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Is a yearling really a 2 year old...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2026 10:19 am
by Diamond Dave
....and then, when does the 3 yo term start?
Re: Is a yearling really a 2 year old...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2026 1:53 pm
by andybird1966
It could be a very confusing subject as really it's only the ring that decides the birds age (not it's actual age) for example :-
A youngster bred this year in December with a "27" ring is still classed as a "youngster" even though it was hatched in "26" and can only be raced in YB races ( if not A/A races ) in 2027
Now, if it's nest mate was rung with a "26" ring the bird would only be allowed to compete in OB races even though the 2 birds are exactly the same age as it would be classed as a "yearling" (a bird that's been bred the year before)
You also have the scenario of if a bird was rung on the 1st Jan "26" with a "26" ring and a bird that was rung on the 31st Dec "26" with a "26" ring there's a virtually 12 month age age between the 2 but because of the ring they are exactly the same age.
Soo, technically a bird could be any age but it's the ring that determines the word "yearling" so a "3 year old" would only be a ring that was issued 3 years after the ring was first issued e,g if a ring was issued in 24 then a 3 year old would technically be when the year is 27 but the bird isn't 1 year old till the beginning of 25 so that would make the bird 3 years old in 28, confused??? yep i am lol
Re: Is a yearling really a 2 year old...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2026 2:15 pm
by king
Diamond Dave wrote: Tue Nov 03, 2026 10:19 am
....and then, when does the 3 yo term start?
NO. A yearling is a bird that is one year old or in its second year of life. A 2 year old is in it's 3rd year of life. You are always one year behind. It's the same as people, I'm 68 but living my 69th year of life.
Re: Is a yearling really a 2 year old...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2026 5:20 pm
by Diamond Dave
andybird1966 wrote: Tue Nov 03, 2026 1:53 pm
It could be a very confusing subject as really it's only the ring that decides the birds age (not it's actual age) for example :-
A youngster bred this year in December with a "27" ring is still classed as a "youngster" even though it was hatched in "26" and can only be raced in YB races ( if not A/A races ) in 2027
Now, if it's nest mate was rung with a "26" ring the bird would only be allowed to compete in OB races even though the 2 birds are exactly the same age as it would be classed as a "yearling" (a bird that's been bred the year before)
You also have the scenario of if a bird was rung on the 1st Jan "26" with a "26" ring and a bird that was rung on the 31st Dec "26" with a "26" ring there's a virtually 12 month age age between the 2 but because of the ring they are exactly the same age.
Soo, technically a bird could be any age but it's the ring that determines the word "yearling" so a "3 year old" would only be a ring that was issued 3 years after the ring was first issued e,g if a ring was issued in 24 then a 3 year old would technically be when the year is 27 but the bird isn't 1 year old till the beginning of 25 so that would make the bird 3 years old in 28, confused??? yep i am lol
LOL - PMSL Andybird. I was with you until until the final paragragh and your footnote had me in stitches - brilliant mate!!
Re: Is a yearling really a 2 year old...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2026 5:33 pm
by Diamond Dave
king wrote: Tue Nov 03, 2026 2:15 pm
Diamond Dave wrote: Tue Nov 03, 2026 10:19 am
....and then, when does the 3 yo term start?
NO. A yearling is a bird that is one year old or in its second year of life. A 2 year old is in it's 3rd year of life. You are always one year behind. It's the same as people, I'm 68 but living my 69th year of life.
I kinda get that King but does a bird stay a yearling
up until its hatch date after which you call it a 2yo or are you saying it is still a yearling for the rest of its 2nd year until the next ring issue.?
Re: Is a yearling really a 2 year old...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2026 7:12 pm
by andybird1966
Diamond Dave wrote: Tue Nov 03, 2026 5:33 pm
king wrote: Tue Nov 03, 2026 2:15 pm
Diamond Dave wrote: Tue Nov 03, 2026 10:19 am
....and then, when does the 3 yo term start?
NO. A yearling is a bird that is one year old or in its second year of life. A 2 year old is in it's 3rd year of life. You are always one year behind. It's the same as people, I'm 68 but living my 69th year of life.
I kinda get that King but does a bird stay a yearling
up until its hatch date after which you call it a 2yo or are you saying it is still a yearling for the rest of its 2nd year until the next ring issue.?
A "Yearling" horse is between 1 and 2 years old
Re: Is a yearling really a 2 year old...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2026 7:42 pm
by Murray
To further confuse the issue, down here they call a bird in it's first year a yearling. The next year it is a two year old and so on.
Birds that are sent to the long races at the end of the season are predominantly 'yearlings'. They are in fact probably 8 or 9 or 10 months old.
Re: Is a yearling really a 2 year old...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2026 8:20 pm
by Wiley
What about the top old hen national flyers breeding babies now with old rings on? What we calling them?
Re: Is a yearling really a 2 year old...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2026 8:43 pm
by Diamond Dave
Wiley wrote: Tue Nov 03, 2026 8:20 pm
What about the top old hen national flyers breeding babies now with old rings on? What we calling them?
Omg does that really happen - I am soooo naive!
That begs 2 further questions....
1. Would you expect a y.bird to compete against an 'experienced' yearling or 2yo ?
2. Would the said y.bird be affected by the moult at the time it would need to be ready to race?
Re: Is a yearling really a 2 year old...
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2026 9:26 pm
by Murray
That's exactly what happens here, Dave, and not only do they compete, they win.
They are 'big' young birds that are fully through the moult.
Many years ago an old bloke told me that a young bird at the end of it's first year is the best it will ever be. I thought he was talking nonsense. He wasn't.