UkPigeonRacing

So now I have decided to stop the old birds for this year it is time to evaluate what I have and how we move on. I could have pushed them a bit more but have decided that I’d rather keep what we have and have some useful 2 year olds to test next year. I am hoping that race programs are sorted during the winter and we know what’s happening much earlier than we have this year. It has been very frustrating this year especially as I have no club racing. We didn’t know whether we were going South or North. We were promised South Road racing earlier in the year but as the start of the season approached there was still no agreement for this.

So we started with just Guernsey’s on the South before the BBC & CSCFC decided to go North. Channel racing has at last opened up this weekend but with many hoops to jump through to be able to send.

I have lost 2 good pigeons off the loft this year. Pete’s Muzzabella who was lost before the season started, and a yearling hen who was first bird from the first young bird race last year and then first bird from Guernsey 3 this year having also flown Guernsey 2 the previous week and then went missing 2 days later off the loft.

These are the old birds that we have left in the team at present:
GB20B08432 B.CH cock.
Bred from: Sire GB19B05855 from Devo & CDBL Dam GB19B05882 from Phil
This cock was unraced as a youngster and then went missing for a few weeks from the bad trainer I had as a yearling so wasn’t raced then either.
This year he was sent to the second Guernsey 107mls and was in at 7.53am next day. Then the third Guernsey the following week where he was 4 days late and finally sent North to Hexham 269mls where he was in at 7.55am next day. He still has got a lot to prove.
GB20B08430 B.CH hen.
Bred from: Sire GB19B05894 from Trev Dam GB19P01860
Unraced as a youngster.
As a yearling she was first bird from Penzance 152mls and then first bird Elgin 457mls albeit 33 days late. (Only 2 birds sent)
This year she was 3rd bird 94th section 667th open Guernsey 107mls. The following week from Guernsey again she was in at 10.48am next day then arrived 9 days late from Hexham 269mls. So again needs to prove herself but is showing a bit of potential.
GB21B04339 Red Grizzle cock. This cock I bred for Murray for our challenge.
Bred from: Sire GB20B08446 G.Sire IHU18S091513 from Magic G.Dam GB17V54346 from George. Dam GB20B08447 G.Sire GB19B05849 from John & Ben G.Dam GB19B05852 from Pete
As can be seen this bird contains the lines of 4 of our members.
As a youngster he was sent to Ilkeston 140mls on 20th August and returned 21st November.
This year as a yearling he went to Guernsey 107mls being our second bird and 106th section 550th open. He was due to go to Hexham but had a bit of a sore eye so was left out. His eye is fine now.
GB21B04366 Blue hen from Potter.
If you had the pick of the loft this is the last one you would probably pick. She is the hen that is small and a bit bowed legged. But is really showing some promise.
Unraced as a youngster.
This year she was sent to the first Guernsey where she was second bird being 175th section 801st open. She was sent to Guernsey again the following week where she was our first bird being 58th section 541st open. I then turned her North to Wakefield 184mls. She was our second bird at 7.19am next day.
GB21B04378 Grizzle cock from Trev
As a youngster he was sent to Ilkeston 140mls North. The next morning he was reported in Portsmouth. This where the winners were and he had gone in on the day of the race. We drove down to Portsmouth that day, a 3 hour round trip, and picked him up.
This year as a yearling he was sent to Guernsey 107mls South. He arrived at 9.30am next day. He was then turned North again and sent to Wakefield 184mls. He was duplicated in both the BBC and CSCFC. He was our first bird recording 26th section 343rd open BBC and 89th section 424th open CSCFC. 2 weeks later he was sent to Hexham 269mls, again duplicated. He was first bird again recording 21st section 260th open BBC and 32nd section 213th open CSCFC. This was a hard race with a fresh headwind and flying further and more westerly than most other birds in it. The winner was only flying 97mls and took the first 11 places flying the shortest and most easterly.
GB21B04377 Gay pied cock from Trev. Full brother to the Grizzle cock 78 above.
Unraced as a youngster.
As a yearling he has only had one race, Guernsey 107mls. He arrived while we were up the club having the clock read off. He was found in the loft at 9pm that day. He had a large gash down one side under his wing. He is fine now but hasn’t been raced again yet.
GB21B04356 Blue Chequer Cock. Muzzaboy. I bred this cock for Murray for our challenge out of Pete’s Muzzabella.
Sire: GB20B08410 bred by John and Ben. Dam: GB20B08401, Pete’s Muzzabella bred by Pete.
As a youngster flew Ilkeston 140mls. First bird. Arrived on the day after flying 11hrs 28mins. Wasn’t verified.
This year as a yearling he was sent to Guernsey 107mls arriving at 11.37am next day. He then went to Wakefield 184mls. He was 10 days late from this one.
GB21B04347 Dark Chequer hen
Sire: BELG142334761 from John & Ben. Dam: GB15S77977 from John & Ben
Unraced as a youngster.
This year as a yearling was sent to Guernsey 107mls. Arrived 11 days late.
GB21B04353 Blue Chequer cock.
Sire: GB19B05846 from John & Ben. Dam: GB19B05857 from Devo & CDBL
Unraced as a youngster.
This year sent to Guernsey 107mls. Arrived after 23 days.
GB21B04334 Blue Chequer cock
Sire: GB19B05855 from Devo & CDBL. Dam: GB19B05852 from Pete
Unraced as a youngster.
As a yearling this year sent to Guernsey 107mls, arrived at 12.22 next day. Then switched North to Wakefield 184mls arrived 2 days late.
GB21B04352 Dark Chequer hen
Sire: GB20B08432. G.Sire GB19B05855 from Devo & CDBL G.Dam GB19B05882 from Phil. Dam: GB20B08448. G.Sire IHU19S046751 from Magic G.Dam GB19B05857 from Devo & CDBL.
Unraced or trained as a youngster as late bred.
As a yearling being the first time in a basket was sent to Guernsey 107mls. She arrived 3 days late with a large gash across her chest.

We also have a yearling hen that flew Ilkeston 140mls as a youngster that was hawked early in the year and has a dropped wing but does fly around home. Plus 2 latebreds that haven’t seen a basket yet and Polly. Also have 12 stock birds.

Not fantastic results but don’t forget that these are all national races against 100/200+ members sending 2/3,000 birds from all over the country so just getting them back is a good start.

I am still not convinced that racing as youngsters makes much difference as more of the ones I have left were unraced as youngsters than raced. They only had 4 x 10 mile tosses as youngsters and no training as yearlings. These birds have had some hard races and been switched both North and South. I may have lost a few birds and possibly some that may not have been lost with a bit more education but I am looking for birds that race as individuals in national racing against birds and top flyers from all over the country. I have lost less than some fanciers I know that train and race regularly and haven’t flown the distances that ours have. A lot of the ones lost I probably aren’t to surprised about although a few are a shame to have lost.

So all round I think we are starting to see the makings of a half decent team.

Good update there Andy and some fine looking birds that have performed well under some difficult circumstances, maybe some all points training at start of season may help them especially with all the switching, have you started training the babies yet

No I haven’t done anything with the youngsters yet. They are flying well around home and I am just starting to get them out twice a day. If the weather is good in a couple of weeks I may start, probably from 10 miles North. I have been waiting for the later ones to get going.

Thanks for that great update on the team, Andy.
The pigeons all look very well, they are a credit to you. They always are.

I am sad the Muzzabella was lost, but I am pleased the Muzzaboy is still there. I reckon he might turn in a good performance one day

On one thing we will disagree. I think training the young birds is the most important thing that ever happens in their lives. I have a mate who has trained his young cock birds 24 times from 5 miles. They have a firm grip on the job description.
I am not training now, but I went out in stages, 1,1,2,2,5,5,5,5,8,8,10,10,15,15,15,15.... miles, in the autumn. Then I put them away.
I don't know what it's like in the UK, but here, to take green youngsters to a 10 mile toss first time in the box, you would pretty much lose the lot. The hawks would massacre them.

Last year I gave our youngsters just 4 x 10 mile tosses. Each time they beat me home. I didn’t lose one youngster in training. I think you can lose more from a very short toss than a longer one. I do tend to include a few older birds for the first couple of tosses.

That is good, only 4 x10 milers as well, I used to get mine no less than 50 miles at least 3 times per week started off at 20 then 30 those were every day except weekend once 50/60 reached then 3 times week, when racing was 2 x 50 milers unless midweek racing then just one

I must admit Buster I have never been one for training. Call me lazy if you want lol. I never used to train my old birds at all apart from possibly one or two short tosses pre season and youngbirds I never trained much but pretty much gave up training them when I was down in Bodmin Cornwall in the 90s. I would have to go over Bodmin moor and drive about half an hour to get a 5 mile toss and lost so many training that I gave up. I won the Cornish Combine twice in a fortnight from Rennes 200+ miles and had the only bird in race time from Pau 500+ miles plus often taking the first 6 in the club with birds that weren’t trained. I was still winning regularly with youngbirds and old birds without training so have tended to continue the same. I am limited to time and can only really train first thing in the morning but have to be back to open the shop for 9am. So I feel that for the time it takes to basket 40 youngsters, drive one and a half hour round trip to give them a 20 mile toss that they will probably do in under 30 mins is a waste of time.

No one would accuse you of being lazy, Andy, and we all have our own methods.
I have a mind set developed by being a jockey. I know you can educate them to begin quickly and give yourself a bit of an advantage.That's only my way of looking at it. Not everyone thinks that is important.
The pigeons are looking terrific, as always.

Andy wrote: ↑Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:04 am I must admit Buster I have never been one for training. Call me lazy if you want lol. I never used to train my old birds at all apart from possibly one or two short tosses pre season and youngbirds I never trained much but pretty much gave up training them when I was down in Bodmin Cornwall in the 90s. I would have to go over Bodmin moor and drive about half an hour to get a 5 mile toss and lost so many training that I gave up. I won the Cornish Combine twice in a fortnight from Rennes 200+ miles and had the only bird in race time from Pau 500+ miles plus often taking the first 6 in the club with birds that weren’t trained. I was still winning regularly with youngbirds and old birds without training so have tended to continue the same. I am limited to time and can only really train first thing in the morning but have to be back to open the shop for 9am. So I feel that for the time it takes to basket 40 youngsters, drive one and a half hour round trip to give them a 20 mile toss that they will probably do in under 30 mins is a waste of time.

Andy wasn't having a knock mate was only saying what I used to do, and as for being lazy never in this world , and well done on what you have achieved thus far

Buster121 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 25, 2022 12:14 pm

Andy wrote: ↑Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:04 am I must admit Buster I have never been one for training. Call me lazy if you want lol. I never used to train my old birds at all apart from possibly one or two short tosses pre season and youngbirds I never trained much but pretty much gave up training them when I was down in Bodmin Cornwall in the 90s. I would have to go over Bodmin moor and drive about half an hour to get a 5 mile toss and lost so many training that I gave up. I won the Cornish Combine twice in a fortnight from Rennes 200+ miles and had the only bird in race time from Pau 500+ miles plus often taking the first 6 in the club with birds that weren’t trained. I was still winning regularly with youngbirds and old birds without training so have tended to continue the same. I am limited to time and can only really train first thing in the morning but have to be back to open the shop for 9am. So I feel that for the time it takes to basket 40 youngsters, drive one and a half hour round trip to give them a 20 mile toss that they will probably do in under 30 mins is a waste of time.

Andy wasn't having a knock mate was only saying what I used to do, and as for being lazy never in this world , and well done on what you have achieved thus far

I know you weren’t knocking me mate. I was mocking myself lol.