In going along with the pigeon racing promotion theme in this weeks discussion of the week we would like to know,
How did you get involved in pigeon racing or pigeon keeping in general?
You see, if we could figure out what got you interested in pigeon racing or pigeons in general for that matter we might be able to duplicate that to get more people interested in the sport and hobby. What worked for you should work for others right?. You already know my story you can read it here (About Me), I didn’t know anything about pigeons but when I realized how interesting and amazing they were I was hooked.
So go ahead and post your comments I’m looking forward to reading them! and see what we can do to help promote this great hobby of ours.
Discussion of the week, How did you get involved with pigeons?
The Leading Online Pigeon Racing and Racing Pigeons Magazine – The Pigeon Insider
When I was in my late 20’s, a friend I worked with would bring his race teams to work with him, arriving early, he would release the birds for a training flight back home. This would make the training toss about 50-60 miles for him. I would arrive at the shop early and wanted to see the birds liberated each morning. I was late one morning and was sad that I had missed the release. This is when I realized that I was hooked. Bob give me four pairs of breeders (prisoners) and like most fanciers, throwed together somewhat of a loft. Not knowing any better, I just made the loft as one pen. By luck, this was in mid December, in a town 35-miles Southwest of Houston, Texas. When I told Bob that the birds had layed eggs, he brought me 8-bands and told me when and how to band the babys. As time pasted, I would talk to Bob every day at work and he would give me pointers on how to seperate the breeders, keep the young birds seperated, and how to modify my loft for racing, in which I did. I also, being dumb at the time, joined the club he belonged to, in far North Houston. Well, the young bird season came along the next fall and I had my birds trained. Not realizing that taking my birds to train them, I was teaching my birds to break away for Bob’s birds almost immediately and come home. I sure didn’t realize that I discovered a training technique that would push my birds to the front during the races. You see, my loft was 65-miles on the long end and the guys in the club kinda thought of me being pretty dumb in trying to compete with them. Well, I won five races that first year and come Old Season I won six more race (2nd – Champion Loft and 2nd – Champion Bird). One bird really stood out from the rest, the club members named him “Big Red). He won the 500-mile race and was the only day bird. All this brings on a completly new loft that I really can’t afford in those days (early to mid ’70’s). I won a few more races and learned what a pedigree was and tried to get better stock with “Big Red” being one of my foundation cocks. I still don’t know exactly what bloodline he was. I has to sell out my birds and loft because I was offered a job overseas and my wife at that time wasn’t doing very good taking care of my birds the 28-days I was away from home. SO, I AM OUT OF THE SPORT UNTIL 2007!
I was working away from home (now living in South Alabama) in Texas. My present wife and flying partner called one Thrusday afternoon and told me there was a beautiful pigeon hanging around our place eating out of the bird feeders and drinking from the bird bath. She also told me it had bands on both legs. I said I would be home for the week-end and would try to catch the bird. WE DID! She is now one of my best breeders. I contacted the gentleman that owned the bird and after a long conversation he suggested that I keep her. Here goes another make shift loft. I now have two lofts, one is 8 ft. X 12 ft. and the other is 12 ft. X 32 ft. I am now retired, and back in the pigeon sport. I have 24-pair of breeders in breeder boxes at this time and looking forward to a good Old Bird Series this next Spring and a Great Young Bird Series next fall.
I will only say one thing about all of this, if you have flown the birds before and quit, all you have to do to get the bug again is put a pigeon in you hand, and you are hooked again!
Bungalo
I start my pigeon hobby when i m at the age of 8 years. my two elder brothers already involved this hobby. But their hobby is limited for high flying pigeons.when i reached at the age of 16 years i got colourfull piegons and i purchase racing pigeon in 1998 from Lahore, Pakistan
Well it started when I was about 15yrs old in 1983 in The South Bronx, N.Y. I live on a 5th floor buliding and I had 270 tipplets on a window coop. As I got older I had a chance to put a coop on the roof 8’X8′ with a screen size of 8’X8′ holding a total of 254 print canadian tipplets high flyers 4,5 hours on the wing on a good day they wouldn’t be seen for hours on end they just fly, but then as time passed I seen a friend that had a black homer and a grizzle homer too, and they where very fast and they are smart too, He would take them to Brooklyn,N.Y on the train and release them and they would get home so I tried this with my pigeons”tipplets” took about 40 birds on a check up that is what we called training in the tipplet world in N.Y.C. Anyways to tell you I got back nothing that day but I did get some back a couple of days later but to know that the homer can make it back in a couple of mins, sometimes under an hour so they caught my attention I said to myself, Self, someday I will get a homer loft. As time passed by in my life I grew into other things getting married,work, kids, and became a grandfather too, and now I’m getting back into the sport of pigeon racing living now in Worcester,ma. It’s here where i met a man by the name for Frank Pacheo whom gave me a couple of good youngsters to start me up so i can join a club. I now the opportunity and a place where I can build my 1st loft, it’s not easy but a dream in progress. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time since 1998, it’s like a baby coming into the world. I just got lucky you can say meeting Bill Desmarias the Director of the A.U. Northeast zone whom helped me out with getting started with a good stock of breeders. Also I express my greatest condolances to the Greenhall family my heart goes out to his family and I give my blessing to the The Greenhall Family in loss of a great man Dr. Frank Greenhall, I didn’t know him but i’ve read of him. And I’ve been bleessed to have some of his pigeons in my loft and keep him in the sport. I like to do well and pass on the love for the sport. In 2010 it will be my 1st year in the club. looking to make a mark in the pigeon world. Lets see what happens!
I am from (Bahawal Nagar,Punjab, Pakistan).I have 30 racing pigeons, but in our city colourfull pigeons hobby.There is no concept of race, but fancier 50 to 60 pigeons flying their home. They combine thre pigeons with the others fancier than calling back and catch the other fancier pigeons. Here I alos plying this game. But my pigeons can,t travell, I want my pigeons travell of 5km, or disappear some time. here we flying our pigeons 6 month september to march. In this matter any one would like ot help me and give me the tips.
The following (except for the last paragraph) is taken directly from my website.
The actual beginning was in 1959, and Harold Barnhart of Tiffin, Ohio, decided to return to the love he developed as a farm boy in Putnam County, when he had a barn full of common pigeons and rejoiced at the sight of a squab that showed evidence of being either white, pied, or anything else that was not the standard run-of-the-mill blue bar or blue check. He no doubt figured it would also be a good pastime for his teenage son who always showed an interest in animals, birds, etc. His stated goal was to get “a couple pair for the kid”. He just liked pigeons, plain and simple, and although he travelled with his friend, the late Harold Bour, to several pigeon shows in Ohio, he never exhibited a pigeon and he never became someone who worried about breeding to a show standard. Within a few years he was out of the pigeon fancy entirely.
As you probably have guessed, I was “the kid” he was speaking of, and I’m still at it. We started out with a lot of 50-cent and dollar pigeons back then. Our first “good” pair was a pair of English Trumpeters that cost $3.00. I remember my Dad turning down a good pair of yellow saddle Fantails because the asking price of $6.00 was too high. (And heaven forbid that we even consider that pair of white Show Kings Paul Huffman wanted to sell for ten dollars!) We had a loft full of homers, rollers, trumpeters, and other assorted fancy breeds that had eye appeal, like the 50-cent mismarked red nun and the $1 red baldhead roller cock with the oversized bib. (Dad was always a sucker for a pretty pigeon.) I eventually settled down to raising American Giant Homers, and I raised them for thirty years, eventually showing a cream bar hen that was District Champion at Bay City, Michigan, in 1979. (Actually, looking back on my first few years in pigeons I had a pigeon buddy/best friend who suggested I use the name “Hawkeye Lofts”. At the time I was a big fan of American Giant Homers and my buddy said I should call them the “Hawkeye Strain” because they had that menacing look about them. So for a while I billed my loft “Hawkeye Lofts”, but that would have made more sense if I lived in Iowa instead of Ohio.)
We started flying in 1989, a few years after moving to the outskirts of town where we didn’t have to worry about ordinances, etc. We have been flying ever since, through good times and bad, wins and smashes, and although we still judge both fancy and flying birds, have no plans to leave the sport and go back to just showing.
I started raised pigeons when i was at 9 yrs. old and we didn’t race but as a hooby and then later we raced thru a street fight only and to win small amount of money. In late 70’s we don’t have club in our place but for the love of the pigeons we keep pigeons thru colors , looks ( specially with big nose ) wherein we think that time is the best birds for me. While at young age we should teach childrens on how keep pigeons but not directly into race so they could appreciate first the beaty of the pigeons before teach them to race. For me teaching them on how care pigeons is the best methods and turned them as a passion or hobby then later encouarage childrens from basketing and waiting of the bird to return from the training. While doing these they could appriciate the ability of the pigeons how they came back from released area to loft. I just keep back from race pigeons only 2007 when was i assigned to province wherein i meet a friend who race pigeons and later introduce me to club president. Then it started again my passion of pigeons together with my nephew who teach him on how to keep pigeons and race. My nephew now is my loft man and at the same time i gave him all the details to have pigeons from loft constructing , training , medicines, vitamins and other related to pigeon racing. Last dec 13, 2009 we won 2nd overall ( 780 entries ) which only our third race of the club and our 2nd year as member of the club. Now my nephew handled our loft and he meet also other racers and not only for that he encourage his friends to keep pigeons. ( his 4 of friends now keep pigeons and beacome a member of the club ).
I was lucky to be born into a racing pigeon family on my late fathers side.My late father started racing in 1950.I was born in 1960 amongst the pigeons.The love for the birds was always there.1979 I had to do 2 years military service.That was the only time i did not feed pigeons at morning and evening.Back from military service i bought a plot with my savings.With the help of my father we first build the pigeon loft and only when that was finished we started to build a small house.For many years the pigeon loft was bigger than the house.Must say that is still the case.You will understand if i tell you that i have 350 pigeons.My poor wife has received for her birthdays and Christmas gifts pigeon lofts, clocks,baskets and you name it for pigeons.Fortunately she has kept her cool about it.I have never raced well or won big prizes,but the enjoyment or satisfaction that i get from the birds cant be described.Now who told me or what lead me to love the pigeons cant be explained.Was it genetically fixed from the ancestors that came here from Holland.My father told me that the great- grand father raced pigeons in Holland.There must be something genetically imprinted in humans because i find the same love we have for pigeons here in South Africa that i have found in Spain ,Poland and England.My 2 sons dont keep pigeons but i am sure one day one of the grand children will have the right genetics and race pigeons.We pigeon fanciers are all family, even if you meet somebody in a far away country it will only take seconds when at the pigeon lofts and you will treat each other as long lost brothers.
With Love in the pigeon Sport
Alt Visser
South Africa
is there any one out there in the siber world that is willing to help out an old disabled man get started with fantails,ore racer thanks,anser at [email protected] phone 828-817-0647 if so call or email me,thanks again billy.
When I was young and was in 3rd class from then i am keeping pigeons. In early stages I have only local pigeons then i got some fancy pigeons like pouters and kings. Later on when I was in 10th class i was introduced to homers by a friend I read about it in a magazine of local club and from then onward I have racing pigeons. I love pigeons. I have just imported 4 pairs from Germany and races r coming up in March. Thanks
For my 8th birthday my Grandmother sent me 8 birds by rail from Cape Town to the station in Pietermartzburg(South Africa)Which is about 1800 km. When the news came that I needed to pick the birds up at the station,I was not at all exited about the pending arrival.My mother drove me to the station to collect the bascket of birds.The instant I laid my eyes on them I was a total fanatic.It hasnt changed at all,now looking back 38 years.There is no hobby in the world that comes anywhere near this great sport of ours.
Greetings to all fanciers worldwide.From sunny South Africa.
Gavin,
Im based in R-Bay, north of Durban. Over the last couple of months I’ve done some pretty serious research regarding Pigeon racing,lofts,diets,training schedules,etc.
So seeing SA people really encourages me to even further get involved into the sport. I couldn’t gather whether you are a member of a club or not, but I was looking at clubs in my area and cant find any!
Do you know of any fanciers in the Zululand area? If so pls forward me details as I’d like to contact them and learn more or maybe even join a club.
Regards.
Hi Janneman,
You can Contact Manfred Marx, he resides just outside Richards Bay on the way to Mntunzini. In Richards Bay you can contact Adriaan Naude in Arboretum. Also Rudie Hovelmeyer in Arboretum. I used to race pigeons back there in the ’90’s.
You’ll find their contact numbers in the directory. Good Luck!