Doomed to fail (07-12-24)
Doomed to fail
When people address you with 'you look good', it makes some people happy. Not me! People expected a different picture. Of someone who has been sick or something.
'You still look good' is even worse. You don't want to hear that word 'yet'. It means that the years start to count. Although that is the fate of people who are lucky.
'Be lucky?' Indeed. For the not so young football fans among us: Half of the Dutch team that brought the world into ecstasy in the 70's with 'football from another planet', has already died. So they were not that lucky. I now also belong to the older generation. And having the same hobby for a large part of your existence can only provide many contacts.
CONTACT
Among them are great, even world-famous champions, but also people who will never be. I sometimes have to deal with a lot of the latter. They are of good will but do not see it or do not have it.
Fortunately, many do not have to excel to have fun with pigeons. They enjoy themselves in their own way. Of a growing youngster, of every arrival, of a lost youngster that is back in the loft. What is striking is that people who keep worrying year after year often have the same shortcomings and keep making the same mistakes.
TOO LOVING
Often their biggest flaw is that they love their pigeons too much, can't say goodbye to them and think of a pigeon too quickly that it is a good one.
By the way, speaking of 'good': Many good players are not eager to show their 'good birds' to visitors.
Because what can you learn from it?
Who knows it?
The majority of the real Champions do not have that pretension.
That self-knowledge is the reason that they breed so many youngsters. It is true that you have those who think they know it, they even let themselves be paid for grading pigeons, but why don't those connoisseurs themselves stick to about ten youngsters if they know it? Because ten youngsters and all good ones, what a pleasure that would be. Picking out the bad ones is something else.
Some pigeons have such big flaws that they can't be good ones. But not everyone sees that either.
So you sometimes hear that in 2024 there is quality in every loft. If only it were true. There are still lofts with pigeons that just are junk. And because they are not removed, sometimes they are even bred from, the owner will remain a tinkerer for years to come.
TOO SCARED
Those people are too loving, or say too scared. Especially when the time comes to toss. 'Pigeons that you don't train you can't lose from training races' is unconsciously their logical but wrong mantra.
Or they race them too little, in the Netherlands for example only in the fall.
What the result can be was even experienced by the phenomenon Verkerk and all those others 'who don't want to take any risks' and suffice with a few races for the youngsters.
The following year you pay a price for that, with a high exception. Belgian Tom van Gaver, outstanding at all distances, thinks ten races in the year of birth is too little. And when a man like he says it…
MEDICIN MAN
Others make the mistake of ignoring the specialized veterinarian. Somewhat understandable because some (fortunately the exceptions) are very pricey. That most of them are reasonable is best noticed in conversations with owners of dogs and cats after they have visited a vet. For many, never visiting a vet means that they act themselves and that has already brought many to the abyss. Cures against coccidiosis while the pigeons are infected with worms? You wouldn't be the first. Okay, there are those who rarely visit a vet and still play well.
They are again the exceptions; professionals with a lot of observation, a lot of time and usually very hygienic.
The average fancier should not follow them. You see the opposite just as often. Fanciers who have almost become part of the furniture of the vet's consulting room and ring the bell at the slightest wet eye or wrong poo. They are bound to lose.
COMPLETELY BAD
Even more fatal is when they run from one white coat to another. Veterinarians know that. They also need to eat, so it often takes courage to tell the painful truth. And that can be: 'Pigeons are healthy, but probably worth nothing'.
That is now the very last thing the fancier wants to hear.
They didn't go to the vet for that! They do not pay for such a consultation.
What did they go for then? To get a plastic bag home with bottles, jars or powders 'filled with hopes and dreams'.
UNCERTAIN
Another group of fanciers 'doomed to fail' are the insecure. They read everything and listen to everything and everyone. And because both champions and veterinarians think so differently, they change their opinion as often as a prostitute changes clients: Always different food, different medicines, different ventilation, different light, different by-products and therefore different veterinarians and advisors leads to nothing. Especially about the approach to paratyphoid, there are so many different opinions that you have to be careful not to become paranoid. Five vets can mean five different opinions. How come? At the university they were taught about cats, dogs, cows, horses. Nobody taught them anything about pigeons.
FEAR AGAIN
Fear is the big problem for many. Because of fear, they do not dare to select. They always find a reason NOT to remove pigeons. Usually because of the pedigree, a good pigeon in the family or because they cost money. I would not like to feed all those pigeons of four years or older that have never given anything good, but still stay where they no longer belong: In the breeding loft.
Only breed from 'promising' pigeons. Get rid of those old rascals who have never given anything good, whatever their background and no matter how much you paid for them.
Shortly after WW 2 Huyskens van Riel were a sensation in European
pigeon sport. One hour before the birds were expected from a race the
'supporters' were already present, having fun. They looked relaxed as they knew
the quality of the birds of both partners.