bullcock

Thanks lads, Still pinching myself to see if this really happened, it's a dream come true, these birds have put up some great performances for us over the years but this has to be the best.

All our potential Ypres birds were at Maidstone, poor return, therefore none for Ypres, disappointed it has been a good race for us, good luck to all who go.

Hi Stuart, 100% returns great, We only got the one, it was her first time across, waiting on a hen that has been twice before and two other first timers, it has been a hard day for returns, I am just delighted with our hen's performance.

I think the marking on the same night the birds were due from Maidstone might have had an affect on the whole birdage under 1400 birds is pretty poor for our Premier race, but it has been a tough season with big losses and the dreaded Newbury took it's share of Gold Cup Candidates AGAIN, I only got 2 from 9 at Maidstone which was disappointing, high losses for me this year,I have sent 4 in tip top condition, so we will see how they go, Frankie, Carlin Bros and J.Hagg are also away, I hope they go up in the morning all these hold overs sickens the fanciers and adds to the list of negatives killing the sport at the moment, Good luck and all the best for the race.

How about one inland race (Maidstone) flown two weeks before the Gold Cup, that would have been last week, giving the birds, the committee, the transporter drivers and the fanciers a break and all would be fresh for the Gold Cup. This will give everyone an option of middle and distance racing.

My dog Zak.

You touch on the issue of the popularity of the first inland race and Newbury, I would like to keep the first inland and keep it to the second Saturday in June, but I totally disagree with flying from Newbury or anywhere else in this area, stick to the east(Huntingdon or Balliricay), you also say the inland race has no impact in the distance races, the last 5 years have seen average birdage in the first inland in the region of 5000 birds and after very poor returns, we get a poor birdage for the rest of the program, if it is poor fed races that is the cause where do we get 5000 birds from? most used the first inland as a prep race for the other races, as a lot of feds have this in there program they have no other option to get the birds a stretch. The first inland race will decide the birdage for the rest of the program as if it has poor returns it will impact the rest of the races. but the middle of the country has been disastrous for returns for years now and we keep going there, WHY? I don't know, time for a change, stick to the east side. JMO

382 miles to the gallon

Your right it is done and I'm sure committee can make the right decision. And there will be some with good and some with poor returns and the diesel will be the talking point.

That is a good idea, I am familiar with diesel and it certainly smelled like it, but you could be right, the owners of the premises could hold the key to what it was, and could help in the final decision to lib or not.

The transport wasn't the issue it was drinkers in the actual marking station,the guys at the making station work very hard and accept any help they can get, all the moaners should put their names forward next time to sit their from 16:00 to dark oclock.

I was their and I know what Diesel smells like, 99% sure.

Lets look at the Fact as they are, I was standing right at the baskets when this all came to light, The marking station continued to mark for about 5 minutes while they tried to understand the issue. Once they had fully understood the situation there actions are as follows. 1 Stop Marking, Correct decision? 100% 2 Removed all drinkers and replaced with new drinkers and fresh water, Correct decision? 100% 3 Sealed all baskets, Correct decision? 100% 4 Contacted the President and requested his presence at the marking station, Correct decision? 100% 5 Committee agreed to call a vet that would be out within the hour, Correct decision? 100% 6 All baskets removed and quarantined waiting on the vet,Correct decision? 100% At this Point I would like to make a few points. 1 The SNFC committee have been intrusted by us to look after the welfare of our birds and to do everything in their power to execute the agreed race program. 2 The easy decision would have been to cancel the race, but it is the duty of the committee to exhaust every avenue to keep the race on before making such a decision. 3 The Fact that the last option is to cancel the race, means therefore that they must act as though the race is going ahead until otherwise, so the fact is for race security these birds could not be returned to their owners until after the race, and they would need to be housed and looked after in a secure place, and taking them to the race point on the transporter will keep them secure and also still give the option to liberate if this is the final decision. 4 It is clear that the vet who saw the bird on marking night must have gave a positive outcome, and a second vet 24 hours later will give the Committee the confidence to make the right decision on the day. So right this minute the race is still an option, all birds have a chance of competing and they still have the option to pull the affected baskets if necessary. I personally think we are at the best possible scenario to get a positive out of this very hard situation, and although it is very disappointing this has happened the committee have done the very best they could. I am sure it will be top of the agenda at the next committee meeting to ensure this doesn't happen again and all members can have their say at the AGM, but until then I would like to give the Committee my support and hope most do, and hope it never happens again. I would like to make one final point, My birds were NOT in the affected baskets but this was by chance, I can't help it if they were or weren't, I would like to wish all competing fanciers all the very best for this race. yes there were cock baskets at the Lanarkshire marking station with Diesel in the water!

I have covered this with others, the losses in the first National have been killing the birdage for the rest of the races for the last 5 years or more, and we keep going down this route for the first national, Newbury poor returns, Bovingdon terrible returns, Malbourgh terrible poor returns, newbury (cheltham) terrible returns back to newbury guess what poor returns????? how many more of these races do we need before we change? I am for a first inland national but I would like it to be from the east the line most fly from and we have had good returns from Maidstone, Eastbourne and ypres over the last 5 years so stay in the east! Hunting don approx. 300 miles into the central belt would give good sport, better returns and a wee stretch ready for the gold cup. This is my tupence worth on this subject, STAY OUT the NEWBURY AREA! GO EAST.........

Yes well done Stuart, Remember what I said earlier Derek Huntingdon for the first inland National would be plenty to give some time on the wing a good bit of sport and most important better returns, which the whole National program depends on.

I hope so Derek, but bovingdon malbourgh, etc are no good either, all races from the east give reasonable returns,so for me billiracay, Wansteadflats, I would even be happy with Huntingdon about 300mile, this would get the birds time on the wing and im sure better returns for the rest of the national season.

Hi John, I remember at blackpool asking you what was the most important race in the snfc program, most would instantly say the gold cup, but it is the first inland race, because this race holds all the birds for Maidstone, gold cup ypres and tours, and a poor return will have a major effect on the whole national season, and every year for the last 5 years the returns from the first national have been very poor affecting the birdage at the rest of the races. Maidstone will be a good race I am sure as will ypres, so why is the first national always poor, in my opinion, if the first national was from the east we would get our returns JMO, all east races over the last few years have had good returns and every race in the middle has been a poor return.(newbury, Bovingdon, cheltham....)

Cheers for that.

Anyone else having problems on the SNFC web site ? Cant get by the first page?

We lose a large % of our yearlings before 250mile every year, this year was no different, two years work down the pan before 1st June!, the same as last year and the one before and next year.... You know my opinion on starting early so I'm not going over it again Stuart, but every year come June most members are finished and the weather is just starting to get warm, but they all love to fly them in winter conditions in April and May, if we started a few weeks later and we were at 150mile this week, how many would still have yearlings after 250mile by the Middle of June? Sorry I said I wasn't going to go over it again oops, LOL.

We lose a large % of our yearlings before 250mile every year, this year was no different, two years work down the pan before 1st June!, the same as last year and the one before and next year.... You know my opinion on starting early so I'm not going over it again Stuart, but every year come June most members are finished and the weather is just starting to get warm, but they all love to fly them in winter conditions in April and May, if we started a few weeks later and we were at 150mile this week, how many would still have yearlings after 250mile by the Middle of June? Sorry I said I wasn't going to go over it again oops, LOL.

Glasgow has a Federation Web site, www.glasgowfed.com, You will see all the local clubs and see if any are near you and go along for a chat, there maybe someone looking for a partner. Good Luck, if you do get a loft on an allotment I will breed you a pair of birds, as I am sure many others would to help you get started.

Our base unit came up with the same message at the start of the season, as did the club unit and its only 2 years old, also other club members, how many others got this message at the start of the season, is it because the units are a certain age and automatically give the message or is it something more???? Anyone else have to get there base unit battery done this year, when the system was working fine last year and how old is it?

I agree the more the merrier coming into the west of Scotland.

I don't have a problem with a wild bird in the loft, but grunting = poor respiratory and that's not acceptable in my loft.