From an article in The Racing Pigeon
written by Billy Wortley

SNFC YB National was flown from Leicester on Saturday September 13, with 3,247 birds being liberated at lO am into a south wind. Stewart Roberts from Ayton recorded his third win from the event in four years. He enjoyed a brilliant race, timing six birds in less than seven minutes to feature in the first 12 in the result with his first three pigeons being 1st, 2nd & 4th Open.

The leading two arrivals into our area were timed by Ralston Graham from Langholm at 13.43 and 13.45 to be probable 1st & 2nd Region A. Ralston is a really good fancier; indeed I would venture to suggest that he is one of the very best fanciers in the entire country. During his early years in the Fancy his pigeons were raced Natural. He owned a number of fine pigeons at that time with the most prominent being mealy cock 'Esk Valley Traveller'. This pigeon was 1st Sect, 13th Open Nantes 1970 from 552 miles and was subsequently 22nd Sect, 57th Open Avranches and 5th Sect, 115th Open Rennes. He also won a host of prizes in the club and at stock left a number of winners.

In those days, Ralston's primary objective was to succeed from the Nationals and he actually won the South Sect of the SNFC on three occasions. He also won the first Gold Award in the South Sect of the National with blue chequer hen 'Esk Valley Goldie'. Many fine individual pigeons were raced at that time including a dark chequer pied cock that contained 'Solway King' blood- lines. This cock scored 14 times and made the list with the SNFC on five occasions with his best position being 14th Sect, 34th Open Rennes.

As the years rolled by, however, Ralston recognised that pigeon racing was changing with fanciers achieving outstanding performances racing Widowhood. In 1987 he made the decision to convert to Widowhood. He reasoned, on converting to Widowhood, that he would have to acquire pigeons that had a temperament to work on the system and introduced pigeons with this in mind. Amongst the strains that were introduced were Busschaert x Vanhee x Stichelbaut. He additionally obtained examples of the Janssen family from the late Ted Cooper from Carlisle and Smit Van Winkel and Jos Soontjens from David Page from Pickering.

On working the team on Widowhood, several real quality pigeons emerged including a particular Busschaert cock that became known as 'Esk Valley Geordie'. This cock was purchased at a Highview Lofts away day sale in 1987 being bred from 'Highview Regal' and 'Highview Babs'. The fact that Ralston's wife is named Barbara and the pigeon being bred from 'Highview Babs' prompted Ralston to buy it. What an acquisition he proved to be, however, as he scored 24 times in the club and ten times in the Fed. His most prominent wins were 11x1sts, 2x2nds & 1x3rd in the club, also 1x1st, 2x2nds and 3x3rds Fed.

When Ralston initially converted to Widowhood he raced cocks only and then complemented the cocks with a team of Widowhood hens. His performances on the system proved truly devastating and over an 11 year period he was awarded the trophy as Solway Fed Fancier of the Year on no fewer than nine occasions.

In those years working Widowhood, Ralston tried to win from the first race to the last and whilst he enjoyed considerable success in sprint racing he nevertheless continued to participate with the SNFC. Several fine individual pigeons raced with the National at that time including 1992 blue cock 'Esk Valley Spot'. The blue cock was 3rd Fed Stafford as a YB and then competed from the YB National when he was 16th Sect, 118th Open. As a yearling he scored five times including being 1st Fed Worcester. When 2yo he scored three times in the club, was 1st Fed Garstang and then raced from Rennes when he was 7th Sect, 14th Open. He continued on the winning way the following year and was 71st Open Sartilly National;

Ralston shares a close friendship with near neighbour Derik Nordon and through this friendship was conscious of the success that Derik had achieving from the Classics, working his pigeons on Roundabout. He considered, therefore, converting to Roundabout also and with this in mind acquired bloodlines capable of performing from the Channel.

When the pigeons were racing so well on the pure Widowhood method, Ralston worked constant night-shift, which enabled him to exercise his pigeons morning and evening. His work pattern then changed, however, which required him to work constant back shift and this change in work practise finally convinced him to convert the management system to Roundabout.

The loft complex comprises four individual lofts with two of the lofts being situated in the back garden and the other two lofts being located in a field behind the house. When racing Widowhood the cocks were housed in the two wooden lofts in the garden. When working Roundabout, however, the OB racers are housed in an all metal loft that is situated in the field, which was Ralston's original race loft. The cocks are housed in one compartment of the loft and the hens are kept in the second compartment. The pigeons are managed on the accepted Roundabout method being rotated within the loft.

The YB racers, meanwhile, are housed in a wooden loft that is located in the field adjacent to the all metal structure, with the two lofts being set in the form of an 'L'. Having modified the management regime and changed the emphasis of the loft to Classic competition, Ralston gave notice of what was to come in the Millennium season. From the Inland National from Newbury he timed two very good pigeons on Roundabout to be 3rd & 6th Sect, 5th & 9th Open. The leading pigeon from that event was actually 1st National Cock. Following the Newbury National the pigeon was re-paired and was sent to the Gold Cup race from Messac. The convoy was liberated at 6.25am on July 2, following a two day holdover, and Ralston timed him at 7pm to be 2nd Sect, 2nd Open National. The winning pigeon was a blue cock named 'Esk Valley Niall'. The sire of the 2nd Open Messac is a blue cock that was 7th Sect, 11th Open Rennes 1999 and in the Millennium season was 1st Fed Leyland and 45th Sect, 94th Open Newbury National. His sire is a Van Winkel from David Page whilst his dam contains the Janssen lines of the late Ted Cooper x the Busschaert lines of 'Spot' that was 14th Open Rennes, which in turn goes back to ace racer 'Geordie'. Dam of the blue cock that was 2nd Open Messac was bred from a Berendonck Janssen from Alistair McNaughton of Larne, Northern Ireland, when coupled to a Smit Van Winkel from David Page.

Now, having gained 2nd Open from the Blue Riband event in the year 2000, Ralston went one better in 2002 when he won the equivalent event from Reims. On that occasion the convoy was liberated at 6.05am and he timed his winner at 8.48pm to head the result on 1011ypm. The winning pigeon, incidentally, is a year 2000 blue cock and following his National success was named 'Esk Valley Champion'. His sire is 'Esk Valley Niall', which was 2nd Open Messac 2000. The dam was home bred from a cock the same way bred as 'Bishop's Pride' that was 1st National Bordeaux for D. Beasant. To breed the dam of the National winner, the brother of 'Bishop's Pride' was coupled to a Hulme & Curley 'Highview Busschaert' that Ralston had on loan from Malcolm Bros from Hurlford.

The 2002 Reims Classic was extra special for Ralston as not only did he win the event but he timed a second pigeon on the night from the race at 10.07pm to be 5th Sect, 9th Open. Ralston & Barbara Graham shared a close friendship with the late Pat Lynn. the former Solway Fed secretary, and such was the friendship that Ralston named the 9th Open Reims pigeon 'Esk Valley Pat' as a tribute to their friend. Following the Reims Classic in 2002 blue hen 'Esk Valley Pat' was sent to the SNFC Clermont and she was timed at 5.25am to be 5th Sect, 70th Open. At the close of the 2002 season 'Esk Valley Pat' was awarded the prestigious Dewar Trophy, having been elected the best individual pigeon in Scotland.

In 2003 the blue hen was worked once more on Roundabout and went through the Solway Fed programme to Wakefield. She then competed from the Inland National from Newbury and was timed with the leaders to be 22nd Sect, 238th Open. Following the Inland National she raced from the Blue Riband event from Reims and following a 6.05am liberation was timed at 7.59pm to be 5th Sect, 17th Open. One week after the Reims race she was re-paired and set down on eggs. She was then sent to the final OB National of the season from Clermont and was timed with the leaders to be 1st South Sect, 6th Open. A very special pigeon, which incidentally contains Derik Nordon blood- lines. Ralston will attend the Scottish National annual social evening at which he will receive the trophy for 1st South Sect Clermont and the trophy also for 1st Sect from the recent YB National.
Which brings us to the pigeons that Ralston timed from the young bird National. At the outset it should be understood that Ralston manages his youngsters on the conventional method and does not work them on Darkness.

The Section winner was a blue pied cock that was a first round youngster. The sire is 'Esk Valley Mark' which bred 'Esk Valley Niall' which in turn bred 'Esk Valley Champion'. The dam of the Section winner from " the recent YB National is a blue pied hen that contains Smit Van Winkel x Busschaert lines.

The blue pied cock went to the first YB race in the Solway Fed programme from Appleby, 43 miles. Immediately after this race, however, Ralston experienced a bad training toss, which he believed was due to a falcon attack. Initial losses from the toss caused him to consider stopping the entire team but pleasingly after several days a number of the babies returned, which encouraged Ralston to keep them going. Nevertheless, because of the experience, the youngsters were off the road for two weeks and missed two races.

The blue pied cock and the remainder of the team re entered the race basket at Wakefield, 120 miles, and then went to Newark. Due to bad weather, however, they were brought home from Newark but returned to the same race point the following week 168 miles. The week prior to the National the cock competed from the Sol way Fed Open race from Leicester 192 miles and was 7th Club, 14th Fed. As explained previously, he was worked on the conventional system and raced to the perch. Because he was early bred he was well up in the moult, his head and neck had cleaned up and he had a three quarter tail. He was also carrying eight and a half new flights.

The pigeon that was 2nd Sect is another blue pied cock. The dam is a Smit Van Winkel x Van Elsacker Janssen whilst the sire is a Busschaert x Keith Lynn Herbot. The sire is a good pigeon in his own right, he was 2nd Club Sedburgh as a youngster and was 19th Fed Clermont as a yearling. The young pied cock was also a first round youngster. He was worked in exactly the same manner as the Section winner, which included him being off the road for two weeks after the bad training toss. From the Fed Open race from Leicester he was up with the leaders to be 6th Club, 13th Fed. This cock also was well up in the moult and went to the National carrying seven and a half new flights. (back to top of page)