David Swain Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Who thinks we need to look at our racing calendar ? Do we start racing a couple of weeks too early and stop a couple of weeks before we should ? Back in April we were training/racing in the cold and wet and wondering why we were dropping yearlings that had raced well as YBs. Today the weather is just about perfect here in Dorset with sun/blue skies and a warm south easterly wind and if we were over the Channel (wishful thinking ?)we'd be looking at an excellent race. Perhaps with the climate changing it's time to have a re-think and not just continue to stick to the old timings simply because that's the way we've done it for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shadow Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 we have tried for years to get our fed to start 2 weeks later but it gets voted down every time some fanciers do not want change Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen steyert Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 the only trouble with starting later is the lack of the daylight hours at the end of the yb season , a decision to holdover would have to be made earlier in the day to give the birds a good chance of homing on the day from longer races Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NANCYVIEWLOFTS Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 there as been a lot of hold overs all over the country in september Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Swain Posted September 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 That may be true - but that can happen at any time of the season if we have a spell of iffy weather. Surely the test is whether the eventual races been good or bad. Holdovers shouldn't really be a problem if the birds are well cared for on the transporters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen steyert Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 what about if your racing a 300 miles race and the birds can't be liberated until mid afternoon ? the ymr liberated the other week i think @ maidstone there was only 1 day bird clocked at the top end of the combine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedbird Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 unfortunatley we have no control of the weather & sometimes the weather is lovely when we start racing some good points already mentioned hours of day light & not for getting birds droping into the moult even the ones that have been on darkness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy white Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 the pentland fed usually have another 6 anyage racing [ which is ideal to train later bred birds[ they have done this for a few years now , with complete success,,,,,,,,then theyve got the xmas race, [thousands of pounds involved] but the point is,,you dont have to send if you dont want to, and you dont have to pool if you dont want to,,,,its all optional :) it has to be said their triers anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 Wish a few more would take the plunge, and many many more would support such like schemes, if only with a couple here and then. I haven't this season bred any Latebreds as suh... well a couple like. But it is great for patient flyers, and meand supplements any season a couple of years down the line. Are the best birds bred in the 'purple / Pinl, and often the very best when buying. Why are they not so popular now! Simply because too many want instant sucess or results. Late breds need to be just left alone to come and go as thjey please, maybe 2/3 odd little tosses on fine days. Next season just one or two 100 mile races or even one 150 miler, Then next race season they will and do take all the beating! But then I hear... 'Yeah, but after all that I might lose half of them ... etc. Likewise many do that breed 50 or more. To me breeding anything like 24 or more y/bs is a waste of time and effort. So I know that if 18 bred, then a dozen l/b's most years I have a good well founded race team. JMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 Scottish Federations usually start much later and end a lot sooner than those South of the border. Lot colder up here ... April here isn't the spring month it used to be! Weather is changing, and we need to change our ideas with it. Holdovers for example, belong to yesteryear. Our Race Officials watch the weather as the weekend approaches and if it looks like no chance Saturday, but OK Sunday, then we postpone basketing for 24 hours. Birds are better at home in the loft than stuck for 2 nights on a transporter. Less disruptive to loft routine, and cheaper for the Fed ... one day's convoyers pay rather than two, and no feeding. Take the point about September nights, but if you're watching the weather, then there's no need for late liberations either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 Was on site... when a Mucker from Canada emailed me with tib bit and chat like. Says that as a Race Controller ... one of three, he proposed that as no chance of a Saturday lib should they hold back till Sunday ... Even Monday lib and basket Sat / or Sunday even. Overwhelmingly turned down! ... Monday Racing is fine as most have ET and other means... Now they are heading home and watching for the best break in the weather for an Lib.... That is $500 x 2 on hold overs as well needlessly paid for. So go figure.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest REDFOXKRAUTHS Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 the only trouble with starting later is the lack of the daylight hours at the end of the yb season , a decision to holdover would have to be made earlier in the day to give the birds a good chance of homing on the day from longer races i agree as most young bird races in september are around 130+ miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GROVEHOMER Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 As a distance enthusiast, I'd prefer a late April or early May start ( as the weather quite often is cold, windy and showery during pre-season training and the first couple of races) and the YB season to be shortened and be more about educating babies rather than giving them 10+ races......having said that I've tried the sprint/ YB thing and I can see the thrill in it, but for me it's distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 Only send after start of May. If did go would be just an odd old hen or Cock bird... But that is purely for the sake of being in the Averages... So as too many are sent at times when they should be due to trying for the Averages... I don't bother. Means normally 'Scottish Averages' or the distance races I am in, in any case. Inland races has never really interested me, so I don't mind missing the first two or three. Only trouble with going for the 'Long Un' is that the season is shorter, and if not excelling there... then the OLE season sometimes feels like a complete loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beanz Posted September 27, 2006 Report Share Posted September 27, 2006 The reason we start early is because the transport folk tax and insure their vehicles from the beginning of the month and if we started later and finished later they would have to tax and insure for extra time and not make money. If we started in the middle of April they would have no income from their vehicles for the first couple of weeks and if we went half way through September then they would have no income for the last couple of weeks, so since it is a business you can hardly blame them, would you fork out extra money for no extra income if it was your business? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Posted September 27, 2006 Report Share Posted September 27, 2006 Birdage up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted September 27, 2006 Report Share Posted September 27, 2006 The reason we start early is because the transport folk tax and insure their vehicles from the beginning of the month and if we started later and finished later they would have to tax and insure for extra time and not make money. If we started in the middle of April they would have no income from their vehicles for the first couple of weeks and if we went half way through September then they would have no income for the last couple of weeks, so since it is a business you can hardly blame them, would you fork out extra money for no extra income if it was your business? surely there is enough money to supplement the loss of 15 days car and tax for a later start for racing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beanz Posted September 28, 2006 Report Share Posted September 28, 2006 Mark, enough money where ? I don't know about anybody else but most pigeon men I know if you say you are going to put a penny on birdage, you would think you were asking for £1000 they don't think twice about spending money on birds or clocks etc. but birdage is taboo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy white Posted September 29, 2006 Report Share Posted September 29, 2006 Scottish Federations usually start much later and end a lot sooner than those South of the border. Lot colder up here ... April here isn't the spring month it used to be! Weather is changing, and we need to change our ideas with it. Holdovers for example, belong to yesteryear. Our Race Officials watch the weather as the weekend approaches and if it looks like no chance Saturday, but OK Sunday, then we postpone basketing for 24 hours. Birds are better at home in the loft than stuck for 2 nights on a transporter. Less disruptive to loft routine, and cheaper for the Fed ... one day's convoyers pay rather than two, and no feeding. Take the point about September nights, but if you're watching the weather, then there's no need for late liberations either. quite agree with brunos post ,, this had been the warmest september on record ave 3 degrees higher than of the past , so definately weather is changing ,,,and as for training in march, april, well the east winds would cut you in two,,,,freezing,,, these birds would never last the season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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