My 10 commandments (22-09-23)

My Ten Commandments

I saw a cool video on tv about the novice fancier Jense Brosens.
Some youngers friends are already fairly successful, but with Jense (29 years old) it all has yet to start. He already has a beautiful installation, but you can also taste that he has already had to deal with setbacks.
But he handles that well and speaks with a rarely seen passion about his new hobby.
There are more. Fanciers without performance who still enjoy. Some I suspect that they have more fun with every upcoming pigeon than that 'big' one when he gets 10 at a time from a race. Because he is stiff from the stress of 'having to' perform. With the hobbyist, nothing is a must. Yet, perhaps very secretly, many, if possible, want better. For them some tips:

PIGEON MAGAZINE OR EDUCATIONAL SITE
Pigeon racing is also constantly evolving. And experienced fanciers will rarely come to the newbie to point that out.
Therefore, especially for them, a pigeon newspaper is almost necessary. Only one tip that will make you play better is already worth your subscription fee. Many foreigners claim that they have their 'knowledge' of Pipa. But isn't that a sales site? That is why fanciers here can count themselves lucky with their pigeon newspaper.

2. MENTOR
Pigeon racing is made far too difficult by many. But do beginners know that? That's why better players need to point that out to them. Actually, a beginner cannot do without some kind of mentor.
This need not be a champion, but someone who is easily accessible and on whom they can fall back in case of problems. That could be your grandfather, the neighbor, a distant uncle, or whoever.
PURPOSE.
Before you start with pigeons, you have to set yourself a goal. Is that speed? The young pigeon game? The long distance perhaps? Depending on the set goal, you need to act, taking into account the financial possibilities, the free time, the space, the type of pigeons that are "accessible".
LEARN TO READ RESULTS
If few experienced fanciers can properly read a result, you can imaghine how that is with beginners. And that doesn't get any better with more and more mob flyers, partly as a result of the professionalization of the sport.
The common man is deceived by impressive prize series while, if they look closely, the prize percentage won often turns out to be very moderate.
One should be aware of the large number of pigeons that missed their prize. 50 prizes won seems impressive, but is it also impressive if 150 pigeons were basketed? Or 100 pigeons did not get on the result sheet?
It is also useful to check how many pigeons many smaller fanciers have at home when the 'big one' has half at home. Many scales would fall from many eyes.

'683' Mother to 'Den Ad' raced by M Wouters and best Middle Distance bird of ALL Belgium. Also 1st Olympiade pigeon. The sister 682 was accordig to Superduif 3rd best youngster of Belgium but got lost.

5. POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITATIONS.
A person has his possibilities and also his limitations. Some have more money than others, more time, more space, more contacts and so on. All factors to take into account for novice fanciers.
If someone is busy in July, he should not specialize in the young pigeon game. Someone with a small yard should act accordingly. 'A good fancier knows his limitations' Dirty Harry would say.
6. HELP
In advance, you should ensure a kind of 'right hand'. That doesn't have to be a companion, but someone who you can fall back on if there is something. Like a flu, or that party, or if you want a few days off. That "right hand" can be your neighbor, your brother, your father, anyone. As long as you have the reassuring certainty that there is a replacement for a while.
7. COSTS
Pigeons are for most a hobby and a hobby costs money.
Of course, you have to take your budget into account. Pigeon racing does not have to be expensive. You can MAKE it as expensive (and also cheap) as you want.
Many fanciers would have less to complain about if they kept fewer pigeons, gave less useless supplements, grabbed less for the medicine jar.
8. MEDICATIONS
Someone once asked what medicines he should get when he started with pigeons. He seemed to think that was normal. As if it's part of keeping animals. Maybe in some animals, but certainly not in pigeons.
But what do you think?
If even experienced fanciers believe that you can make pigeons perform better through medication, you can expect little else from the novice.
The sad truth in pigeon racing is that you don't get many people to believe that medicines are there to cure sick pigeons, not to make them perform.
True, a cure for pure heads and respiratory tract is often followed by one or two flights with good results.
This is not because of a boost because of the drug, but because pigeons are freed from something. Almost always this is only temporary and soon people are back to square one because they are undermining the natural resistance.
"So cured again?" A more perfect method of creating a strain of pathogens that you can no longer control is hardly conceivable.
'Pigeons mainly get the disease that is often cured against.'
9. WHERE TO PICK UP
Beginners should not buy pigeons. They must first learn to deal with them, to keep them healthy. Always keeping in mind you need luck, that from the good also comes junk. Immediately buy (expensive) pigeons? Do not do it !!!
Certainly not online. Failed purchases are also one of the reasons why some people quickly stop. They are in a hurry, buy OLD pigeons online and that is almost always a fiasco. It is best to stay in your own environment, preferably buy eggs and play with the young from them. Please realize: Most pigeons have no value and breeding from them leads to a whole loft full of birds without value.
10 STABLE
You need to be fairly stable. Like that Belgian Jense with whom I started this articele. Because setbacks inevitably come. Every sportsman must be able to deal with them.
You also have to be able to be tough, i.e. be able to cull pigeons if performance in the longer term is your goal.
Furthermore, pigeon racing can be addictive. So much so that some have barely anything else in their lives. They go to bed with their pigeons and get up with them. Isn't life too short for that?