KINGDOM RACING PIGEON ASSOCIATION
by Stuart Bowman
A few results in from Jim Galloway of the Milton club. At St. Boswells they had 130 away and the winner was Bob Swinton with a l.b yearling blue chq cock, bred down from a Pete Menzies cock which has sired 6 different winners. Dam a Busscheart. 2nd Bob again with a 2y.o spare hen, of Busschaert x Kirkpatrick blood. 3rd Bell and Walton with a yearling Van Geel cock. Parents came from Jim Anderson Cardenden. 4th, Bob once more with a Yearling bred from a cock from the late John Buchan a local fancier. The dam was a Busscheart.
From Otterburn and 130 birds it was Angela & Jim Galloway who took the red card with a chq pied hen which was having only her first ever race, and was feeding 2 big babies. Sire came from Wullie Semple birds being from his good Venner pair. Dam came from Dave Izzat birds. 2nd & 4th was Bob Swinton, with a 4yo Busscheart. The other was a Busschaert x Kirkpatrick on round about. 3rd were the Dinsdale & Fraser partnership, with a 2yo Deklak on 15 day eggs. This one was a gift from Dave Izzat. Tow Law, and 105 were away and 1st place went to Bob Swinton with a 2yo Busschaert x Kirkpatrick on 14 day eggs. 2nd & 3rd were Dinsdale & Fraser. The first one was a 2yo blue cock bred from their good Blue cock and was sent feeding a 7 day y.b which he was feeding on his own on his own as his mate was lost. How ever the hen returned and this must have perked the blue cock up a little. The next one was a 3yo, who’s sire came from Tam Wilkie x Jock Trail lines. The Dam wass Silver Toye. A & J Galloway were 4th with a 6yo mealy hen bred by Wullie Semple. Sire is Brasspenning, Dam Imbrecht. Better late than never. Thanks Jim.
The Kingdom Racing Pigeon Association had 1,056 pigeons at Leicester from approx 260 mls, and were given a light N.W wind at the race point, and the strings were cut at 7.15 am. The top spot went to Jock Mackenzie of the Leuchars club on 1215. George Anderson of the Marathorn club took 2nd, 3rd and 6th on 1207, 1206, and 1191. Tam Berwick of Leuchars won 4th & 5th on 1203 and 1201.Garry Hall, of Coaltown club was 7th on 1190. John Skelton of Rosyth was 8th on 1190.74. John Anderson Leuchars was 9th on 1189. Brian Kinnear of the Coaltown was 19th on 1184. This race turned out to be a bit of a test like Wakefield for some birds, but the majority were home on the day, most which were missing turned up next day, although all did not return. I lost a few myself, but again the majority were home.
I can tell readers at the moment that the KRPA is making a healthy profit so far this season, and that the Association is being efficiently run, with good will and most importantly common sense, something which is lacking these days in the pigeon sport.
I would like to remind you also that Maidstone is no longer available, and the KRPA will be going to Wanstead Flats as a substitute. This is a good site used very successfully by the UNC for a few years.
Coaltown Leicester had 193 birds away and the winner is Garry Hall with a yearling chq cock, a home bred on roundabout. 2nd Brian Kinnear with a 3yo mealy cock, his first pigeon from Alencon 2006. J.D Armour was 3rd& 4th with b.wf. hen. Frank Tasker x Willie Tass on roundabout. The next one also on round about was a 4yo b, pied hen, which won Otterburn earlier this year. This one was bred by BHW Scribe Silver Fox.
Rosyth Leicester winner was John Skelton with a yearling DE Baere cock on eggs. This one Won the Wakefield race in Crossgates club 2006. 2nd 3rd & 4th Louie Mitchell. The first one a 2yo l.b hen slipped a yb before basketing. Breeding Wullie Montgomery. Next a yearling blue cock on Widowhood. Louie’s own x Tam Mcleod. The next was on widowhood cock and was bred by Jamieson & Hardie Galashiels.
Milton Wakefield 88 birds away and Bob Swinton was 1st and 2nd. The winner a Kirkpatrick x Staf Van Reet, just paired. Next a 2yo Bussc x Kirkpatrick sent spare. 3rd Dinsdale Fraser with a 3yo Janssen cock from D. Izzat birds, feeding a yb and paired to two hens, and sitting eggs. 4th Tam Panton with a 6 yo red hen bred from Bremner & Reid x with his own. This hen has now been on club result last 4 weeks. Thanks again Jim.
Just time to congratulate the winners, W. Mitchell and son from Plains on winning the SNRPC Wanstead Flats race, very well done gentlemen! I would also like to congratulate Derek Armour of Leven on winning Sect C, and 4th Open, also Dennis Dall 2nd sect 6th Open, and John Proctor 3rd Sect 10th Open. Well done from the KRPA Members.
On the same weekend JD Armour did the double when he had the first pigeon in the race from the KRPA race from Huntingdon, flying approx 290 mls when the birds were away at 9.30.am into a variable wind. The winner was doing 1564, JD Armour was also 9th on 1541, and proves the loft had a bit of form. Well done JD, from the KRPA members, a good weekends work! Dunc Walker of Leuchars was 2nd on 1564.60. Alistair Birkett of St. Serfs was 3rd & 5th on 1564.57, and 1557 keeping the old hands on their toes. Tam Bruce, Leuchars,was 4th on 1563.Bob Swinton, Milton, was 6th on 1550. Rosyth’s Johnny Skelton was 7th on 1545. Farmer Bob Blyth of St. Serfs was 8th on 1542. Jim Anderson, St. Serfs was next in 10th on 1538. 11th was big Pete Penman of the Coaltown club on 1532 and Jock Mackenzie of Leuchars club took 12th Association on 1507.
Now a little news on the Association Huntingdon winner JD Armour. The winner a yearling which was on round about was bred down from birds that he received from Frank & Ann Tasker, whom J.D is a very good friends with. JD also tells me the winner has had every race on the programme since Otterburn.
Some news also of the Leicester Association winner Jock Mackenzie on 1215, with a pigeon which has been flying very steady so far. This bird, a yearling red cock, was hatched in late August last year, and given no training. This year he was only very lightly trained, having only 3 or 4 tosses before going into the race pannier. So far he has won 2nd Association Tow Law, 14th Assoc Wakefield, not an easy race, and now comes up to take top spot from Leicester still carrying all his nest flights. He was also John’s 2nd bird from Huntingdon when the loft was 12th Association. So this looks like a very good pigeon in the Making! The sire of him was a gift egg from John Ellis of Wellbank from his best channel pigeons. The dam was bought at the late Jimmy Keirs entire clearance sale, and she won 15th Open SNRPC as a yearling in a hard Falaise National race. My thanks to the above two fanciers for their time in giving me some info on the winners.
Rosyth Huntingdon. First three places went to John Skelton. The winner a 2yo de Baere cock on the drive and his half brother won the week before from Leicester. The second bird is a yearling cock on eggs and won the week previous from Leicester. The next one was a bird with D. Dall bloodlines, and the g.mother won 4th Open Tours. Secy Gordon Cree took 4th with a home bred red yearling cock on the drive
Coaltown of Balgonie club winner from Huntingdon was JD Armour with the same pigeon which won the Association already mentioned above. JD Armour was also 2nd with a 3yo home bred chq cock, down from F & A Tasker birds on roundabout. 3rd & 4th was Pete Penman snr. The first one a g.daughter of David’s Boy, 1st Open Newbury for Chris and Fiona Little. The next was a 2yo chq, cock on the drive, a gift from Jim Kinnes of Leslie. Thanks Pete for the details.
The following week we were meant to be at Otterburn for a come back race, but the weather was none too good for Sat|Sun, so the race was wisely cancelled. This was a good decision as there was no need to put the birds through it and there was nothing to be gained in forcing a race from 78mls. The good way to look at it, is simply that the birds are still there to have a go another day. That’s Ripon and Otterburn we have missed, but don’t worry there is still a healthy enough profit being made from this year’s racing. I knew this straight after the Leicester race that we were well above a four figure some in profit, in a season when the controller has done ok in what can only be described as absolute atrocious weather conditions for the months of May and June. Who would be a race controller, convoyer or worse still a poor racing pigeon?
Before going into details of our first Open race of the season from Wanstead Flats, I have to tell you that our President George Wilson has spent a few days in hospital once more in pain. This is mostly due to problems which have arisen after an accident George was in many years ago. However, by the time you read this he will be well and truly up and about knowing George. We the members of the KRPA wish you a speedy recovery George and remind you to stay away from the golf for the time being!
Now on with the Wanstead Flats Race. For our first Open race of the season we were at the above new racepoint, which has been previously very successful for the mighty UNC and only earlier in June was used for the Scottish National Racing Pigeon Club as their Inland National which turned out very successful. The weather hadn’t improved much and the pigeons were held over until Sunday. This bye the way is the first time in 3 years that Convoyer David Keir has had to put up with this, never at any other time since the KRPA was formed. This is mostly due to good controlling by Ian McClaren. No one likes holdovers, but take it from me the birds were in good hands with David one of the countries best Convoyers. Many thanks must also go to Harry Maidment who sponsored the feeding for the race, which came in handy with the holdover.
The 543 birds were liberated at 6.15 am into a light sw wind. The weather was very changeable en route and it’s my guess that they would likely encounter some variables which pigeons don’t like. Nevertheless the race was on and we wondered how it would go. The day before I didn’t train any pigeons for the Reims SNRPC National coming up as the weather again was terrible. I decided on Sunday, day of race I would go for a training spin, and as there were men working on the Forth Road Bridge and I didn’t want any hold ups on the way back. So I went the other direction to Anstruther 25-30 mls to me. After I let them go I went round to see Jock Mackenzie who lives there. I saw the Red cock which won Leicester for him and must say he’s ok for a l.bred. I handeled a few National candidates which John wanted me to take back to Cowdenbeath for a toss. When we talked about the Wanstead race Jock said 2pm should be thereabouts, we both agreed. John said he had 9 away and that there was a blue hen he really fancied and if she wasn’t his first bird home he didn’t think he would be in the hunt. Anyway I went home and let jocks pigeons away at my end and thought no more about it. Jock called me and said he got all 5 pigeons from the toss, and then said bye the way Stuart I’m in at 2.08 pm. The first one he had seen and youv’e guessed it. It was his blue hen fully pooled and nominated. I must say here and now that of all the fanciers racing that day mines was one of the longest times to wait. John always thinks I’m a good omen! Ahhh, tell you what I’m not coming down next Sunday!!!
Back to the race which turned out ok in the end with excellent returns and the winner of 1st Open turned out to be guess who, none other than Jock Mackenzie! John won the equivalent 2 years ago, so no surprises here. John’s yearling blue hen was doing 1266, and won £295. He was also 23rd and 47th. The winner was 1st club 11th Open Y.B Wakefield KRPA 2006. Then won 1st KRPA, 9TH Sect C’ Leicester SNRPC Y.B race 2006. This year she has won 7th Association Tow Law, and 12th Assoc, Huntingdon, and was sent to this race on a 7 day baby. He sire is a pied stock cock bred from a brother & sister mating. The pied cock’s dam is a very good pigeon as she scored from the YB Open from Wakefield. As a yearling she won from Otterburn then won Leicester before going to hard the Falaise National with the SNRPC winning 78th Open. As a 2yo last year she won 84th Open SNRPC Reims, and 6th KRPA, 7th Sect C’ 18th Open Lessay SNRPC in a very difficult race. The dam of the Wanstead Flats winner was a hen from Jimmy Hamilton’s 24th Open La Ferte Bernard winner when she was paired to the same sire as one of Jim Benvie’s 5th Open channel winners! Jock wins the Calstrat trophy and 1st yearling trophy, plus the 1st nom bird trophy. John had 8 home from 9 sent. You can see this is a worthy win for Jock and it gives him a tonic at this moment in time. Hearty Congratulations from all the members!
2nd Open is Jim Anderson of St. Serfs club, having his first Open race with us. Jim I’m sure will also get a boost from this, as he was also 16th & 44th. Jim’s timer on 1259 was a yearling chq cock racing to 12 day eggs. He had only 3 races prior to this race and one toss from Kelso and one from St. Boswells before basket day. This pigeon is from a 02 cock and an 03 hen, a Jan Aarden pair bought from Louella, something Jim has done for the last 5 years with some success. Jim had 15 from 16.Well done Jim keep it up.
3rd Open is the one and only Dennis Dall on 1256 with a yearling blue hen on 10 day eggs. Before this race she had St. Boswells, Wakefield and Leicester. Her sire is Ogilvie blood crossed with his own. The dam of the 3rd Open is a daughter of the Trail pair, bought at the late John Trails clearance sale and are responsible for some good pigeons. Dennis is also 7th & 34th, and wins the 2-bird ave trophy, and had all 23 entries home when I spoke to him. Think I’m right in saying his 2nd bird won 13th Open SNRPC Newbury 2006. Can’t keep a good man down! Well done Dennis!
Finally, the 4th Open place went to Big Davie Burns of the St. Serfs club on 1251with a 2yo chq hen on 10 day eggs. The sire is a Bob Blyth pigeon and the dam is a g.daughter of his own 3rd Open La Ferte Bernard SNFC . Davies hen had every race prior to this one, and this was an excellent race for him winning 17th 18th 22nd 24th & 35th Open and add to that the last time I spoke to Dave he had 22 from 24. Not bad going.
Talking to most fanciers on the day or next morning most had all their birds home with some only one or two amiss, so this must have been a very good race. To be honest it turned out to be a little bit better than I hoped, considering the weather. It is here that Ian McClaren would like to thank Steve Proffit and Pam Grange of the UNC Mick Brennan, Newton Aycliffe and Brian Denny of York. We thank them for their much needed help and assistance over this weekend which very much helped us in the end have a highly successful race. Once again many thanks.
The first 12 places are as follows. 1st John Mackenzie Leuchars 1266. 2nd Jim Anderson St. Serfs, 1259. 3rd Dennis Dall, Leuchars 1256. 4th Dave Burns St. Serfs, 1251. 5th Jim Mullen, Coaltown of Balgonie, 1240. 6th, 9th, &12th George Anderson the consistent Marathorn loft on 1230, 1221, and 1213. 7th D.N Dall Leuchars 1227. 8th Pete Patrick, Coaltown, 1225. 10th John Anderson Leuchars, 1220. 11th Gordon Cree, Rosyth, 1217.
In my own club Rosyth it was Gordon Cree who took the Honors and also 11th Open with a yearling red cock which had just risen of his eggs. This one was a gift from Mr&Mrs Lloyd of Rosyth. His hen was also at the race and she to was home, as were his other 2 entries. I handled Gordon’s birds before and after the race and thought they were handling just fine, so full credit. 2nd was Alan Cunningham, the clock setter, with a 2yo Busscheart chq,cock flying to a 18 day yb and his hen just laid. Not content with that he was also paired to another hen. Alan was 39th, and had his 5 home from Wanstead which is proving a decent race point for him as he won 62nd Open SNRPC Wanstead Flats a few weeks ago. 3rd CLUB 41st Open John Skelton with a yearling blue cock on eggs of D Dall blood. Last I heard john had 11 from 12 sent. 4th was yours truly with a yearling blue Newcome hen sent on a 12 day yb. I felt I had a long time to wait with the phone going ding dong and spent some 9 mins on the phone before going back outside to the loft. On getting back to the loft I found my timer had already had a drink been fed and was sitting comfortable on the nest. However, although late I was quite pleased with her as she was not raced as a yb, only trained. This year she had Otterburn Tow Law, and the next race I could get her to was Leicester, where she about 6th pigeon to the loft. She then had Huntingdon and although a little late she was 3rd bird in the clock and looked ok after her Wanstead race. The funny thing about her is that she got lost towards the end of the training last year, but returned in October. She had been victim to a raptor, she had a great big whole in her head had been torn to shreds between the shoulders and neck, you could see quite a bit of damage inside the pigeon as well, just horrendous. Add to that both her feet were well swollen and one of her toes fell of a few days later. I thought about disposing of her many times, but I’m glad now that I never. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for next year, you never know. She has a little guts and deserves her chance. I have 10 from 12 home so can’t really complain.
I would like to add that Keir Family have kindly donated a new trophy to the Association to be flown for the best average from SNRPC Reims and Tours. This new trophy will be known as the “My Little Lady Trophy” which is named after one of the Keirs’ famous National winning pigeons. This will be very hard to win but well worth winning. On behalf of the members many thanks to the Keirs!
Talking of the big races, may I take this opportunity to wish everyone every success in the SNRPC races. There are some cracking Medals to be won in these races. Just remember this, the Scottish National Racing Pigeon Club are not spending or wasting money on Awards to go back every year. Thousands of pounds are spent on them so that you can take them home with you to keep forever!
Not much else to write at the moment, but let’s hope this blasted weather changes soon, for this is not racing weather we have had this year.
All news to 118 SINCLAIR DRIVE COWDENBEATH KY4-9RG TEL 01383 518471.
3/3/07
