Back To Reality

[Roland]

You know it never ceases to amaze me how this so called sport / hobby is so easily, so gullibly led by the glib tongues.

For instance, for the past few seasons with one thing or another, y/b losses have continued to increase.

Yet, come voting time the fancy are encouraged, and do, to have fewer old bird races and MORE young bird, lets say losses.

So every season, here they are breeding anything willy-nilly to sustain even more losses. More then the whinges, the moans and flaying of race controllers and what not.... Yet at seasons end, they start the 'Silly Season' of via planning and plotting any and every slight advantage, imaginary or not! This is usually that young bird flying is easier, that all have a chance, and anyone can win. With the happening of and more and more fodder is bred. Daft? Immensely so! But they will cut out more of the distance O/b races, pamper for more short races and have more disastrous youngsters.

When will they let their brains rule their foolish hearts and act and vote sharp. Never I guess.

Doesn’t one realise, even now, yet! That one can’t just buy ‘Names’ and the ’Culls’ of scurrilous feather merchants and have immediate effect?

That a good family is from tried and test via fair means over a period of time to their lofts satisfaction.

That often ‘Names’ are more interested in recouping their out lay and offshoot fancy culls.

Worse that it is only from ‘Tried and Tested’ bird proven in your loft, to your system that will produce the goods. Seems highly that will ever be entertained.

And doesn’t it ever occur to them that it is from proven birds at the ‘Distance’ and ‘Hard’ races upon 99% of good families are formed and built from. Seems not.

Further haven’t they yet realised that cluttering up our churches and streets says it all!

But no next season it will be ‘Earlier start – Taboo in my book. Less distance races, and fewer o/b’s races yet again. Earlier start for y/b racing and breed more to counteract their impending losses.

Doesn’t one think it’s time that they got sharp.

Of getting back to having a good manageable loft, one where all have to earn a perch / nest box etc.

Only proven birds that can ‘DO IT’ count and are bred off.

That this breeding for the % and wing hope and prayer isn’t paying dividends!

Too many birds means too many losses - detrimental to us and the public eye. Too much needless cost and with too much time and effert spent on going backwards eh!

[billt]

This man is 100% correct, too much rubbish being bred

[Roland]

You mark my words, more 'Easier races, more pampered birds, and too many looking for blow home races and to blame anyone and everyone but themselves.

Then moan about heavy losses, yet further don't want birds back and whinge about all round costs, besides the cost pof paying for culls to be returned.

No, before you ask, we never learn, and al in the name of acheiving bits of cardboard, and a 'Win'.

[Tony C]

The so called professionals in the game know a lot of pigeons can be sold on the strength of young bird results. I might be looking at it wrong but for me 1 old bird win is equal to that of 2 young bird wins. If I had a magic wand I'd put a system in place that would reflect this, maybe double the amount of points for old birds that score.

 

Yes too much emphasis is put on young bird racing.

[DJH]

You mark my words, more 'Easier races, more pampered birds, and too many looking for blow home races and to blame anyone and everyone but themselves.

Then moan about heavy losses, yet further don't want birds back and whinge about all round costs, besides the cost pof paying for culls to be returned.

No, before you ask, we never learn, and al in the name of acheiving bits of cardboard, and a 'Win'.

 

Agree totaly, we realy need to take a step back and evaluate our postion if we are ever going to be able to move forward.

 

One thought, and it is only a thought as the " mob flyers" would never allow it to get passed, is that all lofts are allocated a maximum of 30 rings each year from their respective organisation. These rings would be the only rings that the member could race mark thus ensuring that his breeding method is more selective. You could even allow them to race mark an additional say 6 rings that they have aquired from else where for those memebers that may be trying to introduce "new" blood into their loft.

 

The first year or two the y/bird loses would obviosly improve based on the percentage of pigeons being raced and lost to date, however I do think you would see a significant improvement after year 3 and so on as the fancier is more inclined in only breeding off pigeons that are tried and tested.

 

I wonder how many fanciers would then feel the need to fill a loft full of unproven stock birds??

 

I know the above will never come into play as it may actualy have fanciers leaving the sport fed up with having little youngsters left after year 1 & 2, and that is the last thing the sport needs. Couple that with the sponsarship we receive from studs, and the affect it would have on our many charity auctions as well as the potential increase in birdage due to fewer birds going to the races.

 

As I said at the start, it is only a thought.

[Roland]

Both T. C and DJH have raised valid points. Yes DJH, sadly it will never happen. And I take on board the 'Disappointments' angle.

Yet isn't the disappointment of spending so much money, time and effort, resulting of so many losses taking a big toll in it's own right'. I believe so.

Unfortunately many believe, rightly or wrongly, a lot of tosh the 'Feather Merchants/ manufactures' preach.

Whereas much more store could and should be placed on results and proven facts. Starting of course with their’ own 'Yardstick' in the own loft.

Secondarily, from the 'Merchants' and the 'Names' they get to endorse their’ products and birds.

I wouldn't dare to put a percentage on what 'Garbage' is sold to too many because of what a 'Name' spouts about, and his results. More than likely a product that most never actually ever use themselves. But you can bet your bottom dollar it is high. Remember in reality how few actual winners there are. If a 'Feather merchant' is racing 200 - 300 youngsters, the vast majority will win nowt and are not worth piddle dip. And why do they send so many… Yep, you’ve guessed it, to get on the result sheet. Yet at seasons ends, a few choice adverts and the 'Hopeful' and Wishful dreamers' glamour to throw their’ hard earn cash to bolster his coffers and / or replace his money spent on HIS trial birds'. Remember many are selling their’ 'Name' birds whilst racing other’s pigeons altogether. And Why? Because his 'Names’ sell and the new stock, and bought won’t! Now in trial he’s birds aren’t culls, don't disappoint but win well … He’s not selling many.

First off one should look at the fanciers location. Then there is the endorsement of products. Like the 'Electro's' debate that I, and others often debate.

I saw, and read, a very good letter in the BHW last week from Gordon Chambers. One which asked simply how one can justify the spending of money - and giving to dehydrated birds something that makes them even more Dehydrated when a bird is refreshed, regains and makes very much quicker progress on fresh water alone?

Proven, but the answered levied back is 'If it's good enough for 'Name' then it's good enough for me’... whether 'Name' actually uses it or not. Yep I know, the ‘Name’!

Time, I believe, to stop the incense in pigeons and learn that incest if for a round, then very quickly out crossed, not raced and replenish the town centres - a proven why to begat madness is incest.

Time to start to breed and get birds with a good strong constitution. Where only proven birds are tolerate to breed from, and for get the notion of breeding umpteen more in the hope that your 'Paper Bag' will win a tail wind blow home.