Today I raced with the BBC from Guernsey. The BICC were also at Guernsey and Trev sent there.
The BICC birds were liberated first at 7.00am, with the BBC going up at 7.15am.
The 2 races liberated from the same place just 15 mins apart had different results.
In the BICC the winner was in the central section North of Reading doing 1595ypm. Second was Dave & John Staddon from near me in the west with the third pigeon being in Wales. Then they were fairly well spread between the SW, NW & Central sections. Trev is provisionally 137th section 378th open doing 1046ypm. Trev had 3 drop together and got his final 2 later in the day.
In the BBC the winner was also North of Reading. The winner here was doing 1627, so a bit faster than the BICC winner. But so were most of the top 20 from section D. The early ones from over my way were only just in the first 50. I was provisionally 39th section 184th open doing 1192ypm. The bad thing from my point of view is that I only had one more of my 8 birds just over an hour behind my first. So still 6 out. 3 of these flew Guernsey last week. The other 3 were having their first race. My first one was of my own breeding and was 6th bird last week returning while I was up the club. She trapped into the young bird loft having lost her cock last weekend and missed the pad. So I had to catch her and put her over the pad myself losing a couple of minutes. My second bird was a yearling cock having his first race this year. He is a red grizzle that I bred for Murray last year.
I don’t have a race next weekend but am back at Guernsey again in a fortnight. Following a meeting with DEFRA by Ian Evans it looks like we could be going over to France come the middle of June. The thoughts from the BICC is that this would probably be fro St Philbert du Purple, 274 miles to me. I will be quite happy to give the yearlings that have been coming from Guernsey this race and may then stop them for the season depending on the race program.
Guernsey races
Our secretary always says that in the pigeon game the more you think you know the less we actually know. It is so unpredictable.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
I’ve had 3 more return today. First one this morning was at 10.48 a 2 year old who was third bird last week, another at 12.22, a yearling having his first race and another yearling having his first race at 13.32. I am pleased to see the 2 yearlings in particular as the weather hasn’t been good here today with heavy showers and a bit of thunder around. They will hopefully be better for the experience and ok to go again in a couple of weeks time.
The 3 still missing are 2 two year olds that both went last week and a yearling first timer.
The 3 still missing are 2 two year olds that both went last week and a yearling first timer.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
I think it goes to show how the weather conditions change on route and how that can easily change the course of a race. I know there was only 15 minutes difference in the liberation times but the wind got stronger during the morning so the birds got an extra boost down the home stretch. When you look at the result in the BICC (who went first) it shows that the wind played very little part in the result as 4 out 5 of the sections in the race were represented in the first 30 and the 5th section making it into the first 50 which is quite remarkable when you think there were 5500+ birds in the race which shows the birds must have split to somewhere out at sea to cover the coast from East to West.
That's good to hear Andy, they've done well to get up and go again today, hopefully the others will make it back tooAndy wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 6:18 pm I’ve had 3 more return today. First one this morning was at 10.48 a 2 year old who was third bird last week, another at 12.22, a yearling having his first race and another yearling having his first race at 13.32. I am pleased to see the 2 yearlings in particular as the weather hasn’t been good here today with heavy showers and a bit of thunder around. They will hopefully be better for the experience and ok to go again in a couple of weeks time.
The 3 still missing are 2 two year olds that both went last week and a yearling first timer.
That’s one of the things I’m looking for in the early races of these hopefully distance pigeons. Birds that are willing to get up next morning even if they’ve made a mistake on the day. From the longest races they will invariably have to night out and continue the next day.Trev wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 9:30 pmThat's good to hear Andy, they've done well to get up and go again today, hopefully the others will make it back tooAndy wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 6:18 pm I’ve had 3 more return today. First one this morning was at 10.48 a 2 year old who was third bird last week, another at 12.22, a yearling having his first race and another yearling having his first race at 13.32. I am pleased to see the 2 yearlings in particular as the weather hasn’t been good here today with heavy showers and a bit of thunder around. They will hopefully be better for the experience and ok to go again in a couple of weeks time.
The 3 still missing are 2 two year olds that both went last week and a yearling first timer.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
Good to see them still coming through the rain and on their own.Andy wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 6:18 pm I’ve had 3 more return today. First one this morning was at 10.48 a 2 year old who was third bird last week, another at 12.22, a yearling having his first race and another yearling having his first race at 13.32. I am pleased to see the 2 yearlings in particular as the weather hasn’t been good here today with heavy showers and a bit of thunder around. They will hopefully be better for the experience and ok to go again in a couple of weeks time.
The 3 still missing are 2 two year olds that both went last week and a yearling first timer.
That will stick to them when they get some longer races.
Greetings from the land down under. 