Rooster J. Cogburn

I don’t think this reason alone would be strong enough to exclude an entire federation John. Every member of every fed and organisation will have their own ideas on what is the best transport option. It would be madness to exclude them from racing if the birds were going in the opposite of what they thought was the ideal. Some on here have slandered the traditional type of transporter and gone on to win hundreds of pounds using them with the SNFC. It would be crazy of the SNFC not to let them compete would it not? The same can be said for many things. I for one believe the NW fed race their birds on the wrong line of flight as do others. If we want to go west but the fed goes east should we not be allowed to race? There are individuals I know personally in the NW fed who believe Geraldys to be the ideal way to transport birds. So the views you have chosen to highlight are not representing the NW fed but the individuals who posted them. If, of course, there were valid reasons to exclude the NW fed from this potential Amal then fair enough, but a handful of people speaking against a method of transporting pigeons on an internet forum is not one of them in my eyes. If the invitation was extended to the Northwest fed with details on races, transporters, marking etc etc. it would be for the members to take the terms on board and decide at AGM if they wanted to incorporate it into their racing, not one or two people sitting at a computer.

I couldnae tell ye blucock, I’ve only ever seen or heard of the idea on here. If it was a serious proposition and the NW fed was eligible to partake, the current office bearers are Scott Morrison(scottym7), Martin Conlin(aye ready), James Jack and myself. I’m assuming one or all of us would need to be made clear on what exactly was on the table to present to the NW fed members at the AGM to see if they were keen on the idea. The Northwest fed was once part of the Central and East of Scotland Amal. I can’t speak for the body of the membership but looking to the future, if this type of amalgamation was to become the reality, I personally think it makes a lot of sense geographically for the Northwest fed to be involved with the feds mentioned at the start of the thread. It would all depend on what is being proposed, whether it be joint convoying in the second half of the old bird programme, one young bird race, a yearling derby etc etc.

Will be interesting to see what comes of Don Quinn's sit down with the five families I think to restrict the idea to purely a young bird race isn't the way this notion could best serve Scottish Pigeon racing on the whole. Either way it's an interesting concept and partly in keeping with what I believe would be the best possible format for Scotland, as a pigeon racing nation, to race their doos. It's all down to cooperation I suppose, which is not a trait the pigeon fancier is particularly well known for Best of luck and I hope it can be made a success

Good luck with the sale lads, I'd have liked to have made it but can't today unfortunately. A few screamers up for grabs that's for sure. As usual I'd tend to lean towards the legend of John Ellis' doo, special pigeons in the hands of a special fancier.

disappointing Like they say though-ye learn more in defeat than ye do in victory Only consolation was winning a SNFC Silver award with the dark pied hen for 6th,128th and 38th Open

Reasonable in terms of returns racing natural youngyins as for the Northwest Fed as a whole, I'm shocked there hasnae been a petition in to go back down the west route

Keep the faith Elanco They might one day realise you were right, just got to hope for the sake of future inland and cross channel racing in Scotland that day doesn't come too late.

I'm not disptuting anything you are saying in terms of the fairness of the race etc. nor am I having a go at you or anybody else. but I've seen you talking of this breaking point thing before and I've no idea how it could possibly work? If I'm clear on the criteria you have mentioned,Kelso would be getting around 20 miles from Billy Bilsland from Leicester and Annan around 70. It's all very complicated as is splitting up the national into 'semi nationals' or whatever you want to call it. To me the solution is very straight forward indeed. Do away with the race and leave races of this distance to feds and their neighbours.

Well done lads Well done Derek

well done all who have timed. nice to see some of PB members in. Pleased to see they are still working home, in what can only be described as a dreadful day. Hopefully some future SNFC prize-winners amongst them. Would need to have a proper look at it and/or await the official outcome, but to me it looks like Mr & Mrs Elliot are the first loft in the history of the club flying into the West Region to have won the Robert Telfer award for best average in ALL SNFC races. A remarkable achievement if it turns out to be the case. Hopefully be of encouragement to some

:emoticon-0136-giggle: hope ye get a good race Derek empty

I was thinking between 20 past and 20 to. So half past aye We'll find out shortly. good luck to all competing

First birds be in some time in the next 20 minutes??

It's an interesting list, but I suppose it's only one way of looking at it. There's a lot of 'ultimate fanciers' who don't fall into this category. Still, it passes the time

Was just pointing out the open prizes seemed a bit better spread than it usually is from Leicester. You and yer dad will get that chance again I'm sure I shouldn't have got involved,ye know my thoughts on the race John

last time the SNFC had a YBN from Cheltenham was 2005 all sections A - G featured in the first 108 Open, 6 of the 7 in the first 73 Open

It would be great to see it back with its own identity taking in pigeons from all the 5 feds mentioned. With four SNFC cross channel events and the three bird club Lillers race it would be difficult to drum up birdage to support a SCC standalone race from France. With Newbury, Maidstone and Ypres being on the card, it would be difficult to get a good number of yearlings to host a 250-300mile Yearling derby. It's maybe worth considering but most likely the entries would be small, which although not ideal could work if the costs were taken into account and could be covered. If all the feds were to cooperate I'm sure they could muster together enough doos to make a 180-200 mile YB race a success.

Due to the history surrounding the SCC it would be a great shame if that time was to come, although in a way it already has. To me its not fulfilling it's purpose. This is predominantly down to the decrease in membership/birds, the SNFC race programme and the divisions in/between the long term contributing feds. As it stands the longest race is on the back of the SNFC Clermont race and goes against the basic principle of a Scottish Central Combine cross channel race. The yearling derby is on the back of the Northwest and Central's federation race from Peterborough and goes against the basic principle of a yearling derby. The young bird race in it's present form going forward will struggle to wash it's feet. If someone was to take it by the neck and make a real go of it, most probably, the main thing that would need to happen in order for it fulfil it's function would be to increase birdage costs or start a subscription fee. I'm not sure how popular this idea would be? For me if it were to continue in it's present form the names of the events would need to change and it would only be a means of extra nominations or pools within the host races. These are only a couple of my opinions and mean little in the grand scheme of things.

A couple more for yous from each section. North- Walter Masson, Ritchie and Whyte South- E. Hodgson & son, Matt Jamieson East- Dale Newcombe, John Ellis West- Davie Angus, Mitchell Bros

It's online now John The site it's on doesn't pay advertising fees to basics so the name has been removed

J & I Alston, Ravenstruther - 4 x SNFC West Region winners at 500-600+ miles loft report now online

I posted this thread last year on the birds flying sky high http://forum.pigeonbasics.com/topic/60687-high-fliers/page__p__778182__fromsearch__1entry778182 Here we are from the same race point(Consett) on the exact same weekend and the birds are dots in the sky. Didn't see the direction the first birds came from, only their shadows on the way down.

Was nice to see him in the paper this week, still performing at the distance after all these years I only have around three articles he wrote, but I read them every year-brilliant stuff. One from 1982 and 1983, where he talked about his management and breeding ideas. Another from the early 90s I think where he compared managing a team of pigeon to running a successful farm.

I'm one of people who feel there should be no inland races at all in the national programme, in saying this I think the SNRPC 2013 program is spot on when talking in terms of the present day. I for one would propose this programme without alterations, except perhaps Billericay and Peterborough open to duplication. If it was passed you'd think with a need for two transporters going from the same place, to the same place at the same time some sort of joint convoying agreement could be reached and both clubs could keep their own identities and fly under their own terms.

It's finding the right people and financing independent of the SNFC and the SNRPC that would make it work. No political agendas or bias; just a way of highlighting great, predominantly Scottish long distance pigeons and fanciers. In the hope that some find it interesting, maybe learn something and just generally raise a bit more interest towards long distance racing within the fancy.