midlands
flying club
The club was actually to
promote and organise long
distance pigeon racing. We
have in excess of two thousand
members who compete in races
from as far as Bordeaux in
Southern France. Over the last
decade the MNFC has made
massive strides to raise the
profile of pigeon racing because
in the past it had a rather ‘flat
cap and woodbine’ image.
The truth is success in pigeon
racing requires excellent stock
and a great deal of skill to
bring the bird into the peak of
both health and fitness levels.
Without these two qualities
in abundance it would be
impossible for a bird to race
from distances in excess of 600
miles after being released early
in the morning and fly all day
long and reach its home loft on
the same evening.
I first became interested
in pigeons as a school boy
swapping a fishing rod for
my first pair of birds. Over
the past 50 years my interest
and involvement in the hobby
steadily grew. With success
coming first of all in the shorter
events from the South coast
from places like Weymouth,
Dorchester and Plymouth.
Over the last fifteen years my
interests turned to the arena
of long distance pigeon racing
and so I joined the Midlands
National Flying Club to
race and compete with and
against the best pigeon racers
who reside within the Club’s
large boundaries. Though the
competition is extremely fierce
the sight of a little ‘bundle of
feathers and muscle’ folding its
wings as it lands on the landing
board is the greatest reward
and never cease to amaze their
awaiting owner.
I am the Club’s General
Secretary and Press Officer
and I get great pleasure from
visiting the National race
winner and its proud owner.
Then I write a report on the
race which appears on our
website and in the country’s
two weekly Racing Pigeon
journals.
The mood of our members at
this time is very upbeat and
with good reason; the Club
has been turned around with
increasing prize money and
first class travel conditions to
the races in our purpose built
German Geraldy transporters
www.mnfc.org.uk
www.sportip.biz
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