swilcox

Bob i 100% agree

Money is part and parcel of the modern commercail world. Bob the reason i posted this list was to demonstrate that previously as a sport we pulled together rallyed for a cause of greatness, can we again find that common bond and unite as a body of people, of that im not sure!!!!! Chris i will probaly upset you by saying this but at times you do nothing to help real progressive conversation on this site, i know your a good bloke and a passionate pigeon fancier but some times a bit of positive thinking will help things along, lets all take a step forward and put this discussion on the front foot. In reality things are good at the moment as you have pointed out, but in reality thats down to attitudes and attitudes can be changed!! Stuart

Are we missing something here; Pigeon racing has no real impact or penetration to the vast majority of the population. The sport was at its greatest in the 50’s when not only was it affordable but a whole generation had knowledge of their abilities due to efforts in world war II !!!! Now one loft racing can in theory attract non fanciers and in a way grow knowledge of the sport but in reality its still mainly the existing membership that participate. Im sure that 90% of 10 year old kids don’t even know pigeons come home, so how can we rectify this and how can we use pigeons maybe in a none racing way to engage the public????? Blue Peter?? Computor Games (we all remember dick dasterly and mutely) Maybe we could ask the National Lottery to design a game that indicates you have 3 pigeons home and you win the lottery(scratch card)??? We could ask the queen to incorporate a pigeon release where possible into state functions and parades?? Plus the Olympics or before Premiership Football games (great way to get a free ticket) School fun days. Sending scores back to the club house on major golf events can be done by pigeon??? We can through the RPRA do talks to pensioners clubs, send literature to soon to be retired people (as we know these are more likely to take up the sport than kids). See there are avenues that can be explored if we had a professional PR outfit to represent the sport! P.S. No the problems of our sport are caused by negativity!!!!!!!!!!

If you read down the list it can be thought provoking, you can almost feel pride in those birds and the PIGEON FANCIERS that bred them, pigeon racing is a long standing traditional hobby which has given thousands pleasure and our country service in 2 wars, it down to each and everyone of us to maintain the sport for future generations!!!!

DICKIN MEDAL WINNERS White Vision Pigeon ­ SURP.41.L.3089 Date of Award: 2 December 1943 “For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew while serving with the RAF in October 1943.†Winkie Pigeon ­ NEHU.40.NS.1 Date of Award: 2 December 1943 “For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew while serving with the RAF in February, 1942.†Tyke (also known as George) Pigeon ­ Number 1263 MEPS 43 Date of Award: 2 December 1943 “For delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an Air Crew, while serving with the RAF in the Mediterranean in June, 1943.†Beach Comber Pigeon ­ NPS.41.NS.4230 Date of Award: 6 March 1944 “For bringing the first news to this country of the landing at Dieppe, under hazardous conditions in September, 1942, while serving with the Canadian Army.†Gustav Pigeon ­ NPS.42.31066 Date of Award: 1 September 1944 “For delivering the first message from the Normandy Beaches from a ship off the beach-head while serving with the RAF on 6 June 1944.†Paddy Pigeon ­ NPS.43.9451 Date of Award: 1 September 1944 “For the best recorded time with a message from the Normandy Operations, while serving with the RAF in June, 1944.†Kenley Lass Pigeon ­ NURP.36.JH.190 Date of Award: March 1945 “For being the first pigeon to be used with success for secret communications from an Agent in enemy-occupied France while serving with the NPS in October 1940.†Navy Blue Pigeon ­ NPS.41.NS.2862 Date of Award: March 1945 “For delivering an important message from a Raiding Party on the West Coast of France, although injured, while serving with the RAF in June, 1944. Flying Dutchman Pigeon – NPS.42.NS.44802 Date of Award: March 1945 “For successfully delivering messages from Agents in Holland on three occasions. Missing on fourth mission, while serving with the RAF in 1944.†Dutch Coast Pigeon ­ NURP.41. A.2164 Date of Award: March 1945 “For delivering an SOS from a ditched Air Crew close to the enemy coast 288 miles distance in 7½ hours, under unfavourable conditions, while serving with the RAF in April 1942.†Commando Pigeon ­ NURP.38.EGU.242 Date of Award: March 1945 “For successfully delivering messages from Agents in Occupied France on three occasions: twice under exceptionally adverse conditions, while serving with the NPS in 1942.†Royal Blue Pigeon ­ NURP.40.GVIS.453 Date of award: March 1945 “For being the first pigeon in this war to deliver a message from a forced landed aircraft on the Continent while serving with the RAF in October, 1940.†Ruhr Express Pigeon ­ NPS.43.29018 Date of Award: May 1945 “For carrying an important message from the Ruhr Pocket in excellent time, while serving with the RAF in April, 1945.†William of Orange Pigeon ­ NPS.42.NS.15125 Date of Award: May 1945 “For delivering a message from the Arnheim Airborne Operation in record time for any single pigeon, while serving with the APS in September 1944.†Scotch Lass Pigeon ­ NPS.42.21610 Date of Award: June 1945 “For bringing 38 microphotographs across the North Sea in good time although injured, while serving with the RAF in Holland in September 1944.†Billy Pigeon ­ NU.41.HQ.4373 Date of Award: August 1945 “For delivering a message from a force-landed bomber, while in a state of complete collapse and under exceptionally bad weather conditions, while serving with the RAF in 1942.†Broad Arrow Pigeon ­ 41.BA.2793 Date of Award: October 1945 “For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: May 1943, June 1943 and August 1943, while serving with the Special Service from the Continent.†Pigeon ­ NPS.42.NS.2780 Date of Award: October 1945 “For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: July 1942, August 1942 and April 1943, while serving with the Special Service from the Continent.†Pigeon ­ NPS.42.NS.7524 Date of Award: October 1945 “For bringing important messages three times from enemy-occupied country, viz: July 1942, May 1943 and July 1943, while serving with the Special Service from the continent.†Maquis Pigeon ­ NPSNS.42.36392 Date of Award: October 1945 “For bringing important messages three times from enemy occupied country, viz: May 1943 (Amiens) February, 1944 (Combined Operations) and June, 1944 (French Maquis) while serving with the Special Service from the Continent.†Mary Pigeon ­ NURP.40.WCE.249 Date of Award: November 1945 “For outstanding endurance on War Service in spite of wounds.†Tommy Pigeon ­ NURP.41.DHZ56 Date of Award: February 1946 “For delivering a valuable message from Holland to Lancashire under difficult conditions, while serving with NPS in July 1942.†All Alone Pigeon ­ NURP.39.SDS.39 Date of Award: February 1946 “For delivering an important message in one day over a distance of 400 miles, while serving with the NPS in August, 1943.†Princess Pigeon ­ 42WD593 Date of Award: May 1946 “Sent on special mission to Crete, this pigeon returned to her loft (RAFAlexandria) having travelled about 500 miles mostly over sea, with most valuable information. One of the finest performances in the war record of the Pigeon Service.†Mercury Pigeon ­ NURP.37.CEN.335 Date of Award: August 1946 “For carrying out a special task involving a flight of 480 miles from Northern Denmark while serving with the Special Section Army Pigeon Service in July 1942.†Pigeon ­ NURP.38.BPC.6. Date of Award: August 1946 “For three outstanding flights from France while serving with the Special Section, Army Pigeon Service, 11 July 1941, 9 September 1941, and 29 November 1941.†GI Joe Pigeon ­ USA43SC6390 Date of Award: August 1946 “This bird is credited with making the most outstanding flight by a USA Army Pigeon in World War II. Making the 20 mile flight from British 10th Army HQ, in the same number of minutes, it brought a message which arrived just in time to save the lives of at least 100 Allied soldiers from being bombed by their own planes.†Duke of Normandy Pigeon ­ NURP.41.SBC.219 Date of Award: 8 January 1947 “For being the first bird to arrive with a message from Paratroops of 21st Army Group behind enemy lines on D Day 6 June, 1944, while serving with APS.†Pigeon ­ NURP.43.CC.1418 Date of Award: 8 January 1947 “For the fastest flight with message from 6th Airborne Div. Normandy, 7 June, 1944, while serving with APS.†Pigeon ­ DD.43.T.139 (Australian Army Signal Corps) Date of award: February 1947 “During a heavy tropical storm this bird was released from Army Boat 1402 which had foundered on Wadou Beach in the Huon Gulf. Homing 40 miles to Madang it brought a message which enabled a rescue ship to be sent in time to salvage the craft and its valuable cargo of stores and ammunition.†Pigeon ­ DD.43.Q.879 (Australian Army Signal Corps) Date of award: February 1947 “During an attack by Japanese on a US Marine patrol on Manus Island, pigeons were released to warn headquarters of an impending enemy counter-attack. Two were shot down but DD43 despite heavy fire directed at it reached HQ with the result that enemy concentrations were bombed and the patrol extricated.†Cologne Pigeon ­ NURP39.NPS.144 Date of Award: unknown “For homing from a crashed aircraft over Cologne although seriously wounded, while serving with the RAF in 1943.â€

Its purely the case that the stress has gone up and the desease moves in!!!!

It will not be popular with everyone but i just felt i had to write the following letter to the editor of the BHW. Dear Editor In last week’s addition I read about how the RPRA had donated £500 to a local boys boxing club, it was pleasing to see the smiles on these lads’ faces and I’m sure it was a worthy cause. However 500 has some relevance to the current situation that pigeon racing finds itself in. 500 is possibly the number of fanciers that leaves the sport every year, 500 is the number of birds we send on a transporter that’s designed for 5000 and 500 is probably the number of racing pigeons taken from the sky each day by raptors. My point is Pigeon Racing as a sport is in decline, we have some real challenges ahead and we will need every possible resource to tackle them. To add whilst we are a good natured and charity donating sport how has our image really benefitted? The majority of the public still see rats and flat caps. I urge the council of the RPRA to re-asses its policy on charitable donations and divert funds to the support and sustainability of pigeon racing. Maybe we could start by having a dedicated PR officer. It’s great that we give so much to charity but that won’t count for a lot when pigeon racing is lost in the future. Yours in Sport Stuart Wilcox

Yes mate there is hope, i think with distance pigeons we just need that break through and we are there!!!!

I hope nobody minds me posting these detials but a number of you have these lines in your loft and i think its important for you to know how they are doing in Holland. In the last 2 weeks Mark Van Den Berg has won 4th NPO Perigueux, 6.666b 905 km with a gson of the Brive (1st NPO Brive 7700b) when paired to a dtr of Lisa (dtr of Lightenberg), the brive is a g-son of the Lightenberg. So the sire is 100% Moeleveld, dam is Wegen based. Yesterday Mark won 1st NPO Montauban 5414b and 3rd Nat 35,000b 950km with a full sister to the hen above. Truly remarkable result, Well done Mark. Stuart Wilcox

Should get them on over the weekend whilst im waiting for the birds. Stuart

I took mine yesterday, it took them an hour to do 10 miles, they just seemed to fly around not knowing where to go, i seem to thing they stumbled upon home more than found it!!!! Atomosheric conditions im thinking. Stuart

Nice Lad Jim, i hope he keeps up the good work.

The basic rules are that you require planning permission if you have built on more than 50% of your property, if your loft is closer than 5 metres to your house or any other, if its higher than 13ft (that varies) and if its a perminent structure (stone) or temp Structure wood. There are habitate and welfare regs that apply but provided you loft is neat and tidy, blends in and is vermin free you should be able to defend these. Stuart

Anyone know what Jim Donaldson timed?

I dont know if we could do it over hear as the hen would be away from the loft for too long???

Raymond said you really need to know the hen and her typical laying cycle as she must be fertalise on the correct day for it all to work... Costs, i will find out.

Its different i will give you that Redcheq, be great if you could still get one off motta or parkside superman??????????? ;D

No i wouldnt think Raymond would sell any but hopefully i can borrow one!!!!!! Red Cheq i really dont know the price but i will try and find out!!! But i think its quite exciting when you can preserve the blood of your very top pigeons!!!!!!!! p.s. my money comes from working and i spend it on pigeons

Im amazed I had a conversation today that has left me very surprised to say the least. I was discussing a young hen with Raymond Moleveld, she is producing some real top pigeons and we were discussing future pairings, Raymond then said “if she is good enough then i will use the sperm of the Lightenberg to breed some youngâ€. I quizzed him on this statement and he told me that he has sperm in the Lab in Antwerp for De Lightenberg (born 1989) and the Famous 404 (born 1987) which can be used to artificially fertilise the hen, we have around 10 lots of each. He also tells me he has collected sperm from De Tovenaar and Don Leo which i find just amazing!!!!!! The fact you can breed pigeons from champions long after they have gone blows my brains (upto 30 years). Just incase you wonder why im so excited, De Lightenberg and the 404 are amongst the most prolific breeders in Dutch history. What cock from the past would like to keep the sperm of???? Stuart

Last weekend was a test, some pass and some fail!!!!

Well done Billy Alison a great pigeon which i believe is down from the Red Cock you purchased from me and Raymond. Couldnt be more proud. Stuart & Raymond

An abreviation will save alot of typing for Roland. Just an idea, maybe people can post some of there own.

What do you think Roland?????

I think he thought i was an old pensioner, he had a bit of a shock yesterday when an 18st rugby player chased him down the footpath, i couldnt be sure he was targeting my birds and the hawk didnt take any but he will not be back im sure!!!! 8)

I was under the impression that Pigeons were protected by law, ie if you shot or killed one the police can press charges, so if you deliberately trained a domestic Falcon to attack racing pigeons would this also be included under this law???? Stuart Wilcox