This weekend the WOESRC were at Brighton. This is 102 miles for me. This race showed to me the difference between those birds that return late but on their own and those sent back via courier.
The birds were liberated at 11.00am in a fresh WNW headwind. It proved a stiff race with most members being at least a couple short at marking.
I was a fair bit behind our club winner who also topped the combine.
My first bird was timed at 14.57. She is a yearling Grizzle hen bred from a Kirkpatrick x Jan Aarden cock of mine and the Grizzle hen from George. This was only her second race this year having been 22 days late from her other race from Littlehampton earlier in the year.
Second bird was a yearling blue cock at 15.05. He is a latebred from last year and still carries 2 nest flights. His nest sister has been coming very well although not sent this week. They are from a cock from Pete and a hen from Rich. This one too was having just his second race after being 16 days late from the same race as the Grizzle.
Third bird at 15.49 was a 2 year old Red Grizzle cock having his 8th race of the season.
Forth at 15.56 was Muzzaboy. He too was having his 8th race of the year.
Fifth at 17.12 was Steve, the blue pied cock from Buster. He has had 7 races this year.
I am still missing the other 2 birds. One was reported in Worthing, West Sussex and picked up by Trev before being returned by courier. The other one was first reported in Guildford Surrey before being reported again in Canterbury Kent and then returned by courier. Both these birds have been back here for sometime, well settled and had a short trainer before going to this race. But it seems that because this was quite a hard race they have both gone down again.
Brighton 1/7/23
So I sent 4 pigeons to this race that had made a mistake in a previous race. The 2 that returned themselves were my first 2 birds. The 2 that came home in a box are missing again.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
I think most of the problems are mine. I need to change my methods and system for next year. Over the winter I am going to change some of the inside of my loft to enable me to have some on widowhood next year.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
Well done Andy
good to see that you got most home. I think having had some years out of the sport we have some catching up to do, I too have realised that I really need to look at feed and motivation. Times have changed and we need to change with them !!!