PIGEON RACING FANCIER ON THE DECREASE

[ron123]

hi all i am starting to race pigeons next year after been out of the sport for 17 years.i have read may books and have been talkin to lots of people everybody says he same thing each year more fanciers are leaving the sport due to costs and other comitements what can we do to keep our sport at its best.i loved this sport before and am here for the long hall this time.next year i will be joining club and really would like to try get more people interested in this sport any ideas will be put forward when agm comes around.

[pjc]

the only way forward is for members, clubs, feds and combines to work together and that will never happen!

[ron123]

thats a pity something should be done how many fanciers will be racing this time 10 years bet it drops 20/30% and i would be raging as i never stop talkin about this sport i love it win or lose next year cant wait.

[pjc]

totaly agree Ron, but the majority of officials within the unions just bury there heads and hope somebody else will sort the problem out!

[fletch]

you right phil no one from each federation wants to play second fiddle its like by us the all losing money going across the water they all go to same racepoint on the same day with half or even less on the transporters but know one will say they will go with anyone else its just people wanting to be top dog instead of helping each other out and surely they may even make a bit of money if the go together

[Guest bigda]

this sport can be cheap  if all members  pull to getther, i.e.  sell raffle tickets for there club  to get there dues paid,  run shows,   have sales,  run dances, get sponser ships loads of things to generate money for yer club         

[ron123]

yes all makes lots of sense but i guess i will have to see what happens next year i believe 2 fanciers have eft now i will replace one i guess but what happens if more leave next year will be down to about 15 and diein.

[Guest anto]

this sport can be cheap  if all members  pull to getther, i.e.  sell raffle tickets for there club  to get there dues paid,  run shows,   have sales,  run dances, get sponser ships loads of things to generate money for yer club         

 

i agree bigda the problem is no one will put there self forward in the clubs anymore the young fanciers dont want to know

they just want to get their birds marked and there gone its a mess the clubs the feds the price of feed birds med everything

the cost of raceing your birds its gone mad but people just dont care anymore

[showman]

Unfortunately, Ron, pigeon racing is going through a very serious and difficult time at present, and there is no way in this wide world will it ever change......that is, until its' possible demise. The good old days of racing pigeons as a bit of sport, and a great hobby have gone in the main. To the sports detriment, we ourselves are the guilty party. Two main problems have to be addressed  (1) Human factor and (2) Money

(1) Pigeon racing has now become infused by lies, backstabbing, bickering,bad conduct, one up-manship, deceit, illegalities etc, etc. Just have a look through some threads on here that were locked because things were getting way out of hand. The modern era has brought this about in most, and all hobbies / sports have suffered. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I agree, but some don't know what parameters an opinion should be limted to. A good majority on this site share the view to promote pigeon racing, but there are a few who have the ' I'm alright Jack attitude'...which absolutely stinks and will always divide us.

(2) Through its evolvement over the years, we are now confronted with a multi million pound world wide business, and not just a great hobby. Business thrives on one thing, and one thing only....money. No money ....no business. We are nearly all guilty of subscribing to this, as its predominence has slowly but surely crept up on us.

So what's the cure you ask...simple....there isn't one !!  

[Guest lenwadebob]

Bigda I agree, the sooner people get their heads out of the sand and get back to the grass roots of the hobby the better. I have been passionate about this hobby all my life (and I'm 61) and I have seen it going down the pan through money and greed for far to long now. What this hobby needs is a governing body of people who are in it for the love of their pigeons and NOT for a means of putting money in their back pockets. The sport doesn't need "TAKERS" it needs people who will help others, with no financial gain what so ever. The money men who have come into this hobby and gained a quick buck, are the one who should and WILL be held responsible for it's downfall, but will they give a F*** NO of course they wont. The TRUE fanciers should wake up and smell the coffee, and not entertain the money grabbers. 99% of what they sell for big money is cr@p and better birds are given away by the true gentleman in the hobby.

[pjc]

until something is done there will be more leaving than joining. Another problem is a social problem, look at new build houses, pocket hankerchief gardens and many have covenents preventing any livestock being kept. How many allotments have dissapeared or don't allow lofts?

But whats being done about any of these problems?

[Guest lenwadebob]

In a nutshell FA, and it should be down to the RPRA to sort it, but will they No. Fat cats living of our subscriptions and doing nothing for the grass roots

[Guest bigda]

very  true  you need a  good    strong  committees and you also need clubs to stick together ie  when you set rules  like all members to sell 10  football cards  per year  they all have to be maid  do it,  as some just bugger of to  a new club when you ask them to pull there  weight

[Guest lenwadebob]

Exactly Danny, Creamers, and they are the first to complain when things don't go their way. So what do they do start another little club and splinter the sport even further.

[Guest lenwadebob]

The future of our hobby is a simple equation:

 

Fewer clubs = bigger memberships = less liberations = less clashing = less birds lost = fewer birds bred = less birds purchased = more money in your pocket to keep your birds = happy pigeon fanciers = greater friendship and comradeship

[just ask me]

The future of our hobby is a simple equation:

 

Fewer clubs = bigger memberships = less liberations = less clashing = less birds lost = fewer birds bred = less birds purchased = more money in your pocket to keep your birds = happy pigeon fanciers = greater friendship and comradeship

 

would agree

 

also would create better competition

[pjc]

very  true  you need a  good    strong  committees and you also need clubs to stick together ie  when you set rules  like all members to sell 10  football cards  per year  they all have to be maid  do it,  as some just bugger of to  a new club when you ask them to pull there  weight

 

my point about limiting clubs, they won't have another to run off to!

 

[showman]

The future of our hobby is a simple equation:

 

Fewer clubs = bigger memberships = less liberations = less clashing = less birds lost = fewer birds bred = less birds purchased = more money in your pocket to keep your birds = happy pigeon fanciers = greater friendship and comradeship

 

Going at it from this angle would mean a complete re-organisation of the sport and its' governing bodies as we know them

[Guest Gareth Rankin]

The future of our hobby is a simple equation:

 

Fewer clubs = bigger memberships = less liberations = less clashing = less birds lost = fewer birds bred = less birds purchased = more money in your pocket to keep your birds = happy pigeon fanciers = greater friendship and comradeship

 

A very good summary

 

 

[Guest anto]

The future of our hobby is a simple equation:

 

Fewer clubs = bigger memberships = less liberations = less clashing = less birds lost = fewer birds bred = less birds purchased = more money in your pocket to keep your birds = happy pigeon fanciers = greater friendship and comradeship

 

i wish bob

[Guest pigeon82]

ron oe good idea is what happeed that got my dad started i them agai whe i was a kid a programme called geordie raer was o i episodes show to our class i metioned to my dad about it ad it all bega or me gettig stuff doe i schools would be good start get the young into it if they try it and leave it igers crossed will go back to it in near uture but good ideas or short or publisizig the demad or new aciers

[jimmy white]

Unfortunately, Ron, pigeon racing is going through a very serious and difficult time at present, and there is no way in this wide world will it ever change......that is, until its' possible demise. The good old days of racing pigeons as a bit of sport, and a great hobby have gone in the main. To the sports detriment, we ourselves are the guilty party. Two main problems have to be addressed  (1) Human factor and (2) Money

(1) Pigeon racing has now become infused by lies, backstabbing, bickering,bad conduct, one up-manship, deceit, illegalities etc, etc. Just have a look through some threads on here that were locked because things were getting way out of hand. The modern era has brought this about in most, and all hobbies / sports have suffered. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I agree, but some don't know what parameters an opinion should be limted to. A good majority on this site share the view to promote pigeon racing, but there are a few who have the ' I'm alright Jack attitude'...which absolutely stinks and will always divide us.

(2) Through its evolvement over the years, we are now confronted with a multi million pound world wide business, and not just a great hobby. Business thrives on one thing, and one thing only....money. No money ....no business. We are nearly all guilty of subscribing to this, as its predominence has slowly but surely crept up on us.

So what's the cure you ask...simple....there isn't one !!  

 

an excellent post,,,,, sad,  but  so very obviously true,, ,, but a cure?? maybe by reading this, and by  digesting this, would help , at least for a a start,

[Dodgy Trapper]

A couple of the major problems I am sorry to say is the older generation and wealthy in pigeon racing.

Examples: I have spoke to many older fanciers over the past few years from different clubs and many

refused to accept the ETS system, (I must add now I haven't got ETS). but I

can see the benefits for all generations, retired people, handicapped, and most

of all for the sake of the future for the sport the working class young & old.

Now everyone knows there are lots of people working many different shift patterns and have family commitments,

ETS would solve this problem for them, I for one would like the system because I don’t like handling the birds on arrival,.

Secondly regarding the large national & classic clubs, most of them basket the birds when

people have to go to work, this is another example of the retired folk and the wealthy fanciers also who don't have to worry about work leave.

They just think of themselves and not others. Do they worry about the future of the sport?.More are leaving (less competition maybe?.

Can you imagine the problems people must have all across the country trying to get time off for basketing their birds each week.

(not everyone can get other fanciers to help and I for one don’t like asking)

Thankfully I don’t have to rely on other people and can get time off work.

sorry to be negative but I want the future of the sport to thrive.

If basketing stops one fancier from competing then that to me is one to many.

To solve one of the above problems would be to basket birds late afternoon early evening.

Regards to ETS, I think this will help bring back more fanciers in time as the ETS systems are now being accepted by all

and will allow people to cope with  day to day challenges and their hobby.

 

[showman]

Thanks for your comment Jimmy...heartening to know someone can see what I see !!

[pjc]

Very good point about the marking station times.

I remember having to take the day of school, to catch a bus to Oxford and then a bus to Reading for National marking as my father was working but still wanted to send!

There is no real reason why marking can't be evening into the night if needed giving members time to get there after work.