This weeks discussion of the week is…
What do you think the current state of pigeon racing is?
For example do you think pigeon racing is growing or dying and why, express your views and share with others your opinions on the current state of pigeon racing by placing your vote in the poll below then posting a comment in the comment section below this post.
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here in the philippines pigeon racing is always getting excited especially when racing season comes close.a lot of fancier prepare their pigeon on tip top shape not just for the money but bacause of fame,when u always win you’ll become famous in the pigeon racing world.
Hi All .
I feel pigeon keeping as a whole is on it,s way down due to high cost of everything today and as the working man also is stretched to afford a suitable house to live the sport is literally priced out of being a working man,s sport
Karim
hai i am in india and a homerfancier do contact
I think the Olympic thing is a great idea along with the other things Tony mentioned….but part of the problem atleast from where i live is all the city codes and ordiances against having pigeons…not everybody can afford or is willing to go live out in the country or small village/town just have a loft of birds. So with more relaxed laws and more expsosure i think the sport will grow.
Hi, I am from the Uk but now living in Malta with my Filipino wife. Pigeon racing today is much more expensive and competitors have larger and larger lofts with all the most expensive equipment, etc. In the UK, the new houses that are being built are just too small to accomodate a pigeon loft. In the UK, it is common for clubs just to have a few members and if one member is really good, the club disbands and refuse to let the very good flyer to join the club and force him/her out of the sport. It should be made a rule that no member/applicant should be refused without good justifiable reason, endorsed by the relevant governing body. In Malta, thankfully there are still a lot of young fanciers joining the sport.Here, if the membership drops to below 25 members then the club has to disband and join forces with the nearest club, now that is a good rule!. Also members are only alowed to send a maximum of ten birds to each race, so no mob flying here. Any birds sent as trainers have to be liberated an hour after the race birds.
As to how to promote the sport for the future, I think we have to engage with the young & new starters alike. Maybe loaning equipment for the first season and each member providing one young bird?. To engage with local schools and giving them a pigeon in a one loft race, which they can then follow it`s progress. Also with one loft races we should make representations to compete in the Olympics, with pigeons from each country.
new technology should be used to our advantage, with GPS and cameras, imagine screening a pigeon race on TV, with updates now and then showing where the birds are, the weather conditions, etc and maybe people could gamble on the race and bring greater knowledge and interest within the sport.
I AM 90 YEARS I BEGAN IN A KIDS CLUB IN 1934. I WAS AWAY FROM PIGEONS FOR 33 MONTHS WHILE I WAS IN THE ARMY. 6 YEARS AGO I MOVED TO FLORIDA. MY PIGEON LOFT HERE COST MORE THAN MY FRIST HOUSE. I ENJOY FLYING IN ONE OF BIGGEST CLUBS IN USA GULF COAST HOMMING PIGEON CLUB IT’S COSTLY BUT WORTH IT.THE CHILDEREN THAT ARE PLAYING WITH PIGEONS TODAY ARE THE ONES THAT THEIR FARTHER OR GRAND FARTHER HAS THE BIRDS.THE FEED USED TO COST $8.00 for a 100 pounds now cost in the $20ties breeder used to cost from a quarter to 25 dollars. now what can you get for that?? RAY BROWER
being 28 and havent had pigeons since i was in my early teens,but have always kept a love for them,this year i decided to rejoin the pigeon world,where i live in ireland from what i can remember we had one club in my town when i was 14,but now their is at lest 4 or 5,so i would say it is on the up in my town at least.
Unfortunately I must categorically state that pigeon racing members are definitely declining. Eg. Since I started racing pigeons 17 years ago there has not been a guy younger than myself joining our club (matter of fact nobody new joined at all) – I am now 55.
Rising costs regarding food, medicines, transport and quality pigeons will unfortunately make it even more difficult than before.
I must also mention that I think television is a great contributing factor – kids nowadays watch TV rather than play outside neglecting hobbies such as pigeons etc.
Forecast – Within 2 decades pigeons will only be raced by the very rich people and guys like me will still keep some just for the pleasure thereof.
I personally believe our sport of raising, caring for, and flying racing pigeons is increasing in popularity and will thrive quite well in the future.Yours in the sport………. Jim Weiler
Unfortunately I think it is a dieing sport. The main reason is the cost. Figure a loft, feed, medication, club fees, clocks, bands, gas in training. Oh my the list goes on and on. I incourage veteran fliers to breed ybs as a gift to newbees. Discourage them from buying or breeding their own. Then they can focus on the racing without having the worry of breeding at the same time. Get together and help the beginner build a loft. This can be done relatively cheap. Do whatever it takes to help one another. Remember it is a hobby not a professional sport. Some fanciers take it to the extreme. In my experience of three years in a local club, the members often run off the newcomers with bad behavior. I was lucky enough to win a tough 300 in my first ob season and only a couple of members said good job, congrats. or anything. They were more mad than anything that a newbee beat them.My advice, don’t take it so seriously. Its not like you’re going to win 500,000. Not in our club anyway. It started as a hobby and that is what it is suppose to be. Right? The comradery. Keep em flying!