alec guinness

i try and get the yearlings down to the coast (380-400) if possible but dont worry if this does not happen,have topped the fed from maidstone 376 mls with a yearling hen unraced as a youngster,was 2nd federation dorchester 370mls and the same cock scored 6 days later from appledore 404 mls,770 mls in 1 week as a yearling,again this did no harm in future years with the cock flying from satilly 511mls rennes 552mls nantes 614mls and niort 693mls,he won in the west coast combine sartilly as a 2 yr old and the icing on the cake 1st region 54th open scottish national flying club nantes on the shift 614mls,down to the fancier methinks,roads to rome and all that. ;) :) :) :)

the hen was a good doo we had called buckingham belle,lost at alencon at 7yrs old,and yes i would not have bought him at the above age,sire and dam of the old boy won £5000 between them in snfc and scottish west coast combine,the hen winning 4x snfc certificates best being 2nd and 3rd section and the cock 1st 2nd and 12th combine. ;)agree would not have purchased at 10 or 11.ps liked the kilt. :) :)

agree with your sentiments with regards shelling out money for an aged stock bird,on the other hand our 2 yr old 2009 timer from alencon 112th open was bred from a cock reared in 1994 he has previously sired 2 x snfc region winners and is g/sire of another snfc region winner,also i have a 1997 cock who has bred and is still breeding snfc and fed open prize winners,sometimes budgie you can get GOLD FROM OLD. ;) :)

think some of the mccabe blood was in john ellis famous bird lothian lass,not sure though. :)

was working sat morning and left before 12,but had a very nice night. :) top table and guests first class.

the only chance you have with these birds carrying battle scars is to compete in flown classes at the big shows,flown 200mls flown 500mls etc,the proper judges will see these fret marks as hard work,i myself have more than a decent record at the above classes and shows winning prizes with doos carrying frets. :) :)jmo.

my dad had the doos as a boy in the 1950s,started them in earnest in the early 70s flying to a 60 foot ex hen hut!!!!!! aged 8,new loft erected which started life as the local cricket club, try hard and enjoy the doos flying them to the family small holding. :) :)

champion "blueboy" fantastic racer i think in the 60s, multiple unc bourges winning bird,some one might remember performances????? :-/

59 firsts and was lost going for no 60,bhw scribe john harwood speaks to ron green on a regular basis. ;)

spot on novice.

had plans to send last year frank,2 hens 1 6yr old 1 7yr old,the 6 yr old hen lost her tail at leicester and also half a wing,the 7 yr old scored well at the national from newbury and was very close to going but alas her cock was lost from around the loft 2 weeks before the race,maybe next year but with a large distance programme it will be hard,as for marking stations any where in central scotland,maybe a wee edge needed with regards winning money. :) :) john.ps i do think its a great venture.

twas me who put up the post with regards young bird national,yes 2 transporters would be required,SECTIONS BCG,1 LIBERATION SECTIONS ADEF THE OTHER.dont think cost would we be as much as members think,remember the distance would only be leicester or likewise and collection pick up areas and time would be saved,only an opinion but i feel the ybn has become so very much lopsided that unless we try some kind of change the fanciers of the solway,the central belt and also the west of scotland will loose heart. :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ NB my thoughts are regarding the YBN only. :-/

not a midland guy and happy with leicester,just think we should change the format for the ybn. :-/

no too sure,but i did include SECTION D :-/

tom the past 10 years have been terrible for fanciers not racing to the east of the country, even lately the solway has struggled at the young bird national,(yes 1 great bird this year)but to continue with the present format i only see fanciers not going to the ybn,i have given this a lot of thought and i am aware that there will be no sympathy from the fanciers who have 20 birds at the young bird national and are all home and locked up while we stand hours later for a time in.i have no problems with the old bird programme and will take my medicine,but the ybn needs rejigging ie 2 liberations. :)jmo.

dont see much wrong with budgies programme,wanstead flats libs have tended to be late libs if you check the stats!!!!!!!!! something a wee bit more radical and also imo fairer, 2 YOUNG BIRD NATIONAL LIBERATIONS, SECTIONS BCG one LIBERATION AND SECTIONS ADEF the other,before you say no think about this race in its present form and also the geography most will agree a total non event for half of the members who enter birds. food for thought.

you will frank,only about 8 months to the first national. ;D

not so good frank,still a night to remember. :)

great flying frank and must have given you a great thrill. :)

1st section scottish national flying club "GOLD CUP" ALENCON 550MLS, 1ST,2ND,3RD FEDERATION OPEN MAIDSTONE 376MLS VEL 976,hard race with most fanciers failing to clock and we clocked 3 hens in about 10 mins,great memories and feel very lucky and priviledged to have timed some crackers over the years. :) :) still trying.

some good classes,i take open to all????????????? :)

yes davie this old chesnut,we can talk all day with regards location but until you have raced pigeons into the west of scotland i dont think you can understand with regards returns and losses. :-/ :-/ :-/

well opinions vary and i think otterburns not a good start. :-/ :-/

hard start at over 90 mls for the lads down in chryston and surrounding clubs,sore in what is usually an unforgiving april,bit too far starting youngsters also. :-/ :-/ :-/

nice photo of linda handing over cheque to daldorch house,well done both derek and linda. :)