Guidelines/Rules for releasing race birds

3197 Views 57 Replies 13 Participants Last post by pigeon_racer, May 22, 2009

Lovebirds

Discussion Starter · May 9, 2009 (Edited)

I'd like to hear some different points of view on how your club/combine goes about deciding when to release birds, when not to release birds, when to ship a race or postpone a race. Also, how many of you have seen the birds brought back home due to bad weather after they've been taken to the release station? Who makes the call? One person (race secretary) or a committee?
PS: Someone else was SUPPOSED to start this thread, but they must have gone on vacation or something...........LOL

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Pigeon0446

· #2 · May 9, 2009

Here our combine has a Home Liberator who makes all those decisions. But it seams like he makes the ones that favor him. He canceld a race one time because it was gonna be to much of a blow home. Now that one pissed me off because I have birds that do real good in those real fast races. My bird would have the IF speed record for 300-350 category if she woulda scanned when she first went over the pad. But I've seen 2 races in 10 years brought back due to the weather and it's all up to the Home Liberator. But it's odd for them to bring them back because here he cancels the race or moves the day if there's a chance of that happening. We had 2 of the 5 races cancled this year already because of the weather and another one was moved from Sunday to Saturday because Sunday was gonna be bad and we already missed 2 races.

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learning

· #3 · May 9, 2009

Down here in Georgia with the Peachstate Combine it is a one man call. The liberator/race secretary makes the call, for better or worse. I am not sure if this is the right way to go or not. If you have the right person making the call it sure is a lot easier and efficient. One the other hand, if it is the wrong person, you are in for many, many lost birds.

Dan

Lovebirds

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 10, 2009

Well, I guess the good thing about these replies is, I'm not alone.......LOL
We also have one man calling the shots. Our combine can be as long as 175 miles, depending on the race station and the person calling the shots is on the short end, so bad weather predictions for afternoon doesn't effect those short guys so much.
We did have a rule that if there was a 60% chance of rain or more, anywhere along the course, the race would be postponed. That worked well for about 7 years, until someone decided to ignore the rule and ship the birds anyway. Well, little miss trouble maker here protested the race and had the results thrown out. The next year, that rule got voted out and now it's totally one persons decision.
I don't know what the answer is. There's been discussion on having a person in each section, short, middle and long, get together and make the call, but the long enders would most likely still get the raw end of the deal. Short guy says yes, middle guy says yes, long guy says no...........the birds are going down the road anyway.
The AU has guidelines, but they are just that, guidelines.....not rules and no one pay any attention to them anyway. The IF has nothing.........so they're no help either.

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A_Smith

· #5 · May 10, 2009

I am the liberator for the combine I fly with. I make the final desision of fly or stay home. Time to start race, and day. The truck driver is my eyes at the start. My computer is my eyes (and prediction) along course. I love my birds and fly for sport. So all (nice flying) conditions are race days. I am only favor for the birds safe return. I want them to come home. I have had 100% return for the last 2 races at my loft. I think that is great for only being in my 2nd OB season.

To cancel a race liberator,asistant liberator (I don't even have his phone number

) and combine president must agree to cancel. I am also website moderator http://lmcpigeon.wetpaint.com/

MaryOfExeter

· #6 · May 10, 2009 (Edited)

Since we're in the same combine, there's not much for me to say

I think that when making the decision on whether or not to race, the secretary needs to keep in mind how spread out we are. Should racing pigeons be able to handle obstacles? Yes. But is it fair for one end to not have any problems, while the other end's birds go through hell getting home? No.

Since we now stretch from SC to VA, I think there should be a committee as well as the race sec. One person from the north, central, and south. Those three talk it out, maybe take a vote, and the race sec. will report the final call. That way more than one person has a say in whether or not we should race.

Oh wait...I just noticed you already said that Renee, LOL. In that case, I say it's a good idea

I think it would make things at least a little more fair for the long end.

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MaryOfExeter

· #7 · May 10, 2009

Earlier today I heard a warning on the radio about the weather. Said there was a horrible storm heading east through NC, whipping up 60 mph winds and dime sized hail. I can't remember what time I heard it, but I hope it was later on in the day to where it didn't bother anyones birds

fastpitch dad

· #8 · May 10, 2009

MaryOfExeter said:
Earlier today I heard a warning on the radio about the weather. Said there was a horrible storm heading east through NC, whipping up 60 mph winds and dime sized hail. I can't remember what time I heard it, but I hope it was later on in the day to where it didn't bother anyones birds

I can tell you it was that bad . I was driving back from the tournament when I ran in to it. That was in greensboro about 5:00 this evening.

hillfamilyloft

· #9 · May 10, 2009

We have had two races suspended this year for weather reasons. The first race snow and the second rain. Both races were flown later to great results. Our officers make a community decision. Both time the birds were released close to home for trainning tosses later in the day. You need more than one person making the decision.

Randy

MaryOfExeter

· #10 · May 10, 2009

fastpitch dad said:
I can tell you it was that bad . I was driving back from the tournament when I ran in to it. That was in greensboro about 5:00 this evening.

Yikes. We had a thunderstorm here about that time that lasted about 10 minutes or less. Poured really bad and the wind had the rain coming at an angle. Then out came the sun. I'm glad it wasn't any worse than that for us

RodSD

· #11 · May 10, 2009

Because weather changes all the time it can be complicated. You can read this guidelines: http://www.stevenvanbreemen.nl/en/?Release_Manual

http://www.stevenvanbreemen.nl/en/?Release_Manual:15._To_release_or_not_to_release

It is obviously a guide and it is up to the person in charge of making decision to adhere to some agreed upon rules.

hillfamilyloft

· #12 · May 10, 2009

I would think there are AU guidelines also. That is what I would follow. If they read that it is a one man show, then I would write the AU.

Randy

hillfamilyloft

· #13 · May 10, 2009

Have the idiot read AU guidelines below. I do not think this is law and only suggestions. I may research the IF because, if I am not mistaken you fly IF sanctioned races.

http://www.pigeon.org/releaseracetransportation.htm

hillfamilyloft

· #14 · May 10, 2009

http://www.ifpigeon.com/IF/if_by_laws.pdf

Sounds like the race secretary and the liberator hold the power here. They need a bit of checks and balances. here.

The responsibility for the liberation and safety of the pigeons rests with the club's
secretary/liberator. He or she must check current and projected weather forecasts
using the best means possible and communicate with the race liberator prior to each
liberation. The secretary must also ensure that food and water are available for the
liberator at each race.

whitesnmore

· #15 · May 10, 2009

I am one of 3 on the weather comittee in our combine. I am in the north, we have a south and a middle guy as well. Our decision to put up the bird is based on a majority vote. I lost out on the "NO" vote this week with gusting wind of 45-50 miles an hour. We ended up having a good race but it could very well have been the other way. This is a thankless job and you are damned if you do and damned if you dont.
The weather committee should consist of 3 individuals and not just one. At no point should anyone be on the weather committee unless the have birds in the race to lose. Remember you cant rely on the truck driver's "report" as they just want to get the birds up so they can get home. Common sense and putting the birds interests first over any advantage one may have or not will ensure the safety of the birds and a higher rate of return.

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Lovebirds

Discussion Starter · #16 · May 10, 2009

whitesnmore said:
I am one of 3 on the weather comittee in our combine. I am in the north, we have a south and a middle guy as well. Our decision to put up the bird is based on a majority vote. I lost out on the "NO" vote this week with gusting wind of 45-50 miles an hour. We ended up having a good race but it could very well have been the other way. This is a thankless job and you are damned if you do and damned if you dont.
The weather committee should consist of 3 individuals and not just one. At no point should anyone be on the weather committee unless the have birds in the race to lose. Remember you cant rely on the truck driver's "report" as they just want to get the birds up so they can get home. Common sense and putting the birds interests first over any advantage one may have or not will ensure the safety of the birds and a higher rate of return.

That's the thing. SO far.......we've been fairly lucky this year. What was predicted and what happened were two different things, but LUCK is all it was. What happens that one time when the luck runs out? Weather people, whether right or wrong, get paid to do a job and IMO, we should listen to them. The "what if" factor would have kept me from releasing the birds had I been the one in charge.

THAT says it ALL!!!
IF everyone would go by THAT rule, then it wouldn't matter WHO was in charge of releasing the birds.

Lovebirds

Discussion Starter · #17 · May 10, 2009 (Edited)

hillfamilyloft said:
Have the idiot read AU guidelines below. I do not think this is law and only suggestions. I may research the IF because, if I am not mistaken you fly IF sanctioned races.

http://www.pigeon.org/releaseracetransportation.htm

We have both IF and AU clubs in our combine. However, two years ago, the combine members voted to fly by the AU race rules. However, like you said and like I said earlier, the AU race GUIDELINES are just that. They are not RULES, so they can't really be enforced.
And with us having such a vague rule in our race rules to go by...........we're screwed pretty much.
Will be interesting to see in the YB series how things go. The tables will be turned for a change. The one in charge of releasing the birds will be on the long end..........THEIR birds will be the one arriving home 4 or 5 or 6 hours after release when the storms are predicted to hit, whereas our birds will be home within an hour or two after release.
The bad thing is, you can't wish for a bad race just to prove a point, because it's our birds that will suffer, not us......and I'd never wish that on the birds. Mine or anyone elses.

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Lovebirds

Discussion Starter · #18 · May 10, 2009

A_Smith said:
I am the liberator for the combine I fly with. I make the final desision of fly or stay home. Time to start race, and day. The truck driver is my eyes at the start. My computer is my eyes (and prediction) along course. I love my birds and fly for sport. So all (nice flying) conditions are race days. I am only favor for the birds safe return. I want them to come home. I have had 100% return for the last 2 races at my loft. I think that is great for only being in my 2nd OB season. To cancel a race liberator,asistant liberator (I don't even have his phone number ) and combine president must agree to cancel. I am also website moderator http://lmcpigeon.wetpaint.com/

Wanna move to VA and be our race secretary?? LOL

Lovebirds

Discussion Starter · #19 · May 10, 2009

MaryOfExeter said:
Earlier today I heard a warning on the radio about the weather. Said there was a horrible storm heading east through NC, whipping up 60 mph winds and dime sized hail. I can't remember what time I heard it, but I hope it was later on in the day to where it didn't bother anyones birds

yea, I was watching the radar all day. Even though I didn't have birds in the race, I still worry about the ones that ARE flying........IMO, you can't NOT ship a race because there are storms predicted, but it depends on WHEN those storms are predicted to fire up.
In the past two weeks, predictions were "mainly after 2:00 PM".......well, what time do they think the long enders, flying 500 plus miles are going to start getting birds? DUH!!
It was the same thing yesterday.

cutter

· #20 · May 11, 2009

I was the liberator ( as we call it here in Australia who goes away with the birds on the truck ) for8 years and still hold the record for most birds released at one time 17500. After years of complaining by the members of the federation I was asked to write a liberation protocol, I did this and it is now used with great sucess here, It covers everything that can happen on a weekend, weather it be feeding to waeather to care for the birds and feeding we have a committee of 3 who work with the liberator watching the radar and the birds can be held from as little as 1 min before liberation time the most important thing to remember are.

1 light = there must be a shadow cast on the ground at both the race point and at home ,

2 no rain ,snow or fog = between race point and home or 50km either side of the straight line between

3 wind = not to exceed 40 km per hour on the tail, 30km on the head, not to exceed 20km across when flying on the coast routs

4 Visablity = must be at least 5 km

should any of the above apply birds will be held

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