UkPigeonRacing

Murray wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:31 pm It's still been a good season for both of you, Trev and Andy. The young birds have had plenty of racing and have learned their trade. It might have been good to have got some more distance in them but you both have teams set up for racing as yearlings.
Well done both of you.

Thanks Muzza Of course you are right and I am pleased with my season, we had two distance races and I scored in them both so I've got to be happy with that

We too had 13 old bird races and 8 young bird races. The longest one for me was 169 miles. But I have old birds that had 11 of the 13 races and youngsters that will have had 8 races. I too enjoy the long races but can’t see me changing to going over the water any time soon. I couldn’t justify all the cost of vets and birdage fees to compete against just a handful of members. Plus the travelling needed to get to marking stations. Unless you’re going to go for the internationals or the couple of longest national races at £8+ per bird the distances still aren’t that great. I could go to Guernsey without the vet or DEFRA certificates but that’s only 109 miles with 2 days in the basket and a cost of £3.50 a bird. I can get that distance in the combine with a Friday night marking and for 85p per bird and against bigger birdage.

Andy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:46 pm We too had 13 old bird races and 8 young bird races. The longest one for me was 169 miles. But I have old birds that had 11 of the 13 races and youngsters that will have had 8 races.

Whereas the top distance fliers in the country have teams of yearlings that have have already flown over 500 miles !!!

Trev wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:30 pm

Andy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:14 pm You’re lucky to get that far Trev. We have our longest and final young bird race next weekend. Brighton. 102 miles for me. I know I’m one of the shortest members in the combine and the furthest will be doing 150 miles but still not very far. Having said that mine would have had 9 races and some have been difficult races. I’ve never really been interested in young bird racing it’s just a bit of experience for them so distance doesn’t matter. I have on more occasions than I choose to remember where good youngsters have fallen early in the season the following year. Results in young bird races mean very little to how good they’re be as old birds so I wouldn’t worry too much Trev.

I know what you mean Andy and I have never set much store on what my youngsters have done as I've also lost plenty that have won as youngsters and on the other hand have won with old birds that were useless as youngsters. Having said that I have always had a decent record in the longest young bird race and have always enjoyed racing it just as I have the longest old bird race. The point is though that I'm getting a bit pissxx off that the distance fanciers are continually over looked these days, our race programme had 13 old bird races and 8 young bird races with only 5 of them over 200 miles !! Out of those 5 we ended up racing only 2 of them if the sprint men don't want to race them then don't send, but don't stop those that want to race them from being able too we voted on a race programme back in the closed season so stick to it !!!

Whilst I agree should stick to what was voted on sometimes things have to change for the welfare of the birds as in this case they think going to be hot and don't want babies to suffer, note the word ''babies'', even in saying that I know when temps have been high they have got them up early so as to give them a chance and even though mornings are darker they should have considered this option

Trev wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:51 pm

Andy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:46 pm We too had 13 old bird races and 8 young bird races. The longest one for me was 169 miles. But I have old birds that had 11 of the 13 races and youngsters that will have had 8 races.

Whereas the top distance fliers in the country have teams of yearlings that have have already flown over 500 miles !!!

I think you’d be surprised how few yearlings there are that have actually flown 500+ miles Trev. These fanciers breed very large teams, often 100s, and lose a high percentage of them.

Andy wrote: ↑Fri Sep 08, 2023 8:06 am

Trev wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:51 pm

Andy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:46 pm We too had 13 old bird races and 8 young bird races. The longest one for me was 169 miles. But I have old birds that had 11 of the 13 races and youngsters that will have had 8 races.

Whereas the top distance fliers in the country have teams of yearlings that have have already flown over 500 miles !!!

I think you’d be surprised how few yearlings there are that have actually flown 500+ miles Trev. These fanciers breed very large teams, often 100s, and lose a high percentage of them.

Very true Andy. Very true.
My wee Melbourne hen is a golden example,
She flew 600 miles in her first season, her second season, and went 500 miles of the 600 miles the third season before her luck ran out. She arrived here exhausted and terrified after having obviously been hit by a hawk. At the time the man was quick to 'gift' her to me, but then, latter, enquired if I still wanted her. Another story.
Pigeons that can fly 500 miles as a yearling are not a dime a dozen. But if the flyer is determined to succeed at the long distance, they are exactly what you need.

I totally agree Trev!

Buster121 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 08, 2023 6:09 am

Trev wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:30 pm

Andy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:14 pm You’re lucky to get that far Trev. We have our longest and final young bird race next weekend. Brighton. 102 miles for me. I know I’m one of the shortest members in the combine and the furthest will be doing 150 miles but still not very far. Having said that mine would have had 9 races and some have been difficult races. I’ve never really been interested in young bird racing it’s just a bit of experience for them so distance doesn’t matter. I have on more occasions than I choose to remember where good youngsters have fallen early in the season the following year. Results in young bird races mean very little to how good they’re be as old birds so I wouldn’t worry too much Trev.

I know what you mean Andy and I have never set much store on what my youngsters have done as I've also lost plenty that have won as youngsters and on the other hand have won with old birds that were useless as youngsters. Having said that I have always had a decent record in the longest young bird race and have always enjoyed racing it just as I have the longest old bird race. The point is though that I'm getting a bit pissxx off that the distance fanciers are continually over looked these days, our race programme had 13 old bird races and 8 young bird races with only 5 of them over 200 miles !! Out of those 5 we ended up racing only 2 of them if the sprint men don't want to race them then don't send, but don't stop those that want to race them from being able too we voted on a race programme back in the closed season so stick to it !!!

Whilst I agree should stick to what was voted on sometimes things have to change for the welfare of the birds as in this case they think going to be hot and don't want babies to suffer, note the word ''babies'', even in saying that I know when temps have been high they have got them up early so as to give them a chance and even though mornings are darker they should have considered this option

I would agree with you Buster if it was down to pigeon welfare but unfortunately I don't think it has anything to do with this decision, this is purely down to money as this is our breeder buyer race and federation averages. If they'd really looked at the weather they'd have seen that Sunday is going to be cooler with more cloud cover. Sadly it's the sprint men calling the shots again

Andy wrote: ↑Fri Sep 08, 2023 8:06 am

Trev wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:51 pm

Andy wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:46 pm We too had 13 old bird races and 8 young bird races. The longest one for me was 169 miles. But I have old birds that had 11 of the 13 races and youngsters that will have had 8 races.

Whereas the top distance fliers in the country have teams of yearlings that have have already flown over 500 miles !!!

I think you’d be surprised how few yearlings there are that have actually flown 500+ miles Trev. These fanciers breed very large teams, often 100s, and lose a high percentage of them.

I do agree Andy and personally wouldn't send yearlings or potentially even two year olds that far as I want birds to be able to do it more than once, but these big boys don't look to longevity as they have so many birds it doesn't matter and even the mediocre birds are worth money to them. If you look back through the classic races this year you will be surprised how many yearlings and two year olds are in the results, from St Vincent with the BICC your John Staddon had 4 yearlings in the result, 6 of the 12 in the west section were yearlings !! There were 10 yearlings and 24 two year olds in the 62 birds timed in. Agen 560miles + had 39 two year olds out of 88 timed in.
Perpignan had 54 timed in, 10 of the two year olds.
Pau 550miles + 88 timed 39 two year olds.
BBC Tarbes 559+ miles was won by a yearling, 45 birds timed 9 yearlings, 20 two year olds.
The NFC results aren't so easy to find and read but their Tarbes National race had Mark Gilbert (apparently sent 100 yearlings) 3rd with a yearling flying 570miles, Doih Gatland had at least 3 yearlings timed in at 550miles, John Staddon had one at 560miles, Clive and Jill Roger's had one flying 570miles and without look at all clocked there were yearlings clocked 532 miles and 555miles.
Anyway that wasn't really my point !! My point was that regardless of whether we think young bird racing proves anything or not or if its right to send yearlings/two year olds that far we joined the North Road Federation to get some distance racing in, we voted on a programme that gave us the chance to race 5 reasonably good distance races and down to those fanciers who pull all the strings that was taken away from us !!! As I said sadly distance racing at club and federation level is dying out of our sport and will soon only be available to the elite

Yes the way it’s going long distance racing will only be available to the elite, and those with deep pockets. The cost of sending birds to these long races will continue to soar as the birdage and members sending will very quickly fall. This will then leave these elite flyers racing against themselves with little competition. It will look good on sales sheets though which will show what they’ve won. It won’t say how many against.