THERE COMES A TIME IN EVERY FANCIERS LIFE??.

?? when decisions have to be made. Decisions about the way the sport we all love has to go, whether, for example, Channel Racing has a future, bearing in mind the series of poor races all Clubs are facing this year, whether or not the pigeons we own have the stamina to cope with anything other than ?blow home? races and to cap it all whether or not pigeon racing in the form that we know it, has any realistic future at all!
If you believe some of the comments you read on the chat lines you may feel that the answer to all the above questions is definitely NO, but then there are always those amongst us who seem to want to pull everything in this day and age down to the lowest possible level and predict doom and gloom for as far as we can see. I DON?T COME INTO THAT CATEGORY.
I believe the sport has a future provided we take some positive steps to examine what is going wrong, including reducing the commercialism that has crept into the sport and to quote one of our political leaders, get back to basics and start to enjoy our sport again, for what it is and not for what we can gain from it.
Surely, we have had enough of the doom and gloom scenario and maybe it is time for the Clubs and Federations, large and small,l to band tighter and offer some tangible suggestions to the RPRA concerning a new direction that pigeon racing should be taking in order to secure its future as a broad based sport/hobby that everyone can enjoy, rather than just a way of making money for so called entrepreneurs.
Is there anyone out there in pigeon land who would be prepared to lead such a Group and head up a team of fanciers who would be willing to do something about the sad state we now find ourselves in?
Now I?ve got that off my chest let?s get on with the news of the Staffordshire Moorlands & District Federation and their race on Saturday 1 July from Yeovil.
It?s not often that I am proved right but last week, on the Fed?s website (www.moorlandsfedpigeons.co.uk) I suggested that members should take a look at the performances of Prince Bros from the Ipstones Club and predicted that great things were just around the corner for this partnership.
Today, I can reveal that my prediction was closer than I thought because on Saturday they look as though they have topped the SMDF Fed and to show it wasn?t a fluke they seem to have taken 2nd place as well. Brilliant flying gentlemen and ?thank you? for making my predictions come true!

Saturday, 1st July, was a difficult day for Race Teams with rain and mist very much the order of the day during the morning and with a fresh/strong Northwest wind on the noses of the birds flying northwards, the challenge was to judge when the weather conditions would improve and when it did, to avoid the inevitable clashing that might occur with so many liberations up and down the country. The SMDF decided to bide their time and go for a slightly later liberation than normal a decision that really paid dividends with velocities in the high 1500YPM and just about 100% returns all round.

In addition to Prince Bros there are other stars in the SMDF galaxy who deserve a mention for their performances, including Les Fulcher at Berryhill who took the first two positions. Rick and Simon Geary at Macclesfield who did the same thing and Dave Yeomans at Shelton who also completed the double. Andrew & Mrs Hargreaves at Blythe Bridge went one better and claimed the first three spots in their club and Paul Beck at Longdendale who also lived up to his reputation by claiming one, two and three up there at the top of the Federation?s boundary.
The Press Office can do no more than just sit back in amazement and marvel at the talent within the SMDF Congratulations to everyone, I wish you?d tell us how you do it!
That sums up Saturday 1st July, all the details are on our website, together with a map showing the Fed?s boundaries in case anyone is considering joining us.
Cheers for now.

Brian T Smith

Press officer SMDF