NEWS FROM SCOTLAND

 

The Joe Murphy Column

For my first column of the New Year it registered that this will be my 40th year as a scribe for the BHW and I have covered some ‘Great’ fanciers during this time. I started away back in 1976 as our area Kennoway, Leven and Methilhaven was not obtaining any publicity within the Fife Federation. Within these 3 clubs we had some outstanding fanciers sadly many of them have now passed on however there are still some fanciers from this time continuing to race their pigeons to this day and I wish them ALL the very best for the 2016 season. While thinking about the above it also struck me that I must now be one of the oldest Scottish scribes within the pigeon press. When I started in my late 20’s we had Observer, Jim Renwick, CSO Howie, Jim George (Round O) Bobby Kennedy, John Swinburne to name a few, plus there were many others writing at that time. I remember Jim Renwick telling me to use my own name on my column and not a fictitious one as people who need to contact me regarding any aspect of the sport would do so especially when they knew they were speaking to that real person.

 

Cumbria Auction

 

Received a phone call from Stephen Allen who along with Steve Glencross organised a sale of this year’s youngsters to help the local community of Cumbria and surrounding district. As many of you will have seen many of these people never even spent Christmas in their own homes due to the floods and our hearts go out to them (and the people of York). The sale of 41 lots brought in £2705 and the lads would like to thank all the buyers and the fanciers who donated birds to this sale. My own contribution was purchased by Mr Coull and I will contact him once it is ready and wish him well with it and hope it does him some good.

 

Christmas Lunch

 

News from John Tyerman who wrote ‘Hi Joe, good to see Richard and Jamie Combe getting the SHU award, and in such close competition with their friend and neighbour John Bosworth, well done and congratulations to them all. I am also sending you some photos of our recent Annual Christmas lunch which we had at the Stables Bar at Fontwell racecourse. Tis is always a very enjoyable day spent in good company and plenty pigeon banter - this one lasted 5 hours so a fair bit of liquid refreshment too! 

Left to right: (1) Fred Hall, previous NFC Pau and Classic winner, (2) Clive Turner - again a Classic winner and top flyer. (3) Is Dave Farr who has many top prizes in distance events in BBC and NFC. (4) is yours truly JT - won a ticket or two in my time, (5) is Ian Crammond of the Crammond and Langstaff partnership who have won many top prizes including 2 NFC Nationals. (6) Dave Bridger who won LSECC Classic on the same night I won CSCFC Tarbes from the joint liberation. (7) Gordon Marsh another top flyer and previous Classic winner.(8) Alasdair Muir - winner of 3 previous Classics

Left to Right: Ian Crammond, Dave Bridger, Gordon Marsh, Al Muir, Fred Hall, Clive Turner, Dave Farr and John Tyerman.

Setback

 

I have been enquiring about my dear friend Tom McEwen of Elphinstone after his major heart surgery and have been informed he has now contacted a lung infection. Like everyone who has been mobile all their lives Tom is finding it hard not to be able to do things and is very grateful to his wife Marlene and son Scott who are looking after the birds and walking his dog. Tom will have to take it easy for the foreseeable future and we all wish him well and ‘Time’ is a great healer.

 

Special Message

 

Received the following mail from Billy Holland from Kirkintilloch who wrote ‘Hi Joe and Margaret, I hope all is well with you both I was hoping to catch up with you at the SHU show at the weekend to have a blether about the article you did on lemons back in September / October 2013. As you know I was diagnosed with a tumour in my liver and the doctors did not know if it was cancers or not, and I could not get a biopsy without an operation. If this resulted in an operation and the tumour was cancerous then they would take away 2 thirds of my liver out,  Looking back at this time I think I had about given up on life, anyway I decided not to have the operation at the meeting with the consultant 4 days later. On the road home from the hospital I decided ‘No more pain killers for me’ (I was taking about 12 pills a day). The next month was not good but ‘here I am’. Then my son pick up a pile of pigeon paper from the shop and your article was in one of these about ‘Lemmon’s’ so I thought to myself ‘What was there to loose’. So I started eating the lemons (skin and all as you suggested)  it took me about 6 weeks before I could eat a whole lemon then as time went on I could not taste them so started eating 2 whole lemons a day and started putting Milk Thistle powder on them as well. With all this going into my body my weight dropped and waist line shrunk and I have now lost 6 and a ½ stone but the great thing Joe is I feel amazing. However the most important factor and the reason to writing to you is My Tumour Has Disappeared. I received the ALL CLEAR from the doctors and to say I’m ecstatic would be understatement. You said in your article ‘That if this information helps one person you would be happy’. Well Joe I cannot thank you enough and the doctors have said I’ve to continue with what I've been doing, so a Big Thanks Joe yours Billy Holland. What BRILLIANT news from Billy and we are so happy to hear from him and to be honest I could not read the last of his note for tears of happiness for Billy and wish him all the best for 2016.

 

 

SHU Show Result

 

Received a note from Linda Brooks who wrote ‘Hi Joe, please find attached result (pending flown Certificates), and a copy of trophy winners and raffle winners and will email you some photos of the day when I have time. Thanks once again for your support yours Linda. The overall Best in Show was won by the husband and wife partnership of John & Alice Bell who made a clean sweep in one or two classes taking the first three places. John and Alice consistently produce immaculate birds for the show pen and are well deserved winners of this year’s Best in Show. The weather was cold but dry on the day and all the entrants arrived just after 08.00am to begin penning the birds.  Our Show Manager, Gordon Turnbull, makes sure everything runs smoothly and oversees all that happens in the actual show bird arena.  Gordon checks that everyone knows exactly what they should be doing and is on hand throughout the day to take care of any unforeseen problems. We rely so much on the goodwill of the volunteers who turn up to give a hand and anyone interested in helping out on the day is welcome to contact me at the SHU office.  Our Judges arrive around 09.00am and have tea and coffee and time to meet each other and be given their classes prior to judging beginning just after 10.00. Our SHU Past Presidents, Sam McFadzean, Jim McGhee and John Barlow do a great job welcoming and entertaining our judges and SHU Trophy Winners over lunch when judging is over, and by 14.00 we are ready to begin presenting the SHU Trophies.  These trophies are extremely difficult to win and I’m encouraged that each year the number of claims is rising. These are judged early in November each year by a small committee comprising Dr Phil Lynch, Robert Cormack and George Pollock and usually the current SHU President. This is another small group of people that give up their time to help.

Judging of Best in Show takes place around 15.00 and is closely watched by all the entrants.  Ian Noble, SHU President announces the winners of Best Old Bird and Young Bird Racing and Best Old Bird and Best Young Bird Showing and the overall Best in Show in the actual Show Arena before the presentation of the Best in Show Trophy on the main stage.  The drawing of the raffles and lucky programmes is always a highlight of the day and we have to give a massive thanks to all of our SHU Club Secretaries who sell our tickets, it is a big part of our show income and essential to help us go forward for future shows.  Thanks also to everyone who provided raffle prizes and sponsorship and to everyone that bought tickets.

Grand Raffle Cash Prize winners are as follows:- £200 John Bird: £100 G Whitson:

£50 James Russell: £25 Bev Whittaker: £25 J Jack; £25 Clyde Coast HS, Ardrossan:

£25 Pat Ward, Linlithgow: £25 Keith Cochrane: £25 Billy Bilsland: £25 M Fraser. Other prizes of whisky, wine, pigeon products etc. were won by Billy Bilsland, Kevin Winter, Bill Frew, & Iris Higgins. Pigeon Raffle -  Thank you to T Turpie; Brian Kinnear and J Scott for donating the best of their pigeons; they were won respectively by:- John Hadfield, Gordon Campbell and Jim Lumsden.

The stands reported brisk trading on the day and although we are restricted to the numbers of stands we can accommodate, we like to think we have a good balance of pigeon products and enough visitors to ensure the stands find it worthwhile coming along. I hope everyone enjoyed the show and the facilities and, on behalf of the Show Committee I would like to thank you all for coming along and supporting us and to assure you of a warm welcome again in 2016.

Merry Christmas everyone, enjoy the festivities and stay safe in 2016 yours Linda Brooks

SHU Secretary

The Show Result is as follows:

Class 1 Old Cock Raced 2014/15: 1st & 3rd E & N Yule; 2nd C & P Nee.

Class 2 Old Hen Raced 2014/15: 1st Mackie & Knox, 2nd T Greenfield, 3rd E & N Yule.

Class 3 Young Cock Raced 2015: 1st  Mackie & Knox, 2nd T McLaughlan, 3rd C & E McMillan.

Class 4 Young Hen Raced 2015: 1st E & N Yule, 2nd A Suckle, 3rd C & C Winter.

Class 5 400 mile Cock or Hen Raced 2014/15: 1st & 2nd J & W Strang & Son. 3rd A Suckle.

Class 6 200 mile Cock or Hen Raced 2014/15: 1st 2nd & 3rd E & N Yule.

Class 7 Old Cocks Through Wires: 1st L Smith, 2nd Mackie & Knox, and 3rd E & N Yule.

Class 8 Old Hen through Wires: 1st Mackie & Knox, 2nd C & P Nee, 3rd E & N Yule.

Class 9 Young Cock through Wires: 1st C Gilluley, 2nd C & C Winter, 3rd J & A Bell

Class 10 Young Hen through Wires: 1st E & N Yule, 2nd & 3rd C & C Winter

Class 11 Eyesign Young Birds: 1st & 3rd B J Wooffinden 2nd D Hamilton & Son.

Class 12 Eyesign Old Birds: 1st W Gilchrist, 2nd B J Wooffinden, 3rd A A Wilson & son.

Class 13 Old Cock Showing: 1st 2nd & 3rd J & A Bell,

Class 14 Old Hen Showing: 1st Mrs S Ferguson, 2nd D Harcus & son, 3rd C Miller.

Class 15 Old Cock Showing through Wires: 1st J & A Bell, 2nd Mrs A Ferguson,

 3rd N Yule

Class 16 Old Hen Showing through Wires: 1st C K Hannah, 2nd Mrs A Ferguson,

3rd Fitzpatrick & Fleming.

Class 17 Young Cock Showing; 1st 2nd & 3rd J & A Bell,

Class 18 Young Hen Showing:1st Kerr & Davidson, 2nd Rourke & Christie,

3rd Wallace & Ferguson.

Class 19 Young Cock through Wires: 1st J & A Bell, 2nd Coutts Bros,

3rd Fitzpatrick & Fleming

Class 20 Young Hens Through Wires: 1st J Rundell, 2nd Wallace & Ferguson, and 3rd Coutts Bros.

Best Old Bird Racer; E & N Yule (class 1 winner)

Best Young Bird Racer: B J Wooffinden (class 11 winner)

Best Show Racer Old Bird: J & A Bell (class 15 winner)

Best Young Bird Show Racer; J & A Bell (class 17 winners.)

 

 

Obituary

 

Ramsay Macdonald of Gorebridge Midlothian; I received a phone call from Ramsay’s son Alex informing me of the passing of his dad. He had kept pigeons the majority of his 72 years and was a member of Loanhead, Bilston and Gorebridge club as well as being a member of both Midlothian and Pentland Hills federations over the years. Only a few weeks ago Ramsay was at an entire clearance sale purchasing some new birds for 2016 and the week before Christmas he passed away. To Ramsay’s partner Joan and his family of daughters Fiona and Mari as well as son’s Ramsay and Alex we send our heartfelt condolences especially to his 17 grandchildren and his 2 great grandchildren, may he rest in peace.  Ramsay’s birds will be sold on 14th February at Easthouses Miners Welfare Club viewing from 12 noon sale starting at 13.00. If you require any more information contact Alex on 01875 821932

 

Joe’s Joke

 

Son... Dad I want to get married

Father; first tell me you’re sorry

Son; For What?

Father; Say Sorry

Son; But for what? What did I do?

Father; Just say sorry

Son; But?What have I done wrong?

Father; Say Sorry

Son; WHY??????

Father Say Sorry!!!!

Son; Please just tell me why?

Father Say Sorry

Son: Ok Dad?.. I’m sorry

Father; There! You have finished training. When you learn to say sorry for no reason at all!! Then you ARE ready to get married.

 

***************************************************************************

An Italian Bank Robbery

 

A hooded armed robber bursts into the Bank of Italy and forces the tellers to load a sack full of cash. On his way out the door with the loot, one brave customer grabs the hood and pulls it off, revealing the robber's face. The robber shoots the guy dead without hesitation!  He then looks around the bank to see if anyone else has seen him. He sees one of the tellers looking straight at him. The robber walks over and calmly shoots him dead. Everyone by now is very scared and looking down at the floor. "Dida anyone elsa seea my face?" calls the robber. Then follows a tense minute of silence and then elderly Italian gentleman, tentatively raises his hand and says, "I thinka my wife caught a glimpse."

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 and www.pigeon-chat.co.uk who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland.

© Compiled by Joe Murphy