Gold Award Winners

[b.massey]

Just been having another wee look through my SNFC book (nothing on tv) and looking at gold award winners! Can some share knowledge on how so few fanciers are winning a gold award compared to recent years? Has the formality on how to win one changed or always been 5? I take notice that in 1981 17 gold award issued, 1985 12 issued yet since 2000 to 2012 18 been won! So 18 in 12 years, is it the calibre or pigeons are not same! The fanciers are now all gone bar a small few? Are fanciers no longer willing to risk prize winners and tuck away to stock? Or is racing just far more harder than the 80's or early 90's

[Guest stb-]

Just been having another wee look through my SNFC book (nothing on tv) and looking at gold award winners! Can some share knowledge on how so few fanciers are winning a gold award compared to recent years? Has the formality on how to win one changed or always been 5? I take notice that in 1981 17 gold award issued, 1985 12 issued yet since 2000 to 2012 18 been won! So 18 in 12 years, is it the calibre or pigeons are not same! The fanciers are now all gone bar a small few? Are fanciers no longer willing to risk prize winners and tuck away to stock? Or is racing just far more harder than the 80's or early 90's

for the same reason you were getting rid of our doos last year and i was the same

 

they dont last percy is off with them 10 a penny :emoticon-0179-headbang:

[alec guinness]

Just been having another wee look through my SNFC book (nothing on tv) and looking at gold award winners! Can some share knowledge on how so few fanciers are winning a gold award compared to recent years? Has the formality on how to win one changed or always been 5? I take notice that in 1981 17 gold award issued, 1985 12 issued yet since 2000 to 2012 18 been won! So 18 in 12 years, is it the calibre or pigeons are not same! The fanciers are now all gone bar a small few? Are fanciers no longer willing to risk prize winners and tuck away to stock? Or is racing just far more harder than the 80's or early 90's

A lot of the awards were won Brian when we had sartilly 1 and sartilly 2 which gave a chance of 2 500mile races and some even 3 including rennes,the criteria was harder at 15/1 then but birds did last longer and plenty of 5 to 8 year old pigeons would fly the channel year after year.

[b.massey]

for the same reason you were getting rid of our doos last year and i was the same

 

they dont last percy is off with them 10 a penny :emoticon-0179-headbang:

 

 

 

Yeah very true!!!

[Guest Gareth Rankin]

Just been having another wee look through my SNFC book (nothing on tv) and looking at gold award winners! Can some share knowledge on how so few fanciers are winning a gold award compared to recent years? Has the formality on how to win one changed or always been 5? I take notice that in 1981 17 gold award issued, 1985 12 issued yet since 2000 to 2012 18 been won! So 18 in 12 years, is it the calibre or pigeons are not same! The fanciers are now all gone bar a small few? Are fanciers no longer willing to risk prize winners and tuck away to stock? Or is racing just far more harder than the 80's or early 90's

The 2 main reasons

 

1. BOP

2. There isn't the same opportunity to send pigeons back to a second channel race as there is less than 3 weeks to prepare them, i.e. Alencon then Clermont.

 

 

To help more gold awards become possible, it require the Ypres race to be moved forward to the middle of June, thus allowing 4-5 weeks to get them right to go back to clermont.

[b.massey]

A lot of the awards were won Brian when we had sartilly 1 and sartilly 2 which gave a chance of 2 500mile races and some even 3 including rennes,the criteria was harder at 15/1 then but birds did last longer and plenty of 5 to 8 year old pigeons would fly the channel year after year.

 

 

 

Oldest racer I have in team is 3, don't see many that age going into baskets these days

[Guest stb-]

A lot of the awards were won Brian when we had sartilly 1 and sartilly 2 which gave a chance of 2 500mile races and some even 3 including rennes,the criteria was harder at 15/1 then but birds did last longer and plenty of 5 to 8 year old pigeons would fly the channel year after year.

yes john i remember racing 9 and 10 yr olds myself and you had a good few too , very hard to get them to 3 now , just look at club sheets all yearlings some 2 yr olds and very few older , never had so many good birds go awol at training and winners comming home torn to bits the week after .

Edited June 27, 2013 by stb-

[alec guinness]

yes john i remember racing 9 and 10 yr olds myself and you had a good few too , very hard to get them to 3 now , just look at club sheets all yearlings some 2 yr olds and very few older , never had so many good birds go awol at training and winners comming home torn to bits the week after .

I did feel in the 70s and 80s. The birds did make coming home a lot easier than the birds today although the combine races were very well supported and these were a great stepping stone for the following years gold cup.

[andy Burgess]

Just been having another wee look through my SNFC book (nothing on tv) and looking at gold award winners! Can some share knowledge on how so few fanciers are winning a gold award compared to recent years? Has the formality on how to win one changed or always been 5? I take notice that in 1981 17 gold award issued, 1985 12 issued yet since 2000 to 2012 18 been won! So 18 in 12 years, is it the calibre or pigeons are not same! The fanciers are now all gone bar a small few? Are fanciers no longer willing to risk prize winners and tuck away to stock? Or is racing just far more harder than the 80's or early 90's

a great question to ask Brian , the answers will interest me too

 

Oldest racer I have in team is 3, don't see many that age going into baskets these days

I often raise an eyebrow when basketing "doo,s" older than 3 years old

[Guest stb-]

I did feel in the 70s and 80s. The birds did make coming home a lot easier than the birds today although the combine races were very well supported and these were a great stepping stone for the following years gold cup.

agree john i think the combines into particualr areas were great exsperience for the birds before going to the nats with birds from all airts and pairts ,!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[yeboah]

My cousin Ben Scott of Brydekirk near Annan Housed 3 gold Award winners in his small loft and came o so very near to a 4th with his good red hen ,you did not loose many good pigeons in those days they just got set up for the following year ,yes the Programme needs to be addressed in todays climate and we all know the falcon is taking more than its fair share .

On a personal note 16 birds to a basket would greatly increase returns .

[Kyleakin Lofts]

My cousin Ben Scott of Brydekirk near Annan Housed 3 gold Award winners in his small loft and came o so very near to a 4th with his good red hen ,you did not loose many good pigeons in those days they just got set up for the following year ,yes the Programme needs to be addressed in todays climate and we all know the falcon is taking more than its fair share .

On a personal note 16 birds to a basket would greatly increase returns .

 

NRCC limits 15 birds to a basket for Lerwick and Thurso.

[Chris Little]

The programme doesn't help the cause

 

Many factor in my opinion is the quality of the pigeon and the fancier compared to that of years gone by