JADE

I assume its because of the rule that clocks have to be handed in within 23 hours of timing first bird.

Probably and they would all be moaning now but that's doo men

Fair point. One problem is the Gold Cup is sacred and has to be the last week in June. I think the time may have come to consider moving it forward a week. Only thing is most feds don't race gold cup weekend and it would impact on fed programmes which upsets your ordinary members

The East had an Amalgamation over 10 years ago but it folded and we all know why. Who was forward thinking then. Thing is if the snfc were not at Maidstone most feds would be there anyway. Only thing is they would probably have gone up on Saturday (at least the east feds would have)

Are you seriously suggesting that members have birds at Maidstone which they intended sending back to Alencon?

Its on the website update after 10. Its fairly obvious conditions are not right at Maidstone or they would have been up by now

Who actually decides where the marking stations are?

Finally we are getting somewhere. Well said Geordie

You cant dispute facts and figures so you will agree that the Gold Cup entry has also dropped since the introduction of Ypres. To me the main channel races are Alencon, Tours and Clermont. I wouldn't send a pigeon to Ypres that I fancied for any of the other races but I think many particularly in the west do otherwise jmo.

Totally agree with Mick (Yeboah). Gareth could you elaborate on why you think the inland races are killing the gold cup

Any up Dundee way?

I am not on the SNFC committee and have never set foot in Newhouse let alone the marking station

For your information I am concerned about all the birds in the transporter even yours and I stated in an earlier post that I thought the members concerned should have been given the chance to withdraw their birds. This is nothing to do with Lanarkshire Fed. I assume it was your federations democratic decision to go to Maidstone with the SNFC and every members decision whether to send pigeons or otherwise. I don't know who is on the SNFC committee from Lanarkshire but after some of the garbage posted on here since last night I would think it would be difficult to find anyone willing to take on the responsibility in future and I for one don't blame them. Another point which has not been mentioned. If there are Lanarkshire pigeons going to the race which are not being entered in the SNFC why are they being marked at the SNFC station. Would it not save time if they were marked somewhere else then there would be no cause for complaints about marking in a greenhouse.

were any of your birds in the crates concerned?

I think he would have the same opinion. Unlike a certain element from a certain area who continually look for excuses to knock the SNFC.

So who are you actually blaming then. An official or committee member(also volunteers by the way) who is maybe 50 or 100 miles away. It is an unfortunate incident of human error from which no doubt lessons will be learned. I do agree however that the members whos birds were affected should have been given the chance to withdraw their birds. As for cancelling the race...dream on!!!

Did you send to Newbury and are you sending any to Maidstone?

I think you may well be right but like I said how do you stop inferior birds going. I also think that the standard of pigeon going to channel races now is not as good as it used to be. By that I mean in the old days it was usually 2 year olds to Avranches (showing my age now) then if they did ok they may go to Rennes and then Nantes. Nowadays there are folk sending yearlings and 2 y.o. to Alencon and then whatever is left to Ypres or Clermont partly to get rid of the s---e. I realise that because of predators it is very difficult for birds to survive long enough to become experienced but there is no substitute for experience imo

Yes you are correct when Les won Liege. I think several of the early birds crossed the water together that day. I think some doos will cross the water from Ypres given the right conditions but the majority will cross and come up through England. Just my opinion though

Never said they are in the same league as winning a channel race and yes probably a lot of doos go that are not capable of flying them but how do you stop that. Are they the doos that are cutting the gold cup entry as they are lost by then.

No I hadn't looked at a map it was just a bit of banter but as you mention it how many of the ypres birds do you think take a straight line home? I like long distance racing as much as anyone but what I don't like is guys who knock the inland nationals. If you don't like them don't go but don't stop others. The entries show that they are popular and if fanciers are worried about losing their gold cup doos at Newbury why send them in the first place

Totally agree. Just a thought. When we race from Ypres and Clermont there shouldn't be so much water to cross. Should they be semi nationals?

Just had a look at the BBC website. First race the Carentan NATIONAL winner flying 118 miles distances range from 106 to 307 miles. It is over the channel though so it must be a NATIONAL lol

graveyard for yearlings imo

Is that not what they do?