New birds to try

[Buster121]

I agree with Goose too that anyone can breed pigeons. It’s not hard or rocket science. That being said why then do some many people buy pigeons in every year? Because just breeding pigeons is different to breeding pigeons that are an improvement on what you have already, and breeding an ever improving family is even harder. Why would, or should, youngsters brought in be better than what you can breed yourself? The biggest trouble is people want instant success at any cost and aren’t prepared to be patient. So many buy in teams of youngsters, usually of the latest craze, get a few decent results that very quickly deteriorates over the next couple of generations. So out the lot and start again with the then latest craze. Seen this no end of times over the years. Some can only keep winning by regularly buying in.

Totally agree mate

[king]

Anyone can breed a family of pigeons that is easy, but very few can breed a family of winning pigeons. I'm not sure a family is all that important for sprint racing as the top lads change pigeons regularly for various reasons and win. Let's use Neil or Mike on here, two top sprint fanciers (who would no doubt win from further if they were that way inclined) you could give them well bred pigeons from any family or line and I would bet good money they would win with them. However when you get to 500 mile plus and possibly even a little less given the difficulties in racing now I feel a family of proven performers at the distance are golden. But there are very very few genuine family's of distance pigeons about now. I think when Brian Denney was at his peak, lets say from around 2005 through to 2011 that was as good as you could get a family of pigeons to perform. 730 ish miles, team performances at racing velocities. 40 plus years of breeding and working on a family, to me pigeon racing doesn't get any better than that. The one who springs to mind today who has a genuine family of winning distance pigeons is Mark Bulled. I've turned this into a distance post just because if you aren't into distance racing I definitely wouldn't get too hung up on creating a family I would be more concerned with refining my methods and management to gain every yard I could.
But like everything in this sport if the fancier is happy doing what he's doing then that's all that matters.

Brian only brought in SIX crosses in that 40 years.

[goose1]

Anyone can breed a family of pigeons that is easy, but very few can breed a family of winning pigeons. I'm not sure a family is all that important for sprint racing as the top lads change pigeons regularly for various reasons and win. Let's use Neil or Mike on here, two top sprint fanciers (who would no doubt win from further if they were that way inclined) you could give them well bred pigeons from any family or line and I would bet good money they would win with them. However when you get to 500 mile plus and possibly even a little less given the difficulties in racing now I feel a family of proven performers at the distance are golden. But there are very very few genuine family's of distance pigeons about now. I think when Brian Denney was at his peak, lets say from around 2005 through to 2011 that was as good as you could get a family of pigeons to perform. 730 ish miles, team performances at racing velocities. 40 plus years of breeding and working on a family, to me pigeon racing doesn't get any better than that. The one who springs to mind today who has a genuine family of winning distance pigeons is Mark Bulled. I've turned this into a distance post just because if you aren't into distance racing I definitely wouldn't get too hung up on creating a family I would be more concerned with refining my methods and management to gain every yard I could.
But like everything in this sport if the fancier is happy doing what he's doing then that's all that matters.

Brian only brought in SIX crosses in that 40 years.

They were some family of pigeons. Think I'm right in saying one year the same cock (maxi?) bred his first 2 possibly even 3 pigeons home from Pau. Quite unbelievable when you think of the distance involved. And as I keep saying these pigeons were racing from that distance not homing. Again I think I'm right in saying one year he had a cock fly it on the day 730 mile. 16 hrs plus on the wing. Doesn't get any better. One of the crosses or introductions will have been Tuff Nut was it king? Again correct me if I'm wrong I think that bird was gifted to Brian by a Dave Harrison of Preston area? Tuff Nut went on to be 5th open Tarbes and left a lot of pigeons to do well? Does Brian still race King? Age has got to be catching up with him now

[goose1]

Pretty much what Goose was advising King
I think Mark tries birds from top fanciers and friends but he keeps his base and when you look those very few that he brings in feature in peds there mostly going back to Die hard /The owl from 1975
His sprint team very different I know he tries sprint birds every year from top lines and he flies a good sprint pigeon

Mark is getting a hen from us at Blackpool this weekend but as you say it's 75% his own blood, that have performed for us crossed with a nice line of our own.

[goose1]

Nice one Goose sure that will work out well for him

Hopefully mate. It's some family him and his dad created. We tend to keep Marks family of birds close in our own loft, I wouldn't cross them with some of the continental pigeons and lines we have. We tend to put them to what you would call older English lines then back into his family, just seems to work better for us at least. We had a real nice cock from legacy bred 5 individual fed winners at the distance plus a first section 625 mile but unfortunately he went infertile so trying to keep that line going through offspring.

[goose1]

That’s a fantastic cock not many like that it shows how good top blood in top fanciers hands can do particularly from the distance
My old number cock finished last year I just hope I have the skill to keep that line going .

Thinking about I think there’s a you tube video where Mark mentioned his birds crossed best with old English blood now you mention it

Interesting I'll have to have a look for that vid. You do wonder why certain lines of pigeon seem to cross better together than others.

[king]

Anyone can breed a family of pigeons that is easy, but very few can breed a family of winning pigeons. I'm not sure a family is all that important for sprint racing as the top lads change pigeons regularly for various reasons and win. Let's use Neil or Mike on here, two top sprint fanciers (who would no doubt win from further if they were that way inclined) you could give them well bred pigeons from any family or line and I would bet good money they would win with them. However when you get to 500 mile plus and possibly even a little less given the difficulties in racing now I feel a family of proven performers at the distance are golden. But there are very very few genuine family's of distance pigeons about now. I think when Brian Denney was at his peak, lets say from around 2005 through to 2011 that was as good as you could get a family of pigeons to perform. 730 ish miles, team performances at racing velocities. 40 plus years of breeding and working on a family, to me pigeon racing doesn't get any better than that. The one who springs to mind today who has a genuine family of winning distance pigeons is Mark Bulled. I've turned this into a distance post just because if you aren't into distance racing I definitely wouldn't get too hung up on creating a family I would be more concerned with refining my methods and management to gain every yard I could.
But like everything in this sport if the fancier is happy doing what he's doing then that's all that matters.

Brian only brought in SIX crosses in that 40 years.

They were some family of pigeons. Think I'm right in saying one year the same cock (maxi?) bred his first 2 possibly even 3 pigeons home from Pau. Quite unbelievable when you think of the distance involved. And as I keep saying these pigeons were racing from that distance not homing. Again I think I'm right in saying one year he had a cock fly it on the day 730 mile. 16 hrs plus on the wing. Doesn't get any better. One of the crosses or introductions will have been Tuff Nut was it king? Again correct me if I'm wrong I think that bird was gifted to Brian by a Dave Harrison of Preston area? Tuff Nut went on to be 5th open Tarbes and left a lot of pigeons to do well? Does Brian still race King? Age has got to be catching up with him now

Yes Tuff- Nut was from Dave Harrison but it was of Brian's own bloodlines. So not one of the 6 crosses. Brian did indeed fly Tarbes on the day 748 miles and holds the British 24hr hour Record for distance flown. Tuff- Nut was as you say 5th Open Pau 738 miles. A daughter from him was 3rd open Tarbes 748 miles. I doubt any fancier has clocked more 'racing' 700 mile birds than him. Lot's of fanciers owe success at the distance to him.
Brian doesn't race anymore, I'm not sure if he still has any birds?
I've not seen him since his wife Thelma died a few years ago.

[goose1]

Brian only brought in SIX crosses in that 40 years.

They were some family of pigeons. Think I'm right in saying one year the same cock (maxi?) bred his first 2 possibly even 3 pigeons home from Pau. Quite unbelievable when you think of the distance involved. And as I keep saying these pigeons were racing from that distance not homing. Again I think I'm right in saying one year he had a cock fly it on the day 730 mile. 16 hrs plus on the wing. Doesn't get any better. One of the crosses or introductions will have been Tuff Nut was it king? Again correct me if I'm wrong I think that bird was gifted to Brian by a Dave Harrison of Preston area? Tuff Nut went on to be 5th open Tarbes and left a lot of pigeons to do well? Does Brian still race King? Age has got to be catching up with him now

Yes Tuff- Nut was from Dave Harrison but it was of Brian's own bloodlines. So not one of the 6 crosses. Brian did indeed fly Tarbes on the day 748 miles and holds the British 24hr hour Record for distance flown. Tuff- Nut was as you say 5th Open Pau 738 miles. A daughter from him was 3rd open Tarbes 748 miles. I doubt any fancier has clocked more 'racing' 700 mile birds than him. Lot's of fanciers owe success at the distance to him.
Brian doesn't race anymore, I'm not sure if he still has any birds?
I've not seen him since his wife Thelma died a few years ago.

Good info that King thanks. You do wonder just what Brian Denney would have achieved from Barcelona if he was in a favorable location around the South East.

[goose1]

That’s a fantastic cock not many like that it shows how good top blood in top fanciers hands can do particularly from the distance
My old number cock finished last year I just hope I have the skill to keep that line going .

Thinking about I think there’s a you tube video where Mark mentioned his birds crossed best with old English blood now you mention it

Interesting I'll have to have a look for that vid. You do wonder why certain lines of pigeon seem to cross better together than others.

I think it’s one with Keith mott rather than the older loft report.
Yes it is strange why some work out

Ahh right will have a look tonight thanks

[king]

It’s video 350 on Keith motts you tube mate
I am crap at technology so can’t upload it on here unfortunately

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj8PKfzbW5c