When Will It All End?
I think that it was in last week’s article I referred to the possible end of the “Rumour Season” for this year and maybe that statement was true but there certainly doesn’t seem to be any end to the ongoing critical comments, from some fanciers, in all forms of communication media, of individuals who are brave, or should I say dedicated enough, to take on roles that require them to take decisions on behalf of their Club or any other organisation.
I know some will believe that ALL decisions taken, should be the responsibility of ALL the members of that Club or organisation a referendum, if you like but if you think that, just look at all the differences of opinion that have come to light following the Brexit referendum! Can those who advocate a membership vote for every decision that has to be made really believe that would satisfy ALL the memberships I really have my doubts!
Mother and infant doing well for the auction
I appreciate that everyone has the right to their own point of view and also to express that point of view in the right place and at the right time. However, what I can’t condone is the blatant and in some cases crude comments that are expressed without any justification. Some contributors to the media should try to remember that the vast majority of individuals who take on positions of responsibility do so in very good faith and with a true sense of improving our wonderful sport of pigeon racing.
Continual criticism from individuals, who seem to be disinclined to take on an official role themselves, will undoubtedly result in those willing soles who are prepared to do the work, resigning their positions and by so doing leaving our sport in a far worse state than it is at the present time.
Fortunately, in the Staffordshire Moorlands Federation we have a situation where our membership is, generally speaking, happy with the way the Federation is being run and this is because the Management Committee is made up of a dedicated team of individuals from all corners of the Fed, where the emphasis is on TEAMWORK when it comes to making decisions and where the true interests of all the members come before anything else I’d recommend some of the “knockers” to try to emulate us.
An example of perhaps the most recent decision taken by our Committee is to draw a veil over the highly successful Jackpot Races and replace them with a new venture which will be aptly named the Moorlands 2 Bird Special and come into operation for the 2017 Season, Full details will be available nearer to the start of the racing season.
However, this new development will be, to a certain extent, based on the Jackpot formula but will be paid out every week, rather than snowballing until the end of the season. The reason this was changed is because if one or two fanciers began to run away with the Jackpot Pool each week then the opportunity to win for other fanciers became less and less each week. Hence the change to a weekly pay out of all the prize money fair for everyone who participates.
In years gone by the fanciers of the future came, by and large, from the sons and daughters of the then present day fanciers this situation is no longer the case although some of the initiatives I have already advocated in these columns would go some way towards correcting this situation (Junior Sections in Clubs) and new fanciers, although few and far between, seem to be coming from the newly retired or just about to retire generations. Perhaps our marketing efforts should be more aimed at this target audience rather than always looking to the younger generation, who are more inclined to be fascinated by the great indoors rather the fresh air of the outdoor life.
In truth, what are the future options available to existing fanciers and new comers to our sport? Financial constraints must now be coming a huge defining factor if this trend continues along the same lines the recent tongue in cheek article I wrote about robot pigeons may become much more of a reality. Additionally, if you continue to tolerate the ongoing vendettas being played out in the media, both printed and on-line, there is very little to encourage us to continue whether it is in Club, National or One Loft racing.
I sincerely hope this does not prove to be the case, because if it does the death knell will soon be ringing for the sport that has survived two World Wars and who knows how many financial crises.
A couple of my candidates for going in the auction.
The new season is now getting extremely close, so may I wish you, on behalf of the SMDF Press Office the very best of luck and remind you to keep breeding those Breeder/Buyer young birds.
Cheers for now
Brian T Smith
