Kyleakin Lofts

I agree with this, but he asked about a combined Life Ring and tracking ETS ring. I pointed out some use rubbers so wouldn't be happy about the cost for the combination. Another point is, although rare, ETS rings fail at times. If they were combined with the Life Ring, you would then need to fit a ring like you talk of, so I expect the separates we have at the moment would be best unless the cost could be brought closer to the current 34p.

Good morning all.

Happy birthday Sparko. What's been happening in Iceland lately?

Good photos.

I think this idea could be a good one and it is very worthy of further investigation. SHU 2018 Stats show: - There are 2025 Lofts in Scotland. The SHU sold around 80000 Life Rings costing 34p each. ETS rings cost around £1-50 each, Rubber rings cost around 6p each and the SHU sold around 60000. Most Federations organise around 15 races per year. Fair price for a ring is the hard one. Some are complaining about the 34p for a life ring. ETS Life Ring combination £1-84, add the tracking capability, say £2. Would they pay it? Well there would be no need to buy ETS rings, but if you raced with rubbers you would have to pay this cost anyway, so they wouldn't be happy. For an all purpose ring costing in the region of £2 with a online transmitting tracking capability, I would buy them. You would only want to ring pigeons that you bred with confidence in their ability, so it might stop the large numbers bred nowadays, but it would increase the chance of quality pigeons being raced. Andy Eadie's 98% sh 1te rule may change to something more like 50%.

An achievement in anyone's book, but some pigeon to have performed this feat and some fancier to have the character to attempt it.

Good morning all.

Happy birthday.

Commercial betting is big business and would certainly increase interest for "Joe Public" and perhaps even introduce some new fanciers. This is certainly one way forward.

Excellent!!! Really good to see that someone is making an attempt. Do you think they would sponsor nine of set-ups that could be used by the Federations? Solway, Pentland, North West, North of Scotland / Aberdeen, Lanarkshire, Fife, Dundee / Angus, Ayrshire and Almond Valley /Central / Midlothian. If they would sponsor or give a reduced price, perhaps between the Federations / SHU we could begin to collect some info to assist the future of the sport.

Robert, this rule is only relevant to young birds. Even the National race which is probably the longest young bird race flown should not take 2 or 3 days. Buckingham at 295 miles should be over within a day, add early next morning for it to be over in the north. Wing stamping with SNFC secretary's number will not compromise the race. If a pigeon is reported, Mary would pass the information on after the race was complete.

The SHU is not a club, so it has to be personal details, which compromise the race, or SNFC details which don't compromise the race. SNFC wing stamps would not compromise the race and are within the rule. It could be my business in the future.

Very interesting, the only drawback seems to be they have to get home to be able to download the info. At £190 for the 10 ring setup, the initial outlay is £19 / ring. Quite expensive for some, especially if the percy gets them. Tiawan is one of the areas where pigeon racing is booming, so the technology will become cheaper and perhaps not too long until it becomes live tracking.

Merry Christmas all.

Thanks Lindsay. I hope you have a merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year. I hope you have your family around you at this festive time.

Happy birthday.

Good morning all.

I am not an SNFC member, so cannot really comment on their governance, however, several fanciers have raised the matter of SNFC on the Life Ring thread. I did not wish to hijack that thread, thus the SHU post. Having started the post, I knew I would be invited to expand, thus have brought in that discussion. As can be seen on both the Life Ring thread and now on this one, an outdated rule of the SNFC is being spouted. Some fanciers think that because this rule is in the rule book that it must be followed, but at some time a fancier will challenge it at the SHU and the SNFC will lose because their rule is in direct conflict with the SHU. I have merely stated the way the SNFC can get around this, but still meet the intention of the SHU rule. However some may wish to wait until the rule is tested.

tried to send you a PM, but your PM's are not working. Not wishing to hijack thread, but in answer to your post, yes the National has to comply. It is a SHU member club.

Good photos.

I am well aware of this and I admire your dedication having travelled for years to represent your Federation and commend you for having stood up for them and for your unstinting work within the SHU. I am just a "young buck" not in years, but certainly in service. I have however chaired a National Governing Body and in that position I travelled the country to check and ensure compliance. It seems pigeons are very different, so I am still "finding my feet" within the organisation, but like you have stated regarding the current situation in your Federation, it seems few wish to assist. Many wish to criticise.

I was just musing, thinking in print. Walter answered my musing, but this in turn causes another question. I made reference to the Life Ring thread because within that thread wing stamps were raised. I updated the poster on the current situation since it was clarified at the SHU AGM in December. Reference was then made to the SNFC which apparently does not allow wing stamps and will therefore not allow wing stamps nor ID rings. This took up a few posts and not wishing to hijack a thread I referred to the original post of Life Rings. It appears that some think the SNFC is a governing body and that the current SHU rules do not include it. I always thought that the SNFC was a SHU member club and therefore the SHU rules do include it. Now rules is rules, but they are only as good as the people who follow them and the governing body that enforces them. Latitude may be allowed as long as the meaning of the rule is being followed, but the acid test is when a complaint is brought forward to the governing body. It seems that the SHU works under the premise that once the rule is made then the fanciers will follow the rule, but that only works if the fanciers know the rule and the committees of the member clubs know the rules and inform their members. It is then incumbent on these committees to ensure the rule is followed or else they leave their club open to complaint. Thus the question: - The SHU provides the rules [object b] so they fulfil the administration, but to govern they would have to follow up and ensure the rules are being followed. I don't think there is an appetite for this. I think they would prefer to leave well alone unless it comes to a complaint (object e) where they would then have to deal with the matter. Is this the correct way to govern? I am not saying this is wrong, but when some members complain or ask what the SHU does for them, perhaps they should ask, "What do we do for the SHU". The normal attendance at SHU meetings are thirteen or fourteen maximum. Distance is not the only problem since Angus and Solway are almost always represented. Further north I am able to understand. With the small attendance there is a lack of ideas and a lack of manpower to fulfil these ideas leading to a case of if it is not broken don't fix it. Members then complain, but don't attend the AGM where there complaints should be heard. Coming to the earlier point, will the SNFC follow the rules and allow ID on young birds? Some think not, but then if a complaint is raised they will fall foul of the rule. How do they circumvent this? My understanding is that they don't want ID in case a bird is reported and clocked when collected. This is cheating so I can understand their concern. If they blot out all wing stamps as they have done in the past and remove all personal telephone numbers as they would now have to do, they still have to comply with the rule, so they will have to wing stamp with SNFC and Mary's phone number. I am sure Mary will take the details and contact the fancier after the race is over.

Never knew J F K was a SHU member.

Are we implementing the rules of conduct first hand and if so how do we manage this? I think the SHU is happy to sit back and administer. Other governing bodies carry out annual checks to ensure their governance is implemented. Most use their structure to accomplish this. In our case, that would be to use the Federations to check that the clubs are following the rules, etc. The SHU is happy to administer the rules, if and when, and only if and when, a complaint is raised. They rely on their members and member clubs to fulfil the implementation. I am not saying this is wrong, but when some members complain or ask what the SHU does for them, perhaps they should ask, "What do we do for the SHU".