefanciers in the history of the BBC with great results from Palamos andPau. My thanks to the fancier calledDave for his call and conversation about good long distance pigeons andfanciers. I also received a phone call from Raymond Hood of Kilbirnie inAyrshire who thought the photograph of the fancier was Mr Davidson ofKilwinning who timed in his famous pigeon ‘Faith’ from Barcelona which was aBritish record at that time. I spoke to my old friend Hendry Mair of Irvineabout this but he cannot remember if it was Mr Davidson or not but he doesthink that this achievement was the spark that installed the 1000 mile clubinto Scotland (which you were a member of Joe all those years ago) Greatmemories as was Hendry and my trip down to see the famous Jim Biss ofBrundall.

 

Obituary

 

Vi (Violet) Allan ofEasthouses; Vi was the wife of Joe and they had been married for 56 years and had toson’s Stewart and Douglas. The boys made it home prior to Christmas and theycaught up and had some special time with their mum before she slipped away. Viwas born on the 12th March 1942 and Joe and her married on the 1stApril 1961. Stewart now lives and works in London while his brother Douglasstays in Budapest in Hungry. To Joe and the 2 boys we send our heartfeltcondolences at their sad loss and may Vi rest in peace.

 

Ian Henderson of GilmertonEdinburgh; It was a shock to hear of 80 year old Ian’s passing. I remembervisiting him and his wife Mae in 1987 when they won the SNFC Rennes Gold Cuprace with their Cattrysse based pied hen. The winner was named Pride ofMidlothian and won with a velocity of 1081 from the 542 miles race; she alsowon the Louella Car nomination. Ian flew in partnership with his father Jockand his mother lived to the good age of 100 years old. Unfortunately Mae passedaway 10 years ago however Ian continued keeping the pigeons and although he onlyhad 30% lung capacity he would walk his dog 2 to 3 miles a day. Mae and Ian had5 sons Derek; David; Gary; Allan and Iain. They also had 9 grandchildren and 4great grandchildren to whom we send our heartfelt condolences at this time. I’veincluded an old photo of Mae and Ian receiving the SNFC Gold Cup for winningRennes in 1987; rest in peace my old friends.

 

Joe’s Joke

 

Ayoung lady was going on holiday in a cruise ship and wrote in her dairy a dailyupdate, which is as follows;

 

 

DayOne: Packed all my nicest dresses, swimsuits, short sets. Really; reallyexciting. Our local Red Hat chapter - The Late Bloomers decided on this"all-girls" trip. It will be my first one - and I can't wait!

Day Two: Entire day at sea, beautiful. Saw whales and dolphins. Met the Captain

today -- seems like a very nice man.

Day 3: At the pool today. Did some shuffleboard and hit golf balls off thedeck. The Captain invited me to join him at his table for dinner. Felt honouredand

had a wonderful time. He is very attractive and attentive.

Day 4: Won £800.00 in the ship's casino. The Captain asked me to have dinnerwith him in his own cabin. Had a scrumptious meal completed it with caviar and

champagne? He asked me to stay the night, but I declined. Told him I could

not be unfaithful to my boyfriend.

Day 5: Pool again today. Got sunburned, and I went inside for a drink atpiano-bar,

stayed there for rest of day. The Captain saw me, bought me several large drinks.Really is quite charming. Again he asked me to visit his cabin for the night.Again I declined. He told me, if I did not let him have his way with me, hewould sink the ship... I was shocked.

Day 6: Today I saved 2600 lives…………….Twice.

 

Pleasecontinue to keep the news flowing; to Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 FlutorumAvenue Thornton by Kirkcaldy KY1 4BD or phone 01592 770331 or Email tojoejmurphy1@gmail.com REMEMBER THE J IN THE MIDDLEor log onto www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk www.pigeon-chat.co.ukand www.Pigeonbasics.com - Pigeon Racing the Basics! Whowish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland

 

© Compiled by Joe Murphy

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