Diamond Dave wrote: Mon Sep 28, 2026 10:06 am
Blimey, thanks lads. We are certainly talking about the elite with both Brian Denney and Des Coulter.
Yes King, I am about 120 miles from the South Coast and I have my own "policy" of giving my old birds 2 inlanders before sending them over the channel.
I like them to at least see the sea before flying over it.
That's often difficult when the bicc program starts so early but I do like their race program. I can get 2 channel races with them before the NFC even start.
I have heard it called the South of England National which I guess is what it is but i believe it is far better value for money and I have a marking station close by.
However, I can understand why it doesn't suit you guys up there. I do believe they did trial a couple of marking stations further North but they weren't well supported.
Nonetheless, I think they are a progressive and forward thinking outfit.
My biggest concern is with all the reasonable distance races (over 500) are all internationals and for younger birds say yearlings and 2 yo. that maybe don't have the experience of an international liberation, could be why I am losing good birds at these races. So I have been thinking about the NFC for the younger birds where all the convoy will be going in the same direction.
Love to hear your thoughts lads...
For those of us down near the coast although the early channel races are a relatively short distance that’s only if the birds come on a direct line. For those in the South West it would mean flying 70+ miles over the channel. To train or give short inland races in preparation means sending them to fly East to West along the coast, or West to East if living in the South East of the country.
Back in the pre 80s at Worthing we raced a fed program over the channel with the longest races with the London and South Coast Combine. The inland races were along the Coast. Seaton, Dorchester, Exmouth etc. Racing across the channel from the likes of Rennes, Niort, Bergerac.
Come 1980 it became compulsory to vaccinate for PMV to fly the channel. We voted as a club to turn North. This meant racing from Stonehaven 430+ miles, Thurso 550 miles and Lerwick with the NRCC 650 miles. For the few members who still wanted to fly the channel it was with the NFC, which back then was the premier racing club from over the channel with the Pau National being the blue ribbon event. This meant turning the birds from North to South, being flown from the North road before being switched South over the channel. This seemed to work quite well. Some will know the late Jed Jackson from Worthing, a fellow club member. He won the Pau National with Genista in 1980. This hen was raced from Berwick 350 miles North Road 2 weeks before the Pau National. Jed was one of my early mentors and a great pigeon man, especially being that he was blind.
