The Joe Murphy Column

Last Sunday Margaret and I travelled up to the Scottish Show Racer society show in Ladybank. I was asked to judge the Supreme Champion all winners class, which was without doubt a great honour and I was very proud to be asked to do this task, as you are judging the ‘Best of the Best’. There were 22 birds in the pens and all these had won a 1st prize previously this show season and the quality of birds presented was out of this world; and were a credit to each of the members of the society. My outright winner was a lovely dark chequer cock shown by the partnership of Alex Wallace and Danny Ferguson of Newbury. Alex has not kept well for a while and could 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 of them as in all the years of the society which started in 1973 they have never won this award. So you will see from the photograph to go with this article 2 old men who were very happy Danny Ferguson and I.

Joe Murphy with the show winner

I was a member of this show society away back in the 1970 and each of the members were a ‘GREAT’ bunch of men and I mean this in the positive sense as they were ALL true sportsmen. They all had a laugh and no matter who won the class or show every one of them would shake the winner’s hand (and they all did this to Danny when he was announced as the Supreme winner). While talking to Danny and some of the lads he remarked that I should highlight some of the antics we got up to back then as it was all good fun and very happy memories. I did highlight the time I went to Doncaster show (this was prior to going to Blackpool) Ron Henderson a Kennoway a club mate of mine booked up for the show total cost £11.00 for the hotel and bus each. I took 5 show pigeons and 1 cock (a Dordin) for the 600 mile flown cock class. My show birds won some soft tickets but my Dordin cock won very highly commended and won me £11.00 prize money So this paid for my weekend; the winner of the 600 mile class was the famous 1st section L & K and 4th open Pau NFC winner Captain’s Pride who flew 730 miles from an entry of 5.455 birds in the NFC.

The judge that day was the BHW scribe Jack Adams who used to say 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; Alf Baker; Les Davenport; (I can’t remember the others but maybe someone reading this can if so please let me know)  the chairperson was Mrs Annie Ross Bowes and the hall was packed. Ron and I had front row seats and were in our seats about an hour before the quiz started. As the hall was filling up one of the show lads came and stuck his head through the curtains and said ‘Joe you will have to come and see this’. No way was I leaving this seat, but he insisted that there was something wrong with one of my birds in the show. Ron said he would keep my seat and I went with the other lad back into the show hall and there in one of my pens was ‘An Egg’. Your bird must have laid it said my fellow fancier, ‘No way!! Said I, it is a cock’. Then looking round I noticed all these heads from behind pillars, door etc. all laughing. These buggers had put the egg in the pen and caught me out. I took the egg and flushed it down the toilet. When Ron and I returned to the hotel after the quiz they were all waiting on us. ‘What did you do with the egg’ I was asked. ‘Why I threw it down the toilet’. ‘On no it was from one of Paul Smith’s champion Dordin’s’. (They had known I had won a prize with my Dordin cock) the look on my face must have said a thousand words and we all burst out laughing. Yes great memories with some very exceptional fanciers and Danny (who was the secretary of the society at that time) remembered this and we had a good laugh. Congratulations to Alex & Danny, also Alice and John Bell who were runners up to the Supreme Champion. Also to Jake Brown who won the Champion young bird I have included a photo of Jake and his brother George. May I once again thank the officials and member of the society for asking me to judge their all winners class and may I also wish ALL the members every success for the new breeding season and hope they continue to rear winners.  

Joe Murphy with the successful John and Alice Bell

Jake Brown Joe Murphy George Brown

Free Pigeons and Clocks

Received a phone call from John McHale of Leven who is a son of the late Mick who passed away in late 2017,  John has been looking after his late dads birds but it is becoming too much for him. Therefore all these stock pigeons are FREE to a good home; the majority are from George Dawes of Workington entire clearance sale and are mostly Van Hee’s crossed Kirkpatrick. There is also a stock pair from the late John Puddephatt and some youngsters direct from this stock pair. There are also 2 STB clocks also going for nothing except the carriage. John does not wish to kill these birds as they are too good and could maybe help someone out if you are interested them give John 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 he won 73rd section B 171st open from Littlehampton flying 372 miles. Then in 2017 he was sent to Bedhampton and won 74th section B 272nd open flying 364 miles. He was then set up for Ypres and he won 145th 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 him in the new season Ronnie.  We now move over to the extreme west of Scotland to Newmilns in Ayrshire to the loft of R Donegan who has a blue bar cock SU15A 8543 Last year as a yearling he won 3rd section F and 434th open from Littlehampton flying a distance of 367 miles. In 2017 he competed from the two inland Scottish national races with the first from Buckingham a distance of 283 miles to his loft and he won 20th section F then a few weeks later he was sent to the Bedhampton race a distance of 356 miles and he won 6th section F and 499th open. Therefore he has gained 3 section certificates towards a Bronze award. We now head north east to the village of Forfar to the loft of Ian Scott whose chequer hen caught my eye when checking the national results. In 2016 she won 27th section C 89th open from Roye a distance of 533 miles then in 2017 she won twice. From the inland national from Bedhampton she was 589th open from an entry of 6065 birds and flying 408 miles. she then went to the last old bird race of the season from Falaise and she won 5th section C 19th open flying 551 miles in a very hard race.  

Joe’s Joke

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

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