How Daniel Soanes-Brown fulfilled a dream in just five seasons
Every now and again a winner comes along whose story deserves to be told in his own words.
Normally, when reporting on the North Road Championship Club races, space and time only allow for a brief account of the Section winners, with the King’s Cup winner receiving a more detailed feature in the following year’s Handbook. This year, however, there seemed little point in trying to improve on Daniel Soanes-Brown’s own recollection of the day.
Daniel represents a new generation of pigeon fancier. Many readers will already know him through his popular YouTube channel, How To Train Your Pigeon, where he openly shares both his successes and, just as importantly, his mistakes. In only a handful of seasons he has built a team capable of competing at the very highest level of North Road racing.
Winning the NRCC King’s Cup from Lerwick is something most fanciers spend a lifetime chasing. Daniel achieved it in just his fifth season in the sport. Yet, as you’ll discover, the result was built not on luck but on careful preparation, patience and a willingness to learn from every previous attempt.
These are Daniel’s own reflections on the day his dream became reality.
“I nearly missed the winner…”
“Wow! I’ve actually won the NRCC King’s Cup from Lerwick.”
Even now it still feels strange saying those words.
Lerwick, at just over 479 miles to my loft, has always been the race that captured my imagination. Before I’d even started racing pigeons, I knew that one day I wanted to win the King’s Cup. I just assumed it would take me twenty years—not five.
This year I sent eight birds: six cocks and two hens. Looking back before basketing, I genuinely believed three of them were capable of doing something special. As it turned out, those three were my first three arrivals.
The winner, GB24A85567, is a two-year-old chequer hen bred by Charlie Woof of Woof Bros. She had been to Lerwick as a yearling, although she took almost a week to get home. Looking back now, that was probably more my fault than hers. I was still learning.
Her loft mate, my third arrival, had also flown Lerwick the previous season, returning after three days—just outside race time. Those experiences taught me far more than any easy win ever could.
If someone had offered me one pigeon home on the day before basketing, I’d have taken it immediately.
To finish the day with all eight safely home—and all within race time—was something I could never have imagined.
Ironically, I nearly wasn’t there to clock the winner.
That Saturday morning I’d been at the club striking off from the Federation race from Hexham. Those pigeons had only managed around 52 mph and arrived looking as though they’d worked hard for every yard. Naturally, I assumed the Lerwick pigeons would be having an even tougher day and wouldn’t appear until much later.
Something, though, told me to go home.
As I left the clubhouse I laughed with the lads and said, “I’d better get back—I need to clock the Lerwick winner.” Little did I know…
The Hen That Changed Everything
When I got home, I plugged the ETS clock back in and headed into the loft to move a cock that had somehow found himself in the wrong nest box. It was only a matter of moments, but as I stepped back outside I glanced up and there she was, quietly perched on the roof, looking straight at me.
My first thought wasn’t Lerwick.
Earlier that morning I’d sent two very similar two-year-old chequer hens, one to the Federation race from Hexham and one to Lerwick. Instinctively I assumed she was the Hexham bird. I even spoke to her and said, “No way… you’re far too early.”
What happened over the next few minutes is something I’ll never forget.
There was disbelief, confusion and then absolute panic as I checked the ring number. When it dawned on me that she wasn’t the Hexham hen at all—but my Lerwick hen—I was completely blown away.
I knew she’d flown an exceptional race, but at that moment I had no idea just how exceptional.
As if the emotions weren’t already overwhelming enough, barely a minute later my second pigeon arrived. Amazingly, I didn’t see him either.
He was GB23X09567, a blue cock bred by John Lensen for the 2023 NRCC Futurity Race. He’s been one of those pigeons every fancier values, reliable, consistent and always willing to perform. He’s already topped the Federation for me, and once again he proved his quality when it mattered most.
The winning hen hadn’t exactly filled the prize cards before this race. That’s probably because the majority of our Federation programme is under 150 miles, and she’s never really struck me as a sprint pigeon. Everything about her suggested she would come into her own when the distances increased.
She’d already flown Lerwick as a yearling and had the experience of Scotland behind her. Charlie Woof always preferred breeding pigeons capable of performing in the NRCC rather than simply dominating local club racing, and I think that’s reflected in this family.
She’s predominantly Wildermeersch bred, with previous King’s Cup winners appearing throughout the pedigree. Looking back now, the ability to fly the distance was always there—it just needed the right opportunity to show itself.
Preparation, Management and Trust
People often ask what special preparation went into winning the King’s Cup, but in truth there wasn’t a secret formula.
I race the roundabout system, with the cocks and hens racing home to one another. On basketing day I showed the hens to the cocks before separating them again. Sometimes they’re together for only a few minutes, sometimes a little longer. Like most lofts, the system is still evolving. At the moment I don’t have enough hens for every cock, although that’s something I hope to put right next season.
The biggest change before Lerwick was in the feeding. By that stage of the season the pigeons had already covered plenty of miles, so I increased the fat content of the diet to make sure they had the fuel reserves for a race of this magnitude. Alongside that I paid much closer attention to body condition, trying to send each pigeon at exactly the right weight and muscle tone.
Fitness Solves a lot of Problems
If there’s one thing I learned this season, though, it’s that fitness solves a lot of problems.
By the second half of the year the team felt incredibly fit. They had raced virtually every event on the programme, missing only one weekend while I was away with Pigeon Pathways. It had been a demanding campaign, but I believe that work stood them in good stead when Lerwick came around. The winning hen herself had already raced successfully from Scotland earlier in the season, so she arrived at the King’s Cup with both fitness and experience on her side.
Even so, I never imagined what was about to happen.
When she arrived, I knew she was much earlier than I’d expected and I couldn’t help thinking we might just have a chance. As I spoke to other fanciers, nobody had heard of any birds being timed, and that’s when the first real flicker of hope appeared.
For the first time, it crossed my mind that this might not just be a good performance—it could be something truly special.
The Phone Call That Changed Everything
It wasn’t until a little later that I noticed I’d missed a call from the NRCC.
When I rang back, they asked me to confirm the time on my ETS clock. Once that was done, Stephen said something I’ll never forget.
“I can’t confirm anything just yet,” he told me, “but at the moment you’re leading.”
Instantly I had goosebumps. The hairs on my arms stood up.
At the same time, I knew nothing was certain. Stephen reminded me there were still lofts further south that could time in, and told me to give it another hour before getting too excited.
An hour has never felt so long.
I tried to distract myself by putting Wimbledon on the television, but there was no chance of concentrating. My mind was racing. Every few minutes I found myself thinking about the pigeon, the timing and whether it could really be enough.
In the end I gave up trying to watch the tennis and went to see Charlie Woof instead. I wanted to tell him what had happened because, whatever the outcome, his pigeons had just produced something very special.
While I was there, the phone rang again. This time the news was even better. We were provisionally first. As the afternoon turned into evening, the reality slowly began to sink in. Every passing minute without another challenge made it feel more believable.
Then came the moment I’d dreamt about ever since I first discovered North Road racing.
We had won the King’s Cup.
A Dream Achieved Sooner Than Expected
Winning the King’s Cup has been my ambition from before I even raced my first pigeon.
Like so many people, I’d read about the history, the great lofts and the legendary winners. To me, it always seemed the ultimate North Road prize. I honestly believed that if I worked hard enough, learned enough and stayed in the sport long enough, perhaps one day I’d have a chance.
I just thought it would take twenty years. Instead, it happened in my fourth old bird season and only my fifth season in the sport. This was actually my third attempt from Lerwick.
The first time it took me over a week to get a pigeon home. Last year my first arrival came after three days, outside race time. This season we not only won the King’s Cup but timed all eight pigeons on the day.
Looking back, that gradual progression probably makes the achievement even more satisfying. Every setback taught me something, and every Lerwick race helped prepare both me and the pigeons for the next one.
Even now, I still don’t quite feel like I was ready to win it.
Why the North Road?
People sometimes ask why I’m so drawn to the NRCC. Of course, the history and prestige of the club are part of its appeal, but for me it’s always been about the challenge of the distance.
Sprint racing has its place, and like everyone else I compete in club races most weekends, but my real passion has always been the middle and longer-distance events where pigeons have to think for themselves, dig deep and demonstrate genuine endurance.
Those are the races that have always inspired me. No one has influenced my journey more than Charlie Woof. During my early years in the sport he gave me countless hours of advice and encouragement, and although he no longer races himself, I still visit him regularly. To win the King’s Cup with pigeons carrying his breeding makes the result even more meaningful.
As for what’s next, I’m honestly not entirely sure.
Winning the King’s Cup was the biggest goal I’d set myself in North Road racing. I’d now love to add an NRCC Open win from one of the other race points. I’ve already won Sections from Dunbar and Perth, so perhaps an Open from one of those—or maybe even Thurso—will become the next challenge.
Looking Ahead
People have asked what advice I’d give anyone hoping to compete for the King’s Cup, although I’m still not sure I’m qualified to be giving it.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s to build a team that repeatedly proves itself beyond 200 miles. Distance pigeons don’t suddenly become distance pigeons overnight. They earn your confidence race by race.
Above all, remember these birds weigh little more than 400 grams. They depend entirely on us to make the right decisions on their behalf. Challenge them, certainly, but don’t ask for more than they’re ready to give. Be patient, manage your expectations and, more often than not, they’ll reward you by giving even more than you thought possible.
The best pigeons won’t win every race, but they’ll keep turning up when it matters. Even in my own modest loft there are three or four pigeons that I expect to be among the first home each week—and more often than not, it’s those same individuals.
Learning when a pigeon is ready is something that only experience can teach. I’m still learning myself and certainly don’t pretend to have all the answers. For Lerwick I simply trusted what I saw in the loft—the pigeons’ condition, their previous experience and the weather forecast—and made what I hoped were the right decisions.
There are so many people to thank.
Firstly, everyone who has followed my journey through my YouTube channel, How To Train Your Pigeon. The encouragement, advice and discussions in the comments and on Facebook have all played a part in helping me improve as a fancier.
I’d also like to thank the organisers of this year’s NRCC race and the many fanciers who have bred or gifted pigeons to me over the years, particularly Charlie Woof, whose friendship, guidance and pigeons have had such a profound influence on my progress.
Most of all, I want to thank my wife and children.
They may not share my obsession with pigeons, but they have always supported it. They feed the birds when I’m away, help clean the loft, lend a hand with training and quietly accept that family conversations often revolve around pigeons.
Without that support at home, none of this would have been possible.
Winning the NRCC King’s Cup may have my name beside it, but it’s an achievement that belongs to everyone who has helped me along the way.
A Final Word from the President
On behalf of everyone connected with the North Road Championship Club, I would once again like to congratulate Daniel on a truly outstanding performance in winning the 2026 King’s Cup from Lerwick.
Every King’s Cup winner writes another chapter in the proud history of our Club, but Daniel’s success is particularly encouraging. It reminds us that while experience is invaluable, enthusiasm, dedication and a willingness to learn can achieve remarkable things. In only a few seasons he has shown tremendous commitment to the North Road, always prepared to ask questions, learn from setbacks and, above all, put the welfare of his pigeons first.
I hope our older members will recognise in Daniel the same passion that first inspired many of them to take on the challenge of Lerwick, while younger fanciers may see that the dream of winning the King’s Cup is still very much alive. His journey proves that our sport continues to evolve, embracing new ways of sharing knowledge while remaining firmly rooted in the traditions and values that have made the NRCC one of the most respected distance racing clubs in the world.
Daniel’s account captures perfectly the emotion that every distance fancier hopes to experience one day. On behalf of the Committee and all our members, we thank him for sharing his story so openly and honestly, and we wish him every success as he continues his North Road journey.
Congratulations once again, Daniel. Welcome to the distinguished company of NRCC King’s Cup winners.
Ray Knight
