ANDY THOMSON
OF DUNTRUNE
BY STUART BOWMAN
Before going into this loft report; please let me explain who I am and what I am trying to do for the Scottish National Racing Pigeon Club. My name is Stuart Bowman and I am from Cowdenbeath, Fife. I have flown pigeons on and off for the past 15/20 years in various locations throughout West Fife. I was lucky enough to be voted Scotland’s Own Young Fancier of the Year twice – although that was a long time ago! I've since been told that I look a lot different now. Cheeky beggers! Through the likes of Ernie Harbourne & Jim Renwick, I was asked to write for the British Homing.World and the then editor, David Glover. Scribing a few years for B.H.W.weekly, I covered mostly Jim Renwick’s old areas, not an easy task. I was also asked to lend a little hand with his successful Scotland’s Own year book.
With the Scottish National Racing Pigeon Club, I will be covering lofts in the Section C area. Working in harmony with this newclub, I will be giving some coverage ton not only the big lofts, but to the small lofts too. I will be trying to provide some reports and information on fanciers, their methods, their lofts, and of course some of the winning pigeons etc. Best wishes throughout the year to One and all.
Not Just A Talented Fancier
Andy lives in Duntrune, a small village spread out on the outskirts of northern Dundee. Living in beautiful surroundings, witha biggarden, which he needs for his spacious lofts, Andy is now retired. He used to have his own graphic and printing design buisness, which kept him very busy for 20 years or so. A round about the time when he started the buisness he was Scotland’s middle-weight champion power lifter, a title he held for 8 years. In 1980 he represented Scotland in the European Championships in Switzerland and took the bronze medal. Andy was also selected for the Great Britain Team at further championships.
Andy's lovely wife Margaret is interested in showing the dogs - four Rottweilers to be precise! She takes them to all the top shows,, like Crufts with a fair bit of success. Margaret has a 2 y.o.dog with a champion certificate already. She needs only two more for the dog to be classed as a Champion. At only 2 y.o. the dog has a good chance. Margaret herself is also a keen judge and can be seen around the country. The Thomsons also have 3 Lakeland x Patterdale terriers, which were bred by Jim Cullen of Uddingston. Jim has the very best of these lines in the dogs and is a very good pigeon fancier into the bargain. The Thomsons have been close friends of Jim for years.
The Beginning
It was through keeping budgies that Andy finally became interested in racing pigeons, which was around 1995. For approx 6 years he flew in partnership as Smith & Thomson and they had a fair amount of success. Then about four years or so ago they decided to go their own way.
Management old birds
While I was there the birds seemed to have come through a good moult. The feeding leading up to this was Versele Laga moulting mix, with some linseed added ,and cider vinegar in the water once a week. All pigeons are paired up at the end of February. When the y.bs are 18 days old he separates the hens and lets the cocks finish rearing them. They 're got ready for training, and are given about 5 tosses up to approx 20mls, and are then on widowhood. They are also usually exercised twice per day. Their feeding for racing is Versele Laga super widowhood and he simply increases the amount as the distance increases. He expects them to fly every race to the coast, about 395mls. Some yearlings are stopped at Newbury 360mls or Huntingdon 315mls.
The cocks that are going to the channel go on widowhood. He also tries some hens on a more natural method, sometimes paired to some stock cocks in another section. He prefers hens sitting about 12days, although he admits he hasn't an awful lot of experience flying the channel races. Andy hopes to try harder in the future. I expect he will get one or two good tips from his good pal John Ellis, who has in fact had 3 good pigeons through Andy Thomson, one of which was 23rd Open Cholet 659mls 2005 racing with the Scottish .National Racing Pigeon Club. John’s other 2 good pigeons from Andy came via a sale in which there was an empty pen, as Andy didn't have any ready at the time. However, Bill Gibson was the buyer .When Bill went to Andy's to collect his y.b he was also gifted the nestmate. Later, when Bill Gibson gave up the sport and was selling off the birds, John Ellis bought the nest pair from him.
The cock of the nest pair was known as the Gibson Cock. which when racing to Bill won as a yearling 174th Open Rennes, 585mls. After John aquired the pigeon as a 2 y.o and settled him to loft, he was put on the road as a 3 y.o, which was in the year 2000. In the year 2000 alone he won for John 217th Open Newbury; 67th sect, 77th Open Lille; 55th sect 137th Open Messac 595mls. In 2001 he was 72nd Open Liege 530mls. 2002 he was 122nd Open Reims 580mls. Unfortunately this pigeon was lost going for the Gold Award the next year. The nestmate, the Gibson Hen, has flown the channel 12 times and maybe she will go again knowing John. She is in fact dam of John’s cheq cock 250th Open Falaise 538mls, and 81st Open Alencon 572mls,in 2005 with the S.N.R.P.C. These bloodlines go back to John’s own old family with a cross in from one of his friends, hence the reason why John got his hands on some of Andy’s birds. A very wise move indeed. Most of Andy’s birds are Janssen based and of course there are a few from J.Ellis, with a few others in the pipeline.
Management of Young Birds
Andy rears anything up to 100. When weaned, they are fed on VL y.b. mix for a while, then onto a racing mix. As soon as they are weaned, they are on darkness, and are taken off it about the first week in June. Training starts about 4/5weeks before the first race. They are expected to fly the full programme to the YB Open approx 210mls. Andy then likes to select a good team for both the S.N.R.P.C. and the S.N.F.C. YB nationals, with success. The ybs are treated for canker only before training, and during racing. Old birds are treated identically. If there are any problems, their droppings are sent away for tests, and they are only treated if needed.
Lofts
Andy has 3 lofts, all 32x8 including a 2ft corridor, and open door trapping with stall traps if needed. The widowhood loft has 4x8ft sections, with 12 boxes in each. The YB loft has some clear tiles in it which have been darkened. Their four sections have plenty perches in them and plenty of room to relax in. The third loft has an aviary on the end and is for the stock birds. Again four sections, plenty of space and nest boxes for the stock birds. At least one section is kept for natural hens for the distance races. All lofts are light and airy with false ceilings in them. They are scraped twice daily and are given access to the bath once weekly.
Section winner
We now come to the reason for this loft report. Racing with the S.N.R.P.C, in their very first season, and in the very first race from Newbury inland national, 360mls, Andy timed in 2yearling blue-cocks. They won 1st sect.C 30th open & 20th sect 88th open. Both these birds were on widowhood. The section winner's sire is a Braspenning cock, dam is a VandenBosche X Busschaert hen. Incidentally, Andy won the Combine in 2005 from Huntingdon 315mls with a 2.y.o.cheq cock on widowhood. The sire bred by J. King, Kirkcaldy, dam Geoff Cooper, High Littleton, two top lofts! From the S.N.R.P.C. Leicester Y.B race 280mls, Andy won 3rd, 6th, 7th, & 15th sect C. 44th, 50th & 56th open. The 3rd sect pigeon was a blue hen on darkness, and was bred by the same Jim Cullen mentioned earlier. I don't think these performances are a flash in the pan, as he has had success previously in some of the big races in the past. As recently as 2004 he won 1st, 2nd & 3rd sect.C S.N.F.C. Y.B nat. Andy wasn't sure what he had won in 2005, but did say he had won 5x1sts Feds, so he must have done ok!
At this point Andy would like to say a big thank you to young Billy Donnett for all his help and assistance throughout the season. Andy himself is the Sec of the Dundee & Dist club, and a commitee member of the S.N.R.P.C. He also helps run the Dundee marking and clock station.
Advice
He would like to see some honest and sensible dialogue as regards the future of the sport. His advice to novices would be to get late breds from genuine fanciers and work from there slowly!
Time was moving on quickly, and before I left I said to Andy ‘Let’s get another couple of photos!" Andy replied ‘Wait there and I'll get the Rottweilers!’ I said ‘You'll get the what?’ Then a minute later from round the corner, the ground started to shake, and then I started to shake! To be honest this was a lovely big dog, a big gentle giant!, and it loved its photo being taken.
Soon it was time to go, as time was at a premium, and I wished Andy & Margaret all the very best for 2006. I enjoyed the pigeon talk with Andy and will look for his name this year, racing with the SNRPC.
