The Joe Murphy Column

Well it’s that time of the year again when the new racing season begins up here in Scotland. Some of the lads who race with the Up North Combine will be at the 200 miles stage by now while the remainder are starting at 50 miles. Kevin has been busy with his work plus just moved the first round of babies from the stock birds and thought the racing did not start till the 28th of April. So he only sent 5 birds to the first race as they had not been worked to his satisfaction and needless to say he was well behind the club and federation winners.

Results

My thanks to the people who have forwarded their results for the column and may I wish everyone all the very best for the 2018 season. I start off with Kevin’s federation. Angus Federation sent 778 birds to Lauder liberated at 08-00 hours into a south west wind. Topping the federation are Macaulay Ferguson and Curran of Forfar club they are also 2nd 4th 6th 7th 8th & 13th. Kevin was telling me that Gavin Ferguson has not been well of late and is going for treatment and we wish him all the best for the future, lets hope this first federation win gives him a little boost. Ian Scott of the same club is 3rd 5th 16th 17th 18th & 19th open with David J Liddle the club secretary in 9th 10th 11th 12th & 20th place. J McCafferty again from Forfar is 13th & 14th thus filling up the top 20 positions.

The East Section winners are as follows; Chic & Ann Carrie of Arbroath is 1st 5th & 7th section with D & D Hay of Gourdon in 2nd 3rd & 6th places. M Wallace & son of Montrose are 4th with club mates G Campbell is in 8th & 10th places with M Wallace splitting these birds.Club winners are as follows: Forfar 588 bird’s winner Macaulay Ferguson and Curran: Arbroath 90 bird’s winner Chic & Ann Carrie; Gourdon 56 birds winner D & D Hay; Montrose 44 birds winner M Wallace & son.

Arbroath Racing Pigeon Club held their first race of the 2018 season from Lauder a distance of 62 miles and the members sent 90 birds to the race. Both Arbroath clubs Inchcape and Arbroath have amalgamated into the above club and competition should be more competitive. Liberated at 08-00 hours into a south west wind the winners were Mr.  & Mrs Chic & Ann Carrie with a 2 year old hen who was Inchcape Champion Young Bird in 2016 and in 2017 she was Champion Old Bird both times scoring most points in first 10 arrivals from the races. She was a gift from Brian Main of Carnoustie. The partners are also 3rd club with a yearling bred from a Pat and Eric Cannon pigeon crossed with a Jim Donaldson pigeon. Charlie Cameron and his son Glen are 2nd as well as 4th 5th & 6th club.

 

Fife Federation

News from George Todd with the federation result from the Berwick race flown on the 21st April the convoy of 2168 birds were liberated at 08-45 into a light south West wind. The federation top 10 positions are won by the following fanciers. 1st place goes to George Anderson of Perth club with a Welsh rung 3 year old doing a velocity of 1462. Brian Chalmers of Kennoway is 2nd 3rd 4th 6th & 7th with Davie Brown of Leven club in 5th 8th & 9th place and making up the top 10 is Jim Honeyman of Kennoway. West Section The section is dominated by Perth club with the winner is George Anderson who also wins 6th, 7th 8th 9th & 10th section. McCord & Turpie are 2nd & 3rd with R Ingram in 4th spot followed by S Donaldson in 5th place.
East Section Brian Chalmers of Kennoway takes the first 3 places plus 5th & 6th with Davie Brown of Leven in 4th 7th & 8th positions. J Honeyman of Kennoway making up the top 10 taking the last 2 positions.
Centre Section The winners are Turpie & McCord of Glenrothes club on 1436 they are also 2nd & 5th section; New member Dean Bridges takes the 3rd 4th & 6th positions, with another new member Jock Dinsdale winning 7th & 8th positions. Mick McMurchie is 9th with Sean Diamond of Kennoway in 10th place. Thank you to George for his federation result so quickly.

East of Scotland Federation

News from John Baillie with his results he writes; ‘Hi Joe, hope all is well. For our first race from Ridsdale it must be the warmest day waiting on the birds for the start of the season, and it did the birds and us fanciers some good. Taking pole position for our first race is Tam Hunnam of Port Seton, also takes 4th, 8th & 9th positions. In  2nd , 3rd & 7th open positions is Graham Wardhaugh of Dirleton. Mr & Mrs March of Prestonpans fills in the 5th open position, with yours truly John Baillie of Tranent in 6th place and completing the top 10th position is John Bird.

Prestonpans HC the result from Ridsdale race and starting the season well is Tam Hunnan with 2 yearlings taking 1st & 2nd club. Both are his Braspenning which have scored well for Tam over the last few years. In 3rd place we have Mr & Mrs March with another yearling, this cock is spare and is closed up in his box throughout the day and only let out to exercise. He is bred from Peters Kilpatrick stock cock crossed with a Foxwood hen. This pair has bred many prize winners over the years. Most fanciers had good returns by the time the ETS was struck off. That's it Joe, back to the strong winds and heavy showers for the rest of this week, yours John B’. My thanks to John for his contribution:

Pentland Hills Federation

News from Andy Miller who writes; The New Lothian RPC with the Pentland Hills Federation had their first race of the 2018 season from Ridsdale, a distance of 60-72 miles for the members with 13 clubs sending 2695 birds the convoy liberated at 08-45 hours into a south wind. Winning 1st New Lothian and 1st Federation is yours truly Andy Miller timing 2 yearlings together. The winner is a W Van Herk bred by Willie & John Pryde from Gorebridge, and he was flown on double widowhood. A darkness youngster last year he flew the programme to Newark 220 miles. The first 10 in N/L is the first 10 in the Fed too. Willie Pryde & son John from Arniston are 3rd with F Robertson of Danderhall club in 4th & 5th positions his club mate G Verth is 6th with Sighthill’s Stephen Girdwood taking the next 3 positions. Making up the top 10 is L Mitchell of Castlebrae.

       

Andy Miller                                                                       Young andy Miller

 

Club Winners are as follows;

Sighthill 136 birds; 1st & 2nd Miller 1639 & 1637 3rd Girdwood 1595

Arniston 267 birds;  1st 2nd & 3rd W Pryde & son 1629 1574 & 1570.

Danderhall 709 birds; 1st & 2nd F Robertson 1607 & 1605; Verth 1596

Castlebrae 162 birds; 1st L Mitchell 1592 2nd McCormack & Fraser 1549; Wills 1543

Bonnyrigg 246 birds; 1st Massey 1567 2nd Neill 1550 3rd Watson & Daut 1544

Edinburgh West 111 birds; 1st 2nd & 3rd Lamb 1564 1558 & 1555

Edinburgh Premier 255 birds; 1st Gilchrist 1558 2nd * 3rd Dick 1551 & 1550

Easthouses 66 birds; 1st Bertram 1518 2nd & 3rd Reilly 1472 & 1439

Woodburn 214 birds; 1st & 2nd Allen 1518.3 & 1518 Brown & Black 1514

Loanhead 93 birds; 1st 2nd & 3rd Anderson 1485 1483 & 1480

Rosewell 81 birds; 1st W Tytler 1398 2nd Cunningham & Ness 1362 3rd G Tytler & son 1336

Traprain 292 birds; 1st & 2nd Newcombe & Black 1573 & 1570 3rd Thomson 1519

New Lothian 63 birds;

 

New Lothian Racing Pigeon Club;

Had 62 lofts sending 1774 birds with the convoy liberated at 08-45 hours into a south wind. Taking the top 2 spots and winning £130 for his efforts is Andy Miller of Sighthill with a velocity of 1639. 3rd positon goes to W Pryde & son John of Arniston, with F Robertson of Danderhall in the next 2 positions winning £139. G Verth of Danderhall is in 6th place. I have attached a picture of a ‘Young’ Andy Miller but the question to Lothian readers is ‘Can you tell me the name of the man at the back of Andy with the tinted glasses on?’ I have also added a more recent photograph of Andy. The dark chequer pied hen was raced by the Brown and Black partnership and she won 5th open SNFC Sartilly when my national winner ‘Mystical Rose’ won the race. Davie Brown found some nostalgic pictures all Midlothian federation winners against 5,000 plus birds from yesteryear and all these birds were Busschaerts. Davie joking said ‘I wish I had these birds today Joe’. I will cover some more of these winners over the following weeks.

Brown & Black Pigeon

 

North of Scotland Federation 

News from George Duthie who forwarded the federation result which informs us that 69 members sent 1787 birds to Brechin with the convoy were liberated 9-20 into a light south west wind. Topping the federation and west section is Ian Coull of Buckie & District with a yearling hen doing a velocity of 1785. R Barclay of Fraserburgh West End club is 1st 2nd & 3rd east section (34 members sending 959 birds) and 2nd 3rd & 4th open. G Findlay of Peterhead & District is 4th & 5th east section 5th & 6th open. A W Buchan of Fraserburgh & District takes the next 3 places in the east section and is 7th 8th & 9th open.  Stewart Maskame of Peterhead & District is 9th & 19th east section and 10th & 20th open federation. C McRae of Fraserburgh & District is 10th 11th & 12th east section 11th 12th & 13th open. G Findlay of the Peterhead & District club is 13th section 14th open with club mates R H Whyte in 14th & 17th east 15th & 17 open; G Willox is 15th east and 16th open with Jim & Ann Donaldson in 17th section 18th open and making up the final place is D Ward of Fraserburgh West End club in 18th section 19th open.   The West Section had 35 members sending 828 birds. Ian Coull is 1st 9th & 10th section and 1st 39th & 40th open. Fulton & Ritchie of Devern Valley club are 2nd & 3rd section 32nd & 33rd open club mate A Milne is 4th 5th 6th section 34th 35th & 36th open with another Devern member A Wilson in 7th & 8th section 37th & 38th open. Well done to R Barclay on winning the East Section

Club Winners

Ian COULL Buckie & District; R BARCLAY Fr. West End; G FINDLAY Peterhead & District; A W BUCHAN Fraserburgh & District; W & A ROSS Inverurie; FULTON & RITCHIE Devern Valley; G GEDDES Elgin & District; G R DUNCAN Keith;.

Sorry for the delay Joe had some problems with the computer, still better late than never. All the best to you and Kevin for a good season yours George Duthie.

Banff HS news from Gavin Russell who writes ‘Hi Joe for the first race of the new season result from Brechin am approximate distance of 66 miles the birds were away at 9-20 into a light south wind. Taking the 1st x 3 positions in the club is Ian Coull with his 1st bird a yearling mealy cock doing a velocity of 1785 he is a Paul Woolliss x Venner. This bird won the club by 12 minutes and topped the North of Scotland Federation. Ian’s 2nd bird is a blue bar yearling cock doing a velocity of 1504 he is another Paul Woolliss x Venner and the 3rd bird is a mealy yearling cock on 1503 he is the same way bred as the other 2.   Ian’s birds were racing on the celibate system. It sure works for him many thanks Joe yours Gavin Russell to whom we welcome on board our results feature.

Good SNFC Birds

This week I start with a mealy cock SU14DF751 raced by the loft of J & L Alexander of Monifieth by Dundee in 2016 he won 70th section C 257th open from Littlehampton a distance of 403 miles. Then in 2017 he was sent to Ypres a distance of 454 miles and won 25th section C 84th open. Going over the River Tay we now come to our next bird which is a pied hen SU15F 5179 raced by R Anderson of St Andrews in Fife in 2016 she won 75th section C 294th open from Littlehampton a distance of 393 miles. Then last year she was sent to Buckingham and won 95th section C 305th open flying 308 miles. Staying in Fife we have a blue bar cock SU14F 2444 raced by Turpie & McCord of Pitlessie in 2017 he won twice being 90th section C 281st open from Buckingham a distance of 307 miles. He was then sent over the channel to Ypres and won 26th section C 86th open flying 448 miles.  We now move over the Firth of Forth to Pentlandhill press officer Andy Miller of  Edinburgh his chequer hen SU15P3516 won twice in 2017 from the inland national race from Bedhampton a distance of 363 miles she won 46th section B 147th open. She was then sent to the Belgium race point of Ypres and she won 9th section B 15th open flying 434 miles.  Staying in the Lothians we come to the loft P McCue of Gilmerton in Edinburgh  whose blue bar cock SU15P 1038 in 2017 he won 23rd section B 77th open from Bedhampton a distance of 360 miles. He was then sent to the Ypres national and won 200th open but did not win a section prize but 2 good results for the season.

Joe’s Joke

We Must Stop This Immediately

Have your noticed that stairs are getting steeper. Groceries are heavier. And everything is farther away. Yesterday I walked to the corner and was dumbfounded to discover how long our street has become!

And, you know, people are less considerate now, especially the young ones, they whisper all the time! If you ask them to speak up they just keep repeating themselves, endlessly mouthing silent messages until they’re red in the face! What do they think I am a lip reader?

I also think they are much younger that I was at the same age. On the other hand, people my own age look older than I am. I ran into an old friend the other day and she has aged so much that she didn’t even recognize me. I got to thinking about the poor dear while I was combing my hair this morning and in doing so I glanced at my own reflection Well, REALLY NOW, even mirrors are not made the way they used to be!

Another thing, everyone drives so fast these days! You’re risking life and limb if you happen to pull onto the motorway in front of them. All I can say is, their brakes must wear out awfully fast, the way I see them screech and swerve in my rear mirror.

Clothing manufacturers are less civilized these days, why else would they suddenly start labelling a size 10 or 12 dress as 18 or 20?  Do they think no one notices? And the people who make bathroom scales are pulling the same prank. Do they think I actually ‘Believe’ the number I see on that dial? Ha I would never let myself weigh that much! Just who do these people think they are fooling?

I’d like to call up someone in authority to report what’s going on --- but the telephone company is in on the conspiracy too, they’ve printed the phone books in such small type that no one could ever find a number in there!

All I can do is move this along with the warning WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!!

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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. REMEMBER THE J IN THE MIDDLE or log onto www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk www.pigeon-chat.co.uk and www.Pigeonbasics.com - Pigeon Racing the Basics! Who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland

© Compiled by Joe Murphy