Scottish National Flying Club
Nort-Sur-Erdre
On the 24th of July the SNFC flew their longest race of the season from Nort-Sur-Erdre. A total of 52 members sent 157 birds. First open was S. Ferguson from Annan with his blue cheq hen flying 527 miles and 368 yards with a velocity of 690.
Race Convoyers report by J. Gillon
Joined transporter at Newmains. Travelled to Gretna watered convoy. Birds fed and watered Wednesday morning at Gretna. Departed for Portsmouth 11:15am. Stopped Norton Caine Services, watered birds. Another fresh tank water at Portsmouth - birds fed & watered. Birds tended to prior to sailing. Fed and watered at French vets. Fed & Watered on arrival at racepoint. Spoke to race controller regarding liberation in morning. Fresh water to birds 4am. Liberated - all cleared site 05:30am.
Race Controllers report by R. White, J. Pryde and F. Robertson
The convoy of national pigeons were liberated at 0530 into blue skies, no wind, very, very good visibility and temperature was twenty degrees. They cleared the liberation site immediately heading north. When they reach the French coast the channel is clear with very good visibility to the English coast. Portsmouth is standing in sunshine temperature 23 degrees and light north west wind. Reaching the home counties very good visibility, west north west winds with temperature 24 degrees. Black Country Midlands 24 degrees, west north west winds and good visibility. Moving north, Lancashire and Yorkshire the visibility is very good, the temperature is starting to drop, but the west winds and the north wind has started to get stronger. The Scottish Borders has lost the sun to light cloud and a strong north wind. Moving on over the Forth weather is showing a strong north west wind, light cloud and good visibility. The weather has started to take its toll with this strong north west wind. A hard race is expected.
Section A (66 birds)
1st Section A, 1st open, S. Ferguson
Stevie Ferguson from Annan was 1st Section 1st Open. Having initially competed in partnership with his father, he transferred the loft title to his own name some 25 years ago. When in partnership wIth his father they gained a number of prominent positions from the Classics including 2nd Open Rennes, 2nd Open Nantes and 1st Open from the Inland National from Dorchester. At the S.N.F.C. Prize Presentation in 1981 they were presented with the News of the World Trophy for the best average from Rennes and Nantes and the Ellsworth Trophy for the best average from these same two races Nominated pigeons. The pigeons were raced for the first time in Stevie’s name in the Millennium season and he immediately headed the South Section result from S.N.F.C. Lille. In 2008 he won the Tours National with 2002 Chequer Pied hen ‘Watchhill Princess. It was previously 1st Section 6th Open from Tours in 2004 and in 2008 she improved on the previous performance and headed the result. Importantly, the Chequer Pied hen proved to be a superb breeder leaving winners for Stevie and for other fanciers who were fortunate enough to obtain the bloodlines. The recent winner from Nort Sur Erdre is a four year old home bred Blue Chequer hen that had two races as a youngster, went to 200 miles as a yearling and to Alencon as a two year old. It went to Alencon once more in 2025 and was 72nd Open. In 2026 whilst paired, did not initially go to nest and was worked on a Celibate method, being allowed to run with its mate on return from inland races with the pair being thereafter separated. It had an early ‘trainer’ race and then went three times with Derwent Valley Federation, going with Flimby Club, being taken to West Cumbria by friend George Willacy. Continuing to be worked celibate It then went to the Inland National from Brighton and was 23rd Section 97th Open. It was thereafter coupled for the target race and went to the Classic on its first nest of the season covering eleven-day old youngsters. With regard bloodlines, she was line bred to the Tours National winner with ‘Watchhill Princess’ being the grand dam of both the Sire and Dam.
2nd Section A, 2nd open, D & D Anderson
D. and D. Anderson from Annan were 2nd Section. This partnership comprises Dennis Anderson Senior and his grandson, Dennis Junior. In 2026 the loft has been in ‘sparkling’ form with the first bird in the clock from each of the Nationals gaining the following positions: 18th Section 57th Open Kettering, 4th Section 17th Open Brighton, 3rd Section 5th Open Alencon, 13th Section 210th Open Billericay, 8th Section 54th Open Ypres and as explained above 2nd Section 2nd Open Nort Sur Erdre. The winning pigeon from the recent National is a three year old blue cock that has scored on a number of occasions in the Club and was 88th Open from the Gold Cup race from Alencon before going to the longest race. He was paired in February, reared a pair of youngsters and was then put on Widowhood, being given his mate 5/6 hours prior to basketing for the Classic. When he arrived home his third flight in each wing was just about burst through. Sire is a Dark Chequer, that was bred by Steve Wright from the House of Aarden with long distance bloodlines running through his pedigree; he was raced as a youngster and yearling and was doing well until he returned home with a broken wing and was then kept purely for stock and at stock has bred or has been responsible for many of the loft’s most recent winners including 5th and 13th open Alencon. Dam is a Light Chequer, that was bred by the late Angus Simmons from Annan. In 2021 Dennis Junior was racing under his own name with his loft being then sited at his parents’ address and during that season he came close to achieving his first club win, indeed, but for a bad trap he’d have won the race by 7 or 8 minutes but his red hen hesitated on the trap and ended up 2nd Club, beaten by Angus. In November that year Angus passed away with his birds being subsequently sold in Gretna Social Club. Dennis and his grandson went to the sale and although there were only brief details on the pens, Dennis Junior recognised the chequer hen as the bird that had beaten him when he came close to winning the race. After handling her Dennis and his grandson decided to buy her and to quote Dennis “what a purchase she proved to be breeding winners every year with the Dark Cock”. In conversation Dennis Senior said “Junior has definitely re-kindled my passion for our great sport and our S.N.F.C. performances over the past 5 to 6 years have reflected this”.
3rd Section A, 3rd open, A. Rae
Alistair ‘Eck’ Rae, from Brydekirk was 3rd Section 3rd Open. ‘Eck’ has been involved in the pigeon hobby since 1964, initially competing under his own name. His father, Kit, took an immediate interest in the pigeons and after two years entered partnership with Eck and changed the loft title to K. Rae and Son. When the Solway Federation changed from Rail to Road transport, Kit became the Convoyer for the Solway and East Cumberland Federations and whilst he was away with the transporter, Eck looked after the pigeons at home. In time he went into partnership with his brother-in-law, Davie Howatt and continued to compete in Brydekirk Club. In more recent years he has reverted to the original title, racing the birds under his own name and housing a modest team, featured regularly in the prize list from the longer races. The winning pigeon from Nort Sur Erdre is a home bred two year old blue cock. Worked on the conventional method, it raced through the programme as a youngster and went to Cheltenham as a yearling. He was worked on the Natural system in 2026 and went through the Federation programme to Cheltenham; he then went to the Gold Cup race from Alencon from which it was up with the leaders to be 20th Section 37th Open. As he was in ‘good order’ when he returned from Alencon, Eck decided to double him back into the longest race; he had two training tosses on build-up to the event and was basketed covering 12 day eggs. Sire is a Blue cock that ‘Eck’ received as a gift from Crombie and Mechan from Annan when they parted with their pigeons. He shared a long-time friendship with Jim Crombie and went to the local Social Club with him every Sunday afternoon. When Jim was admitted to a Care Home following a Stroke, the friendship continued, with ‘Eck’ visiting the Home each and every week. Dam is a Chequer Pied hen that ‘Eck’ received from fellow Club member Ewart Warwick when, due to health reasons, he parted with his pigeons. Her Sire was a Blue Chequer that was 15th Section 48th Open Ancenis 2015 and 23rd Section 32nd Open Ancenis 2016. Her Dam meanwhile was a Chequer Pied that was 11th Section 107th Open Roye 2016.
Congratulations to S. Ferguson and his blue cheq hen and to also to D & D Anderson and A. Rae. No entries in any of the other sections, section B 20 birds, section C 16 birds, section D 10 birds, section E 34 birds, section F 3 birds and section G 8 birds. There was only a total of five pigeons recorded in race time. Fourth section A was S. J Irving Loft two with a four year old blue hen flying 529 miles and 1596 yards. Fifth section A was W.F Van Nuil with a red cheq cock flying 526 miles 1128 yards. Thank you to President Michael Currie and Billy Wortley.
Mary Thomson SNFC PRO
