T Blakely & Toll Queen

It was back in 1951 when Tom Blakely who was only 8 years old then started off in the sport of racing pigeons with his father William Blakely. They flew their pigeons in the Irvine pigeon club as W Blakely & Son. For many years the partnership was a great success with Tom and his father winning a barrow load of Club and Federation prizes.

When Wullie passed on, Tom continued to look after and race the pigeons from his fathers old loft at the house in Girdle Toll in Irvine where his mother at the time still lived. Although now married with his own family and living ten miles from the loft, Tom travelled back and forward for many years tending the pigeons until his mother passed away. Tom, Anna and their family then move in to the old house and setup home. Tom today has become a master of the sport and still races the pigeons from his fathers old loft built in the late 1950's.

Tom is well known in Ayrshire for his outstanding performances at club and federation level, but it is perhaps more so at the 500 to 600 mile distances that Tom is a true champion. His latest achievement being to win a Scottish National Flying Club Silver Award for timing the same pigeon "Toll Queen" in 3 National races over 500 miles.

"Toll Queen" was 2nd West Section, 230th Open Falaise 510 miles in 2005, 1st West Section, 28th Open Tours 615 miles in 2006 and 5th West Section, 166th Open Falaise 510 miles in 2008. A truly remarkable and outstanding performance from one pigeon.