On Friday 24th April I found myself at the home of "minto" Darren McMurray, after his outstanding level of success he has had within one of the strongest if not the strongest club within the NIPA. Ligoneil HPS pigeon club has been at the top of pigeon racing within Northern Ireland, going back quite a few years now, with at one stage having 100 members on their books, with a waiting list full of people ready to take the place of a fancier who had left the sport and club. Ligoneil club, with 44 members racing within Section C of the NIPA, is never an easy task for any pigeon fancier. To be noticed as one of the strongest and best fanciers within the club is an honour for the partnership of McMurray & Anderson. Harry Anderson who is Darrens Uncle, races in the partnership with him, but without him in the partnership Darren says he would struggle as he is always there to motivate him if and when needed, as well as coming up with some excellent motivational ideas and of course his great company on race day as they await the birds coming while sipping over a few beers and talking tactics.
Darren who is self employed as a window cleaner but also a very busy family man with having 4 adorable kids and a lovely wife named Rene who supports him on a daily basis with his hobby, us as pigeon fanciers sometimes let pigeons take over our lives but I think the support and drive from this family has made the partnership of McMurray & Anderson the successful fanciers they are to the present day.
Looking down the garden at the three lofts, two of which are racing lofts, 24ft in length with tiled roofs and made of timber construction that Darren built himself with the help from a friend, and a small 12ft stock loft sitting at the bottom of the garden, housing his small but yet successful stock pigeons. Darren has a few families of pigeons racing very successfully for him but most are van loons, winning from 80 miles right out to France on the roundabout system winning sections on the channel from Talbenny, Bude, Penzance and St Malo. One of the best results he remembers to date is winning 10 prizes from Bude taking 1st and 2nd section with only sending 16 birds. Darren's best thrill to date was the friendship national, finishing with only 18 birds recorded on the day and Darren clocking at 10.50pm to take 14th open on the first day and also timed another 2 the next morning to be in the prizes as well, fantastic achievement with clocking 3 birds in the prizes from the 4 birds to which he sent. This is just 1 of the achievements this partnership has recorded to date, another great result they had in 2014 being rewarded by receiving the RPRA meritorious award with positions like Talbenny 5th section from 2,124 birds 24th open from 10,852 birds, Penzance 6th section 933 birds 17th open from 4,967 birds both these results won by a pigeon now called "Bev" after his good friend Desy Mcclurkin's wife, Desy who actually bred and clocked the bird for Darren that day and other days when he is away on family holidays. Darren says without the help from his good friend Desy around the lofts and training each others pigeons he would be lost and wants to say a huge thank you to Desy for everything he has done for him .
While sitting in the sun room enjoying a nice cup of tea and making our way through the plate of sandwiches to which Rene prepared for us, not only did I find myself in the company of a fantastic pigeon fancier but also a fancier who never stops thinking of how to get that extra yard from his pigeons, every year he compares notes of things he tried and tested with his pigeons and the results of what works and what does not work is noted. I was surprised to hear Darren telling me of a story about certain stock pigeons getting out on him and he says the good stock pigeons that breed good pigeons will always return, but those that have not bred anything decent will never return, wise words that I myself would not like to take a chance with.
After doing this report, I heard that the partnership of McMurray & Anderson started of the 2015 season with a bang by winning 1st club 22nd section from over 3500 birds in Week 1 and once again in week 2 from Tullamore taking 1st 2nd and 3rd club 7th 8th and 10th section from 4,335 birds 51st 52nd and 62nd open from 23,316 birds. Fantastic start to the season indeed, while I was at the lofts of Darren McMurray I picked out 1 pigeon that I described as "The scribes choice" GB 14L 19036 blue pied cock stood out for me, and low and behold it was that very pigeon I picked that Darren had clocked the following race from Tullamore, winning him the club for the second week on a trot.
You could not meet a nicer gentleman and the hospitality was first class, thanks to Darren and Rene for making me feel so welcome and I wish the partnership of McMurray & Anderson every success in the years to come within our sport.
"Flying start with Ross Kelly"
