WulDon

is there ever any auctions in blackpool selling show pigeons?

hope so frank, everything will be crossed if we get into final again this year! returns now over 95%, 2082 birds home... Training Race 07 now rescheduled for 3rd January, weather permitting, 55km.

returns now at 2068... i am still one entry missing, watched my red cock trap on livestream tv yesterday afternoon at 2.32pm, brilliant!!! my last one eturned also from Training 05, so we still have 9 entries left from 10, cant grumble.

nearly 93% returns now, 2022 home...

Training Race 06 (45km) took place as scheduled yesterday... my final entry from Training Race 05 turned up during this race, giving full returns. At the moment 1949 birds have arrived at the lofts from 2181 liberated, two of my entries still adrift, birds trickling in this morning so fingers crossed!

Training Race 06 today 45km

no different from any type of racing in the UK, leaders make it bang on time putting up great velocities... others lag behind for what ever reason, one reason is obviously raptors which seems to be the main issue here. one loft races are competitions and letting them up in batches defeats the purpose of the competition, i am happy with the way these training races are going and i'm sure the biggest majority of entrants are also happy, if we werent then they would not have had a record entry this year which meant the lofts had to be extended... so if the entrants are happy thats all that really matters i suppose...

Returns from Training Race 05 are pretty much excellent, over 98%... 2180/2214 just a pity one of them still missing is mine...

cheers Mick... hear what your saying bud, i suppose we just have to pay our money and take our chances, life would be a bit boring if everything was so staright forward eh! ha ha...

lets not get put off by these short training races lads and a couple falcons upsetting matters, like Tom said nobody is knocking the organisers, they do a FIRST CLASS job... i have visited the set up and cannot fault them one little bit, they are professionals at what they do... i'm sure other OLR throughout the world experience hawk/falcon attacks, if they displayed footage as derby arona does then we would witness this for ourselves, at least we know why a very small percentage of pigeons are being lost with derby arona... lets face it if only 500 make it through to the final i'm pretty sure falcons/hawks cannot be held totally responsible for the rest, fact is it is the most difficult one loft race in the world and only the absolute best will make it this far... and i sincerely hope at least one or two of mine make it into the final... hawks and falcons are part of our sport now, whether we let our team of birds out for exercise... short training spin... or at local club/fed racing, we just need to pray and fingers crossed that we dont get hit! when i was younger we used to let our stock birds out to exercise, who does that now... no chance!!! tenerife is a small island and the short training spins are essential along the coast line before they start going across the water and then onto other islands, i entered 3 pigeons last year and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, this year i have entered ten and will definetly be entering next year...

ye it quite brutal to see a convoy of pigeons being attacked like this, not by one falcon but by four! more so just minutes after being liberated...

how many did you enter Tom? what your team name? like its says on there website '100% total transparency', the you tube videos explain everything and nothing is hidden, falcons are a worldwide problem in our sport and something we will just have to live with cause they are here for ever more! unfortunately...

ye, during training 04 they were hit by four falcons, youngsters were still returning to lib site 35 minutes later a bit disorientated... today training race went quite well but still over 100 pigeons missing, wonder if something similar has happened?? nine of my entries are home once gain, hopefully no.10 turns up in the morning...

a lot of english lofts entered, somebody must know somebody...

thanks mate, would like other entrants to join in this post and share there views and some more info on there birds, post pics, lofts, sire/dam of entrants... just a thought, dont want anybody to think it all about me! so comon get posting.....

politics is the biggest downfall of this sport, fanciers are being forced out the sport for a whole host of reasons... if the cost was the main issue we would just keep less doos... anybody who has thought about jacking up or is thinking about it i'll bet you it is all to do with the way there organisation is being run.... and as always this is JMO

Merry Christmas to everybody that has been following this post... wee update on the training races to date. Training Race 04 was on 22nd December from Playa Abades, a distance of 25km when 2344 birds were relaesed at 1320 hrs, leading arrivals were at 26 minutes. 1980 pigeons made it on the day working right up till 1836 hrs, with more pigeons over the following three days with returns now at 2211. Glad to say 9 of my entries arrived 1st day with the tenth next morning, so once again was delighted at that.... i beleive they have been getting pestered by falcon attacks when liberated which would explain the scattered returns. Next training race is tomorrow from 30km.... keep ya posted.

wont be caught out next year, training in all weathers!!

na, we like to get our doos home quite quick! lol...

hard times all round... we cut costs by training together, about 4 of us all in the one van and buying corn in bulk direct from suppliers at cost price cutting out the middle men, gone are the days when pockets are being lined with crazy corn prices! most fanciers are still literally being ripped off imo...

it is always nice to try a couple YB's from other lofts, but my opinion these days is to line your own perches with your own pigeons... after two/three year you be lucky to have any of these introductions left.. there are exceptions but not many. we find our best YB's and yearlings have mostly been home bred, plus bringing in strange YB's these days could be a disaster health wise as well, in a current climate of rife YBS.... this is just my opinion based on starting back in 2006 with our Loft.2 flown at my address...

the missing 'troop' turned up this morning, it would appear the pigeons hit some rain enroute, but in all returns are excellent...2322 birds home, over 98%

thanks Mr.B

Clockman will PM everybody