Hawks / peregrine lost birds

[CHARLTON34]

Andy I think the Combine race program isn't good 4 times @ Chale with the peregrines on the island what chance have we got.
With the lack of distance going E to W it's not a good program in my mind but with a falling membership year on year because of a range of issue's etc age,health, BOP it's not good '& something will have to give imo.

[Andy]

Andy I think the Combine race program isn't good 4 times @ Chale with the peregrines on the island what chance have we got.
With the lack of distance going E to W it's not a good program in my mind but with a falling membership year on year because of a range of issue's etc age,health, BOP it's not good '& something will have to give imo.

Out of 21 races we have 11 from Stoney Cross, 34 miles for me and 4 from Chale 57 miles roughly. We are looking at possibly going with the new Three Counties which will at least give us some longer races.

[Buster121]

This is a subject that will affect most members, but can we watch what we post please. There must be a way forward, keeping the sport going forward and promoting the welfare of our birds.

Agree totally, can I also add not every bird that goes missing in taken by bop

[NeilA]

This is a subject that will affect most members, but can we watch what we post please. There must be a way forward, keeping the sport going forward and promoting the welfare of our birds.

Agree totally, can I also add not every bird that goes missing in taken by bop

Would you say my 3 fed winners were just lost ? These had 13 fed cards between them one had 1-4-5 fed in his last 6 races how was he lost ?

[Buster121]

This is a subject that will affect most members, but can we watch what we post please. There must be a way forward, keeping the sport going forward and promoting the welfare of our birds.

Agree totally, can I also add not every bird that goes missing in taken by bop

Would you say my 3 fed winners were just lost ? These had 13 fed cards between them one had 1-4-5 fed in his last 6 races how was he lost ?

Of course I'm not I was saying not all go to bop, I have lost birds myself and had them come back ripped open, but you cannot blame bop for every loss

[CHARLTON34]

I've had birds since the early 1980 of 1 description or another & pigeons since 2006, so to be onest I don't know any different with losses etc as this has been a regular part of this hobby for me .
To Andy I think the race program isn't forward thinking enough & doesn't do anything for the small team back garden flyer & seems to me it's all about getting race teams ready for Channel racing by the bigger player's, so the Combine could yet again financially take a hit again with the later races if they go all the way with this program as with last year's program.
To NeilA with all peregrine strikes a lot of pigeons will get scattered over a very large geographical area, & be miles off line of flight. Some will not have the homing abilities & are just follower's so never make home.
In your case I think to have 3 Fed winner's go off the radar is a hard one to take they have proved that they can do it in previous races & good pigeons tend to be able to look after them selves, hopefully they will still make home fingers crossed NeilA.
Regards Dave.

[Murray]

I am sorry to hear these accounts, it is gutting.
But welcome to my world.

[Devo1956]

Agree totally, can I also add not every bird that goes missing in taken by bop

Would you say my 3 fed winners were just lost ? These had 13 fed cards between them one had 1-4-5 fed in his last 6 races how was he lost ?

Of course I'm not I was saying not all go to bop, I have lost birds myself and had them come back ripped open, but you cannot blame bop for every loss

Once they are let go from the transporter, we dont have any connection until they are home. So much can happen on the way, that is the sport we are in.

[Andy]

I've had birds since the early 1980 of 1 description or another & pigeons since 2006, so to be onest I don't know any different with losses etc as this has been a regular part of this hobby for me .
To Andy I think the race program isn't forward thinking enough & doesn't do anything for the small team back garden flyer & seems to me it's all about getting race teams ready for Channel racing by the bigger player's, so the Combine could yet again financially take a hit again with the later races if they go all the way with this program as with last year's program.
To NeilA with all peregrine strikes a lot of pigeons will get scattered over a very large geographical area, & be miles off line of flight. Some will not have the homing abilities & are just follower's so never make home.
In your case I think to have 3 Fed winner's go off the radar is a hard one to take they have proved that they can do it in previous races & good pigeons tend to be able to look after them selves, hopefully they will still make home fingers crossed NeilA.
Regards Dave.

Apparently there is always the option to change the program and if they start losing money they can cancel the longest races, Eastbourne 118 miles to me, and go to Stoney Cross instead . I am just a club flyer as I have no interest now in re-joining the classics with all that goes with it just to fly the channel and yes the combine now is just being used for training tosses for the big guys wanting to fly the nationals and internationals, no thoughts for the small team flyers.

[NeilA]

What pigeons you flying Andy ?
must be hard for your birds after generations of 35 miles been a training toss for longer races to go at absolute full tilt from that distance in a race now
I would be tempted to look for pigeons that do that distance weekly like they do in Belgium I’m sure some clubs only race 80 miles each week there
I even think Grantham is to short here and that’s 83 miles as we go 2x 110 miles straight after
I speak to a top national flier regular and he always says two short races then nothing under 200 miles for the rest of the year your program would destroy him