I think its changing, and in my opinion its the small time back garden fanciers we are losing, now its big lofts filled with birds, and its getting too expensive for the small fancier who only wants to fly a few birds and races, and for someone to start up, normally with a small loft and few birds its very hard now to compete and they get down hearted, and its too expensive, long ago you started with a few birds no clock as you ran to your nearest member to clock in, now its lofts lots of birds and expensive clocks, I remember away back when I started it was a small home made hut and about 6 birds and we didnt compete with the top fanciers, we had a boy's club birds went with the local club to race points, and we ran to a place with our rings, now new or youngsters coming into the sport have to compete against the best, its not easy now to get new fanciers into the sport,and yes I know we have to change with the times,