Ambition in sport

Yes agree with that , some brilliant helpers once upon a time , now it's hard to keep them at marking station on a Friday. For some reason people just want to be sat at home on a Friday knowing its basket night . I am there from start till finish with being secretary and sometimes it very awkward

peel bros wrote:

We have lost a few members over the last 2 years. Just packed in no other reason than just not  dedicated enough.  2 of them followed what the other one done anyway so I was expecting it . Nevermind we still have a strong club , maybe not in numbers but certainly quality

Certainly couldn't argue here with the strength of your club there etc Ray come race day (something to be proud of as secretary) thou numbers of members are poor sadly by what I see unfortunately. Sign of the times in general I suspect somehow with so many other pressure points normal type folk now deal with these days on a daily basis in general to just hopefully survive till tomorrow type thing    .

Tis an unfortunate fact that the actual situation within the sport and in general is not conducive to being attractive to new members, the aim should be to retain the present fanciers who in turn should help each other to remain in the sport and hopefully get one or two of their off springs or friends to become involved.

The OL events could be a steppingstone to getting prospective fanciers. fully involved, no good keeping the events within the sports publications, should be in the popular press, showing how easy it is to be involved and that they do not have to keep pigeons themselves, have the same syndicates as in horse racing.

In particular the large prizes.

Nothing better than the lure of money.

Regards.

Think the rising costs of everything will have an adverse effect on fanciers who may be considering enough is enough even if they are as keen as mustard.

Cost of fat balls and bird seed for the widies has gone up and if all those wanting large increases in wages etc; get their way will only make matters worse, with everything going up.

One notable thing is that many fanciers are forming partnerships with club members, reduces costs for each but reduces competition, seen three fanciers in our area previously separate lofts join together as one loft partnership and several others including just two lofts.

Maybe keeps them in the sport but does nothing towards ensuring it's survival.

Problem is there are far more alternatives for youngsters today that does not involve the daily attention our sport warrants and the rising costs is a put off too for those who may otherwise be interested.

Feel very sorry for the fanciers who have done their best to keep clubs going against all the odds.

Having said that, there must still be fanciers with ambition in our sport as the auctions indicate, but if the sport is to survive some real radical changes are needed, and the RPRA have shown very little in that respect

Regards..

still loads of auctions for lots of old birds misty some one must be buying them

George & Morgan wrote:

still loads of auctions for lots of old birds misty some one must be buying them

I agree George some fanciers must have faith in the future of the sport or they would not be buying but selling.

However, think when Massarella starts reducing price of ex stock birds and offers on young bird kits it indicates not everything in the garden is rosy.

There will always be the genuine grass root fanciers even if the racing side as we know it does not survive.

I think the sport is thriving in many other countries we should consider why.

Although some pigeons on auctions are selling an awful lot are not getting bids.


Think this season will be a deciding factor for many fanciers.


Just hope a genie turns up and solves all the problems.


Regards.

t his weeks BHW misty old story on Louis Massarella  i know of a partnership who went from Northner Ireland to them just to buy one pigeon and became fancier of the year i think in those days winner went to winner not now

MISTY wrote:

Tis an unfortunate fact that the actual situation within the sport and in general is not conducive to being attractive to new members, the aim should be to retain the present fanciers who in turn should help each other to remain in the sport and hopefully get one or two of their off springs or friends to become involved.

The OL events could be a steppingstone to getting prospective fanciers. fully involved, no good keeping the events within the sports publications, should be in the popular press, showing how easy it is to be involved and that they do not have to keep pigeons themselves, have the same syndicates as in horse racing.

In particular the large prizes.

Nothing better than the lure of money.

Regards.





 

Syndications certainly could be a way forward I suggest Misty Love my horses down here never picked a winner or placed a bet type of thing but just love them for what they actually are as such. Interesting statistic which may just interest you re - syndications. Put America/England/France & I believe Germany in the one simple pot in an owner type sense in a horse sense & down here we have more people involved over all here now as part owners than those four countries combined etc & its simply because of the syndication factor here, where every 2nd man & his dog      in the street here now owns part of a horse, apparently. End of the day     anyone want a crazy day out as such     just come on down     & I will take you to a local thorough bred horse auction here, where dreams run rampant to the extreme factor in a money sense, but reality       by the end of the scenario normally burns a hole in ones general pocket to the extreme on average I found by the end for most folk involved    .  

BHW this week George.

The only thing that concerned me was the Welsh issue regarding greyhound racing in Wales.

If the anti this and anti that brigades get their way what sport will be next on their agenda ?;

Regards.

but the one that should be banned, and is supposed to be banned continues ........fox hunting with dogs is banned yet it continues un challenged by authorities .

it seems toffs are a law unto them selves .

tell me about it

Chris Sutton has issued a statement on channel racing on face book which is not much good as can't be copied

David wrote:

but the one that should be banned, and is supposed to be banned continues ........fox hunting with dogs is banned yet it continues un challenged by authorities .

it seems toffs are a law unto them selves .

Never agreed with fox hunting David.

Fox never given a fair chance for one thing and the horses are often treated badly.as are the dogs.

But those who are actually hunt members could not care less all it is to them is TALLY HO.

Regards.

fox hunting and badger baiting is despicable

oldstrain wrote:

fox hunting and badger baiting is despicable  

Agree O/S     unfortunately. Disgraceful situation from my perspective here. Mental capacity of those involved requires urgent attention I suggest.

Knackered wrote:

oldstrain wrote:

fox hunting and badger baiting is despicable  

Agree O/S     unfortunately. Disgraceful situation from my perspective here. Mental capacity of those involved requires urgent attention I suggest.

Problem being if they start to ban all sports or activities involving animals etc; how soon before our sport becomes a target. ?.

Regards.

I have never been happy with either widowhood or the darkness system in our sport.

Neither can be said to be in the best interests of the pigeon's life.

Regards.

MISTY wrote:

I have never been happy with either widowhood or the darkness system in our sport.

Neither can be said to be in the best interests of the pigeon's life.

Regards.

Well if you have a problem Misty with either etc maybe just go complain to your RPRA establishment as such, I suggest   End of the day     surely     in this day & age now     we all have moved on hopefully from the period & time of when women first draped themselves in fox furs for the sheer glamour type factor.

MISTY wrote:

Knackered wrote:

oldstrain wrote:

fox hunting and badger baiting is despicable  

Agree O/S     unfortunately. Disgraceful situation from my perspective here. Mental capacity of those involved requires urgent attention I suggest.

Problem being if they start to ban all sports or activities involving animals etc; how soon before our sport becomes a target. ?.

Regards.

nowhere near the same concept is it though and badger baiting is actually illegal,as for widowhood system i see it akin to a man working away from home and the darkness to someone working nights so whilst its not natural i dont actually see it as cruel although some aspects in racing pigeons is indeed cruel ie culling homers,one of the reasons i got out of racing pigeons atb

Hated culling.

Spoils and reduces the enjoyable parts.

However, it would be impossible to breed every year and keep them all, even if you started off with only half a dozen.

What you can do, and I always did to the best of my ability, give any animal etc;
that I kept as near to nature as possible.

Widowhood and the Darkness methods do not meet that criteria.

Regards.

what i've done in past which may be cruel but take them and throw them up

George & Morgan wrote:

what i've done in past which may be cruel but take them and throw them up

Done exactly the same George, made sure they could eat and fly and let them go in a wild flock, felt guilty but less so than the dust bin.

Regards.

George & Morgan wrote:

what i've done in past which may be cruel but take them and throw them up

Done exactly the same George, made sure they could eat and fly and let them go in a wild flock, felt guilty but less so than the dust bin.

Regards.

i used to cut the ring off but was told by fancier who does the same no need to if prisoners they never go into another loft

ive done the same thing, let them go into the wild, usually into a flock........is it fair on them ? i dont know, but at the time it seemed better than killing them .