the-scottish-nationa..

Virtue of Cockburnspath in section B timing his entry at 12.54 flying 317 miles with a velocity
of 1579. Peter was also 28 th , 35 th , 61 st and 77 th open. 4 th open went to J D Armour in Leven Fife
in section C, flying 343 miles on velocity of 1573.
5 th open went to Section A Mr & Mrs Jimmy Graham timed at 12.12 velocity of 1566 flying 278
miles. Sitting at 12 th open and 1 st section F, was F & W Doonon of Campsie a great open win for
section F velocity 1540 for 350 miles. 6 th open went to Denis Dall section C, 7 th open went to
Bert Sharp section D 8 th open Mr & Mrs D Skelton section A, 9 th open Micheal Welsh of section
B, 10 th open was John Proctor of Kirkcaldy section C. Every section was represented in the first
12 open positions and good returns were reported, a fast race and successful one for the first of
the season
On Wednesday the 20 th of June 575 pigeons were entered by the SNRPC members for our Gold
medal Premier distance race with distances from 504 miles to 595 miles being flown. The period
before the liberation of our birds was one of the worst that has been seen for a few years, North
winds with heavy rain serious flooding and bird flu found in the east of France. On Tuesday the
26 th of June at 11.35 am the decision was taken after much consultation to liberate and not one
person was in any delusion that a very hard race would ensue. The convoy had spent 6 days in
the baskets before liberation and would have to face a brisk North West wind on liberation
becoming stronger over the channel and the wind remaining Northerly en-route with the added
prospects of heavy rain showers.
The birds would certainly have to spend one night out and due to the forecast maybe a second.
Under normal circumstances one would have expected pigeons around 10 or 11am but the first 3
birds reported were in Chirnside to Tim Hall at 12.58 Tim was flying 525 miles then Jim Benvie
at Ladybank timed at 13.28 flying 572 miles and Peter Virtue at Cockburnspath at 13.42 flying
536 miles. 49 Gallant pigeons were timed on that Wednesday and a further 37 pigeons were
recorded in race time on the Thursday, 9 of these were early morning pigeons with the last one in
race time being timed around 16.00 hrs with a 401 yard velocity to be 83 rd on the sheet, at that
point in time a number of other pigeons were reported home but it was obvious that the weather
conditions had taken its toll and some good pigeons were missing.
Jim Benvie of LADYBANK Fife confirmed that the pigeon he had timed was “Kingdom Boy”
his 2 year old cock that had been first Open from Lessay in 2006, it was to be 1 st open Reims
wining the Gold Medal and setting another record for the SNRPC. 2 nd open and 1 st section B was
Tim Hall of Chirnside and 3 rd open was to Peter Virtue of Cockburnspath Peter had 7 pigeons on
the result and 2 more recorded on the 3 rd day 9 out of 10 he was 5 th , 7 th , 19 th , 36 th , 46 th and 56 th
open a outdatnding result for Peter. 4 th open went to Dennis Dall of Ladybank timing his 4 year
old chequer hen at 15.03 flying 570 miles one Mr Dalls special distance winning family Dennis
was also 29 th open and 52 nd open. Tam Currie of Darsie Fife timed at 15.41 to be 6 th open and 3 rd
section C flying 375 miles 8 th open 4 th section C was well known distance fancier Jocky King of
Kirkcaldy flying 565 miles timing his 3 year old Mealy hen at 15.57, On 9 th open was Billy
Davidson and Son being 1 st section E flying 553 miles this partnership was also 37 th , 71 st and
75 th open his 9 th open was timed at 15.31. 10 th open and 2 nd section E went to Vincent Smith of
Carluke timing at 15.54 flying 559 miles. 11 th open was Kerr Stainthrope of Lesmahagow and 3 rd
section E, Kerr also was 25 th open and a 3rd pigeon on the third day 11.06 In section D John