The Joe Murphy Column
Help Required re Medal’s
The late Jock Traill of Thornton son Keith often communicates with me either by phone or by email and he forwarded me some photographs that his wife Rona has taken and wondered if anyone can give him any information on them please. He thinks they may have been his granddad (Jock Smillie of Ladybank) who was his mum’s Nancy father. I will include these to the column and hopefully someone can send me an email or phone me regarding Keith’s request. I have added a photograph of Keith with his grandson Lockie plus one of his parents the famous Jock & Nancy to go with this article.
Good Birds – Good Fanciers
I noticed that my dear friend and Pentlandhills press officer Andy Miller of Sighthill in Edinburgh has a good dark chequer hen SU16P4184 who has won 3 times in the SNFC. In 2019 she won 131st open but did not win a section prize from the inland race from Maidstone competing against 2957 birds entered by 421 lofts and she was flying a distance of 363 miles. She was then set up for the Gold Cup race from Burdinne a distance of 505 miles and she won 14th section B 32nd open competing against a convoy of 1251 birds sent by 358 fanciers; Andy actually won the National from this race. Then in 2020 the chequer hen was selected for the Maidstone race with the convoy of 2894 birds entered by 351 lofts and she won 17th section B 48th open flying a distance of 363 miles. I now come to one of Andy’s dear friends Mr & Mrs David Elliot of Newbiggin who’s blue hen SU18L7479 has won twice from over the channel so therefore requires one more section prize to gain her Silver Award and we hope she can achieve it this year. In 2019 she was 2nd section E 28th open from Roye a distance of 491 miles competing against 935 birds entered by 215 lofts. Then last year she competed from the Gold Cup race from Reims a distance of 550 miles and she won 21st section E 84th open from an entry of 1490 birds sent by 313 members. Another pigeon who caught my eye while looking through the results is a blue cock SU17E98 raced by John Bird of Prestonpans. This cock is another bird that requires one more section diploma from the channel to gain his silver award. In 2019 he competed from Ypres a distance of 428 miles and won 37th section B 87th open from an entry of 2483 birds entered by 434 lofts. Then last year he was sent to Reims Gold Cup race a distance of 551 miles and he won 26th section B 103rd open from an entry of 1490 birds sent by 313 lofts, so he is another bird to look out for in the 2021 season good luck to John on his quest. Another pigeon that has won twice from over the channel is a dark chequer hen SU15CA3726 raced by Peter Keogh of Broxburn. In 2019 she was entered into the Roye national a distance of 504 miles and she won 90th open (but no section prize) from a convoy of 935 birds entered by 215 members. Then in 2020 she was sent to the Reims Gold Cup race a distance of 561 miles and she won 16th section D 96th open competing against an entry of 1490 birds sent by 313 lofts, so another bird to watch out for in 2021. I finish this week’s fixture by highlighting a blue bar hen SU14NW717 raced by D H Ogilvie of Stirling. In 2019 she won 6th section D 29th open from Maidstone a distance of 384 miles competing against an entry of 2957 birds sent by 421 members. Then last year she was again sent to Maidstone with an entry of 2894 birds entered by 351 lofts and she won 252nd open (but no section prize card) she was then sent the following week to Reims a distance of 580 miles and won 135th open from an entry of 1490 birds entered by 313 members. I think you will agree a good pigeon to cover 964 miles in the space of a WEEK. Well done to all the above fanciers and their pigeons and I look forward to seeing their ring numbers on the national races in 2021.
Joe’s Joke
An elderly man and his wife decided to separate. Before being allowed to do so legally, the Family Court insisted that they undergo some counselling from the marriage guidance mob, to see if their union could be saved. The counsellor did her best, but to no avail. The old folk were absolutely determined to go through with separation, leading to divorce. Finally, in some desperation, the counsellor said; ‘But you’re 95 and your wife is 93, you have been married for 72 years. Why do you want to separate now?’ The wife replied, ‘We haven’t been able to stand each other for the last 46 years, but we thought we should wait until all the children died before we split up’.
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