UkPigeonRacing

NeilA wrote: Wed Oct 29, 2025 11:17 pm Cheers Goose
So I need to think about that and not judge the yearlings to quickly next time
They don’t need to cross water but I think from where Fraserburgh is located they probably cross some particularly in a west wind and similar for Thurso but could as I got around the coast
Steve will know more as he’s much more knowledgeable than me

It depends what the end goal is Neil if your happy finishing at around the 400 mile mark then I personally think most pigeons of what people call sprint breeding will do 400 if the day is right so you probably are right to judge them how you are/do.

When I seen where Thurso is I thought the winners would probably cross a body of water, I suppose the difference between there and France is the pigeons have the choice.

NeilA wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:05 am

goose1 wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 9:48 am If yous flew in Cumbria you'd be willing to give more 'chancers' a chance I promise yous that.

I often say it, and I don't sat it to be rude to folk I say it because I mean it, a lot of these alleged top lofts down south and I'm talking the very top lofts would be packed up and finished within 3 seasons up here never mind winning.

I don’t disagree mate
I can see the change here. It was just the odd hit 5 years ago
Now we have them on our training routes if I go past 15 miles day 3 times I expect a hit
Last two springs I have been scared to train I have even left my next cocks at home to avoid the risk and just loft flown them
Ybs this year at 10 miles , they had done it 12/13 mins 3 times
Let them go 4th time watched head straight south perfect line
Took 27 only got 15 after 2 days and one of them sadly died
I had one in a stable 2 miles from lib spot been there 3 days with the door open wouldn’t come out the lady said
3 others reported dead on the same line heading north 50 miles away totally flown out 1 I did collect it died the next day
It’s definitely coming here not to your level but give it 5 years and I fear for the sport

Hopefully not for yous Neil, it's how it should be. Proper racing where you can judge yourself and your pigeons properly. Mike shared the link to the NRCC races a few weeks back and you can definitely see they had much better racing than there was out of France this year.

NeilA wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:08 am

goose1 wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 9:57 am

NeilA wrote: Wed Oct 29, 2025 11:17 pm Cheers Goose
So I need to think about that and not judge the yearlings to quickly next time
They don’t need to cross water but I think from where Fraserburgh is located they probably cross some particularly in a west wind and similar for Thurso but could as I got around the coast
Steve will know more as he’s much more knowledgeable than me

It depends what the end goal is Neil if your happy finishing at around the 400 mile mark then I personally think most pigeons of what people call sprint breeding will do 400 if the day is right so you probably are right to judge them how you are/do.

When I seen where Thurso is I thought the winners would probably cross a body of water, I suppose the difference between there and France is the pigeons have the choice.

Yes only Lerwick makes them
I believe it’s 120 miles from Thurso but a direct line would be much much more
MB said similar he thought mine would get Thurso on a good day but a real nose ender or Lerwick I need something different
First I have to learn 400
Once I get the feeding right I will look at moving up a level

I certainly wouldn't use the word levels mate there's no levels(if there was I know what level your at and its above me ) it's equally hard to win at any distance in my opinion I think it's more a case of what gives each fancier his biggest thrill or buzz. But a good pigeon at 60 miles or 600 miles is still a good pigeon there's just a difference in which folk would like to own.

Neil do you fly with the quarry loft blood?

shame that them other got nicked

NeilA wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:18 am

goose1 wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:09 am

NeilA wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:05 am

I don’t disagree mate
I can see the change here. It was just the odd hit 5 years ago
Now we have them on our training routes if I go past 15 miles day 3 times I expect a hit
Last two springs I have been scared to train I have even left my next cocks at home to avoid the risk and just loft flown them
Ybs this year at 10 miles , they had done it 12/13 mins 3 times
Let them go 4th time watched head straight south perfect line
Took 27 only got 15 after 2 days and one of them sadly died
I had one in a stable 2 miles from lib spot been there 3 days with the door open wouldn’t come out the lady said
3 others reported dead on the same line heading north 50 miles away totally flown out 1 I did collect it died the next day
It’s definitely coming here not to your level but give it 5 years and I fear for the sport

Hopefully not for yous Neil, it's how it should be. Proper racing where you can judge yourself and your pigeons properly. Mike shared the link to the NRCC races a few weeks back and you can definitely see they had much better racing than there was out of France this year.

Once I get my head around it and I know it’s pretty much only racing for section prizes down here on the middle distance I will step up
I just don’t want to send a pigeon prepared wrong for a 600 mile race
Although I’m a bit strict I need to know I have done my best
Plus I do think the London area has more chance in the open from the two longer races
Like Mike said to me yesterday when I was planning the start of next season and running a idea past him he said is that all needed if Scotland is the goal and not Newark in April so I need to get it out of my head and realise in a small set up and working I can’t do both
MB said to me for years there shouldn’t be a clock set under 150 miles and I’m only just realising he’s right
System / health / wind are massive in races under 150

That last part is massive Neil not getting the clock set. It's the part we've really struggled not to do especially me old lad as he's old school and likes to compete every week. But I think once your setting that clock your wanting to win and so you do things to try to win that ultimately affect the end goal. I mean in our case it's a good job we were setting it as in 2024 we'd have thrown away 2 inland amal wins that season alone But last year I definitely think it affected why our season went so wrong. The pigeons were looking and exercising brilliantly but because we're weren't in that first flock we were looking for problems that probably weren't there and changing and treating whereas if we'd just took a step back and said were a minute off the pace with 600 milers everything is fine I'm convinced the pigeons would have performed as they usually do. Harsh lesson learned unfortunately

NeilA wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:20 am

goose1 wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:13 am

NeilA wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:08 am

Yes only Lerwick makes them
I believe it’s 120 miles from Thurso but a direct line would be much much more
MB said similar he thought mine would get Thurso on a good day but a real nose ender or Lerwick I need something different
First I have to learn 400
Once I get the feeding right I will look at moving up a level

I certainly wouldn't use the word levels mate there's no levels(if there was I know what level your at and its above me ) it's equally hard to win at any distance in my opinion I think it's more a case of what gives each fancier his biggest thrill or buzz. But a good pigeon at 60 miles or 600 miles is still a good pigeon there's just a difference in which folk would like to own.

Getting pigeons from France to yours is massively impressive
Particularly when you had that one before the SNFC winners

Father and Grandfather use to make it look easy Neil, so so difficult up here now. I was talking to Alan Parker couple of weeks back and asked him his thoughts and he agrees its never been as difficult to get pigeons into the North west of England from France as it is now. And Alan has obviously flown a hell of a long time and won very well at every distance.

That's the first time we've ever been liberated with a national organisation where we've had a realistic opportunity to judge our management and our pigeons. We're only 18 mile short of the boundary for the SNFC so we knew going into that race we can see where we are as opposed to being with the NFC and being 300 mile further than the first drop. The 2 hens that were 1st and 2nd combine would have been 1st and 6th SNFC had we been them 18 mile further and them 18 mile wouldn't have changed that result.

Main goals I have now at the new address is to win combine again from France and then I do really want to push on and try and time on the day at 625 mile and time a decent pigeon from Pau at 800 mile. I'd probably have a bit of a go with the BICC too if we didn't have to drive half way to the race point or basket a week before just to enter

NeilA wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 10:55 am Great point Goose another hurdle to cross
It’s easy to get the temptation
Particularly with my potty feeding ideas and over thinking that side
Ideally I need 4 section so sprint / middle and long distance and tne same hens
But then I would be thinking I need to loft fly these separate once I get the guts for 500/600 miles I would then have 4 lots and ybs to get out
That or just suffer and have to bottle it up Saturday

The late Vic Shaw said to me once and he was a excellent London north rd flier when I was thinking of flying hens and really flying my cocks well at the time he said do one thing well not two half hearted if you have time to do both equal that’s different but you don’t

Yep that last bit again is very very true. I think years ago lads were winning right through with the same pigeons. Now it's so much more specialised you try to do both you come unstuck at both. Think it's very obvious you need 2 systems and 2 teams of pigeons. I can't think of anyone who is a back garden style fancier who does both to a very high level consistently. Obviously Mark Gilbert does it but he's not someone anyone with a modest set up should compare themselves to. As he has untold numbers of pigeons lofts and men running what is basically a business. And that is not to take anything away from him I actually think he's good for the sport in this country to be honest. Although I will say one thing if his inland pigeons trapped like they do up here he wouldn't be seen on a sheet under 250 miles

NeilA wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2025 11:03 am That’s some performance
What was the blood you got

Certainly a brave thing to go in with these nationals a different thing to the fanciers in the south with all the options to get into short French races
I can’t keep up with it all seems to be 2 national winners a week down this end

Your gonna laugh here that hen actually had a bit of VDB in her She was 5th combine a few weeks earlier from 190 mile. She won 2 RPRA awards last year did that hen. But her sire was a good pigeon for us he won 2nd, 10th, 30th and 31st combine Guernsey 350 miles each one velocity under 1189 ypm. He was from a son of John Bell from Scotlands 1st&2nd Nat winner. His dam was joint breeding between ourselves and Tim Webster of chorley from a son of Big Smithy paired back to his mam, and Tim's hen was a double grand daughter euro diamond.

2nd hen that night went back to a good cock we got from MB out of legacy. That cock bred us 5 individual first fed wins.

Yeah I personally believe the NFC is the only true national on the south mate, as obviously not only is the boundary open to the whole country but the marking stations too allow the whole country to compete although its still a fair old drive for the lads up here and in the North East.

Very true neil