THE RACING PIGEON 19 APRIL 2024
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SNFC Falaise from an entry of 5,524 birds and 41st International from an entry of 26,500 birds with ‘Annandale Jubilee’. He additionally won three Gold Aawrds with the SNFC. His greatest achieve- ment, however was when he realised a lifetime ambition and won the SNFC Gold Cup race from Alencon in 2012, the winner being named ‘Solway Star’, which is a special name in the community of Annan as it was the name of the local football team from bygone days. John Dalgliesh also won out of turn with his best performance being from Avranches in 1976 when he was 2nd Open National with mealy hen ‘Solway Princess’. Dam was a superb pied going back to the orig- inal Dalgliesh Brothers pied cock that was bred by John Jamieson that was 9th Open Nantes. Sire was a Mealy cock obtained from John’s brother, James, which contained the lines of Will Robertson’s ‘Johnny’, nestmate of ‘Galabank Duke’, that was 3rd Open Rennes. Ewart Warwick took an interest in the pigeon hobby from when he was a
who was a top class fancier. On assem- bling their team they went out of their way to acquire several local perform- ance pigeons and also procured Kirkpatrick’s closely related to the orig- inal named pigeons. To further supple- ment the team they visited George Stubbs at Cosham and purchased stock from him also. They owned a number of really good pigeons over the years and bred the dam of Robbie Hope’s ‘Eastriggs Supreme’ that was 1st Open SNFC Rennes in 1967. It should be further explained that Henry Dobie, who was one of the original brothers, remains a member of the club and raced particu- larly well last year. Dennis McKinder also resided at Cummertrees and also competed in Brydekirk Club. He entered the fancy when he was a young lad, encouraged by Dobie Brothers and although flying to a bad loft location, gained a number of good positions. Dennis was tragically killed at his place of work with several of the birds purchased at the subsequent sale, flying well for the new owners. A hen
This photo was taken at the Presentation to Jim Halliday on his retiral as Club Secretary after 46 years. Jim is on the left with John Armstrong, the Club President on the right.
schoolboy being regularly in the company of the fanciers mentioned above. When he entered the fancy as a very young man he had no problem obtaining stock being gifted quality bloodlines by these local fanciers. It should be said, however, that the person with whom he was particularly friendly was James Dalgliesh who not only provided him with stock but importantly also advised him how to work them.
was 14th Section 48th Open Rennes 1977, 15th Section 53rd Open Rennes 1978 and 1st Open SNFC Nantes 1979. He became known as ‘Windermere Duke’. Amongst other buyers at the Sale were Andy Anderson and Findlay Brown from Kirkintilloch, who purchased several pigeons, which went on to make a considerable impression in their loft. Through the pigeons purchased at the Sale emerged blue chequer hen ‘Webby’ that won a SNFC Gold Award. She flew the Channel eight times and was in the prize list on seven occasions. It should be noted also that prior to Ewart parting with his original team he donated a young hen to the Edinburgh Charity Sale. This hen was purchased by Edmund Johnston from Pencaitland and when paired to an Eddie Newcombe cock left a number of winners including ‘Good News’, which won an SNFC Gold Award over three seasons. In the 1980’s I was invited to speak at the East of Scotland Federation Social at Tranent and whilst at the function Edmund Johnston spoke to me and told me that the Ewart Warwick hen had bred into the teens of Channel winners. Some months after Ewart parted with his pigeons, Jim Soutar asked him to assist him to care for his team as he had developed severe chest problems. The following year he and Ewart went into partnership and built a new shed. Two years after they entered partnership however, Jim Soutar died and Ewart made arrangements with Mrs Soutar to acquire all the pigeons and move them to his own address. Having formed a loft he endeav- oured to get some of his own bloodlines back and for example, obtained original stock from Anderson and Brown and from Ian Parsons who had purchased key pigeons at the Sale. Friend James Dalgliesh also gifted him several pigeons including a number of aged performance pigeons including importantly, birds closely related to James’ ace stock cock ‘Postie’. As the years passed he also erected a high quality brick built loft at the rear of his home to house his pigeons, which must have been one of the most impressive lofts in the country. I once took a fancier friend, who was the proprietor of a building company, to visit Ewart and he was ‘gobsmacked’ when he saw the loft saying it was better built than most houses. Ewart gained a host of successes over the years and in 2010 realised a lifetime ambition when he won the extreme distance National from Bourges with home bred Blue hen ‘Rachel’. As the months passed, however, he developed acute breathing problems and chose to part with his pigeons. Dobie Brothers resided at Cummertrees and were early members of the club. They were farmers and importantly were nephews of Andy Muir from Annan
purchased by James Dalgliesh won the Section from Nantes and a further hen was 2nd Section Nantes for Donaldson and Graham from Annan. Dennis was an absolute gentleman and the entire community was shocked and saddened when he died. Prior to moving to Lockerbie, Ben Rae resided at the nearby South Bowhill Farm and was a member of the club. Jim Sowerbutts retired to the village from England and having previously kept pigeons at his former address, joined Brydekirk Club. He had raced his team on widowhood in England and on forming a loft
Within a few years he was timing with the leaders from the Nationals with a number of superb pigeons emerging in his shed. To supplement the team he acquired locally he introduced several other pigeons with stock purchased at the Clearance Sale of Marrs, Blair and Hadden from Wigton, Cumbria, proving to be particularly influential. Within a few years he gained a number of good positions from the Classics and was a force to reckon with in the 1960’s and 70’s. When he was a relatively young man, however and with responsibility of a young family he chose to part with his pigeons. When they were sold it was said locally it was the best team of pigeons to be sold in the Solway area since the Clearance Sale of John Kirkpatrick. Amongst the local buyers at the Sale were Eddie Anderson and Bert Tennant from Annan. One of the birds that they purchased was a red cock that had scored at the YB National. In their hands this cock Ewart Warwick (right) and John Halliday. John is a third gener- ation member of the Halliday family to have participated in the pigeon fancy.
Scott Irving Junior (left) and John Dalgliesh.
at Brydekirk he raced a small team on widowhood and another small team on Natural. He was indeed one of the first fanciers in the Solway Federation to know- ingly have a widowhood team. The best position that he gained at his new home was 1st Section Nantes in 1984. He was also an accomplished administrator who worked hard on behalf of the club and addition- ally carried out Secretarial duties for the then Mid Annandale 2-Bird Club. Scott Irving Senior had been involved in the pigeon hobby since he was a boy, competing in partnership with his brother, Peter as members of Annan Club. In time the two brothers split partnership with Peter continuing to house his pigeons in the original loft at the family home at Annan and Scott moving to Brydekirk and joining the local club. Scott shared a friendship with Annan fanciers Alex Graham and
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