blucock

I agree - sarcasm was drippin from my post bud - will be 10-11 hours for us in a west wind of course a west wind doesn't suit the west...

Or 10-11 hours into ayrshire lol

Seems you MUST use the PREMIUM rate phone line if you don't want to wait until after 1pm for the hold over to be announced. Strange West Durham went 20 miles up the road this morning - think there will be uproar if they go after midday to be honest - it will prove a long-held suspicion for me.... Best of luck

Be Monday now in a South wind - maybe a winner up around Port Glasgow/West Kilbride - the higher they get up in a tail wind the more chance the west side has

Good luck to all. Concerning situation with the drinking water, a veterinarian has examined the birds (from what I am reading) and will do so again. Comments regarding animal cruelty are way out of order and those bandying that kind of phrase about on a public forum should think first before doing so. Maybe they have an agenda? In the interests of safety I would have thought the baskets concerned would be withdrawn to avoid any accusations after the race but this will obviously be down to the committee and clubs/fanciers concerned. Flying doos is hard enough, some of the comments on here smack of politics rather than concern. As for the comments about the marking station - hindsight is a wonderful thing. Maybe someone in the area can volunteer an alternative clubhouse for the next races...? Again best of luck to all

That is a shame as Friday looks a better day than Saturday but I think if the forecast of high temperatures and scattered showers is correct then the birds would have no problem - visibility is the key factor. Obviously heavy rain is a show-stopper as is electrical activity but some of the best races I have experienced have been with birds dodging or going through brief showers en route. Much better that 26 C wall to wall sunshine and no cloud cover - I think if not Saturday then Sunday (of course depends on what forecast you look at, best policy always to look on the day and have a good line of flight report) Best of luck all !

Strong Northwesterly Sunday - will just finish the west section off lol - hopeful of a lib Saturday 0.8mm rain at Maidstone 1mm Leicester forecast scattered showers doesn't look too poor to me

Derek in the first line you hit the nail on the head, the SNFC has moved with the times - like horse racing and greyhound racing to name the other two parallels the fashion for championships at shorter distances and intermediate distances has become the fashion and most lofts have many less pigeons for 500 miles plus. Surely these fanciers are entitled to race for National honours and it's hard enough getting them from 300 miles never mind 600 ? I am neither in favour or out of in the debate, I like the programme the way it is, my dad hasn't sent to a channel national except Ypres for over 10 years but I think the inland nationals create as much excitement as any other and would go with the consensus in race programming in any case. Do you think we should go back in time and have only channel racing? Which in the current climate would more or less exclude some of our furthest North and west fanciers form even competing?

Why call it a Derby? If it is open to a whole country it is a National in it's purest sense. Those getting tied up in distance totally miss the point. A national is a national is a national. Next you'll be telling me it's easier to win an inland national than a channel national....

agreed ....

money-making? Yes, so forget that money and add say £2 per bird for channel races for water....? That ok?

Why is there a core of fanciers who will not come out of the 1900s? In thus day and age to say that National racing should only be from the continent is extremely archaic and closed-minded. We moan that the continentals are light years ahead of us yet here we are seeing posts saying there should be no such thing as inland nationals? These so-called "blow homes" are 300-400 miles to the majority of fanciers in Scotland - you will see the Dutch,Belgians,English,Irish race nationals from MUCH SHORTER and the world falls over itself to pay top dollar for these pigeons, including Scottish fanciers. The inland nationals have a place and are the future of racing into Scotland - my only caveat is that area libs would assist returns greatly. When we are losing birds at 100 miles never mind 5-600 why are there so many calls for inland racing to be scrapped?? We are our own worst enemy. The sport needs to get it's rose tinted spectacles off and realise there is a place for racing at all distances. Some feds should actually be looking at scrapping their programmes altogether for a two year period and having a series of short-middle races in order to respite the fanciers and let them build up without the pressure of having to go with the Nationals to compete in club racing. For me, the two should be separate. Thoughts??

Slaughterburn we call it in Ayrshire... best of luck all!

In a months time is the time to look back at this thread and ask what measures mooted were put in place and what ones would be worth tabling next season?? It confuses me why a lot want to drop Newbury and go to Eastbourne/Maidstone/Ypres ... oh, wait they are all on the eastern tip of the country aren't they? I take that back

always the way Gareth mate

for what its worth I think the top 10% in the result PLUS top 10% each section should make the result - otherwise most of the time some sections get just the first 4 or 5 doos in

I hope they keep filtering through for you lads!

Rest in Peace Sir Henry

Sorry to read that Del it hurts when the good ones go mate. We were stood on Saturday knowing there were doos in 2 hours before and I simply though he was gone forever - of course way behind he came spinning around racing in 5 or 6 big laps of the loft to land having lost not an ounce in weight after 11 hours on the wing. His 6th club win in the bag he's been close to topping the fed on several occasions. Saturday was the first time he had let us down but now I see many good birds missing I am grateful for small mercies. My heart leapt when he came, I saw him a long way out and I hope your fella turns up somehow Let's hope a few of them grandchildren follow in his wingbeats Baz

first things first - as SOON as the season is up LOCK THE BIRDS UP. The racing calendar needs looking at - tbh any age races may be necessary for the next 5 years to condense the programmes and avoid as much as possible the PEAK weeks of the year... Early breeding of YBs and earlier starts of YB racing as well as avoidance of saturation areas (for lobbing at least) if it means reducing the season to 8 weeks for OB and 5 weeks for YBs for a few season so be it? They will thrive less without this large part of their food source provided to them and by default we won't feel the need to breed and race bigger teams to get through the programme - in essence reversing the trend which has in effect been a vicious circle in the last 10 years Can we do it? Have a real effect by fair means? The answer is YES but we MUST get round the table this autumn. Every federation represented under the banner of the SHU and a STRATEGY agreed (as opposed to tactics) Breeding more YBs is a tactic (short term results gain for the fancier) denying BOP their food source is a strategy (long term gain for the whole fancy) I study military tactics in my day job and I see parallels in warfare to our fight to further the sport. I hope that is all making sense?

Will more affect next year John very disappointing for us but the good blue cock is back and on course for Ypres - disappointed bitterly in the hens though

shouldn't be long before the winner is known now... velocities are known

2 this morning 629 & 634 plus one from last week 5/5 from yesterday Leicester into Ayrshire

123 for Nicols in Ardeer well done Dad and Colin

1/5 Ayrshire hard going the day