Quality is a choice

[Devo1956]

Hello Neil, Andy would be in a better place to answer this question as he's flown the North program before a few year's ago. Think it was £1 a bird I stand corrected if I've got that wrong flying with the Combine in these short races, Andy is probably in 1 of the stronger clubs at present .

No hope of going North Neil. I would do but the only club anywhere near me racing North is the SW Lerwick club I think it’s called. They mark in Bristol and would be a 3 hour round trip for me. Also they aren’t taking any new members. The Dorset fed fly North but because I’m just over the border in Somerset I’m out of their radius.
I did race North a couple of years ago Dave and did ok but that was only for the year that the BICC, BBC, & CSCFC went North.
The combine are very unlikely to go North as it is predominantly dictated too by the big National and Classic flyers who are long distance flyers and just use the combine in preparation for the big races so don’t want to be going over 100 miles. The trouble here going East to West the furthest we can get is Ramsgate 168 miles on the East coast of Kent before they go into the sea
The combine charge £1 a bird for all races + a 10p club fee for all races. So that’s £1.10p for just 34 miles up to 108 miles. We had 11 races at 34 miles.
Yes Dave Glastonbury is probably the strongest club in the combine with some great members. We are still probably going to join the 3 counties next year and stay with the combine at least for another year.

On a different note and a bit more back to topic. Things are moving on quickly personally and we could be putting our shop and home up for sale in the spring and looking to move. Looking at moving down South Devon way which would mean I could still fly in the 3 counties and at least get around 200 miles. I am unlikely to re-join any of the classics and go back into distance racing as I do enjoy sprint racing. With all this in mind, and Neil I know I said I don’t keep stock birds lol, I have been offered and accepted 4 pairs of Lambrechts from a good friend of mine some of whom have already bred combine winners. So should add a few sprinters to my team for next young bird season wherever I might be at the time.

That could be a good move for you mate, get your feet up and relax a bit, hope your new stock birds do well for you and the previous owner

Great news Andy, i was talking to the breeder of your new stock the other night. Hope they breed you some crackers mate.

[CHARLTON34]

Hope your move will pay off & you get back to some kind of decent racing Andy in the new year, not having to put up with a crap race program/ training tosses, all the top flyer's that just use the Combine races as trainer's for the bigger races eventually will have nowhere to go if it carries on as previous year's, & if Glastonbury goes with the 3 Counties then i can see it folding altogether.

[Andy]

Hope your move will pay off & you get back to some kind of decent racing Andy in the new year, not having to put up with a crap race program/ training tosses, all the top flyer's that just use the Combine races as trainer's for the bigger races eventually will have nowhere to go if it carries on as previous year's, & if Glastonbury goes with the 3 Counties then i can see it folding altogether.

It could take a while to sell our place Dave as it’s a big purchase for someone as we own the freehold of the whole premises, but who knows. I will probably race most of the program next year at least from here. I do expect that the birdage sent from our club in the combine will be a lot lower next year.

[Murray]

Great news, Andy.
I hope everything falls into place for you at the right time and you can enjoy a different pace of life.
Exciting about the good Lambrecsts stock pigeons. There will be no stopping you now!