Bowbroom wrote: Sun Sep 21, 2025 1:17 pm
Getting to know your local club is the way to start, I’m sure they would welcome you and show you the ropes.
I hope you get as much pleasure out of the game as I have over the 60 years
Thanks mate i've contacted local club so waiting to hear back off them, thats some time involved cant see myself having that many years will be touching 100 whats the racing like is it active and plenty of racing? Don't imagine theres too many young lads coming through unless involved through someone, hard enough to get a football team together these days.
Anthony webster wrote: Sun Sep 21, 2025 2:07 pm
Distance pigeons don't exercise or eat like sprint pigeons I would choose 1 and learn about that first instead of trying both at once ,better to be good at one things instead of average at 2 things ok pal.
Yes makes sense mate, probably go short distance then maybe move to longer in a couple of seasons. Its the first decision I need to make before getting any birds. Any idea if there's a way to have a look at a race programme to see number of races and distances? Or does it vary depending on club?
If ya Liverpool area
Normally first or second Saturday in April until 2nd Saturday in July for old birds and 3rd week July until 2nd Saturday in September for young bird racing .
Anthony webster wrote: Sun Sep 21, 2025 5:33 pm
If ya Liverpool area
Normally first or second Saturday in April until 2nd Saturday in July for old birds and 3rd week July until 2nd Saturday in September for young bird racing .
Well 6 weeks have passed and still waiting for a phone call from RPRA regional secretary and waiting to be contacted from club member regarding joining up. Paid for RPRA membership how long does it take to get loft number and what else have I actually paid for as like everything else on there nothing is particularly clear. Feels like it’s a closed shop and would certainly put people off getting involved let alone the expense of it all just to get started. Was hearing the same conversations at Doncaster regarding not enough numbers to send birds transporters not wanting to pick 3 baskets up, why not just have 1 or 2 marking stations for that area? Or join clubs together seems people are scared to race against decent flyers and are happy to get a card against 3 flyers. Tbh the more I’m looking into things if I hadn’t laid out so much money already I’d be having second thoughts. Even sending a postal order i thought was a bit outdated and should have been able to sign up online and pay. I really hope pigeon pathways get plenty behind them and push things along for the sport, had my moan anyway . All the work I’ve had to do in my garden probably hasn’t helped almost finished 2 more trees to go and ready to set my shed up, will probably be next weekend.
Held2025 wrote: Wed Nov 05, 2025 11:36 am
Well 6 weeks have passed and still waiting for a phone call from RPRA regional secretary and waiting to be contacted from club member regarding joining up. Paid for RPRA membership how long does it take to get loft number and what else have I actually paid for as like everything else on there nothing is particularly clear. Feels like it’s a closed shop and would certainly put people off getting involved let alone the expense of it all just to get started. Was hearing the same conversations at Doncaster regarding not enough numbers to send birds transporters not wanting to pick 3 baskets up, why not just have 1 or 2 marking stations for that area? Or join clubs together seems people are scared to race against decent flyers and are happy to get a card against 3 flyers. Tbh the more I’m looking into things if I hadn’t laid out so much money already I’d be having second thoughts. Even sending a postal order i thought was a bit outdated and should have been able to sign up online and pay. I really hope pigeon pathways get plenty behind them and push things along for the sport, had my moan anyway . All the work I’ve had to do in my garden probably hasn’t helped almost finished 2 more trees to go and ready to set my shed up, will probably be next weekend.
It's a joke at times! It was difficult when we first setup, and that's even with a foot in the door and knowing the local clubs well!
We actually informed the regional secretary of our local club, to help speed up the process!
I'm fully behind Pigeon Pathways, and glad they have chose to go the route they have in working next to the RPRA rather than clashing with them!!
Now, in theory, someone could propose rule changes to enable the ability to pay subs online and such right? I'm sure there are people on here better informed than myself!
It really is a closed shop mate. To try and get rule changes is pathetic. Thier rules have been made over decades and are designed to protect its own structure and the ppl within its confines before any consideration for the membership and well-being of the birds.
The whole system is prehistoric and is typically served and protected by the dinosaurs within and are all about self preservation - Its 2025 ffs postal orders went out with the red telephone boxes!
This is of course just my opinion and probably that of the majority of fanciers in the UK who don't have the wherewithal or the inclination to do anything about it because they too are generally an ageing population and think they only have a couple more years in the sport anyway.
Yes, please do support "Pigeon Pathways" like you said "they are willing to work alongside the RPRA" but I can assure you that that action is not reciprocated.
Good luck mate. It's good that as a newcomer to racing pigeons you can already see the limitations of the RPRA.
Diamond Dave wrote: Wed Nov 05, 2025 4:56 pm
It really is a closed shop mate. To try and get rule changes is pathetic. Thier rules have been made over
The whole system is prehistoric and is typically served and protected by the dinosaurs within and are all about self preservation - Its 2025 ffs postal orders went out with the red telephone boxes!
This is of course just my opinion and probably that of the majority of fanciers in the UK who don't have the wherewithal or the inclination to do anything about it because they too are generally an ageing population and think they only have a couple more years in the sport anyway.
Yes, please do support "Pigeon Pathways" like you said "they are willing to work alongside the RPRA" but I can assure you that that action is not reciprocated.
Good luck mate. It's good that as a newcomer to racing pigeons you can already see the limitations of the RPRA.
Your buddy who joined the site to push his agenda last year put enough propositions in to extend AGMs by hours They were DEFEATED democratically. In fact at the Region I'm on the committee of the were defeated UNANIMOUSLY and I'm led to believe this happened at at least one other region. The mandated delegates are sent to these meetings to vote as directed by the MAJORITY of the members of their federation. So you really so need to give over with this everyone is against the current set up at the RPRA because this has been proven to be simply not true. When propositions are defeated yous hide behind its too hard to change things. Again simply not true. If the MAJORITY of the fancy wanted the change they CAN make in happen. Has it ever occurred to you that just maybe the MAJORITY don't??
Also what is this about ' designed to protect its own structure and the ppl within its confines before any consideration for the membership and well-being of the birds' I'm interested in the final part..'and the well being of the birds'
Last edited by goose1 on Wed Nov 05, 2025 6:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
whats the racing like is it active and plenty of racing? Don't imagine theres too many young lads coming through unless involved through someone, hard enough to get a football team together these days.
. All the work I’ve had to do in my garden probably hasn’t helped almost finished 2 more trees to go and ready to set my shed up, will probably be next weekend.