Lanarkshire Federation - Mr & Mrs Duncan 1st Open Cheltenham

Mr & Mrs Duncan

This report is to highlight the outstanding result of Mr & Mrs Duncan who recording 1st,4th,9th Open Cheltenham.

The story of the race was raced marked on Tuesday for a Friday race from Guernsey but like most of this seasons racing has been fragmented by poor, unpredictable weather.

The race convoy went from Guernsey to Yeovil and then to Cheltenham before the birds were liberated at 06 30am on Sunday 7th July.

Mr & Mrs Duncan race their birds on a total natural system with distance in mind. Robin explained his way of racing. 

His season of racing is based on getting his candidates for his chosen races on the right nest cycle.  

The 24x 8 loft is home to his old and young birds that are all together and are out and about the loft together, with Robin saying he feels the youngsters learn from the old birds. The loft has 45 boxes and around 60 to 70 perches .

Front view of Mr & Mrs Duncan loft & Inside Robin Duncans loft

He started the season with around 60 old birds and bred 50 youngsters. The young birds are only lightly raced ,usually having the third race as their first and are allowed to mature into stress free old birds.

View of Inside loft of Robin Duncan loft

The birds never go further than 18 miles direct south and will be trained a couple of times per week.

The birds as stated are given every opportunity to get to the race he wishes for them, this being they are not raced every week and possible only have four races before their main event.  

The birds are given an open bowl most days and they come and go as they please with really little discipline in the routine.

The birds have a natural immune system with plenty of fresh air and nothing in the water other than Iodine on race day to kill anything in crop ,keep them healthy. Robin stated that too many look for cures from a bottle and he feels this has a detrimental effect on their kidneys and long term isn't the answer.   

The loft floor is scraped regularly with open fronted boxes which his pigeons are allowed to pick their own partners. The loft is full of perch space to balance the old and YB s being together.

The birds are Marriot's  from the 1,000 mile strain again with distance in mind for what they wish to race. The birds haven't had an introduction for a number of years and appear to maintain  their vitality.

There is no sprint type birds in the loft as stated they only wish to compete in the later races of the season.

The birds are fed on an All-round mixture he gets from John Sharp ,Coatbridge club store until around 250 miles and then they go on the Bamfords Irish Ruby he buys direct from Viovet  pet supplies.

Robin says the mixture has the red maize which supplies the extra energy.

The winning pigeons 1st & 4th Open were paired to each other sitting on day old youngsters and looked in great condition before and after the race. As earlier stated they had four race preparation before this win which didn't include the comeback race the week before. 

1st & 4th Open Cheltenham for Mr & Mrs Duncan

With the birds being so long in the basket I thought these birds have been well schooled for eating and drinking in basket, but Robin said he doesn't basket train the birds..

The winner has been a steady pigeon with this being her biggest performance of her career to date. She was looking great with snowy white wattles, alert and very keen on her youngsters.

Mr & Mrs R Duncan-Cheltenham Open winner 

Robin felt the 4th Open was starting to look at the hen and that's probable his motivation.

The loft has had its disappointment like most with Robin saying he had lost two decent pigeons in this year’s SNFC Gold Cup race.

Robin his presently 65 yrs of age and has been in the sport for over 40 yrs and says this is his biggest result in federation racing.

He is presently a member of Coatbridge SC club and SNFC.

He feels the National has too many Inland races and needs to concentrate on one Inland prep race. 

Thanks to Robin for his conversation and insight into his race management and all the best in the future.

Tom Corrie jnr

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.