YRPC Update
By Warren Smith

As a follow up to the previously published article, I would like to share with readers a small sampling of what has transpired since my last report. First of all, the York RPC enjoyed a tremendously successful 2008 YB season, with four brand new members successfully completing our rigorous training program, and then actually competing with veterans in Combine competition with the United Pigeon Combine. For those not familiar with the UPC, we are an eight club, 135 member Combine in south central Pa. and Maryland, flying over the Blue Ridge Mountains, and home of the likes of Fred Smeltzer and 720 fame, and a cadre of professional One Loft Race veterans. These guys are tough, serious competitors.

Not all of our new members made it to Combine competition, as getting a team of YB’s to the first Combine race station proved especially challenging this past season, not only for our novice beginners, but for a high percentage of veteran fliers throughout our combine.

What made this accomplishment especially delightful for our new members, is that on a number of occasions, they beat some of us veteran professionals ! And I know perhaps in the backs of minds of some readers, the idea of helping a future potential competitor, may cause some of you to refrain, or pause for a moment, before extending that helping hand. It’s a natural reaction, I’ve been there myself.

I can now say from personal experience, that our 13 year old junior member Dan Cook did beat me in the 2008 season, and with one of my own birds ! And there were other occasions, where these brand new members also beat me on race day with one of my own birds, and as counterintuitive as it may seem, these were some of the most enjoyable moments in my pigeon racing career !

You see, I discovered one of the best feelings you will ever have in this sport, is helping some new member or junior member experience a small slice of racing success. It has it’s own set of rewards, which can be a cherished moment, which will last for the lifetime of the new member.

In January we held a banquet in which to enjoy and share some camaraderie. In years past, when winning that piece of paper was the paramount issue on everyone‘s mind, it was quite common to have a large number of No Shows, so the practice of a Club banquet had fallen by the way side. In this case, we had a near 100% participation, in fact only one of our members was unable to make it because of work obligations. That in itself, was a major accomplishment, and a testimony to our growing success.

At this banquet, I announced that our 13 year old junior member Dan Cook, a full time student who is employed delivering newspapers, had made an admirable decision to invest in a Life Membership with the AU. Dan and his parents, Dave and Peggy Cook, expressed their appreciation of the efforts that the YRPC had undertaken to get him involved in a very wholesome and positive hobby.

Dan’s decision to give something back to this sport, by becoming a Life Member, was an inspiration to all of us, and sometimes inspiration is contagious, so another one of our new members, Dr. James Gilhool, also signed up to become a Life Member. I have included some pictures of our banquet, of Dan Cook, and the three of us, representing the YRPC members who are now AU Life Members.

As we all prepared to leave for home from the banquet that evening, it dawned on all of us, that we were all part of something bigger then ourselves. We had together created a climate of fun and good sportsmanship, where winning is important, but it is not the most important thing. It is insuring that everyone has an opportunity to enjoy themselves and this sport. And I think I can speak for everyone, when I say when we left that night, we all very much felt like Winners !

So if you want to add a new level of excitement, and inject some fun into your club, then take a little risk, and dare to introduce a massive infusion of new blood into your club. Adopt a protégé or two, and have club members do the same. Don't be afraid that a new guy or a junior member may beat you on race day with one of your own birds. You may have to endure a bit of good natured ribbing from some of your veteran pigeon buddies, but trust me, when you see and experience the exuberant overflow of excitement from a new member and especially a junior member, win that all important first Diploma, you will feel a sense of joy, pride, and an abundance of good feelings which can only come from helping a new member enjoy this wonderful sport.

In conclusion, another positive development which is taking place, which I personally had not felt before, is a sense of esprit de corps and team. While everyone is of course attempting to be the club winner, much attention is being paid to our Club’s ranking within the United Pigeon Combine race results. This spirit of cooperation, and teamwork, has fostered an atmosphere of a willingness to help other members improve their game, and in doing so, everyone shares in the success of that weeks winner. With such powerful forces working on our behalf, I anticipate another positive year of growth and development, as we build upon our success.

 

 

Dan Cook / D & D Loft	Dan Cook and his now famous stud cock	Warren Smith presents Dan with YB
YRPC Annual Banquet	James Gilhool, Dan Cook, and Warren Smith	Ouadii Loukili, daughter Abir & wife Bouchra

 

 

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