Super Challenge! Are your birds up for it??

[Guest]

Just trying to gauge fanciers interest in a "Super Challenge". This really is a challenge with a difference!! Where i am on the West Coast of Ireland and only 1 mile form the Atlantic is one on the harshest enviroments in Europe as well as being one of the most westerly (and possibly the most western loft in Europe!).

 

I'm looking at doing a challenge that will be just that, trying to time in a bird from Bergerac (800 miles), in race time. The birds will need to travel up through France, across one sea into the UK and then across the Irish sea, and then all the way across Ireland! There are mountains 270 degrees around me and the sea takes up the other 90 degrees. Between me and the Irish sea heading east (approx 170 miles) there are 3- 4 sets of hills and mountain ranges. So to race any birds to here from inland would itself be a major feat.

 

Now i know it could take me 10 years to even be in a position to breed a family thats capable, thats why i'm looking at bringing in YBs from fanciers and racing them. Of course these will need to be birds bred from the die hards, endurance in their blood, fly til they die almost!! This is where you the fancier comes in, do you think you have a bird that can achieve this? If so drop me a line and i will compose a list of interested fanciers. This is not just a one loft YB race its a 3-or 4 year plan to condition and train the birds to give them a good chance of completing this marathon task. I'm not sure on facts and figures money wise, but i would assume most would be interested in a "prize fund" to make the challenge even more interesting. I also hope to make this a way of rasing goo funds for a cancer charity too.

 

I know many will think the fancier also needs to be upto it, so a bit about myself. I have had good success with the 500 mile races, infact my last ever race i was 2nd fed with the only day bird into Oxford. The winner this day was 30 miles east and the wind was hard north west. The year previous i had two of only 3 birds timed in racetime, and previous to that had won the longest race many times, (including only sending 1 and winning) and had also won the hard channel races where not many birds were home, including the dreaded 1997 centenary race (only bird on day in club, only 3 in Oxofrd, 11 from 12 by next day). In ten years i only never timed into a channel race once. In 2002 i won every channel race i competed in, including Bergerac, and one hard race where i had 11 from 12 in just over an hour but there was only 11 birds on the race sheet (could only clock 3)!!. in 2003 i won 2 from 3 again including Bergerac, So i feel way prepared for looking after these birds and giving the chance they need.

[OLDYELLOW]

you'l certainly have a task there , ill answer you in 4 years time  

[jimmy_bulger]

i am interested.

[OLDYELLOW]

id recon mine should do 726 miles after that i think they would need a miracle  

[Guest]

id recon mine should do 726 miles after that i think they would need a miracle  

 

Might be a tail wind on the day!!!

 

 

[OLDYELLOW]

 

Might be a tail wind on the day!!!

 

 

or a ferry handy  

 

 

[Guest]

The line of flight 1245 KMs!!

 

[Guest asha]

hi Mic,it`s obvious you gotsomething sorted in your head,is this going to be a real back to nature loft ,and management,could you give us your thoughts,would be very intrested,fair play to you .

[Guest]

Asha, its really a case of like learning to walk again. Although the birds will have to be protected from the extremes of weather we have here, they will still have to be acclimatised. I'd say half the birds wont make the first year, once they get our prevelant cold west wind on the nose it will make them think!!

 

I also have to take into account that i can't spend time in a conventional loft due to my respiratory problems too!! This is going to prove the biggest obstacle to start with, but like i say i'm sure things will come to light as i move on.

 

I am convinced tho that if any bird gets to 2 on the regime i thinking on, then as long as they have those distance genes, the birds will come thru.

[Guest Paulo]

Fair play to you should be a good challenge. A bit cruel in my opinion unless you select the right birds I can see the entire loft getting cleaned out. Why don't you drop a line to Jim Emerton in the BHW he loves this sort of thing and you should get some decent pubicily that will raise interest and hopefully get you birds of the right stamp in.

 

Some of the busschaerts I have in the loft have Bourges 560 mile blood in but I think they would die attempting this and I'm not going to toss a birds life away for the hell of it. I only send pigeons to any race knowing they have a fairer than average chance of winning. This race theres too many variables it won't neccessary be the best pigeons that come though but the lucky ones. Bet theres a few hawks on the route trying to pick off a tired racer.

 

Still for extreme distance pigeon men cause thats what I would class this as, it should raise some interest.

 

How are the birds going to be fed? It seems like you are a decent channel man but how up to date are your methods?

[The Navigator]

It would take a fabulous pigeon to get there without doubt. In a south West wind I reckon you would have to pray every minute of the day.