Michael J Burden

I have just read the rules. It does not mention anything, as far as I could see as to a closing of the race. It says prize money paid to the first 100 home. there site has now removed that the race is closed so what is happening is the "race" still on?

Albear Many reasons which I am not going into. My lips are sealed and will remain so. It is not a witch hunt which I wanted addressing it is answers and learning. If that learning means new appointments then that is the price to pay for failure if failure or bad decision making has happened. I have seen responses now on the NFC chat site from some of the officialdom. Something very has indeed. It may be that heads are coming out of the sand and the organisation can move forward and grow to something like it used to be. I will not hold my breath though. The power we fanciers hold is all down to the knowledge that we all have at our finger tips. Those that have not got a computor have the local library. With the internet we have access to all the information they have before the decisions are made and can see if it is bad or good based on what we see at the time. Not like to old days where we used to wait for the pigeon paper once a week and a month would go by with very little information being known and then forgotten about. I have put a response on their site in reply to the race advisor (weather consultant) for want of a better name and paste it here for anyone who cares to read it. Thanks Roy for you reply. At least it gives some answer in the interim. I shall not be putting my name forward as race controller or advisor. One I do not have the time and two I am sure there are some out there who are cleaverer and more inteligent than me. Alan Sugars once said one of the reasons to his success is reconising that fact and emplying them. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but when the discusion and decision making is questioned before hand then it surely is bad judgement by the decision makers when they get it wrong. I too know how difficult yb national racing is too. I have lost pigeons on good days like everyone else. I choose to send mine last Thursday, I did consider forfeiting my entry money but expected the birds would be well looked after and if the weather was not so good that experience and that employed judgement would count for a great deal. Well done the winners and timers and condolances to those who failed. There is always next year. PS Very well done Ray Grimsdell of Burton for timing the only yb on the day in section I. Terrific performance.

Some good comments on here but it has gone off on one. The NFC had had this on their notice board all day and not one official has responded so here is what is printed there for them, nothing added and nothing taken away. Hindsight had no part to play in anything from what I can see. The appointed race controller says do not liberate and some over rules him and lets go any way, breach of trust between member and organiser simple as that.

Some good comments on here but it has gone off on one. The NFC had had this on their notice board all day and not one official has responded so here is what is printed there for them, nothing added and nothing taken away. Hindsight had no part to play in anything from what I can see. The appointed race controller says do not liberate and some over rules him and lets go any way, breach of trust between member and organiser simple as that.

So having a race controller and over riding his "expert" advice is the norm? Why have such a position if they are not needed. Yes Tom we all know the risks when sending to these ybs races. I was cautious and still have about 30 at home and only sent those that I could afford to loose, I have been sending to these events for many years now and know the score. But to overirde the race controller is a little odd.

Cloudview from what I have gathered around here many had one or 2 back. None of those fanciers are mugs either and sent probably good birds to. Me i got 1 out of 10 sent to the NFC. All bred for the job well trained, got to get my fuel bill yet, and bred for the job. Well done for getting one on the night I hope it goes onto do you some more good in the future.

Some silly stuff has been written on here by many anons. I have just read one or 2 who have sensible heads on. PJ I have highligthed yours not because it is better than some of the others but because I can not fault what you have said. A very good thought out piece.

If you are a member of the NFC can I ask that you take a look at the topic which I have put on the discussion page? It is about the events leading upto the liberation of the yb and OH's.

Roundo thanks for the pictures. You can clearly see definition in those clouds with brights spots too. I liberate my birds when I train in such conditions.

Well I was told many times, and ignored it at my peril. To pick your team for the distance race, then only send half. This is good practice because when they are in the crates what happens to them is out of your control and disaster can strike. In 20 years of racing though this disaster has only happened 3 times, Pau NFC 1992. Centenary 1997 and the latest for me Falaise 2 BICC. The latter saw me send my whole team of 30 birds which on the build up was hot and sunny ect. On the day it was nigh on gale force north east cold wettish day. It stopped me in my tracks. Got to know which are super birds and lost some and spolit some good birds too. With all the internet weather etc available today it appears in 20 years only 3 disasters is not that bad unless you have sent your whole team to one of them.

helley i read it and understand and have done so at their request many times.

Once they have done the 600 plus races they probably will not do well at the shorter ones espeially if they are competing against specialist sprinters. Before they have been that fat I see no reason why not, my 1st section 663miles Pau NFC won an inland race as a yearling then flew 500 on the day a week later being beaten to 2nd by a loft mate. That was dutch belgium origin but the old ENGLISH/SCOTISH type birds are probably not likely to win short races. Just my view.

http://www.rainbowsalesshop.co.uk/catalogue/1293

That is outragious. Paying 30 quid and collecting it. Where is the good will?

For the Uttoxeter lib the skies were great but the 'gale' force NE wind which had my tree tops bent over was the problem. It is not much different now looking outside except colder and wetter now.

Got one doing 931 ypm at Uttoxeter just inside the north section. 4.31pm.

I was once told to get an old radio and tune it to radio 4 which talks 24/7. Put it in the loft no so loud as to annoy the neighbours but loud enough to let the foxes hear. They are supposed to be suspicious of human voices and should keep them away.Failing that certain types of snares are still legal and often effective but can be cruel looking.

if you are going to loose them you will, it does not matter if they are yearlings or 2 year old. The duffers will get lost no matter how long you modycoddle them. Just get them in the basket and loose the duffers. It is what I do. ?how many ybs are lost for everyone that makes the team as yearlings? I would guess the percentage of good birds is lowish in either yb or latebred. This is my experience take it or leave.

My yearling late breds are yet to see the inside of a basket. Them off they will go inland then 400 miles NFC 560 miles MNFC and some may go 670 miles NFC all this year. Just expect losses. About 30 to go this year. PS they are long distance late breds.

minr were out all day in the snow too. Clapped and batted away all day til dusk, they loved it.

He looks like he is over the worst of it but still looks under weight. Once the muscles have been eaten away by the bird when he was not eating, happens often with extreme racing it is never replaced. Do not expect him to return to his former glory but he looks fine and needs a companion in the form of a bird.

David you are obviously up for a fight or something. I recall now he has been knocking around your garden for 2 years and he is 4 years old. Knocking about in your garden sometimes there sometimes not is this not feral or did he keep going back to Irelend. I can not see into the future but experience gives one an idea just like a mechanic can tell you what is wrong with your car without sometimes looking at it, good ones that is. Have you got some pics of him now? I do really hope I am wrong.

David I am glad your pigeon seems to be doing well but I know what the likely outcome will be, sorry. 4 years for a feral bird is very old. Research states that 18 months is the average age of feral homing type birds. If he has been so down then I suspect he will walk around his run and never really fly again. Lets see some more pics if you got them?

Yes I agree it is a none fancier and previously I have given good remarks. But if his needs are above the birds and the bird is suffering then action needs to be taken. Death and taxes are the only sure thing we all have to expect out of life.

If he still is not right now I would seriously consider what it is you want for the bird, not your own needs but the birds? If it were mine that was shown in the photos earlier I would have done the honorable thing then. Old age is something us humans inflict on each other and our pets. It is not how nature does it. Sorry for being blunt.