The Joe Murphy Column

[THE FIFER]

The Joe Murphy Column

 

Last Sunday Margaret and I travelled up to theScottish Show Racer society show in Ladybank. I was asked to judge the SupremeChampion all winners class, which was without doubt a great honour and I wasvery proud to be asked to do this task, as you are judging the ‘Best of theBest’. There were 22 birds in the pens and all these had won a 1^stprize previously this show season and the quality of birds presented was out ofthis world; and were a credit to each of the members of the society. Myoutright winner was a lovely dark chequer cock shown by the partnership of AlexWallace and Danny Ferguson of Newbury. Alex has not kept well for a while andcould not attend the show and his partner Danny has not been 100% lately either.However winning the Supreme Champion Award was a wonderful boost to both ofthem as in all the years of the society which started in 1973 they have neverwon this award. So you will see from the photograph to go with this article 2old men who were very happy Danny Ferguson and I. I was a member of this showsociety away back in the 1970 and each of the members were a ‘GREAT’ bunch ofmen and I mean this in the positive sense as they were ALL true sportsmen. Theyall had a laugh and no matter who won the class or show every one of them wouldshake the winner’s hand (and they all did this to Danny when he was announcedas the Supreme winner). While talking to Danny and some of the lads he remarkedthat I should highlight some of the antics we got up to back then as it was allgood fun and very happy memories. I did highlight the time I went to Doncastershow (this was prior to going to Blackpool) Ron Henderson a Kennoway a clubmate of mine booked up for the show total cost £11.00 for the hotel and buseach. I took 5 show pigeons and 1 cock (a Dordin) for the 600 mile flown cockclass. My show birds won some soft tickets but my Dordin cock won very highlycommended and won me £11.00 prize money So this paid for my weekend; the winnerof the 600 mile class was the famous 1^st section L & K and 4^thopen Pau NFC winner Captain’s Pride who flew 730 miles from an entry of 5.455birds in the NFC. The judge that day was the BHW scribe Jack Adams who used tosay that Scottish pigeons used the tram lines to find their way home to Scotland.At this show there was a quiz with famous fanciers like Gerald Van Hee; AlfBaker; Les Davenport; (I can’t remember the others but maybe someone readingthis can if so please let me know) thechairperson was Mrs Annie Ross Bowes and the hall was packed. Ron and I hadfront row seats and were in our seats about an hour before the quiz started. Asthe hall was filling up one of the show lads came and stuck his head throughthe curtains and said ‘Joe you will have to come and see this’. No way was Ileaving this seat, but he insisted that there was something wrong with one ofmy birds in the show. Ron said he would keep my seat and I went with the otherlad back into the show hall and there in one of my pens was ‘An Egg’. Your birdmust have laid it said my fellow fancier, ‘No way!! Said I, it is a cock’. Thenlooking round I noticed all these heads from behind pillars, door etc. alllaughing. These buggers had put the egg in the pen and caught me out. I tookthe egg and flushed it down the toilet. When Ron and I returned to the hotelafter the quiz they were all waiting on us. ‘What did you do with the egg’ Iwas asked. ‘Why I threw it down the toilet’. ‘On no it was from one of PaulSmith’s champion Dordin’s’. (They had known I had won a prize with my Dordincock) the look on my face must have said a thousand words and we all burst outlaughing. Yes great memories with some very exceptional fanciers and Danny (whowas the secretary of the society at that time) remembered this and we had agood laugh. Congratulations to Alex & Danny, also Alice and John Bell whowere runners up to the Supreme Champion. Also to Jake Brown who won theChampion young bird I have included a photo of Jake and his brother George. MayI once again thank the officials and member of the society for asking me tojudge their all winners class and may I also wish ALL the members every successfor the new breeding season and hope they continue to rear winners.

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Joe murphy with Danny Ferguson The Champion

Joe Murphy with the successful John & Alice Bell

Joe Murphy with the show winner

Jake Brown , Joe Murphy and George Brown

Free Pigeons andClocks

 

Receiveda phone call from John McHale of Leven who is a son of the late Mick who passedaway in late 2017, John has been lookingafter his late dads birds but it is becoming too much for him. Therefore allthese stock pigeons are FREE to a good home; the majority are from George Dawesof Workington entire clearance sale and are mostly Van Hee’s crossedKirkpatrick. There is also a stock pair from the late John Puddephatt and someyoungsters direct from this stock pair. There are also 2 STB clocks also goingfor nothing except the carriage. John does not wish to kill these birds as theyare too good and could maybe help someone out if you are interested them giveJohn a call on 07488281153.

 

Good SNFC Birds

 

This week’s 3 birds are as follows; starting with Ronnie Bremner of Edinburgh with a blue pied cock SU15P 3329 in 2016 hewon 73^rd section B 171^st open from Littlehampton flying372 miles. Then in 2017 he was sent to Bedhampton and won 74^thsection B 272^nd open flying 364 miles. He was then set up for Ypresand he won 145^th open but no section prize for his 434 mile effort;however he is still a good pigeon and worthy of a mention, good luck with himin the new season Ronnie. We now moveover to the extreme west of Scotland to Newmilns inAyrshire to the loft of R Donegan who has a blue bar cock SU15A 8543 Last year as a yearling he won 3^rdsection F and 434^th open from Littlehampton flying a distance of 367miles. In 2017 he competed from the two inland Scottish national races with thefirst from Buckingham a distance of 283 miles to his loft and he won 20^thsection F then a few weeks later he was sent to the Bedhampton race a distanceof 356 miles and he won 6^th section F and 499^th open.Therefore he has gained 3 section certificates towards a Bronze award. We nowhead north east to the village of Forfar to the loft ofIan Scott whose chequer hen caught my eye when checking the national results. In2016 she won 27^th section C 89^th open from Roye adistance of 533 miles then in 2017 she won twice. From the inland national fromBedhampton she was 589^th open from an entry of 6065 birds and flying408 miles. she then went to the last old bird race of the season from Falaiseand she won 5^th section C 19^th open flying 551 miles in avery hard race.

 

Joe’s Joke

 

After having dug to a depth of 10 feel last yearBritish scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 200 years and cometo the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network morethan 150 years ago. Not to be outdone by the British in the weeks thatfollowed; an American archaeologist dug to a depth of 20 feet and shortly aftera story published in the New York Times’ American archaeologists, finding traceof 250 year old copper wire, have concluded that their ancestors already had anadvanced high-tech communications network 50 years earlier than the British.One week late Ireland’s Dublin Times, reported the following; After digging asdeep as 30 feet in his backyard in Limerick’ Irishman Murphy O’Toole, aself-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely fect-all. Murphyhas therefore concluded that 250 years ago, Ireland has already gonewireless….!!!!

 

 

Please continue to keep the news flowing;to Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 Flutorum Avenue Thornton by Kirkcaldy KY14BD or phone 01592 770331 or Email to joejmurphy1@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

[THE FIFER]