Boglin Marsh
The Boglin Marsh Chronicles
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THE LANCASHIRE SOCIAL CIRCLE
DINNER, SHOW, DEBATE.
PALATINE HOTEL,
BLACKPOOL.
Nov. 23-25 1935.
During the judging of the show birds a quiz-debate was
held to
discuss the distance from which young birds should be
raced or flown. The panellists were: Mr. W. Proctor-Smith, Mr .J. Bruce
(NOR-WEST of the R.P.), Mr. T. H. Burton, Mr. A. Braithwaite, Mr. S. P.
Griffiths, Mr. R. Dunn, Mr .J. R. Mottram, Dr. J. C. Buckley, Mr. A. N.
HUTTON, Mr. Thal. Brown, Mr .J. A. Wood and Mr. George Yates.
Opening this debate; Mr. W. Proctor-Smith opined that
there was a great deal of diversity upon this subject. He held the opinion
that it was not possible to lay down any hard and fast rules, either that
it was right to send all young birds to the farthest distance, or that it
was wrong to send youngsters beyond a certain distance. As a novice he was
advised never to send young pigeons too far and reserve their strength,
but it proved to be a mistake to treat pigeons collectively! The best results
came from individual birds, but the most important consideration was always
to be the welfare of the particular pigeon and its future! He had heard
it said that a good bird could not be spoiled by hard work, but that of
course was a matter of individual opinion. Again it was all dependent upon
the individual pigeon, just as much as human beings vary in physique and
capability, with varying natures, so also, do pigeons.
That is why they should never be treated collectively,
but as part of a mixed community, each playing a required part, doing as
much or little as its capability allowed. In horse racing the Jockey Club
placed restrictions upon the distance to be raced by horses of 2 y.o. or
less and it was now unusual to find horses of even 3 y.o. competing in long
distance races. Even so, some 3 y.o's. do compete and win at the distance
and that could also be applied to pigeons. Perhaps young birds of medium
size were best for long Y.B. races provided that they were sent fit to perform
the task and he could see no reason why they should suffer from the their
long flight. In man or bird the smaller ones could be got fitter in shorter
time than the larger of their brethren, the big ones took longer to develop
which presented a danger in sending them too far too soon. He had noticed
that some families performed better from the longer race points and maybe
this was due to quicker development, whereas others did not perform so well
until later in their careers. Very many successful young bird performers
had gone on to do well in later life and become stars or champions after
flying from Guernsey. He finished by saying : "Personally after 30 years
of racing pigeons he still considered himself to be a novice"!
Mr J. Bruce interjected that the great wave of social
thinking had carried north to Scotland and fanciers beyond the border were
now testing young birds more often from the longer race points with success.
The seed that had fallen onto those barren Scottish long distance young
bird fields had now perhaps at long last taken root upon a new fertile ground.
Mr .T. H. Burton replied that it was a tremendous task
for babies if 3-4 months of age to fly from Guernsey a distance of 300 plus
miles and that many of them would find it impossible to leave the island
and face a minimum water jump of 80 miles and possible inclement weather.
Many could not do it as it was too stupendous of a task and he remembered
as a lad catching young birds on the island that simply would not leave.
He would send old birds to San Sebastian 700 miles or even Barcelona 900
miles because they were matured physically and mentally, but long distance
young bird racing was not a business to be entered into lightly, it is serious
and not a game!
Mr. A. Braithwaite said never send your pigeons to long
race points just to weed them out by cruelty. The sport of pigeon racing
must be kept free from cruelty at all times, sending young birds to 300
plus miles was cruelty in his eyes, but he would see nothing cruel in sending
an old experienced bird to San Sebastian. The old pigeon knows its own limits
and will rest on route if the going gets too hard, a youngster will race
its self out to ruination or death!
Mr. S. P. Griffiths replied that there were merits and
demerits for both sides of the question. He had been against the sending
of yearlings to San Sebastian and had written to Col. A. H. Osman to request
their banning from his race, even though he was aware that some of them
could do it comfortably. If a young bird were to get it in the neck from
Guernsey, then it would be ruined for life, on the other hand if it were
to arrive home unpunished then it could possibly go on to become a superior
bird and would be very difficult to lose after the experience. In Belgium
long distance young birds were rested as yearlings and not flown again until
2 years of age and this appears to be a very successful method. One of his
own champions had only flown 96 miles as a youngster, whilst another had
flown the Guernsey Y.B. and gained an N.H.U. medal for long distance performance
in later life. Each pigeon must only be sent on its individual merit and
it would always be wise to divide the team into two, then cautiously select
at every stage. The weather would beat the best in the long run and always
decide the outcome, even so we appear to get more and more pigeons each
year that can successfully perform from the longer race points than ever
we did during earlier times. One of his youngsters nominated for three years
performance in the L.S.C. had flown Bournemouth and Dorchester smashes before
going to Guernsey as a young bird and was now on of the top performers in
his loft as an old bird.
Mr .R. Dunn read out a record of what his birds had
done that had been nominated for three years performance in future L.S.C.
racing. Covering five years- nominated in 1928, 29, 30. 31 and 1932. As
youngsters they had flown either Bath or Weymouth, and never worked hard;
they were all op winners in later life from the cross channel race points
upon several occasions and numerous crossings. However if a Y.B. could have
a reasonable race from Guernsey then there would be every chance from the
experience gained that the bird would become a valuable old pigeon in following
years. He had success in Guernsey young bird racing and it went to prove
what Mr. Griffiths had said "It all depends upon the weather and the individual
bird or fanciers preparation"!
Mr. R. W. Williams said that he did not believe that
the extra 100 miles made any difference to the pigeon, provided that the
weather and everything else was right. In his district they experienced
a terrible "Smash" race from Bournemouth on the 25th Aug. 1935, with only
four birds home on the day in the entire Federation. Some of the second
day birds from that smash were sent to Bournemouth again the following Saturday
taking 1st and 2nd Championship Club. It does not matter where you send
youngsters if the weather is good then they will do it without problem and
he has had Guernsey young birds fly San Sebastian as old birds with good
results!
Mr. J. R. Mottram replied
that years ago it was considered to be a crime to send youngsters to Swindon,
later it was a crime to send to Bournemouth and now it was a crime to send
to Guernsey. The Manchester Flying Club had now been sending to Guernsey
for eleven years (1924-1935) and yet as convoyer he had never witnessed
any birds turning back as Mr. Burton said that they did!
Dr .J. C. Buckley said
that he had no experience of racing young birds from the long distance but
felt that it was more a question of time spent on the wing, rather than
the actual distance covered and he felt that if a youngster could complete
the journey inside eleven hours, then no harm would be done to it!
Mr. A. N. Hutton
said that in Scotland they had a saying: "Learn young, learn fair". they
had very few young bird races but did try Shrewsbury, although the weather
in that area almost always proved to be unfavourable for the 216 miles of
a flight. The birds that were successful from Shrewsbury almost always proved
to be good 550 miles pigeons in later life. To him common sense should apply,
"if the young bird was old enough and took a wife, then it should be fit
enough for anything"! This raised applause and laughter from the audience.
Mr. Thal Brown
concluded that it was the weather that killed and not the distance, youngsters
could get off line in a short race on a bad day and be ruined. He believed
that in decent weather, fit young birds could accomplish almost anything,
without ill effect, bad weather plus the additional journey entailed and
time spent away could totally ruin he young pigeon. Old birds have better
developed homing ability and survival knowledge, if a youngster loses its
way then it loses its sense and all of its energy. It is this that causes
its loss or ruination, but he felt that given the right day 300 miles should
be well within its capability!
Mr. T. H. Peters stated that he was totally opposed to
long distance young bird racing and refrained from any further comment!
The final speaker was Mr. J. A. Wood who was the champion
racer of young birds from Guernsey at that time and had been winning since
1921 from that race point. He commented that his Guernsey youngsters had all
become his best old birds in later years and for himself he could see no harm
in it!
Summing up the debate Mr. Proctor-Smith concluded that
it appeared as if the panel of experts were divided 50/50 in opinion and felt
that it was as stated a matter for individual common sense!
Mr. George Yates proposed a vote of thanks to the panellists
and also to all of the members attending, whilst expressing every future success
to the Lancashire Social Circle and its sporting members!
RESEARCHED BY: STEVE SPINKS.
