The Joe Murphy Column - 12-05-25

The Joe Murphy Column

I have been busy in the loft with nearly all my birds’ eggs being full, so therefore these youngsters have been given to friends. With one friend entering 8 of them into a One Loft Race competition, so I will enjoy following their progress. While 2 other friends have given me 2025 rings to put on some babies for them also to race; which is great. As I used to breed the babies and give them to Kevin to race; but alas he is no longer with us. So at least this year I will have something to look forward to during the young bird racing season. It has been good spending more time with the birds during this rearing season, and to see the youngster develop each day has given me a lot of pleasure. So, I will just have to see how these babies turn out and hopefully I can breed another Scottish national winner; which will give me great pleasure.

Race Results

It’s that time of the year again with the start of the new 2025 season upon us; so, if you wish your club or federation results publicised in my column; then I require your results by Tuesday. As I send my column to the papers on Wednesday morning so therefore, I do not have time to type any late reports. These will just have to go in the following week. You will not get better publicity than adding your results to my column. As you can see the paper is now a bigger issue just like a newspaper, so therefore there are less pages per copy. It is up to you and if you wish your clubs reports added. If you have a photograph of your club winner (either pigeon or fancier) then you can send it along with your email. As I have to have my weekly column typed up and sent to Welshpool by Wednesday morning.

Race Results

Arbroath Racing Pigeon Club news form Charlie Cameron who informs us that the Angus federation were at Auchendinny on the 19^th April; with the convoy liberated at 10-30am into an east to north east wind. The club had 5 members sending 129 birds; taking the first 3 places are Charlie and his son Glen with the winner doing a velocity of 999. Graham McKenzie is 4^th& 7^th with Chic & Ann Carrie in 5^th spot just ahead of Les McKay who won 6^th & 8^th positions.,

Pentland Hills Federation

News from Andy Miller with the Otterburn race flown on Saturday 19^th April with 61 lofts sending 1473 birds, these were liberated at 10-45am into an east wind. Andy writes ‘Hi Joe, well another season kicked off on Saturday; with this week is Brian Black & Craig Coupe from Gilmerton who fly in Danderhall club. They timed a yearling widowhood cock, bred by former club mate Robert Sammels. Returns were a bit slow to start with possibly due to the cold East wind and inexperienced yearlings. However, they worked in over the piece with only a few empty perches. Hoping you and Margaret are well; regards Andy. Top spot goes to Black & Coupe from Danderhall club with a yearling doing 1692.50; the partners are also 15^th open. Andy is 2^nd also with a yearling on 1686.61. Jim Haig of the same club is 3^rd & 4^th with Cameron & Winter from the same club taking 5^th spot. W Kinnear & son are 6^th 8^th & 9^th with G Bennett of Edinburgh Premier in 7^th spot. R. Simpson of Easthouses is 10^th with the 11^th spot gong to P & J Hutton of Edinburgh Premier; J Watson & Daughter of Danderhall club are 12^th with Edinburgh Premier club L Affleck 2 yard behind. S McVey of Danderhall club wins 14^th, 16^th 17^th & 18^th positions with all birds split by seconds. Black & Coupe of Danderhall are 15^th with Sighthill’s Mr. & Mrs. Girdwood in 19^th place and S & S Tierney make up the top 20.

Fife Federation

News from Geordie Todd with the first race of the new season from Berwick with 1049 birds liberated at 10-45am into an East Wind. The West section had Dunfermline club sending 210 birds and Lochgelly club sending 248 birds. The west section cleaned up by winning the top ten in the west section and open result which was as follows. A Ritchie of Dunfermline club takes the first 2 places with his winner doing a velocity of 1727 which was 117 yards ahead of his 2^nd bird. C Buchanan of the same club is 3^rd 4^th & 9^th section and open. With Eddie McWilliams of the same Dunfermline club wins 5^th spot. J Hynd & son Ian OF Lochgelly club win 6^th 7^th & 8^th open positions with the 3 birds all on the same minute. A Simpson of Dunfermline club is 10^th section and open.

The East Section had Methilhaven club sending 247 birds; St Andrews 81 birds and Novar 54 birds. Taking top spot is Kennoway’s Brian Kinnear with his winner doing a velocity of 1540. J & D Armour of Methilhaven club wins 2^nd & 6^th positions with Jim & Gary Peggie of the same Methilhaven club take 3^rd 4^th & 5^th places; with Kennoway’s Jocky Scott taking 7^th 8^th & 10^th positions with Clark & son of Methilhaven club winning 9^th position. Other Club Winners were Turpie & McCord win Novar club with John Harcus winning St Andrews.  My thanks to the above secretaries for the above results. If you wish your clubs results published within my column and email before Tuesday.  

Dundee and Angus Federations

News from Charlie Cameron who informed me that the above federations held a joint presentation on Saturday 29^th April. Danny Henderson from Dundee raced the bird that had the best average in the Central and East of Scotland Amalgamation old bird races. Andy Miller travelled up to Forfar to present Danny with the Eddie Newcombe Memorial Trophy. The winning bird SU 21 DF 996 and has previously won 5 x 1^st prizes for Danny. His sire is a brother to 3 National winners. Two for Billy Bilsland and one for the Sterio Brothers and it is from his good Geerinckx cock. The dam is from Tayside Chieftain that was a full brother to Tam Blair’s 2^nd open national Maidstone winner and Tayside Olympiad that was a full sister to Tam Blair’s Maidstone national winner. Hope that is of interest for your column; Best wishes Charlie. 

Andy Miller & Danny Henderson see text 

Blast from the Past

Received an email from Stewart Lawrie who wrote as follows; ‘Hi Joe, Hope you are well; I wrote to you several years back regarding Edinburgh Premier Presentation club; plus advising the museum had accepted (for their archives) the timing clock belonging to one of the club’s oldest members. Recently looking for some information my wife came across a newspaper cutting with a photograph of the club’s presentation night (from 1978) which was held in the assembly rooms in Leith. The amount who attended the event required a venue of this size, (changed days now Joe). I can recall and can name all in the photograph but sadly many are no longer with us. Your old pal Jim Smeaton is on the back row. It may be of interest to some of your readers who may recall these people. Keep up the good work Joe; I still get and read your column in The Homing World; kindest regards Stewart Lawrie.

Edinburgh Premier Presentation see text

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.pigeonbasics.com www.thecanadianpigeoninternational.com who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland

© Compiled by Joe Murphy