Good practice/training.

[MIL]

This morning for the second Wednesday morning running I let my birds out just after 7.00. In the mornings I let them all out together, old and young. They were having a good fly while I went to have some breakfast. When I went back out to clean out and get them in there were 2 batches in the sky. Mine and a much larger batch of probably trainers flying around. Mine soon went up and joined the large batch. It was cloudy and the others seemed in no hurry to disappear. After a few minutes mine started to pull out and soon they split into 2 batches. After cleaning out several of mine had come down but the batch was still going around with the odd ones of mine pulling out from time to time. I called mine in and all were there. The other batch had by this time cleared. I had all mine in and no strays. So I think a good bit of experience for both lots. It may have been different if the large batch had already been racing home but then mine probably wouldn’t have joined them anyway. I am not far from Wincanton race course so they may have been liberated from there. May have been a midweek race. I have often thought that clashing is just an excuse for losses. To me this shows that birds with any sense won’t be pulled away by other birds.

If you think that’s ‘good practice’ then would you be exercising the YB this Saturday morning before the OB return home?
You’ve a better than even chance of seeing Midlands liberations coming through you at that time

[Andy]

They have mixed with another lot this morning. Only about 50 today.
Last year was the first year I raced a whole young bird program since restarting in the sport 8 years ago. Until then a lot of youngsters weren’t raced at all, some just had one or a couple of national races over the channel. I must say that I found no advantage to the ones that were raced and those that weren’t raced as youngsters when it came to old bird racing. I have lost the young cocks that completed the whole young bird program last year but still have one that wasn’t raced as he was a late bred.

[NeilA]

They have mixed with another lot this morning. Only about 50 today.
Last year was the first year I raced a whole young bird program since restarting in the sport 8 years ago. Until then a lot of youngsters weren’t raced at all, some just had one or a couple of national races over the channel. I must say that I found no advantage to the ones that were raced and those that weren’t raced as youngsters when it came to old bird racing. I have lost the young cocks that completed the whole young bird program last year but still have one that wasn’t raced as he was a late bred.

your sprinting now Andy not just keeping them to gently bring into races
Pigeon racing to me isn’t pigeon keeping and if it was I would just race natural not bother to train / have them tested / be up at 5 each day etc
I agree You don’t need to race ybs I never use to I still never lost them as old boys but that’s not the objective that’s keeping pigeons to home
To sprint you need to select and select again I move on every yearling that does not score ( or drop with ) the first 15 fed places of 800 pigeons twice over 10 /12 races
That way you end up with a small reliable team of cocks
I know for sprinting they don’t really improve much over time a 3 year old doesn’t really suddenly turn into a ace from a 100 miles race
I would ask your self it you did similar how many birds would be in your widowhood section now
Of course if winning isn’t the thing and your just enjoying them race then that's a different way but you wouldn’t be in widowhood if you just wanted to keep them as pets
One thing you can pick up from Mike is test select and repeat
I gave away fed winners others with 4-5 fed cards as they were one off or were stating to slow
To me sprint ybs should be doing 20 miles in 22/23 mins not flying about with old birds or roaming home from training

That’s how I improved by being strict if that’s not your thing then I totally respect how you like to enjoy your hobby

[MIL]

I can totally emphasise with Neil's approach in the sense that he's a fancier trying to progress and improve. The only way to do that is to constantly identify those who are the weakest (whether it be in terms of breeding or racing). The only true way to judge that is by performance. There's nothing else you can go on realisitically if you're ambitious.

If you're a fancier who just likes to send, see them come home and hope for the best well I wish you the very best of luck - but there's no adivce that I can offer someone like that. i'm not saying I won evey week, but I'd make it damned uncomfortable for someone to beat me

Phil started the season with 38. His yearlings flew the programme last year as YB. Aside from Race 1 when the hens weren't ready he's sent 38 each week. He still has 37 left despite widespread losses in his Club and surrounding Clubs. Returning home is the very least that I expect from them (of couese we can't help BoP etc). In 2 weeks time we'll judge what has retained their box for 2025. There's a YB team of 33 behind these, but how many of these get kept for the 2025 season has no bearing on the 2024 OB team. The OB have eiher earned your perch or you've not which is why some, in 2 weeks time will have to take their chance at Vire otherwise they won't be part of the 2025 team

When I raced I had an OB tream of no more than 20 cocks (ideally 18). I could house 28 but I purposely chose a number of boxes to remain closed. Invariably 10 or so would have held their box, so from a YB team of 35 or so I'd be looking for no more than 8 cocks and they raced the programme. Sometimes I let a young cock move on and his crime was that he'd won for me as a YB. So yes, just because a pigeon wins it doesn't necessarily mean its a good pigeon. Like Neil I wanted a pigeon to do well for me, and then slap me across the face time and time again with its performances and make it impossible for me for him not to be part of the team next year

[goose1]

I can totally emphasise with Neil's approach in the sense that he's a fancier trying to progress and improve. The only way to do that is to constantly identify those who are the weakest (whether it be in terms of breeding or racing). The only true way to judge that is by performance. There's nothing else you can go on realisitically if you're ambitious.

If you're a fancier who just likes to send, see them come home and hope for the best well I wish you the very best of luck - but there's no adivce that I can offer someone like that. i'm not saying I won evey week, but I'd make it damned uncomfortable for someone to beat me

Phil started the season with 38. His yearlings flew the programme last year as YB. Aside from Race 1 when the hens weren't ready he's sent 38 each week. He still has 37 left despite widespread losses in his Club and surrounding Clubs. Returning home is the very least that I expect from them (of couese we can't help BoP etc). In 2 weeks time we'll judge what has retained their box for 2025. There's a YB team of 33 behind these, but how many of these get kept for the 2025 season has no bearing on the 2024 OB team. The OB have eiher earned your perch or you've not which is why some, in 2 weeks time will have to take their chance at Vire otherwise they won't be part of the 2025 team

When I raced I had an OB tream of no more than 20 cocks (ideally 18). I could house 28 but I purposely chose a number of boxes to remain closed. Invariably 10 or so would have held their box, so from a YB team of 35 or so I'd be looking for no more than 8 cocks and they raced the programme. Sometimes I let a young cock move on and his crime was that he'd won for me as a YB. So yes, just because a pigeon wins it doesn't necessarily mean its a good pigeon. Like Neil I wanted a pigeon to do well for me, and then slap me across the face time and time again with its performances and make it impossible for me for him not to be part of the team next year

without being disrespectful when I read such posts all I can do is laugh and say lucky you and anyone else who flys in an area (location not competition) where it is so easy to keep pigeons where you only drop 1 or 2 a season. If you boys flew where we have to I'd give you probably 1 but 3 seasons tops and yous would pack in. I'm not doubting your or anyone else's ability as a fancier because I would never do that but take it from me there's some bloody good fanciers up here and the lads have to keep (unless exceptionally poor) what they are left with. Its a different world up here. I'd say we'll have more pigeons left that just about anyone in our amal because our main aim is different to a lot of lads (although as previously said we want to do well with old birds first race to last) so we take a more softly softly approach but season in season out every loft up here is decimated so it's probably worth baring in mind when posted such things it isn't plain sailing and easy racing for lads everywhere. I bloody wish it was!

[Devo1956]

Can i ask where you based Goose? and what Amal you race in. Thank you.

[goose1]

Can i ask where you based Goose? and what Amal you race in. Thank you.

West Cumbria unfortunately. Lovely place unless you race pigeons of course

[Devo1956]

Can i ask where you based Goose? and what Amal you race in. Thank you.

West Cumbria unfortunately. Lovely place unless you race pigeons of course

Yes i agree, very hard racing in that area. All the best for the rest of the year.

[MIL]

I can appreciate where you live and the obstacles that you face Gavin

I'm only speaking from my experience from racing here in the Midlands, because thats all I'm qualified to draw my experience from - just as you're drawing on your local experience

Phil's not immune from visits from BoP. He started with 44 YB and he's now down to 33 courtesy of BoP visits to the loft in March

There's also been widespread losses in his immediate area (same Federation) but he's managed to swerve that bullet

[goose1]

I can appreciate where you live and the obstacles that you face Gavin

I'm only speaking from my experience from racing here in the Midlands, because thats all I'm qualified to draw my experience from

I hope you understand I'm never having a pop even if it comes across that way sometimes. I just like to try and say how I see things. I know you were a top class fancier and obviously your insight and contribution on sites such as this should be greatly appreciated by all.