A Look Into The Future

[Upsndoons]

Sorry guys but I am not here to defend modern technology with regards to telephone masts, frequency used and speculation as to the 'effect' on racing bird. Also whether the sport is doomed because the increase fo raptors is affecting the probability of getting a bird back in race time.

 

What I am offering here is a suggestion as to how we may be able to provide an income of revue to our sport which may turn its decline around.

 

I will continue to explore what I believe is a possible positive route to continuation of racing pigeons in Europe and possibly further afield.

 

As previously stated the technology needs to be improved slightly more but it would be within grasp if we do our bit as a sport and encourage the developers to invest in it. We also need to provide possible sponsors into committing resource and money to provide a sustainable system of media involvement.

 

Ok, so let's flush out a viable scenario for how the money/investment could work.

 

Now I need your help.

 

How many racing lofts are in Uk ?

How many in Europe ?

(We will leave the rest of the world for now)

 

If a ring existed which was a life ring and enabled individual race tracking under a race condition, how many would you buy and how many races would you enter.

 

Most importantly, what would you consider a FAIR price/ ring ?

 

I am assuming that all existing race arrangements regarding verification and control would be retained and this new tracking ability is just supplementary to our present procedures.

 

This is all a very hyperthectical assessment at the moment but if people are prepared to bet on random things like snow at Xmas, bird migration, Royal baby names, etc then we are in with a chance (excuse then pun)

 

I am going to continue to explore these possibilities just because it seem the right thing to do. It may all be 'pie in the sky' but hey life is an challenge.

 

Anybody out there got any helpfully input ?

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[Kyleakin Lofts]

Sorry guys but I am not here to defend modern technology with regards to telephone masts, frequency used and speculation as to the 'effect' on racing bird. Also whether the sport is doomed because the increase fo raptors is affecting the probability of getting a bird back in race time.

 

What I am offering here is a suggestion as to how we may be able to provide an income of revue to our sport which may turn its decline around.

 

I will continue to explore what I believe is a possible positive route to continuation of racing pigeons in Europe and possibly further afield.

 

As previously stated the technology needs to be improved slightly more but it would be within grasp if we do our bit as a sport and encourage the developers to invest in it. We also need to provide possible sponsors into committing resource and money to provide a sustainable system of media involvement.

 

Ok, so let's flush out a viable scenario for how the money/investment could work.

 

Now I need your help.

 

How many racing lofts are in Uk ?

How many in Europe ?

(We will leave the rest of the world for now)

 

If a ring existed which was a life ring and enabled individual race tracking under a race condition, how many would you buy and how many races would you enter.

 

Most importantly, what would you consider a FAIR price/ ring ?

 

I am assuming that all existing race arrangements regarding verification and control would be retained and this new tracking ability is just supplementary to our present procedures.

 

This is all a very hyperthectical assessment at the moment but if people are prepared to bet on random things like snow at Xmas, bird migration, Royal baby names, etc then we are in with a chance (excuse then pun)

 

I am going to continue to explore these possibilities just because it seem the right thing to do. It may all be 'pie in the sky' but hey life is an challenge.

 

Anybody out there got any helpfully input ?

 

Cheers

 

Dave

 

I think this idea could be a good one and it is very worthy of further investigation.

 

SHU 2018 Stats show: -

 

There are 2025 Lofts in Scotland.

The SHU sold around 80000 Life Rings costing 34p each.

ETS rings cost around £1-50 each, Rubber rings cost around 6p each and the SHU sold around 60000.

Most Federations organise around 15 races per year.

Fair price for a ring is the hard one. Some are complaining about the 34p for a life ring. ETS Life Ring combination £1-84, add the tracking capability, say £2. Would they pay it? Well there would be no need to buy ETS rings, but if you raced with rubbers you would have to pay this cost anyway, so they wouldn't be happy.

 

For an all purpose ring costing in the region of £2 with a online transmitting tracking capability, I would buy them.

 

You would only want to ring pigeons that you bred with confidence in their ability, so it might stop the large numbers bred nowadays, but it would increase the chance of quality pigeons being raced. Andy Eadie's 98% sh 1te rule may change to something more like 50%.

[Guest mambo]

Just for the bookies sake would you bet on a one eyed Jack in a race up the east coast or a doo into Oban or your own doos into the central belt when bookies only pay out on 6 places.

[glencameron]

Just for the bookies sake would you bet on a one eyed Jack in a race up the east coast or a doo into Oban or your own doos into the central belt when bookies only pay out on 6 places.

 

Just a few thoughts to that. For a race of say 1000 entries do you believe an each way bet would be restricted to 6 places. (Given the grand national with a maximum of 40 pays out up to 6 places)

 

To further technology (once it is in place ) it would be doubtful the race would be decided by the traditional finish line , it would be first one to fly 500 miles in a straight line. (With the percularty of winners not making it home !)

 

I can see your point of RSPB and public not being so keen on losses , with this thought I think races would be much shorter (50 - 150 miles as an example) I think in 50 years there will be racing but it will be in the form of time trials (a team of 1 or 2 birds per fancier being released individually) . The technology is of course already here for that but the excitment of being able to follow the race(and with a camera recording) will draw new interest. I think this actually will give the pigeon sport back to small sets up which is a requirement if we are to gain numbers and to allow it to be an acceptable sport for the family.

[Dooheed 5]

Personally would not want this “tracking†stuff during racing !! The whole point of racing the Doos for me is waiting on race day looking skyward in anticipation of birds arriving !! Just my opinion but think it would ruin it for most Fanciers

[coey18]

Just a few thoughts to that. For a race of say 1000 entries do you believe an each way bet would be restricted to 6 places. (Given the grand national with a maximum of 40 pays out up to 6 places)

 

To further technology (once it is in place ) it would be doubtful the race would be decided by the traditional finish line , it would be first one to fly 500 miles in a straight line. (With the percularty of winners not making it home !)

 

I can see your point of RSPB and public not being so keen on losses , with this thought I think races would be much shorter (50 - 150 miles as an example) I think in 50 years there will be racing but it will be in the form of time trials (a team of 1 or 2 birds per fancier being released individually) . The technology is of course already here for that but the excitment of being able to follow the race(and with a camera recording) will draw new interest. I think this actually will give the pigeon sport back to small sets up which is a requirement if we are to gain numbers and to allow it to be an acceptable sport for the family.

Technology and pigeons seems to be A odd combination, most fliers are of the non technological era, you try to introduce things technical and members simply say no, I don’t understand technology and it’s stopped in its tracks.

Whilst speaking about technology, I read about devices tracking birds costing around £100 per unit and can’t be tracked on route, i have recently purchased a tracking devices that works via txt messages to a SIM card in the device, it’s small enough it would sit on the birds back, like cameras do, for a fraction of that price. I’m not technical and don’t know how to use it or attach it to a bird but, if anyone who is technical enough to do it, I would gladly sent it to them to look at, if viable for our birds, I would gladly purchase more and provide a few to a few lofts that understand how to use them.

ATB Anthony.

[DJWa]

I think this idea could be a good one and it is very worthy of further investigation.

 

SHU 2018 Stats show: -

 

There are 2025 Lofts in Scotland.

The SHU sold around 80000 Life Rings costing 34p each.

ETS rings cost around £1-50 each, Rubber rings cost around 6p each and the SHU sold around 60000.

Most Federations organise around 15 races per year.

Fair price for a ring is the hard one. Some are complaining about the 34p for a life ring. ETS Life Ring combination £1-84, add the tracking capability, say £2. Would they pay it? Well there would be no need to buy ETS rings, but if you raced with rubbers you would have to pay this cost anyway, so they wouldn't be happy.

 

For an all purpose ring costing in the region of £2 with a online transmitting tracking capability, I would buy them.

 

You would only want to ring pigeons that you bred with confidence in their ability, so it might stop the large numbers bred nowadays, but it would increase the chance of quality pigeons being raced. Andy Eadie's 98% sh 1te rule may change to something more like 50%.

leave life rings as they are as not everyone uses ets

if your wanting tracking combine it with some ets rings

that way the fancier has a choice what he wants to use

[Kyleakin Lofts]

leave life rings as they are as not everyone uses ets

if your wanting tracking combine it with some ets rings

that way the fancier has a choice what he wants to use

 

I agree with this, but he asked about a combined Life Ring and tracking ETS ring. I pointed out some use rubbers so wouldn't be happy about the cost for the combination. Another point is, although rare, ETS rings fail at times. If they were combined with the Life Ring, you would then need to fit a ring like you talk of, so I expect the separates we have at the moment would be best unless the cost could be brought closer to the current 34p.

[Upsndoons]

Morning Guys,

 

Thanks for the responses which are all good value and I am thinking if we can get more of this feedback what is currently my personal speculation may move to a more realist option.

 

I shall sit down and think through the info so far and come back on here with some more thoughts.

 

I feel this may not be totally pie in the sky thinking and if handled correctly might just work.

 

I am very impressed by Coey18 re offer to buy equipment to help. Let put that on hold just now as my aim was to get a smaller leg ring like the ETS rings that we use now. I know there are pet trackers of the size you describe but these are to restrictive to the birds performance in my mind.

 

Also, Doohead 5, I am not suggesting this is a compulsory requirement for every fancier, what we do is ensure that there are some birds in each race that can be tracked to enable non-fanciers to enjoy the race and maybe have a flutter on the outcome. This would enable the sport to gain revenue to promote and keep the sport alive. You can quite happily sit at your loft and enjoy the birds return which is exactly why I race my birds too.

 

Ok, any other thought/suggestions more than welcome.

 

Cheers & Merry Xmas

 

Dave