Welcome, fanciers and breeders! We want to give everyone a mid-August progress report. As many of you know, it gets extremely hot and humid in North Carolina this time of year, with heat indexes recently ranging from 106°F to 112°F (approximately 41°C to 44°C for our European fanciers and breeders).
Current Birds Status & Management
Housing: The birds remain separated into three distinct groups, with each group having about three sections to themselves. This gives them plenty of room, averaging about 200 to 225 birds per group spread across their designated sections.
Current Routine: Since pulling the flights and keeping them locked in for a couple of weeks, the birds are back out and about, and about 50% are currently going up for a fly. Right now, we are letting them relax, bask in the sun, and pick around on the grass.
Upcoming Transition: Once we begin regular flagging around the beginning of September, all ground-pecking and relaxing stops. At that point, our priority is teaching them to get out, fly, and home rapidly so they learn to come in and out very quickly.
Health & Veterinary Check
Health continues to be very strong. About two weeks ago, we had the NC State University avian veterinary team visit the loft. The professor brought fourth-year veterinary students for a tour to give them hands-on exposure to racing pigeons right before graduation, giving them a unique look outside of traditional avian care.
The professor noted that the birds looked exceptionally well. While routine dropping samples showed a slight trace of coccidiosis, which is completely normal and can never be brought down to absolute zero, it was well below any threshold requiring treatment.
Looking Ahead to September & Predator Realities
Entering September, we officially start flagging the birds to build their physical fitness. Every year, we get a few reluctant flyers who would rather lounge around, which is precisely why flagging is essential to give them every opportunity to get moving and build the stamina required for our upcoming schedule.
Note on predators: When flagging begins, it is an unfortunate fact of life that some birds will go sit and roost in the trees with local hawks waiting close by. They aren’t all going to be superstars, but that weeding-out process is part of the reality of the sport.
Road Training Plan (Starting October 1st)
Our plan is locked in to start road training on October 1st. As always, we take a very gradual approach:
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We begin at 1 mile, working our way in a circle around the compass (north, south, east, and west).
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We repeat this systematically out to 2 miles, then 3, 4, and 5 miles.
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Once we hit that 5-mile mark, we finally start stretching out along the direct line of flight.
I know some people feel this slow, methodical method is a waste of time, but I believe in putting in maximum effort to give your birds every single opportunity to succeed.
Activation Schedule
Barring any unforeseen issues, our activation window remains solidly on schedule for November 10th through November 15th. Everything is looking great on that front.
Benzing Clocking System & Loft Management
Regarding our clocking setup, everything on the loft and Benzing side is operating perfectly. We did experience a minor snag with the data handover from the Benzing site over to Terry at Win Companion for posting results, but Terry got it completely straightened out and resolved.
I will run a few more tests, and once I am completely satisfied, I’ll turn the system live for everyone simultaneously. Keep in mind that birds won’t all clock at the same time because they are managed in rotating groups:
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One group may go out in the early morning.
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Another goes out mid-morning.
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The youngest group might skip the morning entirely and head out in the evening (we constantly rotate the schedule back and forth).
It is a proven system that works for me, so I ask for your patience. As always, if you haven’t heard from me directly, your birds are still here and doing well. Manual counts show our numbers are strong, and while we know those numbers will shift once training begins, I have my fingers crossed. I feel really confident this year that the birds are well ahead of schedule!
Staying Connected & Informed
We know that everyone stays dialed in at a different level. Some fanciers and breeders want as much behind-the-scenes detail as possible, while others just want to check in on race day. Whatever your style, it is your race, and we want to meet you where you are at!
To keep everyone up to speed, we use a few different channels depending on how frequently you want updates:
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In-Depth Updates: Our updates blog at tarhillclassicrace.com serves as our more comprehensive, monthly big-picture update (which we also cross-post to Win Companion). As we get closer to the racing season and things ramp up, these will come out more frequently.
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Frequent Updates (1 to 3 times per week): For quicker hits, photos, and regular progress reports, catch us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Feel free to like and follow across all our platforms!
We pride ourselves on providing numerous ways for you to stay informed. If you ever have questions, or if you are struggling to log on or navigate any of our platforms, please do not hesitate to reach out. I am only a phone call or text away at 732-522-0542.
Thank you very much for all your continued support.
John and Wai Ming (Linda) Ward
