Walter swanston

Nice racing hen killed by a sparrowhawk at 11.30 this morning.I thought I would have peace from these predators by now (mid April) obviously not

1.E.Hind & Son 1177.8794 2.E.Hind & Son 1177.6074 3.E.Hind & Son 1155.9828 4.Kenny Thomson1125.5239 5MichaelCurrie 1124.9488 6.Michael Currie 1123.9891 7.KennyThomson 1117.9261 8.KennyThomson 1117.2976 9.Michael Currie 1078.1833 10.G.A.&L.Firth 1076.0784

I am hoping to go with 50 Steven so as to have about 20 at the start of the winter if the hawks leave me that many

Thought I would send greetings to all my friends on Pigeons Basic from the West African Republic of Ghana where I am attending my stepson`s 40th. birthday before the racing starts on 16th. April.The heat here is intense about 30 to 33 % C. every day.The country is a contrast between the obscenely rich who drive around in gigantic 4x4`s and the 90% who live in the most abject poverty but who greet you with a constantly cheerful face and cannot do enough for you.The is a pool at the bottom of the compound we are living in where I sometimes relax in the morning but I am perturbed by the constant arrival of about 12 large vultures who circle my recumbant body .Vultures are supposed to circle the old and decaying,do they know something I do`nt?

Yes Steven, I will send you a PM with her full details

As the secretary of Lockerbie I totally associate myself with Yeboah`s remarks.Mergers and amalgamations are the future for the survival of small and struggling pigeon clubs

Yeah thanks for that never thought of that

Chris the racepoints were changed on the advice of the race controller.>Seemingly there are problems at both sites ranging from overhead wires to American Radar Installations and the flightpath from Manchester Airport.It was thought inappropriate to go against the advice of the controller who has an extensive knowledge of these racepoints and yes it would have been nice to have this knowledge at the AGM when the racepoints were decided.I try to run this Federation on the best guidance I can get from experienced fanciers.Tell you what though it`s hard going aqt times

Yeah, I got all the legal stuff fixed.Holdovers etc. sorted

Appointed a transporter driver today.She is a lady driver , is this a first for Scotland.She was by far the best applicant from several

Sure that is an interesting post.I would say that I consider myself the servant of the fanciers in this Federation and try to observe the decisions expressed at the AGM through the guidance of the management committee.You better believe it is a thankless and frustrating job at times.Why is a guy like you with plenty of ideas not on the management committee helping.I agree with what you say about Yeboah and add that like him I also am stuck out here on my own.

I know of a certain two but I have never known them to comment.You know what they say if you flee wi` the craws you`ll get shot wi` the craws maybe better to keep your heid doon

I am interviewing for driver this weekend, thats the good news.However a combination of experienced pigeon fancier and driver probably cannot be achieved so we will have to compromise someway.According to the sums I did last night its questionable if any more than 10 fanciers will refuse to go with the Fed,but they can sure make a lot of noise.

Steven,Most of Annan go with the fed,Brydekirk is 50/50 Eastriggs go with the fed.,Dumfries,Nith Valley Lockerbie and Hoddom go with the Fed.Some of Springfield go with the Fed.Langholm probably not.Dalbeattie, Castle Douglas and Kirkcudbright go with the Fed.No one has resigned from the Solway Fed and all have paid their membership fee. It is not as bad as is being made out.

Who is this guy??

Steven, I am just back from a meeting with the race controller.Firstly he made no comment to me or the vice-president about any problems with the race programme in general.However he expressed concerns over Wakefield and Chesterfield.Wakefield because of overhead wires,an American Radar installation near to the site and any east in the wind and we would never see a pigeon, he suggest Thorsby Hall ( a UNC site ) as an alternative.In the case of Chesterfield the car park is not suitable, an easterly wind would place the birds directly in the flight path of Manchester Airport.He suggests Newark. I am going to bring all this to the management committee tomorrow night (Monday). I repeat that I am bound by the decisions made by the AGM of the Solway Federation

I wonder how members of this site view those fanciers who assume the sometimes onerous tasks of administering pigeon organisations.There are many competent and skillfull fanciers out there who would run a mile before becoming involved in the running of federations or clubs.At the same time many fanciers protest loudly when democratic decisions do not suit them.We are all in this game together and we must help each other in the last years of what may be a dying sport.There is no future in being inward looking and in promoting your own club at the expense of the fancy as a whole.For pigeon racing to have a future we must all work together for the furtherance of our hobby.I make no apology for returning to this subject as sometimes I feel that pigeon racing is tearing itself to bits.

See advert in tomorrows lacal papers Steven

Thank you for that best advice so far it is so obvious I wonder why I did not think of it myself.Thanks again

If our Federation employs a driver for 20 weeks April to late August at a fixed sum per trip,is there any member of this site who can advise me how the Fed stands with regard to employment law

I lost my old dog this morning,had to be sent to sleep after a journey together of nearly 16 years, the place seems so empty.