Bicc Pau

[Bowbroom]

I have a simple view, if after studying all available info, and all things being equal, if I think that the birds will probably not get home on the day of liberation then I wouldn’t send if a winning bird can’t get home on the day then imo it’s not a race anymore it’s a homing event too many factors outside your and the birds control.
As far as yearlings go, they’re only yearlings for a year they’re old birds for the rest of their lives, experience and patience has always been my watchword
I have sent young birds to 372 miles and yearlings to 450 miles on the days when I thought they could do it on the day

[Diamond Dave]

When you try to go into it in depth, it won't work, you either send Y/L or you don't. When flying south road the prevailing wind is S/W, and I don't believe that all these men that are preparing thier yearlings for these races are looking that far into the future. Any race flown in a nose wind can be difficult, its the chance you take.

Yes Albert, I can't find a satisfactory weather forecast that indicates where the wind is going to be.
The Bicc is a bit better than some other organisations because you don't need to book them in advance.
So, I am preparing a couple of yearlings anyway in the hope the weather is going to be kind - if not, they won't go.
I have 2 x 2yo that weren't good enough to go to Pau that will be going anyway.

[Diamond Dave]

I have a simple view, if after studying all available info, and all things being equal, if I think that the birds will probably not get home on the day of liberation then I wouldn’t send if a winning bird can’t get home on the day then imo it’s not a race anymore it’s a homing event too many factors outside your and the birds control.
As far as yearlings go, they’re only yearlings for a year they’re old birds for the rest of their lives, experience and patience has always been my watchword
I have sent young birds to 372 miles and yearlings to 450 miles on the days when I thought they could do it on the day

Cheers BB, I like the philosophy but it seems that in this day and age, and for whatever reason, experienced birds are getting lost too.
In anycase, my yearlings have already been over the channel 3 times this year so is there any reason I can't
call them 'experienced' rather than call them yearlings?

[Bowbroom]

Only you can decide your birds fate

[Diamond Dave]

Thanks Trev - appreciate the reply mate.

[Bowbroom]

You have to have the right stock of course but they have to be prepared correctly also, the most able birds will NOT perform if not treated and prepared for the job in hand.
It’s your decision of course but if my yearlings had been over the pond 3 times this year they would be put aside to mature for next year

[PeteDerby]

Really interesting discussion. I’ve nothing to add as I don’t have the experience, so this is just to say thanks to the contributors

[Diamond Dave]

Thanks gents, I have now been able to see some decent weather forecasts for the Friday and Saturday and if it had been kinder, I might have sent a couple of yearlings but with a good deal of East in the wind I have decided to keep them at home.
I will still have a couple of 2yo going so will still suffer the normal anxiety of a long distance race day along with probably getting up at silly o'clock on Sat morning
BUT will love it just the same!
Thanks all for taking the trouble to share your thoughts.

[Diamond Dave]

Ahh, sincere good luck Trev.
I thought it was just me who suffered having to make those sort of decisions so I guess we are all in the same boat.
What would you put those losses down to Trev, bad luck, errors of judgement, conditions or birds may not have been good enough?
I'd love to know what nest position those 2 hens are in
so when I read your "Littlehampton " report I will get why you are putting that much faith in them.

[Diamond Dave]

I'm sticking with this thread for this post, maybe should have started a new one but the subject is relevant to this thread.
Well, I got not nothing from what appears to have been a brutal race from Bordeaux where I sent 2 x experienced 2 yo cocks.
I must admit, it wasn't the type of race I expected it to be and yes before anyone jumps on me - I did know what the conditions were going to be like ( maybe not quite as harsh as I expected) and thought that experienced birds would cope with the conditions anyway, which if you were up to speed with this thread you will know is the reason I didn't send my yearlings.
However, I would just l8ke to point out that there are plenty of yearlings clocked and most notable for me is that Mark Gilbert only sent his yearlings and plenty of them were clocked. Perhaps his success in the international races comes from the experience these yearlings gain from such a race.???
Obviously different birds to mine but are they that different?
As Albert suggested in an earlier post - may need to have a rethink about what we should expect from yearlings - food for thought???