| The
Kirkpatricks
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The famous strain of the late Johnny Kirkpatrick
was a sure bet to appear in this series
for not to refer to this great family
from Scotland would be to commit a sacrilege.
As a young boy our subject from West Cumberland
was brought to and reared up in Annan
by his parents where he was to be blooded
early in the sport. Although strongly
committed to the game of soccer our subject
had pigeons early in his life via a gift
of birds from a Wilf Pearson. However
the real initial base of the budding strain
were Logan, Barker, Osman and some bloodlines
from a Dr. White.
Success
came early to this family for it registered
in the Scottish N.F.C Nationals from Rennes
and Nantes two 3rds, a 4th, two 5ths,
a 7th and a 11th amongst other positions.
The first big win was 1st Open S.N.F.C.
Rennes in 1937. By this time it appears
that the Kirkpatrick's included the bloodlines
of Sion, Marriot and Bricoux.The family
records also contained traces of the Gits
and the Barker amongst others. The Bricoux
bloodlines came via a pair purchased from
a Mr. Richardson i.e. a Mealy Cock and
a Red Cheq Hen. In due course the pair
produced the immortal 'Galabank Supreme'
who won 13 firsts and approximately 40
other good positions in racing. He was
also a fabulous stock bird. In truth this
was the real Kirkpatrick foundation bird
for all subsequent champions of the strain
contained his blood.
During
the 2nd World War (1939/1945) there were
no races from the European mainland into
the island of Britain but by about 1948
Kirkpatrick had scored 2nd Open S.N.F.C.
Guernsey and by 1951 2nd Open S.N.F.C.
Rennes. The latter success gained by 'Galabank
King'. Another of the clan namely 'Galabank
Prince' was 1st Open S.N.F.C. Nantes in
1952 as well as being 40th Open Rennes
that same season. The lofts also were
2nd Open with 'Galabank Duke' in the same
race.
The honours continued to arrive in 1953
with 3rd Open Rennes with 'Johnny'- the
nest mate of 'Galabank Duke'. Here I have
only referred to national wins but the
lofts won numerous club and other prizes
during its reign in the land of the thistle.
Alas
our mortality via sickness saw the departure
of Johnny Kirkpatrick in the Spring of
1954. Then pigeondom mourned one of its
greatest distance racers and a master
of the sport. A strain destined to be
forever mentioned amongst the greatest.
Which is reckoned to have produced 500
important race winners world wide. In
fact it is estimated that the strain flows
in the blood of the majority of Scottish
500 mile winners alone. An interesting
factor of the Kirkpatrick's is the Grizzle
colouring which abounds and although the
records show the important contribution
of a Grizzle hen '6498' from A.R.Hill
of St. Just, in Cornwall, the historians
note that this colour was a factor in
the strain of Dr. Bricoux. Finally, it
is great to win when one is alive but
Johnny Kirkpatrick won a few months after
his death for his wife raced that year
and was 3rd Open Rennes. A loving gesture!
by: Liam O Comain |
