PIGEON TOPICS
Stuart Bowman
Well it’s been a long time since my last few scribbles, and the winter flew in for a change but spring was great when it arrived. I can’t remember a better March than the one we had in Scotland, it was simply glorious and very welcome at the time! Just a pity we didn’t get it in April and as usual it was cold damp and all the rest. Not too great for getting the birds out and getting them fit enough for exercise then train for the early races, especially with them nagging north east winds! However fanciers in the end did give their birds a few tosses hoping it would be enough for the early ones.
At Rosyth's first race from Berwick Upon Tweed 18 members sent 221 birds with the convoy away into a North East wind. The winner was former Kinds cup and Gold cup winner Frank Tarnawski a new member to our club. I believe this one tops the Kingdom so well done Frankie Boy! The winner was a 2yo blue cock flying to a big yb. The breeding here is Vandenabeele from Mr G.Hawkins. 2nd was Louie Mitchell with a 2yo mealy cock on the drive. The sire was Louies pigeon Hillfield Joy which won 3rd in J.Murphys Sporting challenge and won 22nd Open SNRPC Arras, 3rd Sect 53rd Open SNFC Alencon and 111th Open Reims. The Dam was a Jan Theelan stock hen on loan. In 3rd place it was Andy Ritchie the Clock setter and another new member to the club with a yearling chq hen sitting on 4 day eggs. The sire was bred by Andy Hutichison from Newmills and the dam came from Mick Lock from the Wirral. John Skelton was 4th with a 2yo chq hen on dummy eggs and she is of Lowick bros of Holland bloodlines.
From Rosyth's Alnwick race with 21 members sending 307 birds which were away into a North East wind. Taking top spot was Louie Mitchell heading the field with a 2yo red cock driving his hen. This bird of Van Braunae blood was bought at the clearance sale of Stewart Bros of Stirling in 2010 but was not put on the road til this year! 2nd were father & Son partnership George and Brian Hunter with a yearling red chq cock sitting 14 days and had only been lightly raced last year. The sire was a Jan Aarden stock cock with 7 National diplomas and the dam was stock of their own. In 3rd place was another father & son partnership Jimmy and Dwain Bingham with a 2yo chq pied cock feeding a big yb. This one was a Mick Mickmurchie Van Loon crossed with a hen from the late Geordie Dobbie from one of his silvers. Andy Ritchie was in 4th with a 2yo blue pied cock flying to a big yb and looking at his hen. This one was was bred by Andy Hutchison from Tom Gilbertson bloodlines with California Bell featuring prominently.
Rosyth from Whitton Castle had 22 members sending 298 birds which were away into a North West wind. After a bit of a disaster I managed to time my third pigeon to win the race and also my first bird winning 2nd place. I thought i was very lucky here as it doesn’t always turn out like that as I know only too well! Anyway the winner was a yearling Mealy hen racing to 14 day eggs. Her sire is a Mealy cock bred by my good friend John Clark from Airdrie and has bred me winners before including a 1st Wanstead Flats 2010 with the nestmate winning 49thOpen Arras plus others. The dam was my blue hen I call “Longest time” which won 1st Wanstead Flats 2009, from John Mackenzie birds! The next one a yearling light chq cock has been a steady pigeon to me so far and was racing to 16 day eggs. He was a gift to me from that good National flyer from Foulden Norman Renton! In 3rd it was Barry Rankine. Barry timed a 2yo Red cock racing to 7 day eggs. This one was bred by Kenny Droog from Buckhaven formerly of Bo’ness, and was from one of Kennys old Bricouxs which he has had for a long time! Next in 4th is the club secretary Gordon Cree with a Home bred yearling mealy pied cock which had in fact had just risen from his eggs.
That’s it til next time I can be contacted at 118 Sinclair Drive, Cowdenbeath, Fife KY4-9RG, tel – 01383-518471, email to
