Albert wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2024 9:31 am
30 years ago I thought I would be out of pigeons in ten years, because the story then was pigeon racing will be finished in ten years. And here I am still racing, and as enthusiastic as ever. This is answering NeilA post, not the above.
Look around your fed Albert
How many over 70 how many under 50 then add 10 years to the 70 year olds
Or just look at tne decline in rora members wasn’t it 50,000 a few years ago now I believe under 20,000 most or a large number oap’s and time will take its natural toll on them
I can guarantee you that OLR will die out long before club racing does. Far more people are against them than for them and they only keep going because of the potential prize pot at the end. Most people sending to these OLR also race in clubs and if club racing finished so would the entries for the OLR. I can’t disagree with the drop in fanciers but the birdages haven’t dropped by the same percentages. Less members keeping more pigeons. As Neil says most members enjoy having the birds around them and excitedly waiting for their return. These people will stop pigeons all together rather than send to OLR. We have a good strong club and not one member sends to any OLR, or would. We did have a member who has recently had to go into a care home who won one of the early RPRA OLR. He said the thrill of winning that was nothing like the enjoyment of club racing and the camaraderie of a club.
I wouldn't be so sure Andy.If club racing dried up I'd still keep a few pairs for OlR. I agree It's not like racing your own birds in your own back yard. OLR for me is not really all about the money ( which may sound strange) it's about putting my birds up against some of the biggest names in the sport and seeing if I can give them a punch on the nose . Two years ago I entered 10 into the Pattaya race, and on two occasions I put a bird in front of Ganus Hooymans and Pipa all entering +120. Their birds sell for thousands you can buy mine for peanuts Last year I entered Thailand masters and had 1st UK 6th open semi final again entering 5 yet still beating the big names with all their fancy pedigree birds. It's fun!!!!
Look around your fed Albert
How many over 70 how many under 50 then add 10 years to the 70 year olds
Or just look at tne decline in rora members wasn’t it 50,000 a few years ago now I believe under 20,000 most or a large number oap’s and time will take its natural toll on them
I can guarantee you that OLR will die out long before club racing does. Far more people are against them than for them and they only keep going because of the potential prize pot at the end. Most people sending to these OLR also race in clubs and if club racing finished so would the entries for the OLR. I can’t disagree with the drop in fanciers but the birdages haven’t dropped by the same percentages. Less members keeping more pigeons. As Neil says most members enjoy having the birds around them and excitedly waiting for their return. These people will stop pigeons all together rather than send to OLR. We have a good strong club and not one member sends to any OLR, or would. We did have a member who has recently had to go into a care home who won one of the early RPRA OLR. He said the thrill of winning that was nothing like the enjoyment of club racing and the camaraderie of a club.
I wouldn't be so sure Andy.If club racing dried up I'd still keep a few pairs for OlR. I agree It's not like racing your own birds in your own back yard. OLR for me is not really all about the money ( which may sound strange) it's about putting my birds up against some of the biggest names in the sport and seeing if I can give them a punch on the nose . Two years ago I entered 10 into the Pattaya race, and on two occasions I put a bird in front of Ganus Hooymans and Pipa all entering +120. Their birds sell for thousands you can buy mine for peanuts Last year I entered Thailand masters and had 1st UK 6th open semi final again entering 5 yet still beating the big names with all their fancy pedigree birds. It's fun!!!!
I can only agree, in what Steve has written. Like i have said before its away of keeping me in the sport, if i could do club racing i would. But that is not possible, so the joy i get out of OLR racing does for me. Club members are getting older, it would be good to see younger people joining to replace the old persons. But i can not see that happening..
Look around your fed Albert
How many over 70 how many under 50 then add 10 years to the 70 year olds
Or just look at tne decline in rora members wasn’t it 50,000 a few years ago now I believe under 20,000 most or a large number oap’s and time will take its natural toll on them
I can guarantee you that OLR will die out long before club racing does. Far more people are against them than for them and they only keep going because of the potential prize pot at the end. Most people sending to these OLR also race in clubs and if club racing finished so would the entries for the OLR. I can’t disagree with the drop in fanciers but the birdages haven’t dropped by the same percentages. Less members keeping more pigeons. As Neil says most members enjoy having the birds around them and excitedly waiting for their return. These people will stop pigeons all together rather than send to OLR. We have a good strong club and not one member sends to any OLR, or would. We did have a member who has recently had to go into a care home who won one of the early RPRA OLR. He said the thrill of winning that was nothing like the enjoyment of club racing and the camaraderie of a club.
I wouldn't be so sure Andy.If club racing dried up I'd still keep a few pairs for OlR. I agree It's not like racing your own birds in your own back yard. OLR for me is not really all about the money ( which may sound strange) it's about putting my birds up against some of the biggest names in the sport and seeing if I can give them a punch on the nose . Two years ago I entered 10 into the Pattaya race, and on two occasions I put a bird in front of Ganus Hooymans and Pipa all entering +120. Their birds sell for thousands you can buy mine for peanuts Last year I entered Thailand masters and had 1st UK 6th open semi final again entering 5 yet still beating the big names with all their fancy pedigree birds. It's fun!!!!
But would you Steve? Would you really just keep a few pairs without ever being able to race them yourself, seeing how your offspring are progressing in your own loft? Being able to go up the club on a Friday and Saturday night meeting up with club mates. Yes I can see your enjoyment of beating these big names, but they are only big names because of what they do racing wise in their own clubs/feds/nationals etc. There is no one making themselves a big name from OLR.
I can see why some are interested in OLR especially those like Devo that have no alternative, but club racing will still and always will be the main stay of the sport.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
I can guarantee you that OLR will die out long before club racing does. Far more people are against them than for them and they only keep going because of the potential prize pot at the end. Most people sending to these OLR also race in clubs and if club racing finished so would the entries for the OLR. I can’t disagree with the drop in fanciers but the birdages haven’t dropped by the same percentages. Less members keeping more pigeons. As Neil says most members enjoy having the birds around them and excitedly waiting for their return. These people will stop pigeons all together rather than send to OLR. We have a good strong club and not one member sends to any OLR, or would. We did have a member who has recently had to go into a care home who won one of the early RPRA OLR. He said the thrill of winning that was nothing like the enjoyment of club racing and the camaraderie of a club.
I wouldn't be so sure Andy.If club racing dried up I'd still keep a few pairs for OlR. I agree It's not like racing your own birds in your own back yard. OLR for me is not really all about the money ( which may sound strange) it's about putting my birds up against some of the biggest names in the sport and seeing if I can give them a punch on the nose . Two years ago I entered 10 into the Pattaya race, and on two occasions I put a bird in front of Ganus Hooymans and Pipa all entering +120. Their birds sell for thousands you can buy mine for peanuts Last year I entered Thailand masters and had 1st UK 6th open semi final again entering 5 yet still beating the big names with all their fancy pedigree birds. It's fun!!!!
I can only agree, in what Steve has written. Like i have said before its away of keeping me in the sport, if i could do club racing i would. But that is not possible, so the joy i get out of OLR racing does for me. Club members are getting older, it would be good to see younger people joining to replace the old persons. But i can not see that happening..
I’m not disagreeing with you Dev just putting my case across for club racing being around much longer than OLR.
So when you were sourcing pigeons for your German OLR did you go to your friends in Germany because of their successes in OLR, no you went to them because of what they do in club racing and because of they had the breeding you were looking for. Are younger members coming into the sport just for OLR, no, so the older fanciers participating in OLR will die out at the same rate as in clubs. More so because at least there are still a few youngsters coming into the sport. There are many, many thousands of pigeons raced each weekend across this country and beyond in club races compare to just a few thousand, if that, in OLR.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
I wouldn't be so sure Andy.If club racing dried up I'd still keep a few pairs for OlR. I agree It's not like racing your own birds in your own back yard. OLR for me is not really all about the money ( which may sound strange) it's about putting my birds up against some of the biggest names in the sport and seeing if I can give them a punch on the nose . Two years ago I entered 10 into the Pattaya race, and on two occasions I put a bird in front of Ganus Hooymans and Pipa all entering +120. Their birds sell for thousands you can buy mine for peanuts Last year I entered Thailand masters and had 1st UK 6th open semi final again entering 5 yet still beating the big names with all their fancy pedigree birds. It's fun!!!!
I can only agree, in what Steve has written. Like i have said before its away of keeping me in the sport, if i could do club racing i would. But that is not possible, so the joy i get out of OLR racing does for me. Club members are getting older, it would be good to see younger people joining to replace the old persons. But i can not see that happening..
I’m not disagreeing with you Dev just putting my case across for club racing being around much longer than OLR.
So when you were sourcing pigeons for your German OLR did you go to your friends in Germany because of their successes in OLR, no you went to them because of what they do in club racing and because of they had the breeding you were looking for. Are younger members coming into the sport just for OLR, no, so the older fanciers participating in OLR will die out at the same rate as in clubs. More so because at least there are still a few youngsters coming into the sport. There are many, many thousands of pigeons raced each weekend across this country and beyond in club races compare to just a few thousand, if that, in OLR.
Andy the lads in Germany do well in club racing and also OLR, It would be great to see club racing keep going, but i have to say numbers will drop each year. It is not just an age thing. There is more to it than that, the cost of keeping birds on a yearly budget takes effect. And the only way to do this is less birds but better birds, I see other members views on the trouble with the Bops, besides clashing of birds from different Feds and Combines.Putting this all together, yes there are some problems in club racing, and i hope they can be sorted. But by next year what % of owners will still be racing. I do hope i am wrong and there is influx of young persons joining the sport.
Like i say Andy, OLR is my cup of tea. It keeps me in the sport.
The only young ones here are Eastern European lads
The Harrow club had 35 members send 900 birds last week all Romanian fanciers
Certainly showing us what can be achieved
NeilA wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2024 9:30 am
The only young ones here are Eastern European lads
The Harrow club had 35 members send 900 birds last week all Romanian fanciers
Certainly showing us what can be achieved
Not bad that Neil, it works out 25.7 birds sent from each member.
NeilA wrote: ↑Sat Aug 17, 2024 9:30 am
The only young ones here are Eastern European lads
The Harrow club had 35 members send 900 birds last week all Romanian fanciers
Certainly showing us what can be achieved
Not bad that Neil, it works out 25.7 birds sent from each member.
Some are big senders I think like 60/70
I have the result I will put it up in a min
This is answering NeilA post, not the above.
. Two years ago I entered 10 into the Pattaya race, and on two occasions I put a bird in front of Ganus Hooymans and Pipa all entering +120. Their birds sell for thousands you can buy mine for peanuts