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Re: Silvers
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 12:55 pm
by Anthony webster
I haven't raced much with nrcc Mike I sent to Dunbar I think and birds come well but if I'm not in first 10 of open I don't even check again, I sent perth 18 hens 297 miles had 16 hens out 18 in 15 mins I wasn't in first 10 of open so never looked again i sent to Lerwick and that was the Lerwick where 95 percent of entry never returned I resigned straight after that race .
I dabbled with bbc bicc on north rd 2 races had good results best being 2,3,5 open winning gold medal but more happy I sent 13 hens on that tough day had all 13 on day and top flyers like John mccall Leeds didn't time on day .
I enjoyed north rd in London but here I enjoy south rd racing fed n mnfc .
Re: Silvers
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 2:21 pm
by MIke Lycett
Top 10 Open is a high bar to set Tony
I understand the desire, and its great
All i would say is to encourage you to look beyond the top 10 in a good Classic / National race because you can often find some super super pigeons that have performed great when the odds have not been in their favour (whether it be wind/weather/time of liberation)
Re: Silvers
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 2:48 pm
by goose1
MIke Lycett wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 2:21 pm
Top 10 Open is a high bar to set Tony
I understand the desire, and its great
All i would say is to encourage you to look beyond the top 10 in a good Classic / National race because you can often find some super super pigeons that have performed great when the odds have not been in their favour (whether it be wind/weather/time of liberation)
Absolutely in what in my opinion is the only genuine national in the country (The NFC) you'll often see many pigeons that are better than the winner on the day. And that's never to detract from the winner but if your gonna fly in these nationals you have to switch off from red card fever and judge your pigeons and yourself on the day. Only my opinion of course.
Re: Silvers
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 3:08 pm
by NeilA
Bang right Goose
It wasn’t to I looked into why people struggle to London to win
The lack of true miles we get on other areas I was told then I understood it
Your need to be a hour clear to beat Norwich to the Wash area
With a East to keep them away from the East coast and less dead miles we have a chance as the fanciers this side on the west are really fair mileage to us if on that line
Before I thought why can’t these win it down here
It’s very different to what I am use to flying to a 15 mile area
Re: Silvers
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 3:20 pm
by king
goose1 wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 2:48 pm
MIke Lycett wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 2:21 pm
Top 10 Open is a high bar to set Tony
I understand the desire, and its great
All i would say is to encourage you to look beyond the top 10 in a good Classic / National race because you can often find some super super pigeons that have performed great when the odds have not been in their favour (whether it be wind/weather/time of liberation)
Absolutely in what in my opinion is the only genuine national in the country (The NFC) you'll often see many pigeons that are better than the winner on the day. And that's never to detract from the winner but if your gonna fly in these nationals you have to switch off from red card fever and judge your pigeons and yourself on the day. Only my opinion of course.
100% Jim Biss once said 'the best pigeon in the race is not always the winner'
Re: Silvers
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 4:02 pm
by Bowbroom
Yes I remember Lol Green of Runcorns bird Lols pride in 1986 I did feel sorry for the winners of the Pau race though when Hugh Higgins announced that Lols bird was the best in the race at the presentation you could see their faces drop I personally thought that he should have kept that to himself at the time.
Re: Silvers
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:08 pm
by Steve Howells
goose1 wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 12:23 pm
Steve Howells wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 9:08 am
MIke Lycett wrote: Wed Oct 22, 2025 9:51 pm
She was a great hen on the day Neil; a real brave effort
Other Forum members.... I'd love to hear of your best performances in the NRCC
Being a South-Roader all my life its always been a race that I've looked at from afar really; but i've a growing admiration for
I think I first joined the NRCC around 1999 went south around 2013 then back North 2021 young birds. 2007 ( I think) I won 1st club 1st fed 1st sec 3rd open with a single entry on 997ypm. Frank Bristow won it on 1000ypm the 2nd place pigeon I believe was in the Notts area so both 60+ miles to west of me so mine must have left Lerwick and the batch and come straight down the North Sea on her own making landfall around the Cromer area. I remember it was a beautiful summers evening yet her feather felt damp. Nearly all the other day birds were inland I think only 2 other day birds made it into Norfolk that night and they were well over an hour behind mine. Since rejoing winning the two bird average last year from Lerwick was nice, having 5 in the top 52 from Perth was nice, 2022 18th from a grulling Fraserburgh 2023 I think I was about 50th Open Lerwick okayish but there were only 5 day birds into Norfolk/Suffolk as rain set in around t time. This year a total wash out just about scrapped the top 100 in a couple of the races so must try harder.
Excellent flying mate well done. How do you prep your Lerwick pigeons?
If I’m honest goose I’m not sure there is a bullet proof way. I like the lighter feeds like Gerry plus or vandenabelle but using that type of feed I’ve found they need minimal work. Hop skip jump. Because mine are normally open hole if they seem to be flying a lot I’ll throw in some peas two or three times a week plus a handful of fats. Untimely when you go 12hrs plus they either have it or they don’t and I’ve always found lightly worked birds give the best.
Re: Silvers
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:26 pm
by NeilA
Would you feed a set amount of lighter mix Steve or all they want
Re: Silvers
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:34 pm
by Steve Howells
NeilA wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:26 pm
Would you feed a set amount of lighter mix Steve or all they want
All they want, if they’re not flying a lot then I leave barley in front of them all the time early season once into Scotland they might every now and then have a couple of days of barley only if I think they are a bit sluggish. I prefer peas to beans and and if they are really flying well around home they have a hopper of peas in front of them 24/7 until the last few days when the have as much vandenbelle as they want but no heavy protein.
Re: Silvers
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:40 pm
by NeilA
Steve Howells wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:34 pm
NeilA wrote: Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:26 pm
Would you feed a set amount of lighter mix Steve or all they want
All they want, if they’re not flying a lot then I leave barley in front of them all the time early season once into Scotland they might every now and then have a couple of days of barley only if I think they are a bit sluggish. I prefer peas to beans and and if they are really flying well around home they have a hopper of peas in front of them 24/7 until the last few days when the have as much vandenbelle as they want but no heavy protein.
Cheers Steve
That’s a really well thought out approach
A lot of skill required to judge it right