[REDCHEQHEN]

I'm very much a novice when it comes to showing - and usually only show in 'Show races' - that is, showing your bird at an event where your pigeon is going to race in a particular race.

How do you prepare your bird for showing?

Me? Very basic - check the birds flights for lice, fret marks, pin holes etc
Nothing goes in the show pen with any of the above
(and you would be amazed at how many people have lice on their birds - they're put straight back in the pen and not considered))

Wash their feet - dust with talcum powder - so their feet don't look as if they've just been washed!

Very basic - judging is a lot to do with personal taste - which is probably why we've never won in the show pen!

What do you do in preparation?

[Novice]

I don’t show pigeons but I can remember fanciers cleaning their plumage with cigarette lighter fuel.

Note- stay well clear of naked flames when doing this.

[dal2]

Novice, on 6 December 2017 - 13:42 PM, said:

I don’t show pigeons but I can remember fanciers cleaning their plumage with cigarette lighter fuel.

Note- stay well clear of naked flames when doing this.

Gas is the boy for the job Robert.....kettle for steaming flights.....nae water the night before. Used to enjoy a show. The right family of birds is a must

[yeboah]

Polish their feathers with a piece of Velvet

[REDCHEQHEN]

dal2, on 6 December 2017 - 15:51 PM, said:

Gas is the boy for the job Robert.....kettle for steaming flights.....nae water the night before. Used to enjoy a show. The right family of birds is a must

Flights are straightened all year round with steam from a kettle - but why no water the night before? Some people let their birds have a bath on the morning - others wouldn't - I wouldn't!

[Novice]

dal2, on 6 December 2017 - 14:51 PM, said:

Gas is the boy for the job Robert.....kettle for steaming flights.....nae water the night before. Used to enjoy a show. The right family of birds is a must

I have only really entered shows half heartedly. I thought about it last year and sourced some fuel. I believe Zippo lighters still use this.
As Susan asked why no water the night before?

[ALF]

I'm going to Clarkston show tonight and the doos had a bath today🤤🤤🤤

[dal2]

REDCHEQHEN, on 6 December 2017 - 16:09 PM, said:

Flights are straightened all year round with steam from a kettle - but why no water the night before? Some people let their birds have a bath on the morning - others wouldn't - I wouldn't!

Novice, on 6 December 2017 - 16:32 PM, said:

I have only really entered shows half heartedly. I thought about it last year and sourced some fuel. I believe Zippo lighters still use this.
As Susan asked why no water the night before?

When I travelled to the like a of peterlee etc we were up at crack of dawn. The birds were basketed the night before into show baskets. In the morning they were removed,checked and the sh** removed......with a cocktail stick.....thats where no water comes in handy. The last thing you want in a show pen is slippery drippings clogging feet and messing up tails

[Wiley]

I’m no show man but was told show men bring the birds in the house and turn the heating on to help create plume

[dal2]

Wiley, on 6 December 2017 - 17:27 PM, said:

I’m no show man but was told show men bring the birds in the house and turn the heating on to help create plume

Yup....night before Sat up against the tadiator

[Novice]

dal2, on 6 December 2017 - 17:16 PM, said:

When I travelled to the like a of peterlee etc we were up at crack of dawn. The birds were basketed the night before into show baskets. In the morning they were removed,checked and the sh** removed......with a cocktail stick.....thats where no water comes in handy. The last thing you want in a show pen is slippery drippings clogging feet and messing up tails

I understand now. In my mind I was over complicating the issue thinking that the lack of water would have changed the way they handled.

[dal2]

Novice, on 6 December 2017 - 18:04 PM, said:

I understand now. In my mind I was over complicating the issue thinking that the lack of water would have changed the way they handled.

That's what I meant by the right family Robert. I was taught by Richard 'Dickie' Graham the best showman of his time. He would take me and my team of racers that handled no bad to the shows. My racers kicked his *expletive removed* every week but in the pen his inbred family of Kirkpatrick swept all before. A wee team of these and a few Delbars soon cured my showing problems

[Novice]

dal2, on 6 December 2017 - 18:14 PM, said:

That's what I meant by the right family Robert. I was taught by Richard 'Dickie' Graham the best showman of his time. He would take me and my team of racers that handled no bad to the shows. My racers kicked his *expletive removed* every week but in the pen his inbred family of Kirkpatrick swept all before. A wee team of these and a few Delbars soon cured my showing problems

Somehow when you first commented I thought on Dickie Graham. He had several fans in my area who introduced his birds. I assume you mean the big blue pied Delbars. These are normally just slightly big for me but beautiful pigeons.

[dal2]

Novice, on 6 December 2017 - 18:38 PM, said:

Somehow when you first commented I thought on Dickie Graham. He had several fans in my area who introduced his birds. I assume you mean the big blue pied Delbars. These are normally just slightly big for me but beautiful pigeons.

Ye thems the kind Robert

[Novice]

dal2, on 6 December 2017 - 18:59 PM, said:

Ye thems the kind Robert

Hugh Gray from Maybole shows these with success.

[Mossgiel]

Novice, on 6 December 2017 - 20:23 PM, said:

Hugh Gray from Maybole shows these with success.

Did the late Robert McCubbin show birds from Dickie Graham's bloodlines ?

[dal2]

Mossgiel, on 6 December 2017 - 19:29 PM, said:

Did the late Robert McCubbin show birds from Dickie Graham's bloodlines ?

Ye he did......originally John Carmichaels. Used to collect him from the train when the Solway had a show at Gretna......not yesterday

[Novice]

Mossgiel, on 6 December 2017 - 19:29 PM, said:

Did the late Robert McCubbin show birds from Dickie Graham's bloodlines ?

I don’t honestly know but I expect they were from these origins.

[REDCHEQHEN]

Show was today - interesting comments from the Judge - but not directed to me! The Judge used an eye glass - the owner of show winner was advised not to race it anymore and to put it in the stock loft where he expected the hen to reproduce her like (she has several firsts and has bred a fed topper) - the hen is 3 years old

One of mine got a 'Very Highly Commended' (5th!) Though his marking sheets gave 3 of our 4 a score of 8 (which included this one who was 5th)

I have previously posted a photo of her with results (see link)- the actual racepoint for the show race is the one she has 2 combine cards for

http://forum.pigeonb...lt/page__st__34

[dal2]

Well done....did you remember to take the water away and sit them in the heat?