Tarbes 2024 - Superb!

[Buster121]

Class at it's best

[Diamond Dave]

My goodness - and here's me just trying to get a bird home.
You gotta hand it to mister Gilbert. The sire of this bird is an exceptional specimen.

[Buster121]

Nice again

[Diamond Dave]

Just looking through the ped of Southfield Darren and cant help but notice all the top names in it.
Gyselbrecht
Alex Rans
Jelle Jellema
Nico Volkens
Batenberg.
Its great for MG, but if Im honest, it gets me thinking - how do "normal" fanciers compete with that?. I couldnt even afford the import cost on one of those birds.
You all agree with Mark Bulled that blood counts when it comes to the distance, well theres not many ppl that can afford the best in Europe to that degree and I wonder will mr Gilberts' sheer dominance have a detrimental effect on distance flying in this country.

[Diamond Dave]

I think all you do is be at your best and hope it works on the day
Mark Gilbert will 9 times out of 10 have pigeons in one top 10 of nationals but not always win it , there be other birds amongst the top prizes
You mention Mark Bulled well he won the bbc fougers and the NFC Tarbes in a week
He works full time and races from his garden

Have to agree Neil. I guess we all have our own aspirations and mine are completely different to his.
Am I jealous? ................................................................. Hell, you bet I am!!!

[goose1]

Just looking through the ped of Southfield Darren and cant help but notice all the top names in it.
Gyselbrecht
Alex Rans
Jelle Jellema
Nico Volkens
Batenberg.
Its great for MG, but if Im honest, it gets me thinking - how do "normal" fanciers compete with that?. I couldnt even afford the import cost on one of those birds.
You all agree with Mark Bulled that blood counts when it comes to the distance, well theres not many ppl that can afford the best in Europe to that degree and I wonder will mr Gilberts' sheer dominance have a detrimental effect on distance flying in this country.

Mark Gilbert like everyone else is beatable. He did not have a good season (certainly by his own standards) in the BICC International races last year. It took him to the last International race to actually win the BICC. He was on record as saying the distance pigeons just didn't come into the form he would expect last year. It happens to everyone.

[goose1]

Just looking through the ped of Southfield Darren and cant help but notice all the top names in it.
Gyselbrecht
Alex Rans
Jelle Jellema
Nico Volkens
Batenberg.
Its great for MG, but if Im honest, it gets me thinking - how do "normal" fanciers compete with that?. I couldnt even afford the import cost on one of those birds.
You all agree with Mark Bulled that blood counts when it comes to the distance, well theres not many ppl that can afford the best in Europe to that degree and I wonder will mr Gilberts' sheer dominance have a detrimental effect on distance flying in this country.

If you look at the big 2 results from 2024

Mel King won the NFC Tarbes sending 6

Andrei Bargaoanu won the Barcelona sending 2

In the 2024 Barcelona race there were 8 guys (including the winner) in the top 19 who entered either 1 or 2 pigeons





I would say focus on yourself, dare to dream, and dreams can come true

As for Mark having a "detrimental effect" I would say exactly the opposite actually

I would say his inspirational performances are driving a resurgence in racing at the distance

Absolutely bang on Mike.

[Diamond Dave]

Evening Mike.
Can I ask if do you know anything about the breeder of the pigeon Jack Jones in your latest post?
The reason I ask is because of the name Stoffel. I was given a pigeon by a club mate some time ago and he said it was bred from his old Soffel family (at least thats what I thought he said) but he could well have said Stoffel.
I thought that Soffel was a very old strain of pigeons that I had never heard of.