NEWS FROM SCOTLAND

The Joe Murphy Column

My birds have had an excellent moult and the majority only have their last flights to go and they look like oil paintings. When you see them like this you fall back in love with them all over again, however I have too many and will have to cut them down to next box  accommodation. Kevin is the same but his team are the racers and some will be lost throughout the racing season however he does have 45 youngsters that have been raced this year so we are optimistic for them as yearlings. I have always been a believer in having younger pigeons in the race team as you need their vigour and passion to keep your loft to the fore. He did well in the nationals as he won 6 diplomas from 9 pigeons entered so was well pleased and hopefully some of these youngsters will strengthen the team in future years.

End of an Area

You will see the advert in this week’s paper for the entire clearance sale of my dear friend Gareth Rankin of Larkhall, who flew in partnership with his late dad George (one of the greatest fanciers that I ever had the pleasure to know) up until the past 4 years when Gareth has flown on his own.  Due to work commitments, looking after his disabled mother as well as being a father of 3 young boys Gareth has decided to part with the pigeon sport after 32 years. During this time he and his dad won everything before them from 60 to 673 miles they were outstanding pigeon fanciers. However they excelled in the Scottish National Flying Club winning Section E (largest in the west section) 8 times, they also won the West Region Averages a record 6 times and in the celebrated Lanarkshire Social Circle they have a record winning the Gold Cup on 6 occasions. Gareth’s Sprint & Middle distance families consist of Leo Hermans/Ceusters, Luc & Bart Geerinckx and the famous George, Willie & Paul Macaloney one of the top lofts in Scotland. Gareth’s Long Distance family consists of their famous ‘Westbound’ line of winners going back to ‘22299’ and ‘Marcia’ his wonderful blue hen who won a SNFC Silver Award and is a 5 times prize winner in the national. The sale will be held on Sunday 1st of November at Newmains RP clubrooms in Lanarkshire with viewing from 11-30 the sale starting at 13-00. See advert in this week’s BHW for more information,

this is definitely a sale NOT to be missed. Unfortunately I cannot attend due to family commitments but I wish Gareth all the best in the world for his new life ahead.

Gareth Rankin

Good SNFC Birds

This week my 3 fanciers need no introduction to the Scottish pigeon fraternity as they are past National winners; with the first my fellow scribe ‘Clintpark’ from the Solway who won the Nantes national in 1992 the same year I won Sartilly he also won the Frome national in 2001. Jimmy and his wife have an exceptional pigeon which I’m happy to highlight.

Mr.  & Mrs J Graham of Ecclefechan with their chequer cock SU09S 5327 CLINTPARK BOY winner of SNFC SILVER AWARD with 3 section prizes from the channel. However this outstanding cock won 9 open positions in the SNFC from 259 miles through to 540 miles with the following places won.

2010 he won 6th section A 154th open Ypres, then in 2011 he won 320th open Marlborough and was sent to Clermont and won 6th section A 99th open. The following year he won from the Gold Cup Alencon race being 101st open. In 2013 he won 3 times being 88th open from Newbury then 15th section A 172nd open Maidstone and then from the longest old bird national from Ancenis he won 2nd section A 8th open. He was raced in 2015 and won 8th section A 238th open Eastbourne and from the Portsmouth race he won 23rd section A 281st open. A truly exceptional pigeon and one the partnership can be very proud of.

Next we come to past Ypres SNFC winner of 2013 Davie Glen of Forfar who has also won 2 SNFC Silver Awards the first in 2010 and then again in 2013. I focus on Davie’s his blue cock SU12AF 746 who has won 6 times in the national being 4 times from inland races and 2 from Ypres so therefore requires one more inland section prize to win a Meritorious Inland Bronze Award and two section prize from the channel to achieve a Silver Award.  The blue cock’s performance wins are as follows: As a yearling in 2013 he won 4th section C 25th open Maidstone a distance of 401 miles he was then entered into the Ypres race and won 114th open flying 465 miles. In 2014 he was entered into the same 2 races and won 5th section C 25th open Maidstone and was then 3rd section C 14th open Ypres. In 2015 he won twice from the inland nationals from Portsmouth he was 17th section C and 83rd open. The national could not race from Ypres due to the disruptions at the channel tunnel and the race was flown from Eastbourne instead and the blue cock won 14th section C 47th open. We wish Davie all the best with his blue cock in the 2016 season.

Dave Glen

Now we come to John Duthie of Dundee who has won the coveted Gold Cup from the premier race twice from Reims in 2010 and Alencon in 2013 John has also won a SNFC Gold Award in 2005. John now wins a Meritorious Inland Bronze Award in 2015 with his chequer white flight cock SU11DF 815 who has won 5 times from inland races over a 3 year period with the following positions achieved.  In 2013 he won 101st section C 300th open from Maidstone a distance of 393 miles the following year he won 31st section C 146th open Buckingham flying 321 miles he was then entered back into Maidstone and won 61st section C 257th open. This year 2015 he won 25th section C 85th open Billericay 366 miles and was then sent to Portsmouth a distance of 398 miles and won 6th section C and 43rd open which merits his award well done John.

Joe’s JokeA blonde gets a job as a physical education teacher of 16 year olds. She notices a boy at the end of the field standing alone, while all the other kids are running around having fun kicking a ball. She takes pity on him and decides to speak to him. 'You ok?' she says. 'Yes.' he says. 'You can go and play with the other kids you know' she says. 'It's best I stay here.' he says. 'Why's that sweetie?' says the blonde. The boy looks at her incredulously and says, "Because I'm the Goalie!"

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After being married to Tom for forty years, Sally asked him to describe her.  He looked at her for a while, then said: "You're an alphabet wife...A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K."  She asks: "What the hell does that mean?"  He said: "Adorable, Beautiful, Cute, Delightful, Elegant, Foxy, Gorgeous and Hot". She smiled happily and said: "Oh, that's so lovely, but what about I, J, K?"  He said: "I'm Just Kidding!"  The swelling in his eye is going down and the doctor is fairly optimistic about saving his sight.

Please continue to keep the news flowing;

To Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 Flutorum Avenue Thornton by Kirkcaldy KY1 4BD

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or log onto www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk www.pigeon-chat.co.uk and www.pigeoncraic.com who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland.

© Compiled by Joe Murphy