Albear

Well done mate, good flying...but what were the distances??

Yep interesting Frank. I live way down south if you look at the mapI live about 17 miles north of Exeter about 2 miles nw of jct 27 on the M5 but I get 556 miles for that from Tarbes! Barcelona to me is 707, I would fly the BICC that would give me every race I think (?) at least 600 mile, so as I tried to say earlier, I don't think there is consistent real long distance racing in the UK other than in the BICC (I am not a member cause it's a 100 miles to marking! [and I ain't got the strength in depth]). So if you want 600/700 milers forget Scotland it happens in England consistently (for a few but never the less it is available)

Agreed surely the question is how many 600/700 mile races does he compete in a year? (would like to know)

Now then Ian academically I always come second to you (hated bloody school made to do my A's but the 6th form was fantastic 12 lessons a week and used to go in my rugby /football kit to those!) but isn't lactibaciluus (speling) the base problem with ulcers??

Delboy have to agree having flown to the west of the UK and the east of the UK... flying to the west provides far more hazards... Jim Donaldson is a top man but i can think of nowhere else in the country where 1 man is thought to be the only man in his area at a particular distance, does that mean you guys in the ene of Scotland need to pull your finger out?

Don'tunderstand your highness, Brian Denny did clock on the day form 700 Miles true... but what are you saying?????????? Or is down soth Glsagow???? Not being royalty I'm lost!!!

Now I don't want to turn this into a national or regional slanging match. I do think there are great Scottish long distance men but not many of them have the opportunity to fly 700 mile and that will perhaps be once a year? (And I'm 50% English [i believe], 25% Welsh and 25% Irish, my boy has a mother that's 50% Welsh & 50% Italian, what a mix he is!) If you want to know the best 600/700 milers you need to look at some of the BICC members who don't fly it once a year but 3 or 4 times a year (I'm not a BICC man myself). IF you want top 600 mile blood then yes you go no better than Scotland. And I always used to be of the opinion that the finest were the Irish but they haven't flown a long distance race in years have they I mean 600 mile to most, I think their main race is tharound the 500 mark. Don't take this wrong however cause the route they fly has to be the toughest next to Lerwick down to Wales and the West Country

Jimmy Shepherd had a clearance sale, assume he no longer has any?

Hi Andy that's what I meant, because if you read my post where I made a bid, it made no sense for me to bid, it was weird because I have some quality birds that I don't want to go, that will have to, so it was perverse to be bidding in those circumstances but Ransom has fantastic birds and at £50 it was a bargain, (as it was at £66) but that persuaded me not to pursue, hope that makes sense (no offence wasmeant to anyone, I was referring to myself)

I have had several dead birds reported locally with heads missing using telephone ring, haven't had any live ones reported

Yes, did I do something wrong? :-/

Well done lads, glad you bid in a peverse way would have given me a huge headache having said that I've always wanted to get some of Deano's birds so dissapointed too, :-/. Best wishes Deano speak to you again some time

Even though I have to reduce by 6 or 7 pair of stock and I have something like 50 untried yb (cause I lost my licence in the summer months, back now thankfully) plus 20 older racers and only room for 32 race birds in total, I have to bid for this bird it is a bargain in my opinion, I will bid £50

I'd like to thank Bobbyg for his candor and knowledge (and everyone who has contributed on the thread) . His has been some of the better information I have read, hopr the thread continues with good healthy debate and information Thank you very much Alan

This cock should be extra special, , many will have missed my comments on some of his eyes a couple of years back, after which he confirmed his performances, which were terrific. I have to get a smaller loft (can't afford one the same size) so must reduce stock, I would be bidding for this bird without question if it weren't for that, bid with confidence, ( Ransom and I have never met and only briefly pm'd on here)

There are some hidden gems I think down at Graham Moss in Stratford, he had some fantastic A H Bennet Van Braunes, including sons of Long Mynd Hermes, unfortunatley I came acrss him mwhen they were 15/16 yo (approx). But he had some super Cattrysse too and they were lovely pigeons, not sure if the y were Davenport or th other guy who was top of the tree around the same time, someone will remember him. And I think he had an advert in the BHW the last wek ortwo before, very recent anyway, I think ther may be some gems there at a very reasonable price. I have not been there for about 7 years though, and he has not flown competitivley for many years but don't let that put you off, I think he works on best to best bloodlines and he did hav very close to the tree.

Sorry John have to disagree you read the reports on the BICC and BBC long distance races and the birds are predominantly Louella, sprints no, but I think that is because of the anti loella phenomanon that occured after Louis died and that's where the small studs have come in to their own.

Thanks but I believe they don't do texts? which is one of the main reasons for me having ets

I can't see any where on this thread anyone saying they put the ordinary fancier first? And they are in business and there is only one purpose in business and that is to make money but any business worth its salt knows if doesn't look after its customer its going to fail, their still going strong!

Whilst on me high horse I would like to say I think they did a fantastic job for the working class fancier in this country. I remember the first time i saw them in the mid/late seventies one of their away sales at cascade, they brought the Lefebre's down with them what a mark they have made in the valleys since winning from 60 -600. In my club there were no foreign birds only home grown (I must admit I wish we still had the home grwon but that's another story) they brought for the ordinary guy top quality birds at a fraction of the price you would pay elsewhere. And every man and his dog has jumped on the commercial gravy train that they pioneered since. Have a look in the stud books of the 70's how many studs were advertising very few, now you've got studs, everywhere! Ad if I had the money and was in the market I'd take a punt on some

It always amazes me the stick they take .......... but they shift most of what they put up. It's a bit like the Sun newspaper back in the 80's you used to be frowned on if you were buying the sun, porn pics on page 3!!!!! Unyet they overtook the Mirror as the most popular non broadsheet, people would deny theu bought it, someone had to?? Louella I think is the same they get castigated but someone keeps them going. Ask Brian Denney what he thinks because I beleive that's where the majority of his birds have been coming from for the last quarter century. There are faults with them but not different to any others, but as with everything, it's your choice . I bought some older stock last year at £35 a piece and some failed to fill, I got shot of and they are no more but no complaints from me because if they had filled I would have had some winners! But I also bought some on here and they did the same, took a chance on 10 & 7yo 's at more money than louella. If you don't fancy a punt at £100 cause you think they are rubbish fair enough. But I don't think anyone should think Louella would want to sell you rubbish deliberatley, they would never survive and they are the only ones I think in this country that have suvived what 6 decades?

And I haven't even split my YB yet!!

That's a bit naughty ain't it? presumably the seller uses this site regular?

Yes wasn't it 'This month in the loft'

Andy, Bilco always tells the story of Charlie doing an auction of Fauconniers in Cardiff in about 80, Charlie as you know was a short chap and was taking some hassle from a local and I walked up behind Charlie to see what was going on, the chap took a butchers at my ugly mug and dissapeared, some times looking ugly helps, even without intent :-/ apologies for hijack!