Barcelona Int. 2016 Preview Our Saintes Race N. F. C.

 

Barcelona International 2016 Preview

 

For UK/Ireland it will be a real test of bird and man. There are not likely to be many more than ten/percent in race time, with many trailing in afterwards up to the autumn. Padfields will be hoping for one or two on the second day as will my partner-I expect no more than 5 by the end of the 2nd day. Mark Gilbert will be a strong candidate to win our section, as he is a serious player with a wonderful management system. The birds, like us all are of mixed origins. We have sent 9 and look to have 4 or 5 returns and perhaps 7 yearlings from Saintes. 

We hope to over winter around 17 old birds.  Some new fancier names will surface, and it will be seminal if UK is in the top 50 open international. As normal we will have a trickle of birds timed over 800 miles into the UK, and Pat Nolan will be a hero if he times, in race time, into Ireland. All the best to the brave souls who have entered the Formula 1 of pigeon racing.

 

Our Saintes Race N.F.C.

 

At 381 miles headwind into the west it was steady for us. We clocked 3 yearlings up til dark on our marathon system and a steady stream of arrivals today. These will be our Barcelona Int. candidates’ potential next year. They have done well and will now be flown out and rested till next year. They are of my origin mostly, with some new intros into them for possible hybrid vigour. As I write we have 9 liberated from Barcelona Int. and expect to clock our timer No. 8 over recent years. I hope for another champion and a 4 times hen, and a 3 times hen. I like hens for marathon events. The old lines of mine are still at it after 40 years.

 

Jim Emerton