Ralston Graham of Scotland
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One of the best pigeon fanciers in Scotland at present and indeed in the island of Britain as a
whole is Ralston Graham, past winner of the Scottish National Flying Club Gold Cup. The year
was 2002 and the racepoint was Rheims in France.

Ralston lives in the Eskvalley and his pigeon accommodation is known as the Eskvalley Lofts.
There in nineteen sixty four he started in the sport where his first stock was birds received from
a number of local fanciers. From the off so to speak these lofts were winning as Ralston won
the Solway Federation Open Young Bird Race in his first year of racing - nineteen sixty five.
And the trend continued as the lofts won 1st Sect, 3rd Open Scottish National Flying Club in
nineteen sixty nine.

With continuing success- for example the South Section of the Scottish National Flying Club
was won on three occasions- and with his sights set high Ralston brought in new blood in
nineteen eighty seven and had a re think in relation to his management regime upto that time.
Until them it was natural but the Widowhood (or more to reality- the widowerhood) system
was introduced and this saw a spate of wins at the sprint distances. But it was the desire to
succeed at the longer distances which saw the introduction of the round about system and some
new bloodlines. And as the following results confirm the lofts began to score in the classics:
1999 SNFC Rennes Blue Riband - 7th Sect, 11th Open, 84th Open
2000 SNFC Messac Blue Riband - 2nd Sect, 2nd Open
2001 SNFC Hastings - 16th Sect, 34th Open
2002 SNFC Rheims Gold Cup - 1st Sect, 1st Open, 5th Sect, 9th Open
2002 SNFC Clermont - 5th Sect, 70th Open
2003 SNFC Reims Gold Cup - 5th Sect, 18th Open, 23rd Sect, 111th Open
2003 SNFC Clermont - 1st Sect, 6th Open, 7th Sect, 139th Open, 19th Sect, 317th Open
...
The above results are very good by any standard especially as the continental races into the
north of Britain are tough ones. The Scottish fancier must have the right bloodlines and proper
management as well as a strong love of the sport to succeed. And I have no doubt that Ralston
Graham has what it takes to conquer this tough route and more will be heard of the Eskvalley
racers in the future.

In fact at time of writing, Ralston, I am told has just won 1st Section B, 1st South Section, 2nd
Open with his Sporting Challenge entry Eskvalley Jacky in the 2005 SNFC race for the Gold

Cup from Alencon, recording a velocity of 1070.52 ypm. A modern national achievement
from a modern loft and family.

by: Liam O Comain