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Earthquake Thinking
The strength of National racing
I have long held the view that the only real and meaningful type of racing is that at National or International level. I strongly hold this view because as it underlines my natural belief in the creation of good reliable pigeons although not everyone agrees.
Pigeon racing at club and combine level still thrives as an alternative to ‘National’ racing because of at least two false ideas.
False Idea Number one
Idea number one is racing at a set distance from across the channel is the same regardless of whether it is at ‘National’ or Federation.
False Idea Number two
Idea number two is that the quality of the pigeons that fly Federation races are exactly the same as those that race at National level. They are not.
Followers and individuals
At Federation and Combine level we encourage pigeons to follow others because they are all coming to a relatively small area. I call these pigeons ‘followers’ regardless of whether they win prizes or not, a lot of followers that are likely to get lost or become very slow as soon as they find themselves off course. Being off course happens all the time to time in all ‘National’ races. ‘National’ pigeons have to deal with flying alone time and time again. They then become Individuals and subsequently more reliable because of it.
Encourage Federations to fly National
What the National Flying Cub should do if they also wish to grow and thrive is to use this difference between themselves and Federation events as a selling point. They could well have a slogan “Fly ‘National’ and build a world strain” or “Test at ‘National’ level and find Individuals “.
Both these slogans endorse the same sentiment - that pigeons become better and more reliable if they are tested over a wide area such as at ‘National Level’.
Reduce the entrance fee per bird
The National Flying Club could also do something else - they could set in motion a plan to reduce their entrance fees per bird to a level closer to the level Federation pigeons enjoy so that they might tempt one or two fanciers to cross the great divide from Federation to National. At the moment the NFC seems too elitist and distant from ordinary club fanciers - They are not all that user friendly to those who may not have ever raced ‘National’ before.
I suppose I am advocating an image change for the National Flying Club. I think an image change is long overdue. After being hacked about for years by numerous regional breakaways they should now begin to fight back and regain a few plus points for themselves and the advantages they give to the sport and to pigeons.
Earthquake Thinking
What I am really saying is that there has to be an earthquake in UK pigeon thought where we are left eventually with only three National clubs for all races over the channel. These National clubs should be the BICC and the NFC and the BBC. The NFC the BICC and the BBC should become so efficient and cheap at entry that between them they attract all others. The three of them should also take on and organise channel races one a fortnight throughout the season.
Eventually we will get to the situation where no other races take place apart from those organised by these three clubs so literally there is no where else to go but through them.
Then truly great National fanciers will emerge because we will be able to compare pigeons throughout the whole country. This greatness will not necessarily be regional with favoured locations because, if the result is large to accommodate everyone, fanciers who fly longer distances will also begin to be noticed by the fact of possessing birds that can and do fly well despite being at a disadvantage. This already happens in International races - Long flyers get a reputation for having good birds that strengthen lesser qualities in other lofts.
Combine Facilities
These fortnightly races should become the standard for not only should the three clubs organise all ‘National’ events between them but they should also share transport and marking facilities with each other.
They could also share the existing International races amongst themselves so that the UK could then take its rightful place as a strong leading pigeon country in Europe. Alas earthquake thinking is not on the cards at the moment but surely it will come when we are forced by economic circumstances and the price of fuel to think in different ways. From my point of view it cannot come soon enough. Bring on the Earthquake!
John Clements
I have long held the view that the only real and meaningful type of racing is that at National or International level. I strongly hold this view because as it underlines my natural belief in the creation of good reliable pigeons although not everyone agrees.
Pigeon racing at club and combine level still thrives as an alternative to ‘National’ racing because of at least two false ideas.
False Idea Number one
Idea number one is racing at a set distance from across the channel is the same regardless of whether it is at ‘National’ or Federation.
False Idea Number two
Idea number two is that the quality of the pigeons that fly Federation races are exactly the same as those that race at National level. They are not.
Followers and individuals
At Federation and Combine level we encourage pigeons to follow others because they are all coming to a relatively small area. I call these pigeons ‘followers’ regardless of whether they win prizes or not, a lot of followers that are likely to get lost or become very slow as soon as they find themselves off course. Being off course happens all the time to time in all ‘National’ races. ‘National’ pigeons have to deal with flying alone time and time again. They then become Individuals and subsequently more reliable because of it.
Encourage Federations to fly National
What the National Flying Cub should do if they also wish to grow and thrive is to use this difference between themselves and Federation events as a selling point. They could well have a slogan “Fly ‘National’ and build a world strain” or “Test at ‘National’ level and find Individuals “.
Both these slogans endorse the same sentiment - that pigeons become better and more reliable if they are tested over a wide area such as at ‘National Level’.
Reduce the entrance fee per bird
The National Flying Club could also do something else - they could set in motion a plan to reduce their entrance fees per bird to a level closer to the level Federation pigeons enjoy so that they might tempt one or two fanciers to cross the great divide from Federation to National. At the moment the NFC seems too elitist and distant from ordinary club fanciers - They are not all that user friendly to those who may not have ever raced ‘National’ before.
I suppose I am advocating an image change for the National Flying Club. I think an image change is long overdue. After being hacked about for years by numerous regional breakaways they should now begin to fight back and regain a few plus points for themselves and the advantages they give to the sport and to pigeons.
Earthquake Thinking
What I am really saying is that there has to be an earthquake in UK pigeon thought where we are left eventually with only three National clubs for all races over the channel. These National clubs should be the BICC and the NFC and the BBC. The NFC the BICC and the BBC should become so efficient and cheap at entry that between them they attract all others. The three of them should also take on and organise channel races one a fortnight throughout the season.
Eventually we will get to the situation where no other races take place apart from those organised by these three clubs so literally there is no where else to go but through them.
Then truly great National fanciers will emerge because we will be able to compare pigeons throughout the whole country. This greatness will not necessarily be regional with favoured locations because, if the result is large to accommodate everyone, fanciers who fly longer distances will also begin to be noticed by the fact of possessing birds that can and do fly well despite being at a disadvantage. This already happens in International races - Long flyers get a reputation for having good birds that strengthen lesser qualities in other lofts.
Combine Facilities
These fortnightly races should become the standard for not only should the three clubs organise all ‘National’ events between them but they should also share transport and marking facilities with each other.
They could also share the existing International races amongst themselves so that the UK could then take its rightful place as a strong leading pigeon country in Europe. Alas earthquake thinking is not on the cards at the moment but surely it will come when we are forced by economic circumstances and the price of fuel to think in different ways. From my point of view it cannot come soon enough. Bring on the Earthquake!
John Clements