NEWS FROM SCOTLAND

Reports by Joe Murphy

After a 58 year gap Arbroath fanciers once again win the Scottish National

Charlie & Glen Cameron

Kevin and I good friends Charlie Cameron and son Glen have bridged the gap in history by once again winning the SNFC national from Roye. The father and son partnership of Johnny and Paul Dora won the Rennes race in 1961 with ‘The Fifer’ however the Cameron’s have now put the town back on the map by winning with their chequer cock ‘Branch’.  The convoy of 935 birds sent by 215 members were liberated at 06-00 hours and this father and son partnership timed in at 18-38 flying 523 miles to record a velocity of 1215 to win 1st section C 1st open SNFC Roye. The winning bird is named as ‘Branch’ as he has the bad habit of sitting on a tree near the loft and has done so since a youngster. Even after his daily exercise he will go to the tree and sit on it till he is ready to come down. As a yearling he came home from the Bedhampton national race a distance of 401 miles and sat on the branch for over an HOUR and when he did come down and was timed in, he still won 92nd section C 360th open from an entry of 6065 birds.  Last year from the Roye national race he won 2nd section C 3rd open national from an entry of 747 birds. This year he did not go near the tree (maybe because he was in the race basket 6 days and wanted home) ‘Branch’ is bred from a son of Leon Messiaen’s ‘Perpignan’ who is Leon’s main racing pigeon and breeding these last 10 years. The dam of ‘Branch’ is from the family Malfait of Jabbeke and originates from the Olympiad Gran Canaria and ‘Bettini’ a winner of 1st National Dax bloodlines. This year a yearling cock has been following ‘Branch’ onto the tree after their daily exercise and this has irritated him as it is ‘his’ branch. Prior to the Roye national both these cocks flew for one and a half hours at night without going to the tree, if they did he would come down and the yearling followed him. The partnership was going to send them both to the national but after seeing the weather forecast that there was no chance of a race at the weekend they decided to keep the yearling at home. On arrival ‘Branch’ gave a swoop round the loft and noticed that the yearling was not on the branch and he landed on the board and went right in (which was just as well). He is flown on roundabout and believe it or not he was with his 6th hen of the year prior of going to the Roye National.

Charlie and Glen have a fantastic record in the distance races as Glen (when he lived in Aberdeen) won 1st section Maidstone; 1st section G 185th open from Eastbourne, 1st & 2nd section G 58th & 80th open from Portsmouth, 3rd section Clermont, father Charlie won 3rd section C 8th open Reims; and they both won 4th section C 9th open from Ypres as well as winning 2nd open SNRPC Arras. So you will see what quality fanciers they both are and Kevin, Margaret and I are over the moon for Charlie and Glen in joining us by winning the SNFC. As a matter of interest another Arbroath member Les McKay of Carnoustie won 2nd open SNRPC Troyes only a few weeks ago which is great news for the club and town.  Gordon Campbell of Montrose timed in a cracking grizzle hen to win 3rd section C 6th open I believe this hen did well in the federation race last year but did not make the national result well done Gordon. Ian Scott of Forfar who won 1st section C 1st open SNFC Roye last year with his chequer hen ‘Sun Princess’ timed her in the following morning to win 30th section C 84th open. The Macaulay Ferguson & Curran partnership timed in their blue cock ‘Fergy’s First’ who has won a Silver Award in the national his performances are as follows; as a 2 year old in 2016 SU14AF2151 won 29th section C 82nd open from Littlehampton a distance of 415 miles to his loft and recorded a velocity of 1062 that same year he was sent to Roye a distance of 534 miles and he won 33rd section C 108th open with a velocity of 834. In 2017 he was entered into the Bedhampton race and he won 91st section C 349th open flying 408 miles with a velocity of 1109 he was then entered into the last old bird race from Falaise and he won 14th section C 45th open with a velocity of 574. Last year he was entered into the Roye race a distance of 534 miles and he won 24th section C (no open position) with a velocity of 875 ypm to win him his Silver Award. He was timed on Monday night for the first time on the day from France to win 4th section C 10th open and Gavin Ferguson has told me that ‘God Willing’ he will maybe go back next year for his Gold Award. Gavin did say to me that the birds he timed in were in excellent condition however his late arrivals did look as if they had been put through the mill. Andy Miller who won 2nd open has named his winning bird ‘Boris’ after the UK new prime minister elected today. Well done to the convoyer and to everyone who had a bird home on the day as well as the north lads who timed in early the next morning and were only beaten by daylight.

Joe Murphy