Rooster J. Cogburn

I think that's unwarranted Andy. I've known Hugh for nearly twenty years and was a clubmate of his for most of that time. I don't think you could meet a more gentlemanly, uncontrovertial ,well intentioned, straight shooting fancier than him. It's not compulsory, fanciers haven't reported birds that have won high positions many times before and have been called for less. With that in mind any fancier well in should wait to see the result before coming to conclusions. I can say with certainty there would be no ill intent behind this and would think the fact it's a text service now instead of the old phone in could be one possible reason for the birds not being reported.

Well done Davie, tremendous standard of flying

John Gray made one on John Ellis,Robert Cormack and Andrew Deans. I gave a loan ae it to some one, but can't remember who lol

I won the Mr & Mrs Murphy trophy in 2016, nice enough thing to win for the feel good factor ye get winning an award but it's not that meaningful. As stated, it's down to opinion. Consistent young birds are not uncommon, under a different set of circumstances or to a different area a pigeon winning multiple high prizes in the fed races could as easily win next to none. Walter's young pigeon is location defying and a performance only a few fanciers will put up once or twice in a life time. Hat's off to the doo and Walter-they have the recognition and glory beyond any nominated award.

:emoticon-0136-giggle:

I looked at that Walter, think Rabat would be a better racepoint

It's easy to blame inland nationals etc. for the lack of amalgamating-the biggest obstacle in the way are the feds themselves. I don't think a 600 mile race would be well supported within those feds even if they did amalgamate. Best option would be with the SNFC. Why just the 600? Niort is the furthest the SNFC have been, why not propose we give that another try?

Well done all the doos and fanciers in tonight. Superb performances!!!

Best of luck everybody ðŸ†

Damage limitation I suppose lol. I've not sent, but really do hope for the birds and the club's sake it turns out alright. Over 4000 birds and £11500 down on this time last year, got to hope it's a good race.

early lib or midday lib, it'll be a brute. Think it would be worth considering bringing the birds home. I hope I'm wrong, but going on the forecast and my gut instinct this race will kill pigeons and won't be the Gold Cup saviour we all want.

Plenty of the all time greats on those results. Not been many better pigeons than the 7th Open hen for Bobby Carruthers when ye consider she was also 8th Open Nantes two years earlier and 6th Open Rennes the year before that.

Agree with you about Norman 100% Davie. The clashing with SNFC races was one reason I'd opted for a comeback race after Newark, as Leicester is likely to be(goin on the usual dates) on the same day as the first inland national, birdage would be lost to the SNFC so it would make more sense financially goin to the shorter race that day? Roye I've no issue with and only put Ypres as it's the one that's been used recently. I forgot to include the £10 nom for it as well Maidstone instead of Billericay would be fine by me too. It was just as a starting point.

Don't think it should be about sinking the SNFC(or anyone else for that matter)Peter, so much as getting the best racing possible for the majority of fanciers and pigeons in central Scotland.

Earlier this week I spoke to a fancier from central ScotlandI hadn’t seen in a while and heard him describe the Scottish Central Combine as‘a sleeping giant’. It made me think a wee bit of how the year panned out forthe federations affiliated and some of the things I’ve heard fanciers in theseorganisations say, as well as some questions they raise in my own mind. General consensus is the races where all the feds wenttogether, of which I think there was only a couple, the returns were very good. It would make sense to do it more often? It’s been said by some returns had been good all year untilwe went with the SNFC. With the exception perhaps of Leicester. Do the SCC need to go to the SNFC Inland race ? Some of the furthest flying members feel they wouldn’t betaken into consideration were the SCC feds to merge from start to finish. Do the feds need to go together from the very start of theseason? May 5th- Catterrick May 12th- Ripon May 19th- Wakefield May 26th- Newark June 2nd- Catterick (2) June 9th- Peterborough June 16th – Catterick (3) June 23rd- Billericay Channel race – Ypres Could a program similar to this, which allows the individualfeds to choose when and where in April they start, be a viable starting pointfor discussion amongst SCC officials, before making a recommended one for theirown federations? Race control duties and transport, how could this besolved/shared? Could a SCC top 40 be published for each race with anongoing 40 for 1st Open down to 1 for 40th Open pointstable? Could a £10 Single bird Nom be introduced for say Newark,Peterborough and Billericay?

Poor race controlling and inadequate transport lol

I never had had it to lose in the first place John. Think we’re missing first and foremost that the idea of theSNFC was to race against everyone in Scotland-something that’s not happening asit stands. You make the races further into the borders, you also make themfurther into the centre and the North. These stats ae Alec’s show how thatworks out. Yer eliminating nearly half the country with early libs beforea balls even kicked and that’s even on a good day. Who’s looking for the easyoption from those races? I’m not saying we should have 6 inland nationals or anythinglike that. Just don’t think it’d do any harm going for more channel races inthe region of 400-480 into the Central belt. There’s no one respects the long distance traditions, giftedfanciers and tremendous pigeons of the past more than me but those days havegone, pigeon racing has changed. The pigeons aren’t here anymore and there’s noway they’ll be back anytime in the near future if we continue as we are now. Keep Buckingham,keep Ypres, shorter gold Cup, shorterlast channel race, give some thought to the second Inland national and put thelongest race out its misery. These would be good starting points as far as I’mconcerned going into next year. After that you can look at competence of controllersand suitability of transport.

Think it's the opposite John. It doesn't get any easier for tired pigeons from the Solway up. The shorter the race,within reason mind,the better chance each area has of good open prizes and birds on the winning day. Spey Bay and ypres come to mind this year. Poppy ae Stuart Maskames in recent times. The Macaloneys and Blairs etc. John Alston's ancenis bird was exceptional this season in the most difficult one yet,but look at the last few if you want to see a borders ball lol

not necessarily,but lookin at Alec's stats it's clear the shortest flying section has the highest prize percentage and the furthest flying has the lowest. It might not be the worst idea? Looking at the numbers going to the races in the mid 60s when the three French races became a permanent fixture,they were often sending up to three times more in one of them,than we can muster up between all three. Somethings changed,should we maybe take that on board?lol

Have fewer 500mile races?

Think the number of race birds over the age of 2 years old answers that question William. Letting pigeons out at times here is harder on them than yesteryear lol.

Well done all the Ypres section winners and of course Davie Baldie on his well deserved and long overdue 1st Open Looking at the Ypres result I couldn't help but notice the race A.S Thomson & Son had, following up from their 3rd Open Alencon the week previous and 10 in the first 80 Open from Ypres last year to take 6th,7th,16th,18th,33rd,41st,44th,46th,50th and 140th Open is something else. I see that last season's Dewar trophy winner was the partnerships first bird from the race too, bit of a pigeon that one.

I don't feel like quantifying any example the day, but I'll make one up and you can take from it what ye want . Peter Pandy-only bird on the night timed at 2109 flying 518miles 1113yards. "Well Done Peter. Top Class!! Ye were right all along about those beans :emoticon-0137-clapping:. Next time yer down at the England/Wales border get me half a tonne " *Tough race ensues* First bird timed the following morning is by none other than Peter's clubmate and near neighbour. Not Pandy-first bird of the morning timed at 0628 flying 518 miles 1213yards Result 1. Not Pandy on a velocity of 1021ypm 2. Peter Pandy on a velocity of 1020 ypm "Dream stuff Not Pandy . Peter dinnae bother about they beans, Not Pandy has shown me his feeding system :emoticon-0136-giggle:"

I'm not suggesting anything Peter, merely highlighting how terrible your idea is with an example

You need only look at the SNRPC Reims Gold Medal result, less than two weeks ago, to see how illogical your thought process was at the time of writing this post Peter Hours of darkness was up for discussion at the last AGM and it certainly isn't perfect as it is now, but your suggestion is possibly the least fair way it could be done.