SCOTTISH NATIONAL FLYING CLUB
Report by Joe Murphy
Received a very nice letter from Robert Wilson of Lanark regarding my appeal for photographs for an anthology I’m compiling of previous SNFC winners. Robert wrote: ‘Thank you Joe for giving me the opportunity to join the ‘Elite Band’ of Scottish National Flying Club winners to add to your portfolio. I personally think this is a marvellous project you have undertaken and I wish you well in the task. It is with tremendous pride that I submit a photograph and details of our 1st open SNFC Rennes winner of 1960 ‘Linville Supreme’ bred and raced by John Wilson & son of Lanark. I (Robert) am the proud ‘son’ of the partnership and it is now over 30 years since my father passed away. One of the most pleasing aspects of her victory was the manner of it, she was the 1st bird clocked in the race 21.02am second day beating the south section winner Mr Scott from Brydekirk by no less than 34 minutes flying 47 miles further. (I wonder if this could be an ALL time record into the West section in a Gold Cup national race. Maybe someone can update me on this if they know??? Cheers Joe M)
Please find some ‘memorabilia’ for you to have a read at and if you could return the same I would appreciate it. For almost the last 20 years I have flown in partnership with Davy Jack as Wilson & Jack in Lanark and I hope you don’t mind me rambling on a bit to you Joe. I hope other fanciers respond to your appeal and keep up the good work yours Robert Wilson.’
J. Wilson and son Robert of Lanark in 1960
Robert gave me a cutting out of the paper when he received his trophy at the 1960 SNFC presentation and I will endeavour to do a write up on this in due coarse which should make very interesting reading today’s fanciers my thanks to Robert for his contribution which I truly appreciate.
Another fancier who took the time to write and send in a photo of his 1st Rennes winner ‘Howden Gold’ was Jimmy Jackson of Dunbar. Jimmy also included another photograph which consisted of George Brownlie of Carluke, Frank McSherry (Sasha) Jimmy Jackson, the late Bobby Carruthers and Eddie Callaghan with his son. This photo was taken outside Eddie’s loft after he won 1st open SNFC Rennes with Falahill Superstar. Superstar was a Van Hee and George Brownlie cultivated the Van Hee strain at the time and both he and Eddie were great friends.
Jimmy goes on in his letter to say: ‘Joe, with the passing of Bobby Carruthers I thought the group photograph maybe of interest to your readers. I have known Bobby since school days, I always knew him as Robert and the family always called him Robert, especially his mother, when they were both discussing on which pigeons had to carry the pools. In those far off days, the Scottish National races were everything and as young lads if we got a pigeon home from a national race it was a great achievement, but to actually clock one in race time was something very very special. At that time we had no money to buy pigeons so we had very little to work with but what fun we had Joe. Full of optimism and anticipation, now the optimism and anticipation is still there, but they are tempered with realism. These are thoughts that most fanciers my age can relate to. Joe I also have a black and white photograph of Joe Hodgson with his national trophies. He won the Gold Cup in 1955 with his blue hen "Camptown Lassie". As a matter of interest to readers Joe Hodgson, Johnny Ross (1969 Rennes winner) and Jimmy Jackson (1985 Rennes winner) all raced their pigeons into the Haddington Club.'
Fanciers at the loft of Eddie Gallaghan
My thanks to Jimmy Jackson for the photographs and also his comments on his dear friend Bobby Carruthers. I’ve phoned Jimmy to ask for a copy of Joe Hodgson’s photograph and I also wondered if he or any member of the Dunbar club has a photograph or any information on the 1947 St Jacques winner N Campbell of Dunbar or even the 1975 SNFC winner Jim Brunton of Dunbar. I have a very bad photograph of the 1975 Gold Cup winner and this is all that I have of the SNFC winners of this year.
John Innes of Liberton in Edinburgh has sent me a copy of the 1984 SNFC prize presentation and some other photographs of SNFC winners he had, which was absolutely superb. So much so that I have made up a disc and sent it away to have these SNFC winners added to the Gallery part in the national web site, so once this has been updated I will notify you again. My thanks to John Innes for his contribution.
Request
I know this is a long shot but if any fancier out there has any old books i.e. stud books or squills could they have a look and see if there are any photographs of the following SNFC winners:
1946 Hastings won by A Paterson of Ballieston, 1947 St Jacques won by N Campbell of Dunbar. I do NOT have any photographs of the 1966, 1968 or 1969 SNFC Winners so if anyone has an old dinner presentation programme or photographs of the winners, if they could let me have to scan then I will return it to them. As I have already stated I only have a very bad photograph of the 1975 Rennes winner J Poole of Newmains if anyone has a good photo or one of the Nantes winner T W Hopewell of St Boswells then this would be of great help. I have only a photo of the 1982 Rennes and Nantes winners, I would be grateful for a copy of the Sartilly winners Matt Jamieson of Annan and D Rodgerson of Selkirk. The following year 1983 we did not go over the channel as the races were kept to the inland race points I have a copy of Dorchester 1 winner Rule Water Commander raced by Wilf McAulay & son of Jedburgh and the Exeter race winner Exeter Express raced by J & W Gray of Cocksburnpath. If Steve Ferguson of Annan and Hugh Gormley of High Valleyfield have a photo of their winners I will return if they could send it to me. 1986 Sartilly 1 winner was Alex Forbes of Prestonpans again I have no photograph or any photos of any of the 1988 winners. I don’t have the Niort 1989 winner The Fife raced by Jock Duthie of Methil and my last request is for the photos of the 1997 SNFC winners John Bosworth of Elphinstone and the late Jock Traill of Thornton I’ve spoken to Nancy and she is going to go over Jock’s paperwork and help me out. This is a very special request to all fanciers to help me out as it would be a great piece of work to have ALL the SNFC winners’ photographs on disc and I can add each year’s winners to the portfolio. To all the people who have helped me with this project I do appreciate their efforts and thank them most sincerely.
Proposals received for the A.G.M
1 Proposed by Dr P Lynch (4338) Seconded by J Urquhart (4295)
That the SNFC set up a subcommittee to arrange a drug testing policy and procedures to start in the SNFC races in 2007 with the mandates
a. To arrange test on some pigeons in each of the national races by independent suitably qualified scientific experts for recognised performance enhancing drugs and stimulants (there is scientifically agreed list of these) plus any substance which may be used in an attempt to mask or hide the above.
b. To decide on the penalties a member will incur if found guilty of such a practice such as disqualification of all the pigeons the guilty member has entered in the race and suspension of the member.To decide that if the owner of the pigeon or his nominee refuses to impedes the collection of samples they will be automatically disqualified and incur the penalties as though they had been found guilty of using such substances
a) To decide that any member who is found to have aided and abetted any other person directly or indirectly in the administration of these recognised performance enhancing drugs or attempts to disguise their administration shall be deem equally as guilty and will face the same penalties of disqualification and suspension.To decide on any other matters or conditions that are relevant to the setting up of the aforementioned drug testing policy and procedures such as a statement on entry sheets for races that every competing member must sign.
2. Proposed by W McCulloch (1116) Seconded by W Smith (1180)
That the SNFC, arrange an additional race from Skibbereen in Southern Ireland.
3. Proposed by W McCulloch (1116) Seconded by W Smith (1180)
That the SNFC contact the Irish National Flying Club to discuss the possibility of both clubs racing from France together from the longest race on the programme each season.
4. Proposed by W Smith (1180) Seconded by W McCulloch (1116)
That the 10 b concerning the Gold Award Diploma’s (that a bird must fly a minimum distance of 2500 miles in channel races to qualify for a Gold Award) be omitted and that we revert back to the previous format.
The proposal relating to the Gold Award would fall due to not being worded correctly however:
The management committee discussed this further and agreed to put forward the following recommendation
Page 13 Rule 10a Line 3 – After- in five or more channel races – Insert- or alternatively a bird that flies a minimum of 2500 miles.
Page 13 Rule 10b – Delete.5. Proposed by F Tarnawski – NO SECONDER
Delete the whole of Rule 23 relating to hours of darkness and insert the following new rule.
The hours of darkness for all SNFC races shall be computed by the SHU for both early liberations (before noon) and for late liberations (after noon) on the proposed day of race and for the following three days to allow for any holdovers. The reference positions for the initial years of operation shall be LAT 56 Degrees N, Long 4 Degrees W for early liberations and Lat 52 Degrees 40 Minutes N Long 1 Degree 30 Minutes W for liberations after noon, but these positions shall be subject to revision in later years in the light of experience.
6. Proposed by J Jamieson Seconded by J M Young
That the Marking Station at Bo’ness be closed. We are now getting fewer birds for races and we think this marking station is no longer cost effective. This would only affect Region D fanciers and it means they would go back to the marking stations they used prior to this station being opened in Bo’ness.
7. Proposed by J Hannah Seconded by G Rankin
Page 5 Rule 4 Line 10 Delete from –Application by non members ……full members of the club.
Insert – Non members can compete in any inland race and young bird race for a payment of £6. Payment to be made one week prior to race date.
Rule Changes:
Rule 21 Page 15 Line 2 –Delete –Great Circle- Insert CPS
Rule 1 Page 17 Add to the approved list of clocks for use in SNFC races the following ETS systems: Unikon, Taures, Bricon Tipes.
Page 17: Insert ETS Rules
Page 18: Rule 8b Line 7 – Delete 4pm – Insert 5pm
Page 13: Rule 12 Line 8 - Delete 1 in 15 entries –Insert 1 in 10 entries
Page 13: Rule 12 Line 4 – After 8% -Insert – a Minimum 1st section prize will be £25.
Page 5: Rule 4 Line 12 –Delete £6 – Insert £10
Line 12 – Delete £6. If the same members wish to compete in young bird race the following year, they must compete as full members of the club.
By The Management Committee
Race Programme for 2007
Inland Race Newbury – 2nd June – Race Marking Thursday 31st May
Inland Race Maidstone - 23rd June - Race Marking Thursday 21st June
Gold Cup Alencon - 29th June - Race Marking Wednesday 27th June
Longest Race Tours - 7th July - Race Marking Thursday 5th July
Falaise - 20th July - Race Marking Wednesday 18th July
Y/Bird National Leicester - 8th Sept. - Race Marking Thursday 6th September
Federations will be allowed to duplicate into the Newbury and Maidstone races
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Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 Flutorum Avenue Thornton by Kirkcaldy
KY2 4BD telephone 01592 770331 or email
4/1/07
