Is this true

[Bowbroom]

Terrific advert for the dealers. All you have to do is buy named stock to ensure success, such is the game of genetics, it’s possible to pair champion to champion and produce nothing of note there’s no guarantee in this game

[Anthony webster]

Go to bevel or belaar in belgium where they sprint and gamble between 5 n 30k each race and in October in tour of belgium see if them birds are winning ,,then follow the bond sales in belgium then you will see the local lofts not advertised making the most money ,,its all hype to lure the Chinese n Americans to spend money .

[king]

I would like to ask members on their views, is this true. Or is it something else. What are your thoughts?

Anybody who thinks these bloodlines are the BEST are fooling themselves. These bloodlines are the POPULAR. So the majority of birds in any race will be these bloodlines which leaves the minority made up of other families. If the next popular family in the sport were fantails, and everybody began sending fantails, the winner would be a fantail.

[Anthony webster]

Iv had these names mentioned and there's fantails out there better ,
I had vd bulcks ,best kittles, n many more names that come across here in uk n hand on heart the whole lot were gutless rubbish ok on tail wind but east winds gutless rubbish,,the Harry pigeons I tried wasn't fast but honest n solid 300 miles 1100ypm there be there solid birds but alot of these other names there just shiny dog turds with a pedigree.

[Anthony webster]

2023
34 I bought
Best kittles, vd bulcks, porsch 911,Willie Daniels, called pipa elites
34 of them 1 could race 10 percent couldn't handle a single up in fog where my own birds same day didn't blink 10 percent of these failed ,,they were just gutless no fight in them to bust there self to get home ,proper pigeons bust there self to get home but these was worse than homers that just return un tired these were proper jackers

[Anthony webster]

2023
34 I bought
Best kittles, vd bulcks, porsch 911,Willie Daniels, called pipa elites
34 of them 1 could race 10 percent couldn't handle a single up in fog where my own birds same day didn't blink 10 percent of these failed ,,they were just gutless no fight in them to bust there self to get home ,proper pigeons bust there self to get home but these was worse than homers that just return un tired these were proper jackers

Sad to hear Anthony after such investment, but so many of the same practice by many. If i am going to buy, i pick what i feel is best. I like to go on loft visit and handle them, then it is my choice, only myself to blame.

They handled fine looked the part but was no good just rubbish m8 ,most would of put them to stock but I race em first ,
The basket is how best friend it never lies ever.

[Anthony webster]

The sport is very mis leading, novices probably think they need all these expensive pedigree birds but it's all hype to releave people of there money in off season, if I had option spend 5k on new birds
Or spend 5k live and watch a champion every day for 1 month I pick the champion ,I think you go home win more the following Yr with ya normal birds than you would with ya new 5k worth of birds.
My opinion but stockmanship is the key to learn to separate rubbish from good straight away n have quick eyes to see everything as it happens not scratch ya head afterwards.

[Bowbroom]

The sport is very mis leading, novices probably think they need all these expensive pedigree birds but it's all hype to releave people of there money in off season, if I had option spend 5k on new birds
Or spend 5k live and watch a champion every day for 1 month I pick the champion ,I think you go home win more the following Yr with ya normal birds than you would with ya new 5k worth of birds.
My opinion but stockmanship is the key to learn to separate rubbish from good straight away n have quick eyes to see everything as it happens not scratch ya head afterwards.

No doubt racing pigeons are improving year upon year, far faster than race horses or pacers or greyhounds. So you can spend years spending money breeding and feeding and training and selecting, in the hope of getting better ones, or save perhaps a decade and spend less money by getting some better pigeons.
But Tony is right. It's an inborn ability to pick out the rubbish. Let's be generous and say that half of the pigeons you breed are no good. I know, it's more than that, but let's just call it that. Stockmanship is the ability to pick the ones that aren't good enough, regardless of the pedigree or the price tag. You don't see a dud in a champion's loft, just because it's bred off pigeons that cost a fortune.

On what basis do you think pigeons are improving every year, it can’t be speed as that is purely determined by the wind and it can’t be returns as that is going backwards

[Anthony webster]

I'm a dog man ,running dogs my whole life ,
There better now than ever but more injury prone ,,
I think birds are faster but weaker
I think there's 6 hour birds ,birds that fly there self out in 6 hours pure sprint that's why so many won't get up next day we see them 3 weeks later if lucky then there's ya fast middle distance birds 8 to 12 hours lovely and then there's the extra special birds bit like what Mark gilbert as that keep coming from massive distances ,
There definitely faster because 20 yrs bk u average 45 mph put wind on or deduct n you be close to what time u clock now its 50mph so there definitely faster but my opinion weaker.
Greyhounds now same ,ballyreagen bob 28 wins on trot open class probably wouldn't even grade now but a living legend the clock never lies just like the race basket.

[king]

I'm a dog man ,running dogs my whole life ,
There better now than ever but more injury prone ,,
I think birds are faster but weaker
I think there's 6 hour birds ,birds that fly there self out in 6 hours pure sprint that's why so many won't get up next day we see them 3 weeks later if lucky then there's ya fast middle distance birds 8 to 12 hours lovely and then there's the extra special birds bit like what Mark gilbert as that keep coming from massive distances ,
There definitely faster because 20 yrs bk u average 45 mph put wind on or deduct n you be close to what time u clock now its 50mph so there definitely faster but my opinion weaker.
Greyhounds now same ,ballyreagen bob 28 wins on trot open class probably wouldn't even grade now but a living legend the clock never lies just like the race basket.

I'd agree with everything you have written. Many birds are definitely weaker and I think many have a weaker homing ability. Many are what I'd call fast & daft. They fly fast not knowing where they are going, or just follow the pack. When they are alone they struggle to home. When races are easy they don't have to think.