Grit and Minerals

goose1 · Wed Sep 16, 2026 9:53 am

Andy wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2026 7:59 am Dave and John didn’t have their usual season. Of course the heat of the summer resulting in some terrible national and international races with heavy losses didn’t help. In one race they sent 29 yearlings, I think it was the CSCFC Pau race. Their first bird wasn’t until day 3 and he died the following day. I’m not sure how many he got back in the end but I know they lost a lot. From Perpignan they were 4th section 21st open with their only entry. They did get a few reasonable section results including winning the old hens races, but for them a mediocre season. They have done well with their youngsters in the 3Cs, sending up to 100 birds per week, but didn’t send to any of the classics or nationals. They did build a large new loft for their youngsters this year.

Cheers Andy. Sounds like it's been tough for just about everyone at some point this season.

Diamond Dave · Wed Sep 16, 2026 10:31 am

How has your season gone goose? I believe you like a bit of distance. I don't know where you are so not sure if you fly the Channel or not.
It's nice to know that top fanciers like the Staddons have also had it tough over the channel this year.
I think more or less every channel race has been really hard this year.
It would be good to have a few more distance topics on here.

goose1 · Wed Sep 16, 2026 11:12 am

Diamond Dave wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2026 10:31 am How has your season gone goose? I believe you like a bit of distance. I don't know where you are so not sure if you fly the Channel or not.
It's nice to know that top fanciers like the Staddons have also had it tough over the channel this year.
I think more or less every channel race has been really hard this year.
It would be good to have a few more distance topics on here.

Erm to be honest the last 2 seasons haven't been at the standard we'd expect. We flew in 2 races from France this year finished 2nd and 8th Combine in one and 20th in the other so wasn't a total disaster but its been a real fight the last 2 years. That's on the back of a really good season in 2024 where we won 3 amals at various distances had a 1,2 in the combine from the longest race where we were libbed with the Scottish National, we fly 19 mile short of the boundary but had we been allowed to compete she won that national by 19ypm our other would have been 6th Nat. We have only been interested really in the distance for a while although up until the last 2 seasons the few inland pigeons we had also held their own. But yes being honest last couple of years have not been good enough. We put a few youngsters on the dark this year for the first time in a while, they flew ok in the 4 races we sent to, 1 2 3 one week with 14 of the first 21 in club. Week after 1st sec with 5 of the first 11, week after 3rd 4th sec week after 5th sec. I won't be mentioning any other results we've had over the years as don't like trumpet blowers that's just so you know we're not totally useless

Diamond Dave · Wed Sep 16, 2026 1:20 pm

Got to be honest goose, I hate trawling through all the results anyway. One of the reasons I can't be done with fb.
What sort of distance do you get over the channel?

goose1 · Wed Sep 16, 2026 6:06 pm

Diamond Dave wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2026 1:20 pm Got to be honest goose, I hate trawling through all the results anyway. One of the reasons I can't be done with fb.
What sort of distance do you get over the channel?

Were in Cumbria so a lot of distance from the channel is the answer

We've won section the 2 times we've sent to 625 miles. We've only sent to Pau once (800 miles) got her one day out of race time. Its our aim to send again at some point but when we send it isn't just to compete so will wait until we feel we have the right pigeon.

Diamond Dave · Wed Sep 16, 2026 6:24 pm

Wow Awesome Goose. Pau to Cumbria is a hell of a race - Much respect to you.
As a "southern softy" I only fly 743 to Barcelona.
Do you know any of the lads from the N East that fly with thr NFC and the Bicc. They often come down to our marking station in Northampton (4 +hour journey down and the same back again)
These are the likes of John Rumney, The Anderson family, Brian Hicks. Total dedication to their sport.

king · Thu Sep 17, 2026 12:12 am

goose1 wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2026 6:06 pm
Diamond Dave wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2026 1:20 pm Got to be honest goose, I hate trawling through all the results anyway. One of the reasons I can't be done with fb.
What sort of distance do you get over the channel?
Were in Cumbria so a lot of distance from the channel is the answer We've won section the 2 times we've sent to 625 miles. We've only sent to Pau once (800 miles) got her one day out of race time. Its our aim to send again at some point but when we send it isn't just to compete so will wait until we feel we have the right pigeon.

Anything is possible goose. Barcelona was flown into Long Marton, Cumbria in 1967 a distance of 938 miles in 3 days, 2hrs, 50 min for a vel of 511

goose1 · Thu Sep 17, 2026 9:02 am

Diamond Dave wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2026 6:24 pm Wow Awesome Goose. Pau to Cumbria is a hell of a race - Much respect to you.
As a "southern softy" I only fly 743 to Barcelona.
Do you know any of the lads from the N East that fly with thr NFC and the Bicc. They often come down to our marking station in Northampton (4 +hour journey down and the same back again)
These are the likes of John Rumney, The Anderson family, Brian Hicks. Total dedication to their sport.

I do know of them and used to exchange a few messages with John Rumney on the old pigeon chat. I know Bob Mckie and a few of the sportsman lads we used to donate a youngster when they were getting that club up and running. Nothing but admiration.

goose1 · Thu Sep 17, 2026 9:06 am

king wrote: Thu Sep 17, 2026 12:12 am
goose1 wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2026 6:06 pm
Diamond Dave wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2026 1:20 pm Got to be honest goose, I hate trawling through all the results anyway. One of the reasons I can't be done with fb.
What sort of distance do you get over the channel?
Were in Cumbria so a lot of distance from the channel is the answer We've won section the 2 times we've sent to 625 miles. We've only sent to Pau once (800 miles) got her one day out of race time. Its our aim to send again at some point but when we send it isn't just to compete so will wait until we feel we have the right pigeon.
Anything is possible goose. Barcelona was flown into Long Marton, Cumbria in 1967 a distance of 938 miles in 3 days, 2hrs, 50 min for a vel of 511

Yeah I think Rae brothers who flew about 4 miles from us also had a pigeon home in the 60s and black hen if I remember correctly. Seen a photo a good few years back. Pau has also been flown in decent time about 23 miles South of us.

Diamond Dave · Thu Sep 17, 2026 9:20 am

goose1 wrote: Thu Sep 17, 2026 9:02 am
Diamond Dave wrote: Wed Sep 16, 2026 6:24 pm Wow Awesome Goose. Pau to Cumbria is a hell of a race - Much respect to you.
As a "southern softy" I only fly 743 to Barcelona.
Do you know any of the lads from the N East that fly with thr NFC and the Bicc. They often come down to our marking station in Northampton (4 +hour journey down and the same back again)
These are the likes of John Rumney, The Anderson family, Brian Hicks. Total dedication to their sport.
I do know of them and used to exchange a few messages with John Rumney on the old pigeon chat. I know Bob Mckie and a few of the sportsman lads we used to donate a youngster when they were getting that club up and running. Nothing but admiration.

Did you know Dave Mc Sween (Lionheart) and Jim Sexton from the Sportsman's Club.
That's where most of my birds come from.