Today is loft cleaning, loft fly and bath -

Grinding along here and getting everything lined up and working for our activation toss and first race upcoming.

By request, we are adding a media page to our website to put up media collaterals and some of the important things that folks like to see in a race.

.... will give a longer update later today...

We are still experiencing upload issues in real-time at the loft. Cox is coming out on Monday to upgrade us to the new Panoramic Wi-Fi high speed things... this would allow us to do a lot more with higher upload speeds and not having to reboot computer and wincompanion every time it get a remote app error or goes to sleep .... Yesterday Birds arrived ~9:30AM. Wincom software errored out and went to sleep mode, complete reboot of computer/wincompanion, then  ran birds out and re-clocked.

Loft is cleaned, birds let in and fed - we picked up two stragglers from yesterday (not sure if they were really late or just missed them in the re-shuffle yesterday piggybacking on each other to get in - added respiratory/Probiotics in water today. All seems well ~~!

Regards

Rain and fog two consecutive days - as you can see from the cancelled training attempts.

Birds loft flew today - back on the road tomorrow ~! Bands have been corrected and correctly assigned.

The temperatures from tomorrow will warm up for the next few days to 75 - that's why we live here - beautiful pigeon weather to get the remaining tosses in.

After activation toss - funds should be sent in - any bird NOT making the first race will be refunded immediately. Remember we continue to train 50 miles between activation race and first official race - so if a bird is lost during that time, the activation will be refunded.

Paypal: "FRIENDS AND FAMILY" - stephenfurlonge@yahoo.com

Make checks payable to: Arizona Classic Derby

Stephen Furlonge

965 E Desert Lane

Gilbert AZ 85234

We are at approx 465 miles of official road training - just two more of the harder hurdles to cross a 90 mile and 125 mile - picking the best days to go. And then continued shorter conditioning tosses whilst the activation fees are incoming. This would get us to 800 miles of training before the 1st race - as we have done in every series 2016, 2017, 2018.

It has been a rough journey seeming that the planets were not aligned in our favor. We had two major events happen that delayed the races. One was life changing adversity that we suffered thru (those in my local club know and we don't publicize our priviacy). The other was the unpreparedness for the massive neighboring losses resulting from our Federation flying our race couse in youngbirds directly over our loft complex. We did not wish to take this risk based on 13 years flying this concourse~!

That being behind us - we forge ahead to get these birds trained and not take the easy route by shortchanging the training and rushing the 1st race. We owe it to the breeders that placed their confidence is us to train the birds !! We have been trelessly working with the birds waking at 5am - 10am; 3pm - 5.30pm everyday.

We are almost there - just two more big tosses - as we work thru the kinks of delivering a successful 1st race - stay tuned ~!

While it is still early - remember we fly your birds for free in our local Old Bird races to 500+ miles ~

Best regards ~

Handled every bird today in the loft and checked the e-band. There are a few birds that need the e-band replaced - will get those done and updated shortly. Will update here when the inventory reflects the changes.

Birds are in generally great health - we would like to see a little more weight on them. This is probably due to the working the birds twice a day and the cold nights. Also we would like to see clean, pink vs some scales still on the keel. We will loft fly as needed to give the birds a small break. 

We also pulled 3 birds out and put in the holding bay to rest up ~!

Until next update.... by request here is some additional info on my record --

Here is my local race record for the last 5 years (2014 - 2019) flying the Arizona Federation. From 2013- 2005, its more of the same....flying 3 different directions and multiple directions in the same season against about 65 flyers from 6 clubs in the valley en total...

2019-

1^st Champion Loft– Arizona Federation Old Birds

1^s,t, 2^nd, 3^rd Arizona Federation 245 miles

2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th Arizona Federation 415 miles

1^st, 2^nd, 4^th Arizona Federation 358 miles

2018

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9  Arizona Federation Auction Race 358 miles $$,$$$

2^nd Champion Loft – Arizona Federation Young Birds

2^nd Average Speed - Arizona Federation Young Birds

1^st Average Speed – Short, Middle, Long Distance Arizona Federation Old Birds

1^st Champion Bird – Arizona Federation Old Birds

2^nd Champion Loft – Arizona Federation Old Birds

1^st Arizona Federation Old Birds 535 miles

1^st Arizona Federation Old Birds 415 miles

2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th Arizona Federation Old Birds 268 miles

2017

1^st Champion Loft – Arizona Federation Old Birds

1^st Champion Bird – Arizona Federation Old Birds

1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd Arizona Federation 245 miles

2016

1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd – Arizona Open Classic $$,$$$

2015

1^st Average Speed – Short, Middle, Long Distance Arizona Federation

1^st Champion Loft – Arizona Federation Old Birds

1^st Long Distance Average Speed – Arizona Federation Old Birds

1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th Champion Bird – Arizona Federation Old Birds

1^st Arizona Federation Old Birds 245 miles

1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th, 12^th, 13^th 14^th – Arizona Federation 358 miles, 817 birds ~!!

2014

1^st Champion Bird – Arizona Federation

1^st, 2^nd Arizona Federation 385 miles

The last 3 birds must have missed scanning - as we ran the birds back out this evening and these 3 clocked ~

Hand inventory in process tomorrow morning early before we let them up  and we should have any bands corrected by the following toss.

This week we plan to stretch the birds out -

Best regards ~

Birds locked in today (1-16) due to heavy cloud cover and light drizzle - 

Doxy Tyl in the water the last few days for respiratory...

Working them again tomorrow and thru the long weekend....

Best of luck ~~

Birds will be loft flying today - giving them a break - with Doxy Tyl in the water...

This week we stay around the ~ 50 mile markers.. Give everyone a chance to be confident at this distance before we stretch out to 75-90-125...

Best regards

We will stay in this range for a few days to get those conditioning tosses in - medicate for Respiratory 3-5 days before we stretch them out to 75 and 90 miles. They will be worked twice daily until we get to 75 - then its once a day ~!

Best regards

Birds are being worked twice per day in this early going -  taken out in the morning, then loft flown late afternoon - 

As we are seeing, this course (in January vs November) is a lot more working tosses with variable winds - and should provide really good feedback to the breeders. As such, birds will be thoroughly trained (no light training and waiting for blowhome days).

The weather is really beautiful - 60's and variable winds, clear skies for the next few days - we will take advantage of that.

Hand inventory to be done as a couple of bands are incorrect, and a couple birds are missing bands etc..... We are waiting on one of those days when the birds have to be kept in to do this task....

Stay tuned ~~!

Birds are working twice a day - morning and evening.

Back on the road again to the last spot - they have been pampered enough.

Every day they will go in mornings, loft fly in evenings until we get out there as long as weather keeps beautiful as it has been.

- best of luck ~~!