My breeding

[NeilA]

Probably not (dunno for sure)

But i’ve seen Gary wreck a result at 60 mls regularly in a wider radius

The principle remains the same

See your point

[MIL]

Phils Fed is over 30 ml wide

That can and does influence where the winner should be

You can’t keep trotting the excuses out though

You can still be the best you can be


Last week Phil was 7th Fed 8th Fed sending 10

The 6 beating him were exactly where they should be in Rugeley 10ml or so West of him on the East wind

[Andy]

Sorry mate that’s interesting but I meant more what do you look for when pairing what you have rather than not having stock etc in 2025
I was interested as I know unfortunately you lost most of your babies so I couldn’t understand how you were going to breed winners or improve them particularly with your race programme
My way is very basic winners or close to winners together any newbies gets paired to two good breeders but your only flying from 34 miles and with no introduction of new blood how do you not end up in the same position next year

So I meant was it eye sign or body by handling that you were going to look for if it’s not results currently

With not having stock would you not be missing out on taking ybs from a top breeding hen if you found one as she would be 3 years old by the time you took 6 youngsters

Hi Neil.
I think I have got a bit more of an idea of what I have after the old bird program, but your right it’s very difficult to get any sort of testing when half of this year races have been from only 34 miles. It hasn’t helped by losing my 2 best cocks from this year to hawks around the loft. I lost a hen yesterday when out. Along with breeding an early round of youngsters I also breed a round of late breds at the end of the old bird season from the old cocks that have completed the old bird program. I have 15 late breds at. This is early days in my new venture to develop a new winning team, just my second season back in club racing and my first back doing widowhood. I had hoped to have had the whole of the old bird program on widowhood but after mum died and Roxanna’s Aunt also died within 2 weeks of each other at the end of May early June my season went to heck. Because of running around everywhere I couldn’t get any sort of routine so paired the widowhood’s up and gave them more of an open loft.
Anyway back to my breeding. I select my hens through what they breed. All hens are given the chance to prove if they can breed or not. The cocks that are left at the end of the season are evaluated and the 12 best kept. This could include 3/4 yearlings. My aim would be for the team to improve year on year. When I had my established team all my cocks apart from possibly the yearlings were winners of at least club cards in the first three of the club. These cocks would have flown the whole program from the shortest race at 90miles and upto 350 miles. They wouldn’t go to the 2 longest race at 430miles & 550miles. The hens, again except from the odd yearlings, were all dams of winners. It may take a little while before I get to that level again. But this is the side of the sport I enjoy, breeding a family of my own that can perform. I did used to use eyesign when selecting my pairings but my eyes very good nowadays, one doesn’t really work at all after a detached retina, so don’t tend to use that. I do like to pair similar handling birds together but don’t mind if they’re both small or large. I’ve had winners in all shapes and sizes. I also do like a bit of inbreeding and although I said I really worry about pedigrees I still keep good records and do like doing a bit of inbreeding. Father to daughter, mother to son. It’s just a case of trying to have the next generation better than the last and not looking back at what had been achieved a couple of generations back.

[Andy]

I think your members have to get together, and have a good char over the distances you will be flying next season Andy. 34 mile races is just a waste of time, other clubs start around 70 miles.You have had a lot to deal with in the past few months, Just sit down and work out on what you want out of the sport mate.

That’s why we are looking at the 3 counties for the future as at least they go out to Ramsgate at 168 miles rather than the combine only going to 118 miles. I think at present we are looking at possibly flying with both next year. We used to start at 90 miles when flying North and the longest club race was 550 miles. The trouble is here we don’t have any options. We can’t fly in the Dorset fed, or the Wiltshire Fed as we live in Somerset and they won’t have members outside their counties.

[Andy]

34 mls is very short yes, but Pierre Beyl (for instance) has great success at comparable distances

I view this like a 60 metre indoor sprint race

You need to be sharp out the blocks, thats where the race is won and lost

These short races are no different. The birds need to be out and away FAST. Pigeons that lead don’t get pulled onto a line thats not theirs

would the width of the radius be as wide as Andy’s fed as it seems to be Somerset width wise

Our combine consists of the whole of Somerset, a part of Dorset, a part of Wiltshire and up into Gloucestershire. It’s 70 miles North to South and 25 miles East to West. I am in the SE corner of the combine. If there is North in the wind we do have a chance of getting them along the bottom edge but any South and they are up into Bristol and Gloucester.

[Murray]

34 mls is very short yes, but Pierre Beyl (for instance) has great success at comparable distances

I view this like a 60 metre indoor sprint race

You need to be sharp out the blocks, thats where the race is won and lost

These short races are no different. The birds need to be out and away FAST. Pigeons that lead don’t get pulled onto a line thats not theirs

Hit the nail on the head, Mike.
They must be out of the box and gone.
I see Pierre Beyl is racing stuff with a lot of Van Den Bulck's Kittel bloodlines. That'll help too.
I've been fortunate in getting some young pigeons with Heremans, Pitbull and Kittel bloodlines, my Billion Dollar Baby is a great grand daughter of Kittel. In one generation my family of pigeons has improved half a furlong! Instead of plodding along taking two steps forward and one step back, I got better pigeons and they breed better pigeons.
Fast pigeons, trained to break away at the start, that appears to be the trick.

[NeilA]

Sorry mate that’s interesting but I meant more what do you look for when pairing what you have rather than not having stock etc in 2025
I was interested as I know unfortunately you lost most of your babies so I couldn’t understand how you were going to breed winners or improve them particularly with your race programme
My way is very basic winners or close to winners together any newbies gets paired to two good breeders but your only flying from 34 miles and with no introduction of new blood how do you not end up in the same position next year

So I meant was it eye sign or body by handling that you were going to look for if it’s not results currently

With not having stock would you not be missing out on taking ybs from a top breeding hen if you found one as she would be 3 years old by the time you took 6 youngsters

Hi Neil.
I think I have got a bit more of an idea of what I have after the old bird program, but your right it’s very difficult to get any sort of testing when half of this year races have been from only 34 miles. It hasn’t helped by losing my 2 best cocks from this year to hawks around the loft. I lost a hen yesterday when out. Along with breeding an early round of youngsters I also breed a round of late breds at the end of the old bird season from the old cocks that have completed the old bird program. I have 15 late breds at. This is early days in my new venture to develop a new winning team, just my second season back in club racing and my first back doing widowhood. I had hoped to have had the whole of the old bird program on widowhood but after mum died and Roxanna’s Aunt also died within 2 weeks of each other at the end of May early June my season went to heck. Because of running around everywhere I couldn’t get any sort of routine so paired the widowhood’s up and gave them more of an open loft.
Anyway back to my breeding. I select my hens through what they breed. All hens are given the chance to prove if they can breed or not. The cocks that are left at the end of the season are evaluated and the 12 best kept. This could include 3/4 yearlings. My aim would be for the team to improve year on year. When I had my established team all my cocks apart from possibly the yearlings were winners of at least club cards in the first three of the club. These cocks would have flown the whole program from the shortest race at 90miles and upto 350 miles. They wouldn’t go to the 2 longest race at 430miles & 550miles. The hens, again except from the odd yearlings, were all dams of winners. It may take a little while before I get to that level again. But this is the side of the sport I enjoy, breeding a family of my own that can perform. I did used to use eyesign when selecting my pairings but my eyes very good nowadays, one doesn’t really work at all after a detached retina, so don’t tend to use that. I do like to pair similar handling birds together but don’t mind if they’re both small or large. I’ve had winners in all shapes and sizes. I also do like a bit of inbreeding and although I said I really worry about pedigrees I still keep good records and do like doing a bit of inbreeding. Father to daughter, mother to son. It’s just a case of trying to have the next generation better than the last and not looking back at what had been achieved a couple of generations back.

I wish you all the best with that plan
I am not sure how you going to do it but hopefully it will work out
If in 2 years you haven’t really advanced the team I dont really understand where you go if your not going to add new pigeons

[Devo1956]

I think your members have to get together, and have a good char over the distances you will be flying next season Andy. 34 mile races is just a waste of time, other clubs start around 70 miles.You have had a lot to deal with in the past few months, Just sit down and work out on what you want out of the sport mate.

That’s why we are looking at the 3 counties for the future as at least they go out to Ramsgate at 168 miles rather than the combine only going to 118 miles. I think at present we are looking at possibly flying with both next year. We used to start at 90 miles when flying North and the longest club race was 550 miles. The trouble is here we don’t have any options. We can’t fly in the Dorset fed, or the Wiltshire Fed as we live in Somerset and they won’t have members outside their counties.

Lets hope you get some good racing sorted Andy, all the best.

[Andy]

Sorry mate that’s interesting but I meant more what do you look for when pairing what you have rather than not having stock etc in 2025
I was interested as I know unfortunately you lost most of your babies so I couldn’t understand how you were going to breed winners or improve them particularly with your race programme
My way is very basic winners or close to winners together any newbies gets paired to two good breeders but your only flying from 34 miles and with no introduction of new blood how do you not end up in the same position next year

So I meant was it eye sign or body by handling that you were going to look for if it’s not results currently

With not having stock would you not be missing out on taking ybs from a top breeding hen if you found one as she would be 3 years old by the time you took 6 youngsters

Hi Neil.
I think I have got a bit more of an idea of what I have after the old bird program, but your right it’s very difficult to get any sort of testing when half of this year races have been from only 34 miles. It hasn’t helped by losing my 2 best cocks from this year to hawks around the loft. I lost a hen yesterday when out. Along with breeding an early round of youngsters I also breed a round of late breds at the end of the old bird season from the old cocks that have completed the old bird program. I have 15 late breds at. This is early days in my new venture to develop a new winning team, just my second season back in club racing and my first back doing widowhood. I had hoped to have had the whole of the old bird program on widowhood but after mum died and Roxanna’s Aunt also died within 2 weeks of each other at the end of May early June my season went to heck. Because of running around everywhere I couldn’t get any sort of routine so paired the widowhood’s up and gave them more of an open loft.
Anyway back to my breeding. I select my hens through what they breed. All hens are given the chance to prove if they can breed or not. The cocks that are left at the end of the season are evaluated and the 12 best kept. This could include 3/4 yearlings. My aim would be for the team to improve year on year. When I had my established team all my cocks apart from possibly the yearlings were winners of at least club cards in the first three of the club. These cocks would have flown the whole program from the shortest race at 90miles and upto 350 miles. They wouldn’t go to the 2 longest race at 430miles & 550miles. The hens, again except from the odd yearlings, were all dams of winners. It may take a little while before I get to that level again. But this is the side of the sport I enjoy, breeding a family of my own that can perform. I did used to use eyesign when selecting my pairings but my eyes very good nowadays, one doesn’t really work at all after a detached retina, so don’t tend to use that. I do like to pair similar handling birds together but don’t mind if they’re both small or large. I’ve had winners in all shapes and sizes. I also do like a bit of inbreeding and although I said I really worry about pedigrees I still keep good records and do like doing a bit of inbreeding. Father to daughter, mother to son. It’s just a case of trying to have the next generation better than the last and not looking back at what had been achieved a couple of generations back.

I wish you all the best with that plan
I am not sure how you going to do it but hopefully it will work out
If in 2 years you haven’t really advanced the team I dont really understand where you go if your not going to add new pigeons

Thank you Neil. I will see how it goes. I will just add though that if things go to plan I am hoping to sell up and retire in the next couple of years. This will involve a move, and of course almost having to start all over again although hopefully with a bit of a foundation team.

[Andy]

I think your members have to get together, and have a good char over the distances you will be flying next season Andy. 34 mile races is just a waste of time, other clubs start around 70 miles.You have had a lot to deal with in the past few months, Just sit down and work out on what you want out of the sport mate.

That’s why we are looking at the 3 counties for the future as at least they go out to Ramsgate at 168 miles rather than the combine only going to 118 miles. I think at present we are looking at possibly flying with both next year. We used to start at 90 miles when flying North and the longest club race was 550 miles. The trouble is here we don’t have any options. We can’t fly in the Dorset fed, or the Wiltshire Fed as we live in Somerset and they won’t have members outside their counties.

Lets hope you get some good racing sorted Andy, all the best.

Thanks Devo. Our club has an open radius with members spread over an area 10 miles by 26 miles, 260 square miles. In that area we have 15 lofts.