Different views.

[Trev]

I think this is true in the pigeon world, and we hear about it all the time.You as a trainer may need some improvement in different aspects of the sport: feeding, training, medication, trapping and loft management. It is hard for us to accept the blame for poor results or heavy loses. We much rather blame the birds, the weather, the transport company, or some other area, but not our own abilities or methods.

Very true Dev, not only in this sport but life in general, no one wants to take responsibility of their own actions.

[Trev]

I think this is true in the pigeon world, and we hear about it all the time.You as a trainer may need some improvement in different aspects of the sport: feeding, training, medication, trapping and loft management. It is hard for us to accept the blame for poor results or heavy loses. We much rather blame the birds, the weather, the transport company, or some other area, but not our own abilities or methods.

Not me mate read my signature

Bless ya, well you just keep on enjoying the birds and selecting the good ones mate, every sport (and society itself) needs people like you my friend honest, caring and reliable

[Devo1956]

I think this is true in the pigeon world, and we hear about it all the time.You as a trainer may need some improvement in different aspects of the sport: feeding, training, medication, trapping and loft management. It is hard for us to accept the blame for poor results or heavy loses. We much rather blame the birds, the weather, the transport company, or some other area, but not our own abilities or methods.

Very true Dev, not only in this sport but life in general, no one wants to take responsibility of their own actions.

You learn by your mistakes if you are honest, but better learning by someone else's mistakes.

[Trev]

As with the rest of you the longer you stay in this sport the taller the tales become and the more new theories appear lol.
A good little piece Dev, good and simple advice, thanks for sharing.
As has been said I think coming into the sport, even if like Andy and I you were born into it, you can never ask too many questions or too many people for advice. I remember being told many, many years ago (not about pigeon racing but it still applies) that "A man who thinks he knows everything learns nothing" some of the wisest words I was ever told.
I still look back at advice I was given when first starting out on my own, some I still apply and some I wish I still applied lol
I do however think there is a point when you need to maybe listen to fewer people as it can then just become a head f×××. Our young fancier is in danger of taking on too much advice, he is so keen to become the best he takes every thing as gospel. He has had an outstanding first couple of years but now needs to stick to and build on what he has, of course he still has a lot to learn so still needs to seek advice but maybe from fewer people. As I've said before in my opinion (and I'm no champion) it's all about finding birds and a system that works for you and sticking to it, obviously some things need to evolve and improve or we just stand still and get left behind but the basics remain the same.
As far as all the different theories on bird shape, eyes and feathers goes I think this does apply but within your own family of birds, as a fancier/stockman its up to us to find out which traits our best birds have either as racers or breeders.
Now the most simple part of getting success, which I lack these days, is effort. As with everything in life you will reap what you sow, if you want to succeed you need to work hard at it and as Dev has always said it's a 365 day a year sport. This is where young Danny still has the advantage is that he has that extra drive and passion to succeed that I sadly lack these days, especially at 4am lol

[Devo1956]

As with the rest of you the longer you stay in this sport the taller the tales become and the more new theories appear lol.
A good little piece Dev, good and simple advice, thanks for sharing.
As has been said I think coming into the sport, even if like Andy and I you were born into it, you can never ask too many questions or too many people for advice. I remember being told many, many years ago (not about pigeon racing but it still applies) that "A man who thinks he knows everything learns nothing" some of the wisest words I was ever told.
I still look back at advice I was given when first starting out on my own, some I still apply and some I wish I still applied lol
I do however think there is a point when you need to maybe listen to fewer people as it can then just become a head f×××. Our young fancier is in danger of taking on too much advice, he is so keen to become the best he takes every thing as gospel. He has had an outstanding first couple of years but now needs to stick to and build on what he has, of course he still has a lot to learn so still needs to seek advice but maybe from fewer people. As I've said before in my opinion (and I'm no champion) it's all about finding birds and a system that works for you and sticking to it, obviously some things need to evolve and improve or we just stand still and get left behind but the basics remain the same.
As far as all the different theories on bird shape, eyes and feathers goes I think this does apply but within your own family of birds, as a fancier/stockman its up to us to find out which traits our best birds have either as racers or breeders.
Now the most simple part of getting success, which I lack these days, is effort. As with everything in life you will reap what you sow, if you want to succeed you need to work hard at it and as Dev has always said it's a 365 day a year sport. This is where young Danny still has the advantage is that he has that extra drive and passion to succeed that I sadly lack these days, especially at 4am lol

A good write up Trev,, it's a changing sport. And it does not get any easier, so enjoy what you have. Anything else is a bonus.

[Buster121]

I don’t think there is any point in trying to assess a pigeon on how it feels, what it’s backs like, how the step in the wing is, shape of the body and even the eyesign lol, etc. They win in all shapes and sizes. The only thing you need to worry about is how they perform in the basket or breeding pen. I prefer a bigger pigeon myself, that’s probably because I have large hands and they fit into them nicely. But I have had very small hens that have also won well.

A lot of mine are big birds even some hens are, one hen used to get classed as a cock on race nights due to her size and they would never have it she was a hen
Agree with what you say about all sizes, when I started racing in the 70s I think people where on a more even keel today things are so much more complicated in fact I would say over complicated feed to breed, feed for moult, feed for sprint for distance even feed to make em s***

[Buster121]

As with the rest of you the longer you stay in this sport the taller the tales become and the more new theories appear lol.
A good little piece Dev, good and simple advice, thanks for sharing.
As has been said I think coming into the sport, even if like Andy and I you were born into it, you can never ask too many questions or too many people for advice. I remember being told many, many years ago (not about pigeon racing but it still applies) that "A man who thinks he knows everything learns nothing" some of the wisest words I was ever told.
I still look back at advice I was given when first starting out on my own, some I still apply and some I wish I still applied lol
I do however think there is a point when you need to maybe listen to fewer people as it can then just become a head f×××. Our young fancier is in danger of taking on too much advice, he is so keen to become the best he takes every thing as gospel. He has had an outstanding first couple of years but now needs to stick to and build on what he has, of course he still has a lot to learn so still needs to seek advice but maybe from fewer people. As I've said before in my opinion (and I'm no champion) it's all about finding birds and a system that works for you and sticking to it, obviously some things need to evolve and improve or we just stand still and get left behind but the basics remain the same.
As far as all the different theories on bird shape, eyes and feathers goes I think this does apply but within your own family of birds, as a fancier/stockman its up to us to find out which traits our best birds have either as racers or breeders.
Now the most simple part of getting success, which I lack these days, is effort. As with everything in life you will reap what you sow, if you want to succeed you need to work hard at it and as Dev has always said it's a 365 day a year sport. This is where young Danny still has the advantage is that he has that extra drive and passion to succeed that I sadly lack these days, especially at 4am lol

So true Trev, I said about the young fancier only listening to one or two in one of the posts you did on him

[Trev]

As with the rest of you the longer you stay in this sport the taller the tales become and the more new theories appear lol.
A good little piece Dev, good and simple advice, thanks for sharing.
As has been said I think coming into the sport, even if like Andy and I you were born into it, you can never ask too many questions or too many people for advice. I remember being told many, many years ago (not about pigeon racing but it still applies) that "A man who thinks he knows everything learns nothing" some of the wisest words I was ever told.
I still look back at advice I was given when first starting out on my own, some I still apply and some I wish I still applied lol
I do however think there is a point when you need to maybe listen to fewer people as it can then just become a head f×××. Our young fancier is in danger of taking on too much advice, he is so keen to become the best he takes every thing as gospel. He has had an outstanding first couple of years but now needs to stick to and build on what he has, of course he still has a lot to learn so still needs to seek advice but maybe from fewer people. As I've said before in my opinion (and I'm no champion) it's all about finding birds and a system that works for you and sticking to it, obviously some things need to evolve and improve or we just stand still and get left behind but the basics remain the same.
As far as all the different theories on bird shape, eyes and feathers goes I think this does apply but within your own family of birds, as a fancier/stockman its up to us to find out which traits our best birds have either as racers or breeders.
Now the most simple part of getting success, which I lack these days, is effort. As with everything in life you will reap what you sow, if you want to succeed you need to work hard at it and as Dev has always said it's a 365 day a year sport. This is where young Danny still has the advantage is that he has that extra drive and passion to succeed that I sadly lack these days, especially at 4am lol

So true Trev, I said about the young fancier only listening to one or two in one of the posts you did on him

[Trev]

I don’t think there is any point in trying to assess a pigeon on how it feels, what it’s backs like, how the step in the wing is, shape of the body and even the eyesign lol, etc. They win in all shapes and sizes. The only thing you need to worry about is how they perform in the basket or breeding pen. I prefer a bigger pigeon myself, that’s probably because I have large hands and they fit into them nicely. But I have had very small hens that have also won well.

A lot of mine are big birds even some hens are, one hen used to get classed as a cock on race nights due to her size and they would never have it she was a hen
Agree with what you say about all sizes, when I started racing in the 70s I think people where on a more even keel today things are so much more complicated in fact I would say over complicated feed to breed, feed for moult, feed for sprint for distance even feed to make em s***

[Andy]

I don’t think there is any point in trying to assess a pigeon on how it feels, what it’s backs like, how the step in the wing is, shape of the body and even the eyesign lol, etc. They win in all shapes and sizes. The only thing you need to worry about is how they perform in the basket or breeding pen. I prefer a bigger pigeon myself, that’s probably because I have large hands and they fit into them nicely. But I have had very small hens that have also won well.

A lot of mine are big birds even some hens are, one hen used to get classed as a cock on race nights due to her size and they would never have it she was a hen
Agree with what you say about all sizes, when I started racing in the 70s I think people where on a more even keel today things are so much more complicated in fact I would say over complicated feed to breed, feed for moult, feed for sprint for distance even feed to make em s***

I have a youngster here of your. Blue 64. It was one of my best youngsters twice being in the top 20 of the combine. All season I raced it as a cock. When putting the birds into the new widowhood section, I thought this would be a very useful widowhood cock, she promptly paired up with one of the cocks. Now in with the hens and certainly not acting like a cock lol.