peter pandy

I see my friends Dave and Vince Padfield sent 3 and have 3 from Barcelona,, Not bad for a bean feeder. Youngsters in the loft from friends are now scouring the sky in the morning and looking well so might just shove them into a race in a couple of weeks time without training as I did last year with fewer losses than others around but will decide later as they develope and the eyes have turned. Davy Jamieson will be looking for the winner at this week's Ancenis race and I wish him well and all who are competing in the longest race on the calendar. I still have fond memories of the "Grand" I lost last year however I have a son from him which hopefully will do the business next year along with two yearling Grandsons which look the part so it is the waiting game once again, But, being a Coffin Dodger or an Oxygene Thief as it was put to me by a so called mate I can only attempt to evade my fate and fulfill an ambition.

Aye lad its all hypothetical just like tongue in cheek :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Well go on then and quantify your example as I have not looked at the SNRPC results.

So are you suggesting we leave things as they are.. If we are honest with each other their is no level playing field in this sport so why bother even discussing it, Hours of Darkness has always been a contentious subject and will never be resolved.

With all my racing finished for 2017 I am concentrating all my efforts into rearing a team of Late Breds for next year. Maize, Small Seed nor Barley will be included in the feed from now on as other grains can substitute and a heavier mixture will be the order of the day as I dont have sprinters in the loft so no point in giving them what is not required. The best beans I ever had recently came from the English / Welsh border and may take a trip down in the future when my bins are empty now I can no longer find a bean locally, although feed a friend supplied me with last year were pretty good, I had a lot of waste due to the size, which were more like Horse Beans and the birds have had no option as it is eat or go hungry. Perhaps that will not construe a love of the loft which is what I am after.. Happy home means a wellcome where an unhappy home could mean why hurry back..John please no reply from now on unless it is constructive and I shall not reply to your meaningless negativity. I have always been of the belief that our pigeons loved dark places in which to build their nest and am wondering why I should lighten the loft with roof panels when my old very successfull loft had one section which had no natural light and was always dim but it was where the bulk of my winners came from and the light had to be switched on just to find them. Some of my friends know I have a problem with Opiate drugs and spending all night awake looking down on the loft recently it came to my attention that where I had cut holes in the roof the corrugated metal was dry and the rest of the roof was wet with morning dew suggesting that my ventilation must be bang on so why change it. Not attempting the Gold Cup this year was in hindsight a blessing as I still have a reasonable amount of 2 year olds for next year and Dave Padfield did tell me to wait till they were 3 before sending to 500 + miles. Patience is a virtue..and I am so sorry for my friends who have been cleaned out with the National races this year through no fault other than the fact they sent them and expected to get them on the result or off BUT HOME..

Derek, The way I see it is if no birds are clocked on first day the Committee who cover every Fed should decide the Hrs of Darkness as it can be overcast and dark at 22.00 hrs

Third day Hours of Darkness would have been 9hrs 26mts..

At present only 5hrs 30mts Hours of Darkness..Under last bird on day till first next morning the Hours of Darkness would have been 7hrs 25mts and would have given a truer result on close of race at 400ypm.

Hours of darkness all races should be from the last bird clocked on the day till the first next morning..

Oh you are such a cad..

Aye you are right enough Steve Because Gretna is 75 mls to me and I just checked up on what distance fanciers down there are flying so I am only getting 48 mls !!! My appologies for my ignorant remark. I am now wondering where the other 27 mls went.

Yir no even flyin 500 mls Stevie :emoticon-0136-giggle:

Steve you being a NERD "your words not mine" I thought you would have at least digested and agreed with some or not all of the afore mentioned text so I have to put you into another category !!. Disbeliever.. LOL

Well the Gold Cup has come and mostly gone !! Will there be a change in thinking of our premier club in Scotland ?, I doubt it. For those who managed to clock in you can only thank your lucky stars and buy a Lottery ticket, For those who are still waiting see you at the AGM. BEFORE you do, Perhaps you want to think about about the METAPHYSICS of the problems we have created without realising the consequences. Lofts ;- Used to be open to the elements Now closed up. Birds ;- The introduction of Continental strains has disturbed 100 years of Scottish Long Distance ability. Feed ;- The breaking away of the staple Scottish diet, Beans,Maples,Maize,Wheat in favour of continental feeds. Race Route ;- Breaking away from the traditional West M6 and the crossing from France at Cherbourg Peninsular. Transportation ;- The refusal to use purpose built vehicles with drinking facilities on three sides of crate. To Summarise ;- Round pegs wont fit into square holes..A tree that looks the same after dropping a leaf is not the same tree..The gun you held did not shoot you in the foot, you pulled the trigger yourself..

I should have added that the farmer who used to supply me passed away and his sons turned the farm into a shooting estate, Their are Beans and Beans and his were the best.

Yes I tend to listen to too much crap spoken. I have also emphasised that the Bean is a complete food and please try and find where I have been positive in writing about such feed..I have even went to the point where if the tannin in the skin is poisonous why does the weevil exist !!. John Bosworth was the fancier who put me off feeding the Bean and I perhaps should have argued the point with him however I thought I had my peers in this game but now question my stupidity. I have also stated that my Beans are ordered and will be back on them as soon as possible..

Best bird on the shift in my and others eyes Colin congratulations on a class performance, Aye Stevie you too :emoticon-0137-clapping: :emoticon-0137-clapping:

Well done Colin, you have proved my point..

The Son in Law [carpenter] has already been told to work out sliding gear on the roof so the problem is solved and thank you for your input.

I have came to the same conclusion and have already ordered a ton of beans for next year.

The first primary thrown is what all pigeons do but does not constitute form, only the cycle of events, and unfortunately the cycle has came a bit late for me. Real form is when they throw the First and Second, or Second and Third, or Third and Fourth at the same time and it was only by coincidence that I found that out many years ago as because of the gap in the wing I used to leave them at home. Should it happen over the next couple of weeks then it will be sent across the pond regardless of its age because it is only a once in the birds lifetime that it will occur..This is one of the secrets in racing pigeons..Dont tell anybody..

In the loft this week the temp in the morning has been 10c and has never been above 20c before mid day and its the end of June. How are we supposed to maintain form when it fluctuates so much I ask myself and yet the birds are shining now the moult has started with the first primary gone. Its obvious pairing late and not breeding has a part to play and that will be rectified next year. I have had far to much on my plate this year to worry about pigeons and as the Queen would have said it has been an "Annus Horriblus" so far..Hopefully by the end of the year the light at the end of the tunnel will have been reached..

Having read the NIPA race blog I have to pass the personal comment that in my opinion the Race Controller and Convoyer MUST regard each others comments. When I was Race Controller my first phone call was to the convoyer and if he reported that the sun was on the baskets and the birds were roaring their heads off then I had an easy job because we knew the birds and they were telling us they were ready for the off. On the other hand if they were deadly quiet then we would hold off and the convoyer would phone me when circumstances had changed and it might take an hour or so but in all cases the birds were never released unless the sun was on the baskets. With that criteria in mind we never ever had a bad race regardless of distance..Pigeons know more than we do..

Just back from the hospital getting checked out after banging my head off a wall 10 times on reading the last reply :emoticon-0179-headbang:

Eddie had a trapping section with double windows for the birds to come and go as they pleased as they were all on Natural and was roughly 10x20. He herded his birds into it after closing the windows and shut shutters completely dakening the area, Puting the overhead light off he could then walk over and pick up any bird he chose too without alarming any others as when the light goes out the birds do not move from the spot. I could not believe how simple it was and incorporated into every loft I have owned since.