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The Joe Murphy Column - 26-08-24

The Joe Murphy Column

Continuing with my short stories on past outstanding fanciers; this week I include The Top Scot of 1965 who was W T Gardiner of Lockerbie; written by Cover Flight. For the past few racings seasons the name of William T Gardiner has been building a legend which has attracted the attention of the pigeon fancy throughout the world. Success has followed success, and the performances set up by this modest young fancier during the 1965 season could well result in an all-time record – 1st SNFC Rennes (6030 birds) 2nd SNFC Nantes (1995 birds) 15th SNFC Beauvais (2736 birds) and 1st Ushers Young Bird SNFC Worcester (1936 birds).

William T Gardiner being presented with the Gold Cup by Percy Cameron at SNFC Presentation 1965 see text 26 08 24b

William T Gardiner being presented with the Gold Cup by Percy Cameron at SNFC Presentation 1965

In all, eight major Scottish National Flying Club trophies were presented to him at the annual dinner held in Edinburgh in October 1965, (see photograph) and it is doubtful if any Scottish National winner had been more warmly received by his ‘friendly rivals’ – the membership of the SNFC. Much has already been written on the performances of this famous Lockerbie loft, and rather than recall the list of wins I would prefer to concentrate on the fancier himself. In 1949, Willie Gardiner, then a 14-year-old schoolboy, started the hobby of keeping pigeons and, strange as it may seem, he started off as a ‘Showman’. His first pigeons were Tumblers and they were exhibited at local shows, but this was not the birds of the ‘Gardiner Legend’- they never won a prize!!! The first importation of racers came in 1950 when Alex B King of Wishaw sent three birds to start a small racing team. That was the real beginning . . . and from the outset Willie’s twin brother, John, was keen to help looking after the birds. Racing started in 1952 with young birds, and at his first attempt Willie clocked thee winner and followed this up at the next race by winning the second prize. During 1953, Willie and John spent a great deal of time building a suitable racing and stock loft and during that season a few more prizes came the way of Willie Gardiner. This loft was used from 1953 until 1960, when the present joiner built 30-foot open-door loft was erected. Since that time the following leading positions have been won with birds in the first 3 in the south section; 1960 3rd section 5th open Nantes; 1961, 1st and 2nd section 8th & 9th open Rennes; 1962, 2nd section 2nd open Nantes; 1964, 2nd section 2nd open Rennes, 2nd section 4th open Beauvais; 1965, 1st section 1st open Rennes; 1st section 2nd open Nantes and 1st section 1st open ‘Ushers’ Young Birds National Worcester. Even this much abbreviated list of wins brings one obvious question to a pigeon fancier’s mind. ‘How does he do it? What brings such consistent success?’. Well, I cannot hope to answer that question, and I have asked him all the standard questions I could think of……….and here were his replies.

Feeding; An ordinary high protein mixture with a little seed used from trapping on occasion.

Training; Young bird are very well trained before the first young bird race and even the best are raced out to 200 miles. Proof of this fact is ‘Sky Baby’ daughter of ‘Sky Queen’- this mother and daughter winners of 1st open SNFC Rennes and 1st open SNFC YB national. Old Birds are lightly trained before the season opens, and as the Scottish National races are of the greatest interest to Willie Gardiner, each potential National candidate is well trained by road for a few weeks before the selected race.

Breeding; ‘Blood will tell’ – that is his full opinion of breeding top-quality racing pigeons. Whether birds are in-bred, line bred or crossed matters little to Willie, provided the stock involved are sound physically and bred from outstanding long-distance racers.

Distance and fitness; Willie’s attitude to this topic is simply this; ‘I get them as fit as I can and do not consider whether the race in mind is a 200- or 500-mile event. There are hard 200-mile races and easy 500-mile races and as one cannot predict the pattern of a race before it is flown, there is only one sensible approach – get them fit for almost anything’.  Perhaps the above statements may help some readers to understand the background to the Gardiner story, but from my discussions with him there are other factors which – although he is possibly unaware of them himself ---are perhaps more important and perhaps nearer the true explanation;

He is blessed with a high degree of patience and is a perfectionist in everything he does. Examples of this are shown in other facets of his activities- his garden is painstakingly neat, and, in fact, the layout of the loft in this setting makes it a fancier’s dream. When is clock is returned to the SNFC the clock label Is not only correctly completed but has the exact time of each pigeon is accurately recorded-to the second.

In the 1965 Rennes race there were six birds so recorded, and although this point seems so unimportant, I think it might be relevant because attention to small details such as this must reflect his general attitude- if the job has to be done it will be done properly. Now that Willie Gardiner has won the Rennes National, he has set his sights on the next target – to become the double Rennes winner. And do not think that he will send everything to Rennes in 1966 in his next attempt. That is not true---- he’ll keep the nest boxes at home!!!!

Results

Pentlandhills Federation

News from Andy Miller who wrote; ‘Hi Joe, from the first young bird race of the 2024 from Otterburn held on Sunday 28th July, this was a delay of 24 hours due to inclement weather however the 1516 birds entered by 44 lofts was liberated at 09:30 into a south wind. This turned out a fantastic opener for the young birds with

virtually all home within the hour. Winning 1st, 2nd & 3rd federation with another 7 in the top 13 open places and having a great overall 2024 season is the Danderhall loft of Keith Wright. The winner and first over the pad by 5 seconds on a drop of 10 is a Van Den Bulck bred by James McCulloch from Edinburgh who doesn’t race pigeons (breeders only) He bred a kit of 10 as a gift for Keith to try out. Not a bad start! As a matter of interest Joe all are flown on the darkness. D Noble of Danderhall wins 4th & 5th places with the Winter Family wining 12th & 15th open. Freddie & Willie Robertson are 14th open with Brown & Black of Woodburn taking the positions from 16th to 21st open.

Almond Valley Federation

News from secretary Lynne Stewart, with the result of the Wooler 1 race flown on 28th July with the convoy of 1247 birds liberated at 08:30 hours. Taking the top spot is J Urquhart of Bonnybridge club doing a velocity of 1175; his club mate S Russell is 2nd on 1155 with another bird in 17th place. D McBeath of Armadale club is 3rd with Armadale’s J Angus-Beaton winning 4th spot. Freddie Jamieson & son of East Calder win 5th to 8th places with S Robb of West Calder winning 9th open. John Hadfield of Armadale is 10th & 13th open with John Bird of West Calder wining 11th 12th 14th & 15th positions. George Harris of Bonnybridge club is 16th with Davy Jamieson of West Calder in 18th place followed by L & N Redmond of Fauldhouse club just ahead of club mate T Gavin who wins 20th place.  

Club Winners

Armadale; 159 birds; D McBeath 1138.729, J Angus-Beaton 1127.617, J Hadfield 1102.989, 1102.479

Balerno; No entries;

Bonnybridge; 366 birds; J Urquhart 1175. S Russell 1155. G Harris 1101. S Russell 1090.

Carnwath; 176 birds; Thomson Bros & I Thomson 967. 962. 948. 911.

East Calder; 57 birds; F Jamieson & Son 1122. 1120. 1119. 1119.

Fauldhouse; 283 birds; L & N Redmond 1082. T Gavin 1080. 1079.

From the Wooler 2 race flown on 3rd August the convoy of 932 birds were liberated at 07:50 hours. Geordie Harris of Bonnybridge takes the first two top places, with Mr J Angus-Beaton of Armadale club in 3rd spot. The partnership of Law & Brady (2) of Bonnybridge club are 4th 5th & 13th open with D McBeath of Armadale club timing in 10 birds to win 6th to 12th plus 14th to 16th positions. Vic Couper of Bonnybridge club makes up the top 20 winning the last 4 positions. Club winners are as follows;

Armadale; 215 birds; winner J Angus-Beaton 1203.205, D Mc Beath 1199.722, 1199.327, 1199.327

Balerno; 39 birds; J Fairley 1036.836, 1035.924, 896.454, 783.875

Bonnybridge; 228 birds; winner G Harris 1227.304, 1225.474, Law & Brady 1200.287, 1200.118

Carnwath; 100 birds; winner Dr J Salmond 1018.561, McArdle & Thomson 986.334, 985.900, 906.644

East Calder; 60 birds; winner P & R Fairley 1124.086, 1117.490, F Jamieson & Son 1094.349, 1089.434

Fauldhouse; 177 birds; winner T Gavin 1172.243, 1172.047, 1171.852, 1153.001

West Calder; 152 birds; winner S Robb 1144.191, J Bird 1139.642, 1139.448, 1139.254

Lynne finishes off her report by saying ‘The Fife and Tayside fanciers are doing very well in the national races this season; well done to everyone’. 

Fife Federation

News from Geordie Todd with the Alnwick young bird race flown on 3rd August with the convoy of 700 birds liberated at 9-15am into a west wind. Birdage from the following clubs made up the convoy; Methilhaven club 129 birds; Kennoway 84 birds; St Andrews 74 birds; Lochgelly 79 birds; Dunfermline 186 birds; Crossgates 148 birds. Taking the Top 10 in the East section and Federation are the following; Davie Armour of Methilhaven club takes the 1st & 4th places. Kennoway’s B Chalmers is 2nd & 3rd with his father-in-law Tam Laing in 5th spot. Davie Jack of St Andrews is 6th & 7th with clubmates Dave Baldie 8th and near neighbour John Harcus in 9th spot. Kennoway’s Brian Kinnear is 10th. The West section is won by J Hynd & son of Lochgelly club who take the first 6 places. C Buchan of Crossgates is 7th with A Simpson of Dunfermline in 8th spot with Alaistair McCudden of Crossgates club winning 9th & 10th places. 

Angus Federation

News from David Liddle; with the results attached for Forfar club and Angus Fed for our first young bird race from Auchendinny. The first birds were slower than expected but there was a clear winner when one of our younger members, Adam Golicki timed the first pigeon on a velocity of 1134 which won the club, federation and Angus & Dundee Combine by more than 100 ypm.

Adam Golicki holding his fed winner see Angus Fed text 26 08 24b    Adam Golicki Fed Winner see text 26 08 24b

Adam Golicki & his Fed Winner

Adam is an estate worker in the hills of Glen Prosen, north of Kirriemuir and it is a difficult area to race pigeons into between the perils of birds of prey and the changeable weather in the hills. His winner was a Belgian rung youngster which he bought at the Scottish Lier market in March. I have attached photos of Adam and his winner. The result of the Auchendinny young bird race flown on the 27th July had 17 members sending 592 birds; the convoy was liberated at 09-00 am into light west wind. Taking to spot is A Golicki of Forfar club with a Belge rung youngster doing a velocity of 1134.41 he wins 20 points from the west section. He also wins 15th 16th & 17th open. Ian Scott of the same club wins 2nd 3rd 4th & 5th places with Dave Glen winning 6th 8th & 14th places.  David Liddle is 7th open with W Dorward of Gourdon club wins 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th & 20th open. Leggett & Greig of Forfar are 18th with club mate Eric Galloway in 19th spot. The East Section is dominated by W Dorward of Gourdon who takes the first 9 places with Arbroath’s Charlie & Glen Cameron wins 10th open.  

Club Winners; Arbroath; had 6 members sending 168 birds, 1st P Cameron; 2nd C & G Cameron.

Forfar; 10 members 375 birds 1st D Glen 2nd A Golicki. Gourdon; 2 members 49 birds 1st D & D Hay 2nd W Dorward. Montrose; No entries.

Arbroath HS

News from Charlie Cameron with the 2nd young bird race from Auchendinny flown on 3rd August with the 4 members sending 141 birds, these were liberated at 10am into a west to southwest wind. Taking top spot is Paul Cameron with a GB youngster doing 1370 velocity, Paul is also 5 & 7th club. Charlie & Glen Cameron are 2nd 3rd & 4th with Grahame McKenzie winning 8th place.

North of Scotland Federation

News from George Duthie, with the Strathkinness result where 42 members sent 1008 birds these were liberated 10-08am into a light south west wind. The East Section had 20 members sending 553 birds and they also topped the federation. Taking the top ten places in the east section and federation are Peterhead club with the first two places plus 5th open going to S Glue with 3 GB24V rung birds; the winner was doing a velocity of 1588. Clubmates Gordon Willox is 3rd with R H Whyte winning 4th place. The partnership of Maskame & Cordiner win 6th 7th & 10th positions. Neil Holt wins 8th & 9th positions with two GB -Z youngsters.

The west section had 22 members sending 455 birds; These were all won by Devern Valley members with A Fulton taking the first 3 in the section and winning 33rd 34th & 35th open. M Evans wins 4th section 36th open with A Hay winning 5th 6th & 7th section 37th 38th & 39th open. G McLeod wins 8th section 40th open with J Abel winning 9th & 10th section 41st & 42nd open.

Clubs First Bird

Peterhead & District is won by S Glue with a velocity of 1588.117; Fraserburgh & District is won by A W Buchan with a velocity of 1499.074; Inverurie is won by C B Forsyth with a velocity of 1441.217; Fraserburgh West End club is won by A Higgins velocity 1391.678; Devern Valley is won by A Fulton velocity 1372.923; Keith club is won  by R Wilson velocity 1298.091 and W Ritchie wins Elgin & District velocity 1108.171.Well done to S Glue on topping the federation and to A Fulton on winning the west section.

Kingdom Federation

News from Pete Penman who wrote; ‘Hi Joe, hope you and Margaret are well; the Kingdom had their first young bird race from Wooler on Sunday 28th of July. Leading the way is Coaltown’s Gary Hall with a home bred dark chequer Herman Cusiter cock. Leuchars E & E Young took 2nd & 4th places, with Mitchell & Stonehouse winning 3rd spot. Stuart Graham of St. Serfs was in 5th place breaking his novice status with a dark chequer cock, whose parents were bought at a clearance sale. In 6th place was Pete Penman of Coaltown with a chequer hen gifted to him by Dyke Armour. From the 2nd young bird race from Alnwick on the 3rd of August. Taking the first two places was St Serfs Sandy Proctor with two darkness birds bought from Paul Dryden from the north east. The 3rd place with the same bird that was also 3rd last week were Rosyth’s Mitchell and nephew Darren Stonehouse. 4th place and winning at Coaltown on his 86th birthday was my old man Pete Penman senior with a chequer hen bred from Dyke Armour stock. 5th place was Mitchell & Stonehouse with the 6th position going to Eric & Liz Young of Leuchars. Tom Berwick was 2nd club at Leuchars.  At the Coaltown club Gary Hall was 2nd & 3rd places with his first a chequer hen that is a granddaughter direct from his good hen that was 1st open Kingdom federation’s Ramsgate race, & 2nd section 13th open SNFC Falaise being the only bird into Fife on the day in 2023; his next bird was a blue Herman Cusiter cock who's hen laid on the night prior to basketing.

Pentlandhills Federation

News from Andy Miller who writes; ‘Hi Joe, from our 2nd young bird race of the 2024 from Otterburn held on Saturday 3rd August, the convoy of 2433 birds from 60 lofts were liberated at 10am into a west to south west wind. This turned out another good race for the young birds with virtually all home within the hour. Winning 1st 2nd 3rd 4th & 5th federation is the Whitecraig loft of Helen Aitken & son Graham, who fly their pigeons in Woodburn Club. The winner and first over the pad by 3 seconds is a home bred cock flown on the darkness. Sire is from Stewart Knowles and the dam from Les Green. They and their stock are regarded up there with the best in the fancy when it comes to inland racing regards Andy. 6th open is K Wright of Danderhall with other youngsters winning 18th then 20th to 23rd places. D Brown of Danderhall club in 7th place. D & J Allen of Woodburn club are 8th & 10th with G Cameron of Easthouses wins 9th 11th 12th & 13th positions. A Baillie of Danderhall wins 14th 15th & 19th open with MacGregor & Lawrie of Castlebrae just ahead of W Kinnear & Son of Danderhall club in 17th place.

Scottish Central Federation

From the Otterburn race flown on 3rd August the convoy of 121 birds were liberated at 08-30am into a west wind. Gordon Mackenzie wins 1st 2nd 5th & 8th with H Rafferty winning 3rd 4th 6th & 7th; my thanks to Bernie for this result. As I’m having problems opening Peter Keogh results as they are all just numbers and not in the normal format of a weekly result. Don’t know if it is because I don’t have the format to open it, but I have written to Peter notifying him of this problem.

27 Day Space Weather Outlook Table.

Issued: 5th August 2024 at 02-10 UTC

    UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest

   Date       10.7 cm     A Index    Kp Index

2024 Aug 05     240          15          5

2024 Aug 06     240          10          3

2024 Aug 07     240           8          3

2024 Aug 08     240           5          2

2024 Aug 09     240           5          2

2024 Aug 10     240           5          2

2024 Aug 11     240           8          3

2024 Aug 12     230           5          2

2024 Aug 13     225           5          2

2024 Aug 14     210           5          2

2024 Aug 15     205           5          2

2024 Aug 16     205           5          2

2024 Aug 17     200           5          2

2024 Aug 18     185           5          2

2024 Aug 19     180           5          2

2024 Aug 20     180           5          2

2024 Aug 21     180           5          2

2024 Aug 22     180          10          3

2024 Aug 23     200           8          3

2024 Aug 24     210           5          2

2024 Aug 25     220           5          2

2024 Aug 26     220           5          2

2024 Aug 27     235           5          2

2024 Aug 28     235           5          2

2024 Aug 29     245           5          2

2024 Aug 30     245           5          2

2024 Aug 31     240           5          2

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 who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland

© Compiled by Joe Murphy