Roland

I think Davie Flemmings and his young bird centre is missed. He did a good job all around I believe. Shame he doesn't frequent our site any more. I know he said it was a short term thing regards packing up and felt he would be back. Here's hoping it's soon eh!

We kill the races at our marking station. No problem.

Pleased for you mucker.

Looks the part mucker. Good luck.

I'd have no problem at all with it. Y/b's as young as 7 weeks - have won races. The very most I'd do is ask the owner if he meant to be sending it. Simple reality and truth is that many birds, youngsters and old birds alike, are sent week in and week out by fanciers that deem it very unlike that they are able and fit / conditioned enough to be in the basket. Nothing is, or can be said then. Having said that, when president of a club there was a stink regards the state of a pigeon being sent (the owner wasn't there and another club member bought his birds to the marking station). A 3 year old grizzle it was, and his so call mate was harping on about this and that and disgraceful etc. Murmurs as to it being sent week in and week out and in this condition, till many club members were voicing an opinion. I took a look at it and simple said it goes and end off. It timed well next day and a week later won a very hard distance race ... being sent in a far worse condition than the previous weeks according to members.

Yep, just checked it out West N West wind. Would have been a hold over in any east in the wind. Good luck to all that have sent.

Must be more North and hardly any - if any East in the wind. Forecast must be that it will change back to N. West soon.

have so much more at hand, and a reputation to think of. Exactly Frank. The so - called weather experts Their' payment and rep needs looking after. Yes I'd wager that over the long haul, across the water sometime it will be a bit of a close call at least. BUT the onus and slagging of the convoyers and race controllers would be a lot less. Just the calling of the governing bodies that employ them lol. Personally I obviously believe that it would over a period of time make far better racing and forecasts. JMO

True Chad.... but can get a vast improvement so one needs to chuck a few pence in each and have another concern taking part and a interest. Maybe good also if what their' views / thoughts and recommendation are published too. Indeed would be a far better if the onus was taken away from Convoyers etc. I believe.

Tell you what, ask any and every one if they would willing pay a £1 each season to employ a professional weather concern! I'd bet 3 three scenario's would happen. 'Of course....' they'd harp 'with pleasure' would be the first one. Second would imply 'What a £1 a season! I'd pay that for ever race ... indeed a £5 would be well worth it and money well spent'! Thirdly if the SNFC and ALL concerns put the fees up a couple of quid per season to cover costs, let alone a week or per bird, then the out cry and moaning would be deafening. All sorts of scenarios of what should or shouldn't be would rage on. In deed some would leave the sport using it as an excuse saying 'Getting too dear now, gone stupid, they want paying for any and every thing and - wait for it - do nothing'! Sorry but true. Of course an independent weather body should have a say, paid or not! Struwth we spend a fortune on birds, feed training etc. and MOAN about any and every thing if it don't suit or goes wrong.

Not calling, or voicing an opinion at all regards any right or wrongvia thye RACE Control committee or convoyer. But here's food for thought.... Money and Costs and looking after a bank balance may have a bearing. Some will remember, and others recall, when the Gas / Oil rigs were being built around the coast line, and remember how quickly the weather changed, the Powers to be used the RAF for information regards best times and suitability in doing certain jobs. The costs involved meant an accuracy was paramount. They gave nigh a minute by minute account etc. and was nigh spot on every time. So good some Feds used it down here. Costs were minimal too. BUT the members whinged and wined so much that it was abandoned and we went back to the hit and miss, costly, guessing game and what not. I don't know, but I would wager big time that if their service was used the results would have been far different! Indeed I don't know whether one can still use it. I've tried to implement it here about, especially after a bad race. Same results unfortunately 'Waal Yeah, but it's not often we get races like that (EEKK!)normally we have better races ... It's... any and every other excuse. Drag, Up North combine and the stupid clashing etc. etc. JMO

You know, any bird home in Scotland, especially at the top end, within 3 Days has certainly earned their' perch. It was a very hard and extremely telling so - called race. Wet / rain and constantly a changing of direction and strength of the winds. Well done all those birds, and the fanciers of course in preparing them.

Nice, and I am pleased to seeit!

Incest for blood / breeding (If one must!) .... Or if one has doo's good enough and not just some that cost a fortune that is. Nor ones that have won a couple of club races etc. Otherwise one has a loft full of 'Could have beens come poor has beens' Out cross for racing. It is the most sought after gift is the mating of pigeons. Obviously the most important thing is breeding unrelated bird with good constitution and proven results ... Be it on the road firstly but then more importantly in the nest box. Too many have a loft full of poorly bred pigeons because they 'Cost' a lot, were from a 'Name' sauce or looked the part. The quicker they are sorted - or gone for many - the better. 3 to 4 years is needed to get some good main stay pigeons. And many disappointments and heart hurt on tyhe way ... then not alway arriving to the destination one wanted or hoped for.

Simple reality is that there are several ways to cheat without the use of a clocking device. Indeed one needn't even go to the club their selfs. Let alone try to tamper with a clocking device which ever one is used.

John cheats know that any way after a couple of phone calls. But then again They would have to be able to cheat too .... I think that that would be very hard pressed to do. Besides a cheat is a cheat and will if possible cheat regardless. Besides they would have to know and be able to work out all the duistances, So...

BENZING LIVE - Live Transmission of the Arrival Data The data of each clocked pigeon is immediately transmitted onto the Website. All trainings and races are shown and can be viewed all over the world, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Comparison between all fanciers In the first time of pigeon sport it is possible to compare your arrival times of your pigeons instantly with all your club members and/or every fancier in the world! So it´s possible to match your results against any other pigeon fancier of the world. Highest Manipulation protection BENZING Live! is equipped with an intelligent, patented time comparison system. 3 completely independent times are compared every 10 minutes! Also the GPS coordinates are sent to the server. This ensures that the clock always remains in the same loft.

Taken from the Alberta Classic site Benzing coming soon to a dealer near u BENZING LIVE - Live Transmission of the Arrival Data The data of each clocked pigeon is immediately transmitted onto the Website. All trainings and races are shown and can be viewed all over the world, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Comparison between all fanciers In the first time of pigeon sport it is possible to compare your arrival times of your pigeons instantly with all your club members and/or every fancier in the world! So it´s possible to match your results against any other pigeon fancier of the world. Highest Manipulation protection BENZING Live! is equipped with an intelligent, patented time comparison system. 3 completely independent times are compared every 10 minutes! Also the GPS coordinates are sent to the server. This ensures that the clock always remains in the same loft.

Patience is a virtue and the most important thing in this hobby. Act in haste and relent in leisure'. But then again for the first couple of years eagerness teaches that it has two masters ... one not so good. No need to rush or sorce them ...

Well egg or young in May will fly all the way. Had late June hatch youngsters fly 470 mile the following September. Indeed will be flying some youngsters not yet in egg this season. Will they compete with those on the Dark system? Probably not ... but then you will be a novice stil, so one must take that into consideration, and you will be flying with hope and dreams. Personally, as you won't be racing the old birds, I'd fly some late (so called) youngsters. Many a good race has, and is, won but later bred pigeonsthat's for sure. Then would have some late breds. THE late breds would be left to do as they liked. Yep on the good fine days a few short tosses. Then next season just 1 or 2 short races of say 100 to 150 miles tops. Year after they will be the best birds in the loft - very most likely - and can go all the way. Never mind about losses of latebreds.... The big cripe is patience! Fancier breed 60 or more youngsters early and finish up with about 20 yearlings.... Yet the ration of say 25 latebreds and having a dozen or so is called. Bred and reared in the purple they will be every bit as good - if not better - than any other youngsters. Indeed many a good team has been built by buying latebreds and lightly raced the following year. Plus you will still have the parents next season. But the thought of losing some after a winter feeding deters very many and hence gives them a very unfair name. Logic is simple. 'If the stock can breed in January in the cold and adverse weather WHY can't the same birds breed every bit as good in far better weather and conditions? J.M.O. Good luck whatever you desecide.

Both Walter ... just a normal nut regards the doo's lol. Mind you are a dying breed I guess. Luckily two of my clubs are in the same pub location meaning I travel 66 miles.... the other would mean travelling another 24 miles etc. if I send.

Yep, many do. Barry Andrews is top of the tree at all distances every year.

Electric fence full stop. No one would ever have a dog baying at cats if they saw the carnage and hurt- blinding the cat will do if it retaliates and drops onto the dogs back. It digs in and claws the eyes and what not. The dog has no chance to get it off, let alone do any damage.

Will repeat that Hawks will come back to finish the meal etc. I think that the juice of the rhubarb leaves - simmered and then stored, is a must to enlighten their taste buds. Just poured over any poor feed means it wasn't in vain eh!.

Good on yer geordie1234 I report. Always will. I also take note of the fanciers wishes. If asked to feed and water and then let up a few days later, no problem. If I can edge towards their' loft up the road then so be it. I also have had a few silly ones not answering etc. or silliness. But I also feel that not many like to state that they can't afford it etc. Embarrassed etc. So I feel good if I can be helpful in some way, or at least believe I am doing right by them and the so - called sport. I mostly travel to collect any reported if the fuel is less or about the same as a courier. It gives me and the wife a day out. Visit a loft and often make a friend or learn something. I remember only too well - not so long ago either - when I couldn't even afford to train my birds. I recall me dad, pleased as punch every so often, being able to send the birds on the train for a training toss. LIKE many more, and yet they were great club men. Always helping in any chore that came their way club night, be it basketing, clocks etc. etc. Most could fly a kite. My dad never won a race -- well one they set up for him lol A street race. Proud as punch forever. I think we should all remember we look the same sitting on the toilet. Remember - as we all know, NOT everyone is able or fortunate as one-selves. BUT they may well be in other club ways, and are part of the future of our dying sport. We can't afford to discriminate. Shoot ourselves in the foot. Remember too it is those very often that are at the foot of the ladder , the ones you are beating every week, that make the game for you ... without them NO club will function and a club isn't much joy racing against your selves. A little forethought and understanding is needed here surely. Again I'm not referring to ignorance or bad manner persons, but the fact is that a high percentage NOW can just about afford to race and keep pigeons ... not lose them. But losing them is part and partial of our sport unfortunately. Personally, I believe, the mass breeding to compensate losses doesn't help anyone!