Distance terms

[Guest Hjaltland]

The terms 'Sprint, middle distance and long distance' are often used to indicate the types of pigeons we race. What are fanciers' views about the number of 'hours on the wing' which might apply to each of these categories - rather than the actual distance flown? -

 

For example, is the term 'sprint bird' one which would normally fly 6,7,8 hours, middle distance 8,9,10 hours and long distance beyond those hours?

 

Then of course there's the 'all distance' strains just to confuse the issue.

 

[Guest KENNY190]

IN MY VIEWS WOULD BE SPRINT 3TO4 HOURS ...MIDDLE 5 TO 8 ...LONG 8TO 12...BUT THATYS MY OPINION

[Guest]

IN MY VIEWS WOULD BE SPRINT 3TO4 HOURS ...MIDDLE 5 TO 8 ...LONG 8TO 12...BUT THATYS MY OPINION

 

i would agree with kenny apart  from the long distance would be 8-14

[Guest karl adams]

the way i see it is like this if a tippler  can stay on the wing for up to 10 hours or more so should a racer

[nogin]

 

i would agree with kenny apart  from the long distance would be 8-14

 

MY OPINION LONG DISTANCE 16hrs ON THE WING.  8)

[DUBLINFLYER]

to me a bird that would fly 5 to 7 hours into a head wind is as good as flying 12 to 13 hours in a helping wind(blow home) depends alot on the day... but in my opinion a good bird needs heart in a good steady race may it be 5 or 10 or 12  hours on the wing.... end of.... p.s. just my opinion... as lenard tar would say "enjoy" he he ha ha hu hu ho ho

[Guest karl adams]

this is what i think you may say im wrong

 

young bird   sprint

yearlings and 2 year olds middle distance

2 to 5 year olds long distance

[DUBLINFLYER]

this is what i think you may say im wrong

 

young bird   sprint

yearlings and 2 year olds middle distance

2 to 5 year olds long distance

 

maybe you are maybe you are not!!!!! who knows?  but don't ye just love it? it's gr8!!!!

[Tony C]

I class a distance pigeon as one that can do 12+ hours on the wing at a distance of 500+miles.

 

I think all pigeons fed right should be capable of racing up to 300 mile.

 

Between 300 mile & 500 mile I would categorise as middle distance.

[Guest]

I would class sprint50/200 middle200/400 and long distance 400 and beyond

[jimmy white]

The terms 'Sprint, middle distance and long distance' are often used to indicate the types of pigeons we race. What are fanciers' views about the number of 'hours on the wing' which might apply to each of these categories - rather than the actual distance flown? -

 

For example, is the term 'sprint bird' one which would normally fly 6,7,8 hours, middle distance 8,9,10 hours and long distance beyond those hours?

 

Then of course there's the 'all distance' strains just to confuse the issue.

 

i think that it was massarelli that started all this silly ,,sprint,,,,sprint to middle , middle ,,middle to long ,, long  then extreme long

,, any pigeon should be capable of scoring up to 350 odd miles as a yearling onwards if its worth its salt,, the distance pigeons need this bred in them for distances from 5 to 6 or 700 miles which can range from 14 hours onwards to the second day , marathon pigeons  

[Lennut Tar]

I class a distance pigeon as one that can do 12+ hours on the wing at a distance of 500+miles.

 

I think all pigeons fed right should be capable of racing up to 300 mile.

 

Between 300 mile & 500 mile I would categorise as middle distance.

 

Another thing which should come into the calculations in my view at the distance etc, is the number of birds which are liberated at any one time. It could be a few hundred etc or many thousands upon thousands, as they say. Also the time of day they are liberated. To me !!!!!!! these 2 things can have a large inpact on how the races turn out for the birds, for what I see.

Enjoy.

 

 

[Merlin]

Its just our terms,birds are capable of winning at any distance,dependent on conditions,on system being used,and feeding system,a case in point 1st & 2nd yesterday at 140 mls 3hrs approx,same pair of Cocks !st & 2nd last season in a hard Channel race 10 hrs on wing,we ourselves  tend to try and make a simple game/sport complicated,  after one day races,you tend to g

[Merlin]

get a different type of pigeon,one with bags of endurance,heart,and a refusal to quit under any circumstances,these are pigeons flying 7/1000 miles with very low vels, and its for the above reasons these are always thin on the ground,these are in my eyes distance pigeons,but as for one day races,lots of birds if done right are capable of scoring,regardless of strains,labels,etc.

[Guest Hjaltland]

to me a bird that would fly 5 to 7 hours into a head wind is as good as flying 12 to 13 hours in a helping wind(blow home) depends alot on the day... but in my opinion a good bird needs heart in a good steady race may it be 5 or 10 or 12  hours on the wing....  

 

I suspect there are definitely families / strains which do better at the shorter races and those which excel at the distance.

 

It was this 'hours on the wing' which is probably far more pertinent than the miles over the ground, as Dublinflyer says - things like head winds, weather conditions and terrain can all affect the time taken for a race so when you hear terms like " this is a 3 to 400 mile family" you really have to look further than the mileage. (I'm probably stating the B obvious here!) : :X

 

Thanks for the replies guys, its a great sport.

 

 

[just ask me]

Its just our terms,birds are capable of winning at any distance,dependent on conditions,on system being used,and feeding system,a case in point 1st & 2nd yesterday at 140 mls 3hrs approx,same pair of Cocks !st & 2nd last season in a hard Channel race 10 hrs on wing,we ourselves  tend to try and make a simple game/sport complicated,  after one day races,you tend to g

 

fantastic results merlin but in most cases  i think the the day of the all rounder is gone id find it hard to see all rounder to beat a good widowhood man at the sprint on a regular basis of course  to compete at the top level at both levels long distance and short my belief is u need two different types of birds and a lot of time and a big backyard  all the top flyer's now in most cases seem to specialise in a certain field .

[Merlin]

Agrre with most of your points Just Ask Me,the point that I am trying to make is ,a good pigeon,is a good pigeon,and in lots of instances if done correctly feeding/motivation,training,etc,he is capable of performing with credibility at lots of distances,its the specaliseing of the fancier as you say,that makes it a sprinter/distance bird, I dont say that this in most instances this would  happen overnight,even to day lots of winners at the distance contain bloodlines that were once deemed sprint/fast,never the less be it sprint or distance,both require total and almost ruthless dedication,and skilful input to sustain their performances on a regular basis,but especially at the distance,which after all regarding outside threats is much more hazardous,those that do this on a regular basis can only be admired,and again its just my opinion

[just ask me]

Agrre with most of your points Just Ask Me,the point that I am trying to make is ,a good pigeon,is a good pigeon,and in lots of instances if done correctly feeding/motivation,training,etc,he is capable of performing with credibility at lots of distances,its the specaliseing of the fancier as you say,that makes it a sprinter/distance bird, I dont say that this in most instances this would  happen overnight,even to day lots of winners at the distance contain bloodlines that were once deemed sprint/fast,never the less be it sprint or distance,both require total and almost ruthless dedication,and skilful input to sustain their performances on a regular basis,but especially at the distance,which after all regarding outside threats is much more hazardous,those that do this on a regular basis can only be admired,and again its just my opinion

 

would agree with all your points merlin was just saying in 99%of cases i think if the average fancier want to be the top man in there area id say stick to a single field with your birds ie sprint and so on would agree totally with your point about a good pigeon winning at many distaces but id still say if u had a fanicer wining at lets say 150 mile and 450 mile with the same pigeons in a top fed on a regullar basis which there are on only a few in Britain he'd still tell u his birds are better at 1 or the other

 

in joy when a good post likes this comes up some very good points on here