2014 Breeding Season

     Put my Breeders together yesterday.....several new pairings so I'm anxious to see what they will produce.  I waited a bit longer this year before putting them together and plan to raise fewer of my own since I'll be getting a good number of birds for the AU Convention Race.  Should be a fun YB year.

Two Special Sisters

     Full sisters a year apart.  2013 Champion Middle Distance Old Bird and 2013 Champion Young Bird.

Racing seasons done so I've been busy building a new loft for next years Young Birds

ANOTHER GREAT YOUNG BIRD SEASON

Once again I got very lucky.......our young bird season has come to an end.  I was fortunate to have the first three birds on the Champion Young Bird list, and won the Average Speed category.  The Champion bird is a full brother to the hen that was the Champion Short and Middle distance bird during our Old Bird season.  I just have the Midwest Convention race yet to come, hoping to do well but it will be a challenge with lots of good birds and good flyers to compete with.

2013 Young Bird Races

     Well, the time I've been waiting on has finally come.  Since way back in January when I put my Breeders together, this is the time I've been planning for.
     Our first club race was August 24th.  The weather was hot with a really strong tail wind.  I was concerned about the birds being blown past home into the heat of the day.  I chose six birds to go to the race......they all came how together and were the first six birds in the race.  The second race of the season heat again was a big factor with only a slight head wind.  This race wound up being a real challenge.as the birds were released into very cloudy sky's and then they met rain.  All of the birds made it home but much slower than the 1550 yards per minute of the first race.

Old Bird Success

I've been lucky once again. My yearlings managed to do very well as they won Champion Bird, Champion Loft and Average speed in our club for the Middle Distance Old Bird Category.  I think it's clear that the birds I have excel at these distances.  I really admire the long distance birds but I'm really satisfied with my birds and I think these are the kind of birds that have the ability to do well in the OLR and Futurities where my main interest lies.

FIRST OLD BIRD RACE OF 2013

Our club held their first Old Bird race of the 2013 season after cancelling the week before due to the weather.  Luck was with me and I won the race and had the first three birds in the race.  I only sent hens and they did real well.  I also won the annual Chuck Henesey Memorial trophy for the first yearling to win the first race of the season and happened to also be the race winner. Hope my luck stays strong as the races get longer.

2013 ACTIVITY

Pretty much done with this years breeding....lots of nice babies.  They've all been out flying and doing fine.  I'm a Handler in this years Midwest Convention Race and have been getting some really nice birds from all across the country.  I've gotten birds from Kansas, Montana, South Carolina, Florida, Utah, Texas and Minnesota so far.  Old Bird season is coming up soon so I need to concentrate on them....hoping to have some good races but can't wait to get those babies to the races!!!

My First Round 2013 Weanlings

2013 Activity

        I'll be ready to wean 18 babies this weekend.  I waited a few weeks longer this year to put my breeders together and might have waited even longer except my best racers for last year were my oldest so I decided I couldn't wait any longer.
        Most of my pairs are the same as last year as I couldn't see any reason to change.  I added a few new ones that I'm excited to see what kind of success their babies might have.
        I'll be putting my widowhood birds together on Valentines day to let them raise a round.  They should be able to produce some good babies....we'll see.  I'm anxious to get that done so I can get them trained and ready for the OB races.