vanlink

good point blaz, I agree with that. Its got to be in there to bring it out. In the one loft race flyers are submitting what they consider to be their best. they consider it to be in there and so we have a large collection of the best in one spot.

Funny how different forums react differently to the same post. You are all really mature on here and are debating it sensibly. You all seem to be able to see both sides of the argument. This means I do not have to write out a long grovelling apology post like I did somewhere else. I can now certainly see that there may be some merit in having the opportunity to fly against the best. I am no stranger to that concept as I fly both nationally and internationally. I would just like you all to think about how you would feel about it in your area. It may be 100 yearlings but it could just as easily be 500 yearlings, would you still welcome the challenge in your section if it was? What about your club and fed because they are sent there too. Would you be happy with never again even making your club result or would you rise to the challenge. Lets not forget, rightly or wrongly mob flying (which I participate in myself sometimes) can destroy clubs. The main fact of this debate is whether you believe that drag has an effect on a race. I happen to believe that it does which is why we faired better in the internationals when the birdage went up. This is why I would love to have a one-loft race at my home address sending to Barcelona and trying to influence the drag to my loft. There may only be one bird left at the end but there is going to be a possible aid in the early stages via slipstreaming and offering protection. This is how cycle racing works. This is also why birds of a feather flock together. This is also at the heart of pigeon racing and if you can get your head around it then you can start to work with it to improve your results. This is also why I find it so important to know which direction your late arrivals come from. Were they late because they were unfit or were they late because they were fit and racing up with the leading birds and possibly helping some one else’s birds home? If they are unfit then are they ill? Do they need more exercise? If they are up with the leading birds then is the motivation right? how can I get them to break and head for home or are they just thick?

I am currently quite good at highlighting things that are unfair so while I am on a roll I will continue and hopefully engage more debate with out intentionally upsetting anyone. How do you all feel about the RPRA taking part in races using the One Loft Race birds? Do you see it as perfectly acceptable or are you uncomfortable about the whole thing? Personally, without any malice to Jeremy and his Dad who are excellent pigeon fanciers, I think the whole thing is wrong. Firstly I have a real problem with the birds being sent with any organisation in terms of it may, although hard to prove, upset the balance of a race and give an unfair advantage to a certain area. Next I am always uncomfortable when staff are permitted to take part in any competition. In major national competitions staff are usually discourage from taking part for surly obvious reasons. David Bills, Jeremy etc are all staff of the RPRA. The RPRA is by its very nature the head of all the collection of clubs, feds, regions etc and therefore by its own make up is staff, boss and leader and so should not really take part in its own races. Finally, I am not one to shy away from competition and I do like to go up against the best that I can. I have also had it pointed out to me that many things in pigeon racing are unfair just like when a parent tells the child its unfair and its tuff and the child finds it hard to accept and vows to change it when he grows up; How can it possibly be fair to race against the RPRA one loft race birds in any competition. It is a professional loft. The Manager is paid a good salary to run the team. The birds are considered to be the best from people’s lofts and donated to the team; in fact people actually pay to put them into the team. They have access to the best health and medical care. The accommodation has been provided and paid for by us via the RPRA. Top of the range geraldy transportation helps with a training programme available anytime when the rest of us are at work. I will not be joining the BBC for the very reasons that I have quoted for they are in the same section as me, so not only could steal any possible chance of winning an open but a section too. At Poitiers, sending I believe over 100 birds, they were 2nd open 1st section c and stole a section win from Cowley and Green. Last year it seems as though I could not escape them at the NFC. I had to wait well over an hour at the NFC marking station while they put through their massive birdage. Then that massive birdage not only dominated the section but also helped to back up Jeremy and his Dads section win. There is mob flying and then there is the RPRA one loft race mob Flying. I am considering putting in either a grievance or a rule change to prevent this from happening any more. I will only do this based on the responses. Once again nothing personal to Jeremy and his Dad, I just feel that the RPRA one loft pigeons should be liberated on their own, that is their race and they should not compete against us amateurs.

Well I asked and they responded, so thank you for that. David Bills has introduced in his article 'The Reddings' an effort to address the hawk problem. I do not want to write out the whole article so here it is in a nutshell, I have put it as quotes but it is my interpretation of his words: To me this means we are probably in our best ever position to really highlight the whole hawk situation to the general public.

All in agreement then.

I only put fresh water in when the drinker is nearly empty usually every 3 days to a week depending on how much they drink. At this point I would clean the drinker if dirty but usually it is not so might only clean once a month or more. Wild birds do not drink clear fresh tap water so may be its not so important. Those that have dogs, ever seen them drink the dirtiest water and still live?

Recently I have been reading in the BHW about the efforts that the RPRA are starting to make over various issues, My English literature teacher told me to avoid this word (I’m a dialectic country bumpkin from rural Herefordshire so I can use it), BUT BUT BUT it ain’t nearly enough. They are going to send BT and The rspb a letter telling them how naughty they are to put up a couple of hawk boxes in Swansea, That should stop them and solve all the Hawk problems. Please please please understand this. YOU ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH. We the members are suffering. Do we the members need to propose rule changes to get you the management to take your responsibilities seriously? We do not want you to go to Royal Garden Parties where you will eat nice cakes and drink nice tea, We do not want you wearing chains around your neck and staying in fancy hotels. We want you to put some real effort in. FIGHT FOR OUR AIRSPACE. The ‘UK study 1997-98’ one word JOKE. Pigeons stray because they are chased by birds of prey. Pigeons hit buildings, trees and wires because they are chased by birds of prey. I and thousands of others have birds eaten alive because of birds of prey. This year is surly worse than ever, and if it is already causing some of our precious members to think about leaving the Hobby (not a sport) then we have a crisis. ROYAL pigeon racing association ROYAL society for the protection of birds. Spot the same word in both headings. There seems to be a bit of irony here. Why don’t you Graciously ask your Majesty to get a grip on the rspb? Sort it out or take the ROYAL away. Here’s an other IRONY society for the ‘protection of birds’; is a pigeon not a bird? How can they protect the few that destroy so many? Here’s a little idea from a simple country boy. Why don’t we make or commission a programme to be made highlighting the carnage. Visual stimulus is very affective. The images of a pigeon one moment taking peanuts and having some play fighting with its owner and the next having its chest ripped open by a hawk might just make some one think twice before putting some money in a rspb collection box. FIGHT FOR OUR AIRSPACE.

You may find that a north facing loft is ok as it is, lots of flyers do well out of north facing lofts. One real benefit is that it is cooler in the height of summer. Our YB loft used to face north and we did better out of it with the YBS than we do now facing south hence we are in the process of putting a new bigger loft on the old north facing site. I am sure some one told me that wild birds nest on the north side of trees but I might be wrong on that one.

A pigeon fancier friend of mine came around to watch my birds arrive from a race of which he was not participating in. He said that it was amazing to see how nervous I was getting and how I kept getting to my feet and sitting back down again. He could really see it as an observer because he was relaxed due to not competing. I know that I do get very nervous prior to arrival. I talk to my birds all the time, especially during the most important time, trapping. I feed by hand and I gently fight with them to build confidence. I usually have a radio with me when I am in the garden so I am very often singing. When the birds are separated I do like to play a certain theme song when they go back together, which the birds get used to (At the moment ‘Here come the Girls’ from the ad). Observation is as much a part of preparation for the fancier as anything. I do like to have team talks and individual pep talks too after all I am the Manager and how they act reflects on my reputation. As for Vitamins, I do not give them, they play no part in health or athletic ability and I wonder how many species including humans managed before they were discovered.

I cannot beleive that some of you were actually asking what they were! Did the strain really matter or was it just out of interest .

A member of my club when he came back into the sport bought a cheap kit of 10 braspennings and 10 Busschaerts. He lost most of the busscherts but the braspennings flew unbelievably well firstly as YB’s then OB’s. Many a time I was beaten into second on sprint and over the channel and he flew them naturally too. It is much the same where and other member was doing really well with some £10 lucky dip specials from lier market. A friend of mine said doesn’t it make a mockery of all you think you know, all your well thought out stock plans from generations of birds flown and winning to one location when some one can buy birds from lier and do that.

Technically that is right however the loft is situated on the property/house owned of The Royal Pigeon Racing Association so the incident is quite bizarre. Karen has been Writing in the BHW for a long time about here experiences with pigeons. She is an employee who keeps pigeons, which is good. I personally think that it is wrong for the general manager not to keep pigeons. I remember the last general Manger spinning the worst PR I have ever heard and on a par with the jeweller Ratner’s famous guff; while interviewed on national radio about the joys of keeping pigeons he was asked if he kept pigeons, ‘ OH NO’ he replied ‘I’ve never owned a pigeon in my life’. Cringing while listening I decided then and there our sport was finished. Then he announced his retirement, wow there might just be a chance, a slither of hope. Well the only thing that has changed is the voice on the answer phone at the Reddings, I am still losing birds to hawks, membership is still falling and fanciers are still suffering the same tyrannical leadership. Apart from the malicious act of the reporting of a pigeon loft that might not have planning on a RPRA site I can not imagine why the RPRA would have an issue with some one having a pigeon loft on their property. If they do then I really do think that they are in the wrong hobby. I am a member of the RPRA and I have a share in the House and I have no issue with a pigeon loft being there.

Just to make it clear that nobody nor I am implying that a committee member or RPRA official did this. It does however seem as though someone has reported this, as there is too much coincidence to make it a random lucky call from the local council. This is a very unkind thing to do, as I know that I would be devastated if this happed to me. I am sure that all will be sorted in the end, as it would be quite a story if the Head Quarters of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association were forced to take down a loft.

words taken from elsewhere.

Thanks again Dicky Darky, Dave or should I call you dad since the kind words. Wow Owen, what a post! I think without offending any one that is the best reply I have read anywhere. Straight from the heart and I think bringing the subject nicely to a conclusion. Especially since I’ve got a RPRA strategic review to start moaning about.

Not sure if I can produce a post like that again, been off work ill for a couple of days and the medication has had an affect on my vocabulary. I normally air on the side of humour but do find it difficult not to have a rant when I think injustice is being done of which there are lots in the pigeon sport. My passion probably lays more towards, how can we increase membership and stop the decline? The post has been inspired by some recent events and the little devil and angel sitting on my shoulders trying to force me to both sides of the debate so I thought I would throw it open to others and see where it went. I know the reasons behind the unhappiness from some at the BICC presentation and why they mentioned it to Les. This was due to an unofficial account of a BICC meeting being written and published on a website. The committee took a great deal of offence to the article and a couple of replies by committee members were quite severe. They were very unhappy with the lack of control that they had over the original article. I have read some of the replies so far with interest, Blue Chequer Pied, fantastic post, no doubt about it, it almost needs to be our mission statement. Dicky Darky thanks for the reply not sure if its because you look like the grim reaper but you have pulled me towards the devil side of the argument. Without repeating what you have written I think that you, spin cycle, chrisss, Owen, Vic, thunderboult, stan p, Tony C, OLDYELLOW have pointed out what the forums are all about and why they are so unhappy with them. The establishment controls the BHW and so for many years there has been little accountability. Finally we are, through the amazing power of forums, finding a way to fight back. We are exposing the tricksters and conmen. We are forcing companies to make sure their products work. We are asking for the committee members of the RPRA to actually do something while they’re in office. I feel like Citizen Kane – Power to the people. I very much like CRISSS’s idea If at first you don't succeed call in an airstrike. Made me laugh.

Recently I have experienced having a subject locked on a forum in advance of what may or may not be said that could be defamatory or not in the interests of the forum in general. Les Parkinson also wrote in his column that during his visit to the BICC dinner the subject of websites particularly chat rooms were a topic of conversation, why? Because he and many more believe that they bring the sport into disrepute. They are he says a tool for abuse to others within the sport and of no real benefit whatsoever to pigeon racing. I suppose that a forum can be used to either propagate rumours or clarify the truths. There is of course always going to be a risk of libellous statements being added to a forum. On this basis there should be moderators and a degree of control but how much is necessary so as not to ruin the whole forum experience? Perhaps sometimes it is easier for the politics to deflect from the act of pigeon racing and it is very important that some of the more out spoken amongst us be rained in. I Am probably guilty of being over zealous sometimes but I can say that there is no malice intended. This is a sport, which requires a certain amount of passion that sometimes spills off the pitch. My questions to open up this debate are: Should those whom use wealth to fund advertisements that contain untruths for manipulation of customers be allowed to continue unchallenged? Should people whom place themselves into an authoritative position and fail to act for any good be pressed for results? Should journalists whom hold the power of the pen be able to control a whole mindset? Do the sceptical not have a responsibility to warn, highlight and inform the gullible of a potential scam? And the other side of the argument: Should someone be allowed to cause the collapsed of some ones hard toiled business with one careless unfounded throwaway remark? Can it be kind to criticise our officials who work hard, very often unpaid, for all are benefits when most of us are too lazy to get off our backsides? Is it right that our journalists be allowed to write without reproach for our entertainment or should they be hounded away for writing something we could have chosen not to read? So over to you, what are the answers? May be instead of locking risky subjects forums could introduce a fail-safe method, which would require the post to be read by a moderator before being shown to everyone.