To everyone especially the more experienced or older Racing Pigeon Fancier.

What's your feed back on this?

Getting back into racing again and not having my own breeders or family of breeders.

But getting birds from many different fanciers.

And also getting most of my birds from my partner Jim who by all means has some good stock. And has done very well with these birds and so have others.

The trouble I have is that even with these birds from Jim they are not from the same mattings but are more from supposedly good birds or down from good birds mated to each other, which is fine.

But I like having or knowing what my birds can do or are capable of doing and at what distances and under what conditions, what too or what I can expect from them, which is what I had with or when I had my family of birds before.

Now I find with these birds I don't really know what to expect from them. I just hope for the best.

My methods, handling, feeding, training, medicating, etc now sometimes seem to work but most times leaves my more bewildered and second guessing or doughting myself.

I have been told by Billy T whom I do respect as a Super Racing Pigeon Fancier that methods, systems etc have changed. But as I see it maybe?

But my old system, methods for both O.B's and Y.B's are still working here for more importantly others. From 135mi - 600mi.

But yet I am puzzled at why my partner Jim and others don't have a family of birds instead of just a Hodge podge of good birds.

What’s all of your opinions or feedback on this please?

Mike.

By Billytaylor on Saturday, June 29, 2002 - 08:11 pm: Edit

Hello Pineapple, good to hear from you. Getting beat more than you expect. Welcome to the club. Finish the season no matter what. Then look at your remaining birds and evaluate where they did best. You will see the ones that were good at the distance and those that were basicaly sprinters. If you did ok at distance and not so good at distance or vise versa. You have seen the way to improve next season. For example, need more speed or need more distance. Now you can plan. If you retire flyers to breeding both sprint and distance you will see within 3 years that a lot of your breeders are related. Now you have a family and can count on pigeons you send, either sprint or distance. Beats the hell out of willy nilly grab this and that. Think on it. Lets race. Bye Billy

By Billytaylor on Saturday, June 29, 2002 - 09:07 pm: Edit

For example, Makmike after this just concluded OB season, I found that I was unbeatable in the 100s (winning all seven with multiple on the drop) and won 2 of the 4 200, but won only 2 of the 6 300s and was in the top 5% in all 400s and 500s winning a couple. Won short average speed, third long and overall average speed, club, combine and assn. An analysis of this shows that my conclusion last year that I needed more consistancy in the distance paid off. But I see I now need more power in the middle distance. So I know how to proceed. You have to be honest with yourself. Set a goal and marker for your birds performance. Cull all and their parents who do not meet that mark. Keeping culls an extra year in hopes the pedigree will kick in will not work. Hope this helps. For you who think this is bragging, kiss my ass. You know I dont. I consider this a mediocre season. Results are on the net. Lets race. Bye Billy

By Makmike on Sunday, June 30, 2002 - 12:03 am: Edit

Hi Billy,

Once again thank you for your feed back and opinion and expertise.

I whole hardly agree with your train of thought and above postings. This is some what and how and what I did to start or come to have the family of birds that raced so well for me in the past.

I also am proud of the 6 cocks that I raced this O.B's. Out of these 6 cocks there were 2 that I expected to do good, these 2 were my best,and it turned out that 1 of the 2 did very well from 135mi - 400mi for a good position for 6th Overall Association Champion Bird till he was stopped after placing 4th Combine on the 400mi this after stopping to get a drink of oil on the way home. (He was 2nd Chombine Champion Y.B. in 2001 beat out by a loft mate.) By all means I am not happy with this years overall out come of my first O.B. season back. But there will be more to come.

But what I can't or don't understand is why or how Jim or those that don't have a family of birds but rather just a Hodge Podge of this and that.

I would rather have some sort of a clue of what to expect or what or which birds to count on or expect to see hopefully up front on a particular distance or race day. Instead of waiting for my race birds without a clue.

Have things changed to this way of Racing Pigeons?

Mike.

By Bill on Sunday, June 30, 2002 - 10:51 am: Edit

Hi Billy T. brag as much as you want you AND your birds earned every thing they won congratulation's to you,And yes i must fully agree with your approach to building a good foundation to start your family on tryed and tested i don't think there is a better way, O by the way i'm as ENGLISH as ROLY is, bill butterfield.

By Billytaylor on Sunday, June 30, 2002 - 11:59 am: Edit

Thanks Billy Butt, I know you are English, just cant help myself taking a swipe at my Eskimo friends. You will see I am all bark and little bite when we meet in Oct. Hell how can an old cogger with no teeth bite anyway. Hope you are not one of the perverts I have to help Lady Di toss out of the Hotel Window right after Fleming. Good racing, Pal. Lets race. Bye Billy

By Roly on Sunday, June 30, 2002 - 03:09 pm: Edit

But I like having or knowing what my birds can do... a Hodge podge of good birds.
Mad Mike what more do you want!! ?
Train and eliminate.. best to best breeding and keep the nucleus. The culls will take care of themselves if sent in condition enough.
Then the first yard stick is prime pigeons position club wise..... then belatedly
against loft birds. But if they can't beat their loft mates then they as sure as hell won't win Club or combines and thats a fact. They might breed well.. even birds that can, but.....

I'll post here some of my results this year.
1ST 2ND Club. Section beat 4,678 birds, National beat 12,983 birds.
Club this week two birds beat 374 birds, Section beat 4687 birds, National beat 8567 birds, AND I had have results like this most weeks.
But there are many like this in my loft that will be going at seasons end as they aren't good enough! Or will just used for Birds to fly too. not bred from and that's a fact.

By Billytaylor on Sunday, June 30, 2002 - 03:50 pm: Edit

Roly my matey, you just blew your cover. I told these muckers you were a sleeper and among the best in the midlands. Thanks for the lessons on how to fly a good race. Now these losers will listen to you, but not your bud. I know you are a pussy. Thanks for the hospitality. You and Lady are more than welcome to come visit me in TX anytime and stay as long as there is food in the larder and beer in the frig. Lets race, you champ. Bye Billy