Novice

Ayrshire federation experience is that they have normally had good racing from Appleby. My thinking is that it is just far enough to let the birds find a decent line before they meet the wall of Falcons. I believe the race point is close to the golf course and is well located. This would be an ideal first race for Lanarkshire.

That's a very good question and there could be all sorts of answers from political, logistical, egotistical and just plain non sensical. I think Solway have agreed to race on a west of the Pennines route for a specified time with a view to improving their National performances which may not be compatible with the race programme I see published here.

Believe it or not Stranraer compete in section F with the SNFC.

Yes Solway but if you go west you can convoy mine! Let's all be sensible and get the birds on a direct line of flight!

Thanks for that. I was just curious as your post 3 suggested they were winning all over the country from the parents of this youngster. I think that would be very difficult to achieve only breeding 3 rounds.

How many rounds to you breed in a year?

It seemed that way last time I spoke to him.

The only North Roader who could handle strong drink would be wee Mick and I think he sticks to Vodka now!

Just learn to judge the feed quantity for the entire day and leave it in the morning. I did this for years when I worked 12 hour shifts and, believe me, they never even missed me.

Small is beautiful that is what I constantly tell the wife but she is unimpressed. Without trying to demean anyone I was trying to highlight the fact that there are races where quality of pigeon is more important than others Oh what we wouldn't all give for a team of 12 top quality birds.

Perhaps a more meaningful question would be how many federation winners do you house in your lofts whose performances were achieved at distances over 300 miles?

Now I am much wiser!

Just to satisfy my curiosity how does Sammy know what to PM you about? Would it not have been more logical for you who knows what you want to discuss to PM Sammy?

I think the size of the device which would transmit the signal over a long range may be a problem. However, they do use them to track BOP but the range is limited.

Thanks that was my thought.

Roland, no disrespect taken but I cannot agree with your post. The height at which pigeons fly is actually determined by a number of factors and I consider the main determining factor to be how well prepared the birds are for the job in hand. When I walk round the town I live in I can always tell which loft will be with the winners on Saturday. Their birds exercise better at a greater height. When I see birds flying higher than mine I know I need to improve my management. Honestly there can be no proof for or against clashing but I do know from convoyer feedback that our federation youngsters frequently split onto 3 or 4 groups on liberation. I have no reason why they done this but if every federation's birds do this then the possibility of clashing increases infinitely. Maybe the dug is deid!

What is a Border Dale? Is it a cross?

All in the name of overfly and lucrative young bird breeder buyer sales.

Spot on I wish I were racing in a federation that chooses a straight route.,

No Andy thanks if that post had been missing, having typed all that the steam would have been coming out my ears. It was a shorter post after that . I must have had a senior moment.

Either my last post on this thread has disappeared or I pressed the wrong button which I doubt if I did . Obviously it didn't suit someone- oh well that's life.

Clashing has always been a factor in pigeon racing especially with pigeons flying in opposite directions down an east coast corridor. It is even more relevant now as convoys of youngsters can be turned by predators only to meet with others released 15 minutes behind them. This interval is simply not enough especially when we consider that any convoy soon splits into smaller groups depending on the birds fitness. Evidence for and against will be hard to produce but for the first time ever I flew in 2 federations this year. Both had separate liberations from Otterburn but I found that I had birds from separate liberations arrive together.

They are nice to see on older cock birds but they don't matter as far as racing ability is concerned. Hens with small wattles win more races than cocks.

Great thanks for confirming what I thought.

Interesting. I wonder if someone can answer my question as its ages since I used beans. Does the hole mean that the weevil has found a way out and that some of the beans without holes contain weevil ?