The thing is about the sport.

[MIL]

I am a realist but I guess that also makes me a loser! I realised some time ago that I could never compete at club/fed level. I dont have the resources, time or the wherewithall to do so. My family always take priority and up until recently ran a business.
To hear you guys talk about what you need to do to get to the prize table leaves me with no illusion that I don't even want to join you at that table.
The legend Anthony Webster once described ppl like me perfectly in a post on the old chat, more or less saying that I was indeed a loser. I don't disagree with any of it but one thing I never do is make excuses for me or my birds.
I enjoy the club banter, company and craic but I rarely have a clock set for club races.
My only aim, goal, dream, whatever you want to call it is to get a bird in the clock from Barcelona and simply getting them home from any of the races leading up to it gives me absolute pleasure and makes me a winner in my eyes.
We are all very different.

It wouldn't do for us all to be the same Dave

My best advice to you is that if you want to succeed in a challenge such as Barcelona then the birds that you're planning on achieving that goal need to have a good distance heritage behind them. Donkeys don't win the Derby and I've not seen a good distance pigeon that didn't herald from a good distance background

It's a great strength to know if/why you're behind - and as long as that fits the plan that's fine. I never expected the Venus pigeons of Leadbeater's to be a threat to me at 100 miles (his Dark FVW were) but the Blues were the ones you feared at 550 miles. Dad used to race 2 gardens from me with his Van Hee's and I mullered him every week week in week out for a decade inland - but that's because they weren't cut out for that job. They were distance pigeons and his record at Saintes stands up to the closest scrutiny

The other breed humour me more. The ones who beg that they're just happy to see them come home, when secretly they're busting a gut to try and take cards but don't realise the errors that they're making in the run up to the race. We were one of those. We weren't always as successful as we became. It's a journey that can be taken, and its not easy - but can be achieved.

[PeteDerby]

I am a realist but I guess that also makes me a loser! I realised some time ago that I could never compete at club/fed level. I dont have the resources, time or the wherewithall to do so. My family always take priority and up until recently ran a business.
To hear you guys talk about what you need to do to get to the prize table leaves me with no illusion that I don't even want to join you at that table.
The legend Anthony Webster once described ppl like me perfectly in a post on the old chat, more or less saying that I was indeed a loser. I don't disagree with any of it but one thing I never do is make excuses for me or my birds.
I enjoy the club banter, company and craic but I rarely have a clock set for club races.
My only aim, goal, dream, whatever you want to call it is to get a bird in the clock from Barcelona and simply getting them home from any of the races leading up to it gives me absolute pleasure and makes me a winner in my eyes.
We are all very different.

I like that Dave

[king]

I am a realist but I guess that also makes me a loser! I realised some time ago that I could never compete at club/fed level. I dont have the resources, time or the wherewithall to do so. My family always take priority and up until recently ran a business.
To hear you guys talk about what you need to do to get to the prize table leaves me with no illusion that I don't even want to join you at that table.
The legend Anthony Webster once described ppl like me perfectly in a post on the old chat, more or less saying that I was indeed a loser. I don't disagree with any of it but one thing I never do is make excuses for me or my birds.
I enjoy the club banter, company and craic but I rarely have a clock set for club races.
My only aim, goal, dream, whatever you want to call it is to get a bird in the clock from Barcelona and simply getting them home from any of the races leading up to it gives me absolute pleasure and makes me a winner in my eyes.
We are all very different.

Very true Dave. I had pigeons before I raced, and I've still got some now I don't race. I've met a few fanciers over the years who have said 'If I wasn't winning, I'd get rid of the birds'. I often thought how childish that sounds, if I can't win, I aren't playing?
Pigeons for many are an escape from daily life. To relax with birds you enjoy keeping.

[Murray]

I am a realist but I guess that also makes me a loser! I realised some time ago that I could never compete at club/fed level. I dont have the resources, time or the wherewithall to do so. My family always take priority and up until recently ran a business.
To hear you guys talk about what you need to do to get to the prize table leaves me with no illusion that I don't even want to join you at that table.
The legend Anthony Webster once described ppl like me perfectly in a post on the old chat, more or less saying that I was indeed a loser. I don't disagree with any of it but one thing I never do is make excuses for me or my birds.
I enjoy the club banter, company and craic but I rarely have a clock set for club races.
My only aim, goal, dream, whatever you want to call it is to get a bird in the clock from Barcelona and simply getting them home from any of the races leading up to it gives me absolute pleasure and makes me a winner in my eyes.
We are all very different.

Very true Dave. I had pigeons before I raced, and I've still got some now I don't race. I've met a few fanciers over the years who have said 'If I wasn't winning, I'd get rid of the birds'. I often thought how childish that sounds, if I can't win, I aren't playing?
Pigeons for many are an escape from daily life. To relax with birds you enjoy keeping.

That's very true alright.
Of course it's pigeon RACING, and the aim is to win, but sometimes your position or other things can work against you and you might not be ultra competitive.
I agree with King, taking your bat and ball and going home if you can't win is childish and denies you of the sheer pleasure of having the pigeons.

[NeilA]

Agree with King I wouldn’t pack up if I was getting beat regular but I would more than likely look to get better methods and better pigeons without breaking the bank .
Like you say Murray it’s still racing and with your past work no one knows that more than you ,

[NeilA]

Best of luck how ever you prefer to keep and race them though

[Devo1956]

In our club it was a numbers game, some sending 120 birds others 80 or 90. But the club was a happy club all worked together. But I must say I was happy with one of the members, who sent around 12 birds or so to get the winner. And so was everyone else. this is what makes the sport.

[Trev]

Best of luck how ever you prefer to keep and race them though

Its each to their own, as long as you enjoy what your doing, that's what's really important.
Good luck to you all in the coming season.

[Trev]

In our club it was a numbers game, some sending 120 birds others 80 or 90. But the club was a happy club all worked together. But I must say I was happy with one of the members, who sent around 12 birds or so to get the winner. And so was everyone else. this is what makes the sport.

We have a mixture of both in our club, and we do get a mixture of winners.
The funny thing is that Alan Still, who is one of our best sprint fliers, used to send anywhere between 20 and 40 birds a week. Last winter he had a heart attack and had to have a quadruple heart bypass, so he was forced to reduce his numbers. This year he started with 18 widowhood cocks, he won just as many races, both in the club and the fed, and he sill had 17 left at the end of the year.
It is a good club with a great social side.

[NeilA]

In our club it was a numbers game, some sending 120 birds others 80 or 90. But the club was a happy club all worked together. But I must say I was happy with one of the members, who sent around 12 birds or so to get the winner. And so was everyone else. this is what makes the sport.

We have a mixture of both in our club, and we do get a mixture of winners.
The funny thing is that Alan Still, who is one of our best sprint fliers, used to send anywhere between 20 and 40 birds a week. Last winter he had a heart attack and had to have a quadruple heart bypass, so he was forced to reduce his numbers. This year he started with 18 widowhood cocks, he won just as many races, both in the club and the fed, and he sill had 17 left at the end of the year.
It is a good club with a great social side.

My best year was when I had 19 to with Trev
Lost 2 early and had 17 left at the end 11 scored but 7 were special I’m not sure if i will ever get 7 like that again I’m not sure why it clicked for them few years but in 11 fed races a year I would win 5-7 for 4 years with them mainly
Now I have to many which is my fault i bred to many and had birds gifted to try from good lofts that have spent fortunes on top pedigree birds
I had very few losses 10 from weaning to after 5 races from 48 I started with and I think they had 40 tosses
Yet a few years ago I bred 27 lost 9 one Sunday off the loft and had 5 return from a short trainer with terrible injuries from wires two got home but then couldn’t get off the floor , how they got home I don’t know
So I think that’s in the back of my mind

Your right a few good widowhood cocks take some beating but now with the peregrine you can’t be sure