NEWS FROM SCOTLAND

The Joe Murphy Column

The new racing season will soon be upon us and if you wish your club results in my column I will be delighted to put in any results forwarded; however I require these by WEDNESDAY as I spend the evening compiling them into an article to send away the following day. I don’t require loads and loads of details for this feature however the following is essential; the number of members sending and the amount of birds competing in each race. Details of the first 3 birds in each race; this can be details of previous wins or their breeding, the more information on the birds the better. I WILL NOT accept just a name and velocity. This can go into the results section at the back of the paper. I try to make my weekly article as interesting as possible and I receive good feedback from all over the world so to just put in names and velocities does nothing for me or anyone else who wish to read the column. Fanciers want to read about ‘winning pigeons’ and how they are bred or their nest condition anything of interest so the more information you send the better it is for readers, you can email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or send in your information to my house address at the bottom of the article. Remember WEDNESDAY is the deadline. 

Funny Information

I heard about a young bird breeder/buyer sale held recently and the auctioneer asked the fancier who was donating the bird (as he was at the sale) for some details as his was an empty pen and there wasn’t any information on the breeding of the bird. His reply was ‘It is from a couple of yearlings that have not done anything special’. When will it be ready asked the auctioneer ‘Once it has got over its bout of young bird sickness’ was his reply? Needless to say, NO ONE put in a bid and the fancier got his bird back for the opening bid.  

Good SNFC Birds

We now come to a blue bar cock SU15E200 raced by Colin Grieve of Greengairs with ‘Young Alfie’ this is another bird to show his potential by being twice in the top 14 open positions in national races from over the channel. In 2017 he was 1st section E 4th open from Alencon a distance of 544 miles competing against 1472 birds sent by 403 members. Last year he was sent to Buckingham a distance of 295 miles and he won 51st section E but no open position flying against 2941 birds sent by 443 members he was then sent to Liege a distance of 534 miles and he was once again to the fore being 4th section E 14th open from an entry of 1072 pigeons entered by 327 fanciers. Think you will agree another ‘cracking’ pigeon and we wish Colin all the best for the new season and hope ‘Young Alfie’ wins his SNFC Silver Award.

We now move on to Fife to the loft of Terry Turpie of the Turpie and McCord partnership whose blue checker cock SU16F1637 as a yearling won 10th section C 27th open from Bedhampton a distance of 384 miles competing against 6065 birds sent by 634 members. Last year he was sent to Buckingham a distance of 307 miles and he won 85th section C but no open position from an entry of 2941 birds sent by 441 members. He then went to the last old bird national from Roye with 747 birds competing entered by 186 members and he won 13th section C 38th open flying 514 miles. My last pigeon this week is to the loft of John D Robertson of Dunfermline he had the same treatment as the Turpie & McCord pigeon going to Bedhampton as a yearling and won 39th section C 125th open from an entry of   6065 birds. Then in 2018 he was sent to Buckingham a distance of 300 miles and he won 63rd section C 350th open flying against 2941birds. He was then sent to the Reims national and was right up with the winners to gain 2nd section C 7th open flying 569 miles from an entry of 382 birds sent by 129 members. Now that the new racing season is underway, I will give this feature a miss until after the national races later in the year.

This week’s Photo

I was looking for something the other day and came across this photograph that was taken soon after Kevin and I won the Scottish National race from Sartilly with ‘Mystical Rose’ (you will see her on the trap going back into the loft). We had a visit from the famous Eddie Newcombe his brother Joe and Eddie’s son Dale (sadly no longer with us) along with Keith Cochrane of Crossgates who brought them to our loft.

Joe’s Joke

This week a card from Les Stevens who sent the following; Dear Joe with must fanciers now senior citizens I thought you may like this for your column.

 ‘What is a Senior Citizen?’

A senior citizen is one who was here before ‘The Pill’ Television’; ‘Frozen Foods’; ‘Contact Lenses’; ‘Credit Cards’; and before ‘Man walked on the Moon’. For us ‘Time Sharing’ meant togetherness, not holiday homes, and a ‘Chip’ meant a piece of wood. ‘Hardware’ meant nuts and bolts and ‘Software’ wasn’t even a word; we got married ‘First’, and then lived together, and thought ‘Cleavage’ was something a butcher used’. A ‘Stud’ was something that fastened a collar to a shirt, and ‘Going all the way’ meant staying on the double decker to the bus depot. We thought that ‘Fast Food’ was what you ate in ‘Lent’; and a ‘Big Mac’ was an oversized raincoat and a ‘Crumpet’ we had for tea. In our day ‘Grass’ was mown; ‘Pot’ was something you cooked in. ‘Coke’ was kept in the coal shed and a ‘Joint’ was cooked on Sunday’s’. Yes, we are TODAY’S Senior Citizens and a Hardy Bunch when you think how the world has changed. The sad thing is I remember all the above during my childhood, thanks Les and cheers.   

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 you can also view online editions on: www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk www.pigeon-chat.co.uk - www.Pigeonbasics.com - Pigeon Racing the Basics! - thecanadianpigeoninternational.com www.internationalracingpigeon.com or

https://sites.google.com/site/internationalracingpigeon/

Who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland

© Compiled by Joe Murphy