# Sions. Too pretty?



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Howdy. I have been considering purchasing some Sions from Sky Lake Sions and wondered if anyone has any experience in racing them?

I know that bbcdon has some, but as I understand it, he only recently got them and has not raced them yet.

I ask because they SEEM to be too pretty.  On their web site they pay a lot of attention to how their racing birds do in shows, along with racing. I want racers only and not show birds. I also want long distance birds. But I do appreciate a good looking bird as much as the next person. So, I have been considering giving them a try.

I don't want anyone to put down anyones elses birds on here, so a private message would be fine, if you have any experience with them, good or bad. Thanks in advance.

P.S. I guess I should have asked in the title, "are they too pretty to win", because of course they can be raced. Any bird can be raced, but winning is a whole different thing.


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## windyflat (Jul 19, 2007)

If my goal was to compete in 400-500 mile OB races I would go for it ! they are very nice birds. Here in my combine we fly 2 such races out of 15 so I don't keep any long end stuff.They do not seem to cut it in our area in the majority of the races.
I know Mike has done really well in his area in YB's and OB's
I wish we flew more long races but the YB seems to be king these days. If I had the room I would keep a seperate loft of 20-30 celibate hens just for the distance and I would be happy to have a dozen or more of Mikes birds on such a team. Space is at a premium at my place and I want the best bang for my buck so I keep a performance/Janssen based family the suites the majority of the races we fly.
Tom


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## bbcdon (Oct 16, 2007)

I am going to send some Skylake Sions to 1 loft races this year along with my other bloodlines. I too am curious how they will do. Yes, they are a beautiful bird, but I want to know how they do racing. I purchased some youngsters from his best birds, and will breed youngsters out of them to see how well they can fly.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

We have a combine show every year (hopefully we'll pick up the slack and get one in this year/early 2010). I put in as many of mine as I can that I think are pretty enough. It's all for fun, and if they get a ribbon, makes the bird look even better  Although seeing show results on racer pedigrees tends to turn me away, if they have the race results to go with it, then that makes it better  If all they had to say about a given bird was it won a show, I wouldn't think much of it as a breeder until it gave me winning babies.


I have a Skylake Sion cockbird from Don that I'll be breeding from this year. We'll see how the babies do  He's a pretty bird. Has one of those heads where it doesn't stop, just runs right to the tip of the beak  

I think it may just be in the strain to be pretty. I don't know that I've ever seen an ugly Sion, no matter what line or who it came from. I have Heitzman's Sion Strain book. It's full of pictures of his key birds. Many, many first places anywhere from 100 miles to 1,000 miles. The 1000 mile bird in particular I remember, was also commented on for it's great show looks.


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

I have one skylake cock and it produces a decient bird every year it seems like. I know one of the birds off him was second to my loft 3 or 4 times last year for yb's.


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

I just purchased two Sion hens from Skylake....The reason I bought them is his results for the 500 to 600 mile races.....Two different races with only ONE day bird for 550 miles...And SKYLAKE had them BOTH !!!.....Need I say more ??.....And if the birds are good looking also,so be it....Who likes ugly birds anyway !!!.....Alamo


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## bloodlines_365 (Jan 15, 2008)

Alamo said:


> I just purchased two Sion hens from Skylake....The reason I bought them is his results for the 500 to 600 mile races.....Two different races with only ONE day bird for 550 miles...And SKYLAKE had them BOTH !!!.....Need I say more ??.....And if the birds are good looking also,so be it....!!!.Who likes ugly birds anyway ....Alamo


me...specially that brings home the bacon


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## Guest (Dec 12, 2009)

to me with the skylake sions you cant go wrong , they have great race records and with nice looks to boot ,never heard or read a bad thing about them myself .


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## pigeon_racer (Jan 12, 2009)

conditonfreak,

Skylake has wonderful Sions! Another fancier in our club and I both have some of their birds. They flew well as youngbirds and were in the running for youngbird of the year, finishing 4th and 7th. The youngsters that I have bred crossing Skylake's with my own Sions have flown well for me this last year and the yearlings from '08 actually seem to be able to fly any distance out to 500 miles. I was tempted to try one of them on the 600 but the bird wasn't in good enough condition for the race. After another week it would have been but, the season was over. You must remember that you are playing a percentage game whenever you breed, no matter which "strain" you are breeding, but Skylake Sions seem to improve your percentage of good youngsters bred. I don't think you will hurt yourself with them at all.

Ralph


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

I have a cock bird thats Sion.
They are good for long distance races.
If you are able to purchase a pair I would go for it.
You wont be disappointed.


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## Big T (Mar 25, 2008)

Alamo said:


> I just purchased two Sion hens from Skylake....The reason I bought them is his results for the 500 to 600 mile races.....Two different races with only ONE day bird for 550 miles...And SKYLAKE had them BOTH !!!.....Need I say more ??.....And if the birds are good looking also,so be it....*Who likes ugly birds anyway !!!*.....Alamo


MY Wife and I for one like it!!!!!


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Alamo said:


> I just purchased two Sion hens from Skylake....The reason I bought them is his results for the 500 to 600 mile races.....Two different races with only ONE day bird for 550 miles...And SKYLAKE had them BOTH !!!.....Need I say more ??.....And if the birds are good looking also,so be it....*Who likes ugly birds anyway !!!.....*Alamo


Me! 
Then again, I also think _these_ guys are adorable! 
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3267/2827728586_a27539a274.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimspix/6838359/


LOL. 

But no seriously, I do.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

MaryOfExeter said:


> Me!
> Then again, I also think _these_ guys are adorable!
> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3267/2827728586_a27539a274.jpg
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimspix/6838359/
> ...


What IS that first one Becky? Pretty darned interesting bird. My friend, Bart, has Guinea Fowl, and I think they are beautiful but a tad on the wild and crazy side (and very loud when sounding an alarm)!


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2009)

ummmm guineas are far from pigeons but scanderoons are more on track ..so if you had racing pigeons that looked like scanderoons would you still feel the same ?


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## bloodlines_365 (Jan 15, 2008)

any of you guys seen his auction this week....those birds are spotless from head to tow specially those silver/reds....

i would say buy a pair this week even if it goes to 150 or 200 a peice its worthed cause it worth 250 or more if you get it at his loft..... and bid on the very last minute so it wont go up the price.....its kind of robbing your opponent in fronthttp://www.racingpigeonauction.com/Auction/XcAPViewInCat.asp?ID=12


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2009)

there are sure some sweet looking birds on that auction there  and I see some familiar names bidding on them too


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

TAWhatley said:


> What IS that first one Becky? Pretty darned interesting bird. My friend, Bart, has Guinea Fowl, and I think they are beautiful but a tad on the wild and crazy side (and very loud when sounding an alarm)!


The first one is another species of helmeted guineafowl  I have three guineas and they are pretty crazy, but do make great hawk alarms.

Lokota, LOL. Guineas aren't quite that far from pigeons (they're related), but it was the first bird that came to mind when I read 'ugly'. Most people I know think they are, but I don't  Scandaroons are interesting looking birds. I'd laugh if I saw some racers with a face like that! But if it wins, I don't care what it looks like.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

LokotaLoft said:


> there are sure some sweet looking birds on that auction there  and I see some familiar names bidding on them too


I agree. Wish I had that much money!  I have about...oh...$30 on me right now  LOL.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

bloodlines_365 said:


> any of you guys seen his auction this week....those birds are spotless from head to tow specially those silver/reds....
> 
> i would say buy a pair this week even if it goes to 150 or 200 a peice its worthed cause it worth 250 or more if you get it at his loft..... and bid on the very last minute so it wont go up the price.....its kind of robbing your opponent in fronthttp://www.racingpigeonauction.com/Auction/XcAPViewInCat.asp?ID=12


I was bidding on a few of these before I saw this thread. I bid on some last week that I lost in the last day of bidding. Gonna try harder this time, but can't go too high as I want two pair or none.

So, don't outbid me you rascals.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Well, as luck would have it. I won one pair. Red cock and red hen. I will have to try for another pair nest time, or buy from the sellers web site.

I am happy with my pair though. I have a thing for red pigeons.



And black pigeons, and blue bar pigeons, and grizzles, and ....


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

conditionfreak said:


> Well, as luck would have it. I won one pair. Red cock and red hen. I will have to try for another pair nest time, or buy from the sellers web site.
> 
> I am happy with my pair though. I have a thing for red pigeons.
> 
> ...


... and the ones who win, preferably


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

I won these two. It will be the only Sions I have. By the way. I have heard Sions pronounced "Sye ons" and I have heard it pronounced "See ons". Is the first one correct?

http://www.racingpigeonauction.com/Auction/XcAPViewItem.asp?ID=75027

http://www.racingpigeonauction.com/Auction/XcAPViewItem.asp?ID=75023


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Sye-on is wrong, see-on is right. Or so I've heard. I used to pronounce it the first way, but everyone else I know says it the other way, so I've switched over.

That is why my Sion hen is named Scion - so it pleases both. Scion the Sion


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Just looked at those two. Very pretty birds! Your cockbirds's sire - Rosie's Boy - is the grandsire to my Sion cockbird.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Remind me later in the new year, and I will send you a hen from these two. A gift at my expense. If you want one. A late hatch probably.

Well, I will TRY to pick a hen. I have a fifty-fifty shot.


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2009)

they sure are some very nice looking birds and that juju 194 is a great looking specimen good luck with your breeding plans, hope they help put your loft in the winners circle


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

conditionfreak said:


> Remind me later in the new year, and I will send you a hen from these two. A gift at my expense. If you want one. A late hatch probably.
> 
> Well, I will TRY to pick a hen. I have a fifty-fifty shot.


Sounds good to me!


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Received my Sions from SkyLake Sions yesterday. They are very very nice birds. Sleek and muscular. Very healthy. I must admit that they are in better shape than my birds. They feel exceptionally nice in the hand and everything about them yells out "healthy".

Can't wait to get some young'uns off of them and see what they can do. I have to use them as models for a goal to get my birds in that condition. Not skinny but not an ounce of fat on them, that I can feel.


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## Airbaby (Aug 9, 2008)

Nice find, i think buying birds is fun, although i know its just paper but i love looking over the peds of new birds over and over again....but i have to give it a break, we got 10 pair now and will be plenty.....otherwise i am usually dwelling over birds like these


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