Distance racing

[Andy]

The topic on Grit and Minerals has diverted into something different. I started the topic and not a problem. But I just thought that we would be better starting a new one around what’s being said in that topic.

Dave is asking about long distance racing.
To be honest I have always been more interested in sprint racing. Partly due to the lack of time I have for waiting for birds and I feel this is the best part of distance racing. Seeing one drop after hours on the wing. I know we have ETS nowadays and with the likes of my PAS system I don’t even have to be at home, could be anywhere, as I get a message on my phone when one goes over the pad and can verify from anywhere. But it’s not the same hearing that ping or finding one in the loft than actually seeing one arrive.
I have won Lerwick, which was 650 miles, had pigeons fly Thurso 550 miles and the Pau International 500 miles plus others.
When I came back into the sport after a break I was going to go just for distance racing and joined the NFC, BICC, BBC, CSCFC. For a couple of seasons or so this was the only racing I done. It was going ok. But then we had Brexit where none of them flew over the channel for a year, which didn’t bother me as I was able to race North Road which I always liked anyway. But then we had the new rules regarding vet visits etc to be able to fly the channel. I refuse to get involved with DEFRA after arguments I had with them with my farm. Also I think the cost of channel flying taking into account the cost of vet visits, membership of the various clubs, birdage fees and having to market during the day midweek have made it both difficult and expensive. I resigned from them all and at this stage have no intention of flying the channel again.
Having joined Glastonbury FC three years ago and racing just sprint racing I have enjoyed my racing.
I do however have every respect for those who still fly these distances races and the pigeons that compete in them.

[Diamond Dave]

Good for you Andy. Sorry if we hijacked your thread mate.

[Tony-P-]

Yes I think time is the main issue with flying distance birds fanciers go with the Sprint racing as you say Andy each to there own in racing and good luck to them in both.

[Andy]

Good for you Andy. Sorry if we hijacked your thread mate.

Not a problem Dave. I think that topic was pretty much done anyway. Just thought I’d start another one for you.

[Andy]

I do think that racing from over the channel is probably harder nowadays than in the past.
Why do I say that?
Because back in the day clubs, feds, combines would go on their own across the channel. This meant that most of the birds would be coming back into the same general area.
Nowadays the only real way to fly the channel is either by being a member of the National and Classic clubs, or with feds/combines being convoyed by the bigger organisations. I can’t see any alternative to this nowadays with the number of birds sent and the costs involved. But it does mean that the birds are flying back to all parts of the country. Then the weather/wind and drag play a big part as to where the birds come into the UK. This can of course make the birds have to fly much greater distances than just from A to B. For example: if a pigeon of mine in a 400 mile race with the BICC let’s say and in a west or south west wind with the early birds coming into the South East of the country and one of mine was with them it would then have a further 150 odd miles coming West against the wind to get to me. So not only is this 150 miles added to the 400 making it 550 miles it’s also 150 miles of dead time.

[king]

I do think that racing from over the channel is probably harder nowadays than in the past.
Why do I say that?
Because back in the day clubs, feds, combines would go on their own across the channel. This meant that most of the birds would be coming back into the same general area.
Nowadays the only real way to fly the channel is either by being a member of the National and Classic clubs, or with feds/combines being convoyed by the bigger organisations. I can’t see any alternative to this nowadays with the number of birds sent and the costs involved. But it does mean that the birds are flying back to all parts of the country. Then the weather/wind and drag play a big part as to where the birds come into the UK. This can of course make the birds have to fly much greater distances than just from A to B. For example: if a pigeon of mine in a 400 mile race with the BICC let’s say and in a west or south west wind with the early birds coming into the South East of the country and one of mine was with them it would then have a further 150 odd miles coming West against the wind to get to me. So not only is this 150 miles added to the 400 making it 550 miles it’s also 150 miles of dead time.

I don't think it's any harder Andy. Your right in saying that many found it easier racing the channel in club & Fed coming back into the same general area. But those fanciers who raced the Nationals, myself included knew you needed a different type of pigeon than those which raced the channel in club/Fed. There was few fanciers around me that more often that not beat me in the Fed channel races, but never beat me when we both sent to the Nationals. One fancier in my club said to me, 'Why do you send to channel when you aren't winning in the Fed channel races?' I said I use the club races for the yearlings and send the older birds to the Nationals. Around that time we were transported by Catteralls, who told us where we were racing from and for many years the longest race was Nantes 464 miles. I flew the Nationals to send further. When the club did fly from Poitiers 514 miles, I sent, it was a hard race and I was 1st & 4th club, only 7 in race time, 4th &13th Fed, 6th & 16th combine. The Winner had flown both Nantes 464 miles & Saintes 568 miles the year previous in the Nationals. The bird that was 4th had flown the NFC YB National the year before at 368 miles, and she was the only yearling clocked in the entire combine at this 500 race. When I raced from Bordeaux 626 miles, my birds flew the entire route over land they had never previously raced over, as out club races were mainly from Eastern France.
I think many who race the Nationals now probably like me had birds that could do it before most clubs/Feds stopped sending. I'll agree anybody starting out now to race the Nationals may get a shock and find it harder. I recall Brian Denny telling me when he first flew the Nationals he lost many club/Fed wining birds. He didn't change his family, he just began breeding around the birds that could do it, and the rest is history, he became probably the best 700 mile fancier in the Country.
Your right about drag with small numbers going, this years NFC YB National highlighted that. When I sent to the YB Nationals and there was East in the wind and the birds came across into Cornwall, my birds were just as far from home as they were when released at the race point!

[Andy]

Good points King. You obviously did very well from over the channel. I did top the Cornish combine twice in a fortnight with the same pigeon from Rennes when I lived in Bodmin. I also had the only pigeon in the combine from Pau. We also flew Luxembourg. But all these were just with the combine.
I do agree that it takes a different pigeon to fly in the classics and nationals. Even more so in the internationals. Mine done ok and most of the pigeons I race now are descend from those birds even though I only sprint race now.

[Murray]

As a matter of interest, is the type of pigeon competing in the long races over there changing from the past?
Here a lot of the flyers are doing well at the longer distances with pigeons with a lot of imported speed blood in them.

[Albert]

The topic on Grit and Minerals has diverted into something different. I started the topic and not a problem. But I just thought that we would be better starting a new one around what’s being said in that topic.

Dave is asking about long distance racing.
To be honest I have always been more interested in sprint racing. Partly due to the lack of time I have for waiting for birds and I feel this is the best part of distance racing. Seeing one drop after hours on the wing. I know we have ETS nowadays and with the likes of my PAS system I don’t even have to be at home, could be anywhere, as I get a message on my phone when one goes over the pad and can verify from anywhere. But it’s not the same hearing that ping or finding one in the loft than actually seeing one arrive.
I have won Lerwick, which was 650 miles, had pigeons fly Thurso 550 miles and the Pau International 500 miles plus others.
When I came back into the sport after a break I was going to go just for distance racing and joined the NFC, BICC, BBC, CSCFC. For a couple of seasons or so this was the only racing I done. It was going ok. But then we had Brexit where none of them flew over the channel for a year, which didn’t bother me as I was able to race North Road which I always liked anyway. But then we had the new rules regarding vet visits etc to be able to fly the channel. I refuse to get involved with DEFRA after arguments I had with them with my farm. Also I think the cost of channel flying taking into account the cost of vet visits, membership of the various clubs, birdage fees and having to market during the day midweek have made it both difficult and expensive. I resigned from them all and at this stage have no intention of flying the channel again.
Having joined Glastonbury FC three years ago and racing just sprint racing I have enjoyed my racing.
I do however have every respect for those who still fly these distances races and the pigeons that compete in them.

Life's to short Andy.

[Andy]

The topic on Grit and Minerals has diverted into something different. I started the topic and not a problem. But I just thought that we would be better starting a new one around what’s being said in that topic.

Dave is asking about long distance racing.
To be honest I have always been more interested in sprint racing. Partly due to the lack of time I have for waiting for birds and I feel this is the best part of distance racing. Seeing one drop after hours on the wing. I know we have ETS nowadays and with the likes of my PAS system I don’t even have to be at home, could be anywhere, as I get a message on my phone when one goes over the pad and can verify from anywhere. But it’s not the same hearing that ping or finding one in the loft than actually seeing one arrive.
I have won Lerwick, which was 650 miles, had pigeons fly Thurso 550 miles and the Pau International 500 miles plus others.
When I came back into the sport after a break I was going to go just for distance racing and joined the NFC, BICC, BBC, CSCFC. For a couple of seasons or so this was the only racing I done. It was going ok. But then we had Brexit where none of them flew over the channel for a year, which didn’t bother me as I was able to race North Road which I always liked anyway. But then we had the new rules regarding vet visits etc to be able to fly the channel. I refuse to get involved with DEFRA after arguments I had with them with my farm. Also I think the cost of channel flying taking into account the cost of vet visits, membership of the various clubs, birdage fees and having to market during the day midweek have made it both difficult and expensive. I resigned from them all and at this stage have no intention of flying the channel again.
Having joined Glastonbury FC three years ago and racing just sprint racing I have enjoyed my racing.
I do however have every respect for those who still fly these distances races and the pigeons that compete in them.

Life's to short Andy.

Not sure what you mean Albert?