what do you think is the key to sucsess in racing?

[jimmy white]

Many people have put down that they believe that good pigeons are one of the key factors.  Sorry but I disagree with this, short races can and have been won by what I would call inferior birds.  I knew a gentleman that proven this to out whole club.  He went out and plucked 6 ybs from common pigeons that were living under a bridge.  He then put these squabs under his racers and let them raise the birds for him.  He trained them with his regular ybs that year and believe it or not the 6 ybs won 3 diplomas for him.  Unfortunately or maybe fortunately whichever your point of view at the 225 release point none of them returned.  My point however is that they did win and possibly if kept only on the shorter races they may have ended up doing well.  I personally would not take the chance but he proved it to the other 7 club members.  Best regards to all.  Ed

 

i can agree with this to a certain extent, as i did the same , i rung a yb in a barn ,took it home when ready and won the first yb race  :)i think these early short races are won with well trained fit healthy pigeons, where most other birds were not ready,, but by good birds i mean birds that win in top class races , regular,and regularly breed good y birds, as always with pigeons there are exeption to the rule.   

 

[birdman55678]

 

i can agree with this to a certain extent, as i did the same , i rung a yb in a barn ,took it home when ready and won the first yb race  :)i think these early short races are won with well trained fit healthy pigeons, where most other birds were not ready,, but by good birds i mean birds that win in top class races , regular,and regularly breed good y birds, as always with pigeons there are exeption to the rule.   

 

Jimmy exactly what I was getting to.  You don't need good birds if all you race is the short stuff which many do now a days... Once you get out a ways the breeding always comes to the front.   ;D ;D  Ed

[westy]

i have lomg distance birds because i find it more of a challenge from what i hear off others, but cant wait to race the channel. the quickest race i had was 1hr 43mins from 97 miles with the wind up there backside but on a normal talking 2 - 3 hrs now i think what is the fun of that ,i would rather win 1 channel race than 5 sprint races in my opinion.

[Wiley]

its different down here westy though you only really have 3 combine races berwick,stonehaven and thurso and lerwick if you wish to send. And personally thats the reason why i dont have so called long distance birds as we have more sprint races and im out there to win them all. I dont think any bird has a particular distance as they say. If a pigeon is fit and healthy and full motivated it will win from all distances thtas a fact. Ive had many pigeons over the years to prove this. Ive had pigeons in the top 5 and 10 of the LNRC that win from the short races and top the fed from these short races.My lerwick lnrc winner for example Won for Lerwick which is a distance of 600 miles she was a lefebre dhaenen proven so called sprint pigeons,is 600 miles a sprint race??She won from all distances from me but she used to score and win regular from Peterborough distance of 74 miles. I think sprint,middle, and long distance is just a tag used to say they can preform well at these distances. But if the pigeon has the right componants for racing it can win from any distance. Thats why when i pair up doesnt bother me if i put distance to sprint ect,as i know if its got them winning genes to create a gene pool where every generation is a winner, like geoff kirkland says the apple doesnt fall to far from the tree.However as i was saying i think sprint,middle and long is on a tag as pigeons can win from any distance if they are right!

[stew 75]

i agree with all the answers from the fanciers but the most importent thing was not mention by the older fliers  is a good wife some fanciers would be lost without them ;D ;D ;D cheers stew

[birdman55678]

Wiley I think you are right about your distance birds can win the short ones, I also believe that a true sprint bird can not win the long race,  I base this on velocity only, a sprint bird will hit its top velocity and can not continue for 10 to 12 hours where as a distance bird will just continue along at its regular speed.  Thats my take anyway.  Ed

[CHRIS BALSON]

 

TO BE AN ACE AND CONTINUALY WIN AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF RACING WITHIN YOUR CHOSEN DISTANCE THAT IS NOT FLOWN INTO A CORRIDOR, MY OPINION IS YOU NEED BIRDS WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT OF CLASS GOOD ENOUGH TO EXCELL ABOVE THE REST AND YOU MUST HAVE MASTERD THE ART OF FEEDING TO A FINE ART LEAVING NOTHING TO CHANCE, PROPER AND CORRECT FEEDING OF THE CORRECT AMOUNT AND GRAINS SUITED MAKE A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE AND THOSE WHO THINK OTHERWISE ONLY KID THEMSELVES, CORRIDOR FLYING YES THE RUBBISH COMES WITH THE GOOD ONES WHERE ELSE CAN THEY GO ALL RACING TO ONE AREA IN A SET BOUNDRY IF THEY CANT KEEP UP THEN THEY GOTTA BE NO GOOD, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION EVEN MORE CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT DISTANCES DO YOU CALL SPRINT. MIDDLE AND LONG, WILL GO ALONG WAY TO HELPING ME SEE YOUR WAY OF THINKING.

 

CHRIS

[CHRIS BALSON]

 

I WILL POST MY OPINION ROSE SOON AS A FEW MORE TELL US WHAT MILEAGE OR DISTANCES THEY THINK BELONG TO WHICH TYPE OF RACING, PIGEONS ARE MUCH FASTER TODAY THEN OF YEARS AGO, 30-35 MILE AN HR WAS CONSIDERED A GOOD SPEED MANY MANY YEARS AGO, NOW IF YOU ARE NOT DOING BETWEEN 42 -45 MILE AN HR INTO THE WIND YOUR BEHIND NO IFS OR BUTS YOUR BEHIND, 30-35 MILE AN HR IS A DISASTER ALL GONE PAIR SHAPED, BUT LETS WAIT FOR SOME OTHER REPLIES, GET THE GENERAL FEELING OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS FORUM

 

CHRIS

[HEIDELBERG SOUTH AFRICA]

Here in South Africa we fly as follows:

Short - 250 - 400

Middle - 400-600

Long - 600 - 800

Ultra - 800 +   {that is in km of course}

 

With our weather conditions and a blowing North / North West / North Easterly winds, racing here are not very easy.  Is there someone out there that sent birds to the Sun City Million Dollar Race and what do you think of the management and training of the birds?

 

I was learned by my brother that wins came out of bottles, and he won many races.  You just have to give the right stuff.  In my opinion Belgica Deweerdt products are very very good but expensive.  

[Saffer]

Nothing comes out of a bottel.

Good pigeons are bred in nests that are made by good pigeons.

 

I went to Visit the late great Piet Alberts, he knew nothing at all about the list of feeds and medicine I gave him.

I thought how can this monkey win so many races, how can a so called champion know so little.

 

But I took home 2 of his pigeons, and I realised from the first nest. With those pigeons you neede very little knowlege at all.

Kept simple, they won and won. I could give them anything and they still won.

 

Pigeons mate, that all.

Forget the South African-German, Muti mentality. They dont exist, nothing but  good pigeons.

 

Regards Saffer

[markbrown]

Our Phrase - Hardwork, Dedication & Determination..

 

Remember,a goodcraftsperson never blames his tools??

 

Good old English formation 4/4/2

 

40% Health, 40% Bird, 20% Feed/Environment & Contentment

 

Mark

[HEIDELBERG SOUTH AFRICA]

YA IT IS EASY TO SAY GET GOOD BIRDS, BUT HOW DO U KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE A GOOD BIRD OR NOT?  ONLY THE BASKET WILL TELL AND BY THEN IT IS TOO LATE BECAUSE HE ATE ALL YOUR FOOD AND WASTE MY TIME.  YOU CANT TELL FROM THE DAY THE PIGEON HATCH, THAT IT WILL BE A GOOD BIRD OR NOT. HA HA HA

[Mike Lycett]

Same answer applies as in "secrets of racing pigeons"

[Guest WINGS 04]

SPRINT UP TO 300 MILES

MIDDEL FROM 300 MILES TO 450 MILES

LONG 450 MILES AND UP

 

BUT YOU MUST REMEMBER THAT IT IS NOT THE SAME RACING IN TO ENGLAND AND IN TO THE WEST OF  SCOTLAND AS THE WEATHER IS MUCH DIFRENT UP HERE AND THE BIRDS WILL COME UP THE EAST COST AND HAVE TO TURN IN TO A HEAD WIND MOST RACES TO COME IN TO THE WEST OF SCOTLAND

[birdman55678]

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION EVEN MORE CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT DISTANCES DO YOU CALL SPRINT. MIDDLE AND LONG, WILL GO ALONG WAY TO HELPING ME SEE YOUR WAY OF THINKING.

 

CHRIS

 

under 200miles = Sprint races.

200 - 400miles = Middle Distance

400 - 600miles = Long Distance

These would be my defination of the distances.   Ed

[DFisher]

for me racing when on the North route from suffolk:

 

long = lerwick only - 567 miles

mid = 250-500 (thurso 488 miles oculd be won with good pigeons inc yearlings on the right day janssen or busschaert based  - but these pigeons wouldnt necessarily score from lerwick, always exceptions though)

short - 80-250 miles - some sprinters would score upto perth 356 miles)

 

however, good club pigeons didnt and dont always make good national pigeons - most national pigeons had to come on their own a long way

 

most lerwick and thurso races the birds would probably be out ovwer the north sea

[westy]

 

under 200miles = Sprint races.

200 - 400miles = Middle Distance

400 - 600miles = Long Distance

These would be my defination of the distances.   Ed

 

and myne

[Guest CS]

 

under 200miles = Sprint races.

200 - 400miles = Middle Distance

400 - 600miles = Long Distance

These would be my defination of the distances.   Ed

 

Yes agreed

[paul l]

to enjoy what u are doing and not treat it like a chore

 

paul

[Thumper_]

Short - up to 250 miles

Middle - 250 to 350 miles

Long 350 miles up

 

Racing in South Africa

[Roland]

Upto 300 is a sprint, 300 to 500 is middle distance and then over is long distance as far as I am concerned.... be a poor bird that couldn't do the 500 comfortably on day - norm conditions, and if lost 90% would say better off with out it - allowing for the 'Act of God'.

[schouwman71]

ime a big believer in routine,without it you will be beat,since working shifts my performances have gone down,you cannot compete with those who dont work as many times you will be beat,unless you have a good routine that suits you & your birds.

[Guest Silverwings]

observation ,motivation and the right tools to work with.....ray

[westy]

observation ,motivation and the right tools to work with.....ray

 

well said ray i think that is rigth aswell.

[pigeonscout]

What is the hardest race for a bird that fly's at 50mph in a still wind a 250 mile race with a 30mph head wind or a 500 mile race with a 30mph tail wind? I hear people say that short distance is 75% man 25% bird and long distance is 75% bird 25% man. Are they saying that the short distance man knows 50% more than the long distance man? Also if the short races can be won with any bird why is it the same men winning the short races? Are distances men only distance men because they do not win the short races? Why do the distance men loose as many birds in the short races as the sprinter? Why do the distance men race a full team on the short races and then only send 1 or 2 of them to the 500? Where I come from the men winning are winning at all distances.