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MISTAKE ONE
It cannot be emphasized enough that it is a big mistake to value name, strain and pedigree too much. It has led to many disappointments already.

MISTAKE TWO
Non-champions take action at the wrong time. They take refuge to medicine too early or too late. When pigeons race poorly they think medicine may help but not being in good shape does not mean being sick. Medicate against diseases that do not exist will result in weaker birds, on the other hand you are too late when you take action when the birds are on the point of dying.

MISTAKE THREE
Non-champions have no confidence. They change their methods again and again. There are several good systems and several bad ones. The worst is to change again and again.

MISTAKE FOUR
Especially in young bird racing it is important to have a good relationship with the pigeons. When a not successful fancier enters his loft his birds will want to get out as they do not trust him. When a champion is among his birds they feel at ease, but he has them under control still. He is the general, the birds are his soldiers, and good soldiers are disciplined. Champions play with their birds whereas birds of the non-champion play with the fancier.

MISTAKE FIVE
Non-champions want to find the best stuff to cure their birds from diseases. The champions try to prevent their birds from becoming sick. They pay special attention to the environment, the loft In the drinkers of the champions is clear water most of the time, the water in the drinkers of non-champions is often coloured. Non-champions are too soft hearted with birds that are not healthy. Champions get rid of such; they have iron hands in silk gloves.

MISTAKE SIX
Especially in young bird racing it is wrong to feed ‘too heavy’. That means too much protein, too many peas for example. Peas are good for babies in the nests that have to mature, for babies that are being raced it is poison.

MISTAKE SEVEN
Most non-champions are naïve. When mating birds they do not realise how important good luck is. They think that if they mate a Super cock with a Super hen or its sister they will breed Super birds automatically. But it is not that simple.

MISTAKE EIGHT
Non-champions are brainwashed by the press and the propaganda of ‘brokers in illusions’. Champions are more realistic.

MISTAKE NINE
In the stock loft of non-champions you will find breeders that are some years old that never gave good birds. I wonder what such birds are doing there.

MISTAKE TEN
Modern racing pigeons are getting smaller. Some think bigger birds are stronger birds. They are wrong. It is often those small pigeons that can handle the hardest weather conditions and the greater distances.

10 Mistakes of Non-Champions by: Ad Schaerlaeckens

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