Atlantic Masters OLR
Hello everyone!
General
Well it’s all go here in the lovely island of Gran Canaria, we have pigeons coming in every other day and big shipments from around the world. I mentioned America and China a few articles ago. Well it’s nearly 100% we will be having a shipment from The great USA, which itself is amazing so we should have a great battle on our hands for the top prizes. It’s been a quick turn around on shipments from UK and Ireland and next in is the Irish contingent flown direct from Ireland direct to GC. Alan Knowles has been working so hard along with Gerry McCourt (Shipper) and we have a total of 83 pigeons “which in itself” is amazing support by this great country. This is their first shipment with another three to go. I am so glad Gerry has come on board to ship pigeons as he is such a respected man within the pigeon world. “So from myself and Krystel thank you” many people have stated we are the one loft race that can only get better. We have a lot of work to do believe me when we say this, even though it’s probably the best race for interacting between the organisation and the fanciers (competing and none competing) we have tried to bring you in to our World. We have tried to give you everything upfront in prize money the way we work and our honesty. This will be our making in the long run and with everything that is coming together in regards to the new lofts illustrated in this report as it’s just not a loft but also a high tech quarantine section. The loft has been designed by myself, Carlos and the architect and brings in all aspects of health, environment and most of all easy access in to the main trapping area. The pigeons will be run down the corridor when basketing in 20’s and ultimately over Benzing antennas for live basketing which will also be on live stream every day we train. When it comes to big races (Hotspots) we will individually mark all pigeons for the utmost protection of the competition. Yet again we highlight Transparency “Remember” we have four Hotspots with four cars (prize money) up for grabs. More than any other one loft race in the Canary Islands. So I suppose for a total of 500 for 5 pigeons is a great achievement by us and we are sticking with other races as we don’t take bigger percentages of income. We have listened to all who have asked questions and said it would be better doing this way.
Website (looking forward)
All participants will soon get your login details to our website and there will be sections in there for you to upload all pedigrees and add all your personal details “In and out Accounts” it will have your own page for advertising (within reason) where we can put on to the website. I am also trying to put a thumbnail photo of your pigeon in accounts with a graph of the pigeons results. So it should be the best of the rest come October (Well I hope) but my vision is there and I’m fully in control with Carlos. Going on to the Benzing System well it’s probably the best in the world at the moment and we really don’t have to touch it (We do wish we could put photos on it but unfortunately it does not hold that facility) so I’ve created a template of a top ten result for all trainers and races where we will be able to show photos of birds and graphs.
Weather and Health
The weather is very hot here at the moment and we are not taking any chances with the birds flying out, we don’t want to take anything out of the birds in the heat so they are on Avery duty for a few weeks until it passes. We all know with young birds once a young birds loses the fat tank it’s hard to get them to perform later on in life. I and Carlos sweat like a waterfall most days! Ha. We just wanted to get that across to you all so you understand our thinking. We have NO pigeons in the hospital bay for near 600 pigeons, which in my own eyes is credit to you who have sent. The birds are robust and strong and loving their new environment but saying that “who wouldn’t” it is a truly great country “don’t get me wrong like most places you get your rogues but 99.9% Canaria people have hearts of gold and will help you.
Testing
This weekend is our first dropping test done by Retford Poultry, so I’m hoping everything is all good but in one loft racing you come across some weird stuff. But all reports will be published on our website and also in our right ups. I think this also brings more transparency to our organisation and nothing is hidden. Obviously if there is some abnormal result we will know and treat professionally as directed by probably the best vets in UK dealing with our pigeons. So if tests come back good or bad they will be published. But looking at the pigeons they are in fine fettle. I have worked side by side with Libby and William for some time now and their service is literally second to none. I respect everything about them and us as a one loft could spend thousands on factory made products but we don’t. Anything we give to the birds is prescribed and administrated accordingly to vets instructions. Like we have stated from the beginning we vaccinate twice to expand the memory of the inner immunity for the pigeon. As you can see by the photos of the loft the floor is supported approximately 4 ft from the floor and has grills.
So if we do get a young bird that has young bird sickness, the other birds can not pick anything up and the sheer size or the lofts aid the smooth running of the whole race, as like stated before the loft may hold 4000+ pigeons but our limit is 3100 this will not be pushed. The land we are on we have room to expand 5 x the 70+ metres we have now. We also have alternative level for all viewers on final day or Hotspots but perhaps next years series can see the benefit.
Auction
So what else do we have in the near future, well we will have the best Atlantic pigeons coming on Auction this week (If not already on) The birds on offer have flown further than any one loft race in the Canary Islands and I know in the UK have problems getting them over that 26 mile channel but these birds have flown 488km into the Atlantic Ocean North of Gran Canaria. So that is about 428km over open water and these will be on Elimar Auction site. With a starting price of only £75 pounds and to be honest that is an unbelievable price. Anyone buying in the UK the birds will be shipped direct to Animal to Fly in Holland and then transport by the most professional courier in the UK (Walkers) the costing of the shipment all depends on amounts coming back to UK or Europe. But it will be on the Auction site, so you don’t get stung with additional costs as I know how frustrating it is. Looking forward to next years Auctions well the plan as it stands now is to split in to different locations around Europe and major Auction sites. We have a huge demand in China for the winning birds due to the fact they and Taiwan race out to sea. So everything has been put in place so all good going forward.
1st Irish shipment
Just a short note that us- The Atlantic Masters! are very grateful to all the Ireland fanciers who have given us some great pigeons to fly in this great race. We were very excited today as to get birds directly delivered from Ireland was a first for us. When we opened the boxes all youngsters were in great condition and full of life. Carlos did make me laugh! When at the airport he said now they are heading back to pigeon paradise. ” Well they can top up on their sun-tans while in Quarantine but after that they will have to get used to flying in the heat as while we were at the lofts it stood at 35 degrees. The bath was placed down for them and the sign of healthy pigeons was that they were all jumping in it “Even the little ones” what we will do with the very young is put them in with 4 hens for a week or so before entering them back into loft or place the 4 hens into their loft. We have collated some photos from Airport to the lofts and getting them out of boxes to having a bath. My good lady Krystel is imputing all information on birds into database as I type away. So what to expect over the next few weeks in Quarantine, the pigeons have been put on 9 in 1 product today with electrolyte’s in the water, also just in case any lost any essential fluids on route “but by looking at them they were in great condition”. So before I go into all participants I would like to say a huge thank you to Alan Knowles for all his hard work and driving the length and breadth of Ireland and he is truly a star in our eyes and part of the family here in GC. We would also like to say a huge thanks to Gerry McCourt for the very professional approach from day one and his high standards of shipping the pigeons to us, and it was our first interaction with “Gerry” even though we have known each other for years. We try to be as professional as possible but also transparent and seeing Gerry’s work he is 100% welcome to be part of this race now and going forward into the future. So thank you greatly again to both of you.
Looking at home
Talking to some participants the last few days and the feedback on their races seem to be awesome results and it seems Tarbes turned out to be a hard one, also the Midland National. One performance stood out in my eyes on our Facebook page and that was a few
Andy! Biggins lofts:”Our two timers from Tarbes today 567 miles dad timed our first one at 9:10am and the second at 12:20pm we still have 2/20 it’s been a very tough race. Well done to all that clocked birds on the day and today”. From the Atlantic Masters Well Done Mate, also this really did amaze me a video in pitch black and that was:
Bob Besant: “Just when we thought it was all over- this boy rocks up in the dark, 563 miles / 906km on the day and his pigeon flying 16 hours” The Knight” GB15N 79854
As a yearling he was raced out to Saintes 390 miles and this year as a 2 year went to 3 channel races in the build up to Tarbes.
1st Section 4th Open Grand National Tarbes 2,500+ birds 563 miles 2017 Vel 1049ypm
16th Section 1572 birds 96th Open BICC National Alencon 204 miles 5,649 birds 2017 Vel 1704ypm
97th Section 1708 birds 170th Open BICC National Falaise 172 miles 4065 birds 2017 Vel 1584 ypm
244th Section 1,531 birds, 552nd Open BICC National Poitiers 344 miles 3,667 birds 2017 Vel 1223
81st Section, 189th Open BICC National Le Man 233 miles 2016 Vel 1261
“The Knight” has some amazing pigeons in his pedigree no less than 3 x 1st International winners, 1st National winner and his grandsire who was also 1st section Tarbes 530 miles. Sire of “The Knight” was bred by Spracklen and Thomas and is from their champion cock “Our Dream” winner of 7x1st prizes inc 3 x 1st section inc: 3 x 1st Section 1stSection 4th Open BBC Niort 321 miles, 1st Section 7th Open BBC Niort, 1st Section 11th Open NFC Tarbes 530 miles. “Our Dream” is a grandson of “Southfield Supreme” of Mark Gilbert winner of 1st Sect, 1st Open BICC National 1st Open international Dax 17,416 birds 530 miles. His sires dam is from “Little Diamond” of Roger Lowe in his words the best hen he has ever owned winner of 1st National Guernsey and dam and grand dam to 1st National winners Dam of “The Knight” is a granddaughter of “Euro Diamond” of Brockamp one of the greatest long distance pigeons ever winner of 1st National, 2nd International Carcassone 10,323 birds, 3rd National, 5thInternational Perpignan 14,900 birds plus many many more. She also has the blood of “Super Bordeaux” of Brockamp winner of 1st National, 1st International Bordeaux 11,600 birds,well done mate from the Atlantic Masters.
Finally Tom Roskell Williamson: 2nd section on Sat 58th open into blackpool! Yet again true flying awesome results from all.
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Atlantic Masters Team GC
