# Why Race Pigeons?



## tequilaskylark (Sep 28, 2010)

Hi 

I was wondering if people that race pigeons could tell me why they race them? Not the reasons behind keeping them etc, but the actual feelings you get when you race pigeons. The emotional side to racing them. The reason you spend money on keeping the pigeons, training them, and the time you put into it etc... Is it purely to fly your pigeons or for the competitive sport and winning. Or do you actually get more out of it. What made you go into pigeon racing in the first place? 

Many thanks in advance to anyone who is kind enough to reply.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

tequilaskylark said:


> Hi
> 
> I was wondering if people that race pigeons could tell me why they race them? Not the reasons behind keeping them etc, but the actual feelings you get when you race pigeons. The emotional side to racing them. The reason you spend money on keeping the pigeons, training them, and the time you put into it etc... Is it purely to fly your pigeons or for the competitive sport and winning. Or do you actually get more out of it. What made you go into pigeon racing in the first place?
> 
> Many thanks in advance to anyone who is kind enough to reply.


Are you doing some kind of a report ? 

For me, I was always facinated about releasing the pigeons away from home and watching them circle, and head off in the direction of home. And then when I arrive home, I find them in the loft, as if they had never left. The birds don't really know they are "racing" they are simply flying back home, and to this day, I am still amazed at how this creature is able to do that. 

This year I had a pair of young pigeons hatched late this spring, which had never been "trained", were released for the very first time 192 miles from my home (the way the crow flies). And just like magic, they returned home, faster then the driver of a modern truck with GPS. Now, somehow, someway, Mother Nature gave these birds that ability, and it never ceases to amase me.

But, even if I did not release them far from home, I would still enjoy watching them fly around the house for hours, only to come back down and fly into their home I built for them when I call them to do so. Never could do that with a parakeet !  And, if were not for that, I would still enjoy watching them for hours on end in their loft, as I watch their antics, and interacting with each other, as one big happy colony of birds.

As far as what motivates me to get up in the morning to care for them, to "train" them, to spend money to acquire even better pigeons, and to do all the work involved, for what amounts to about 9 weekends a year ? I guess I could have a hot rod, or a boat, or some other hobby. This one simply happens to have my interest at the moment, as it has for a number of decades.......it's one of those things where you will just have to try it for a few seasons, and then you would have a much better idea.


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## tequilaskylark (Sep 28, 2010)

Hi 

Thank you for taking the time to reply! Yes i'm doing a dissertation at the minute and racing pigeons is a big topic. Theres lots of research available on how to race pigeons etc however i couldn't find much information on what people get out of racing pigeons and why they do it. So again thank you, this is exactly what i need, to put some human emotions into my writing. 

Many thanks


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## jpsnapdy (Apr 4, 2010)

I agree with everything Warren said as it is the same for me.
It is always a thrill to watch a bird return home from a training toss and from a race. One reason is that it is gratifying after all the care you have given your charge to see it is rewarding you by coming back. You also feel relieved that it has not got lost for some reason nor attacked by a hawk or shot down by hunters.
The better you take care of them, the faster they will home.

To the "small" flyer, like myself, every bird in the loft is an individual, the bond between bird and man is strong, some pigeons coo and strut when the fancier enters the loft, some will fly to him and land on his/her shoulder. Is this love? I believe it is. I, too am always sad when a bird fails to return. Some birds have turned up weeks or months after they had disappeared. I've had such birds win races for me later on.
If they were unhappy with me or the loft they would not come back because pigeons have character. One yearling hen I had actually flew away in a straight line and never came back after I removed eggs from under her twice. She taught me a lesson. Another young prisoner hen who had never seen the loft from outside, escaped and was flying over the area for 3 days. When she recognised me, ignoring grain and water, she flew to me and let me handle her to be put back into the loft with her mate and eggs. Isn't that extaordinary! The degree of intelligence shown by our feathered friends never ceases to amaze me.
I believe racing pigeons, through domestication and close proximity with men have become a highly intelligent sub-species. As such I think they deserve respect.


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## fresnobirdman (Dec 27, 2008)

I am also fascinated with the ability of a racing pigeon. 
The ability they have to fly for hours and find their way home from a unknown place. 

The more you know these birds the more you appreciate nature.


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

I just wanted birds. Something to do that the Mrs could tolerate, wouldn't have me away from the family, and would last once the kids are gone (only a few years). But we fell in love with watching the birds fly. The mystery of waiting for one to come back from 500 miles. The excitement of seeing that first bird coming home after flying all day. And that was when we were learning by working at other peoples lofts. Now that we have our own birds I spend several hours _each day_ with my kids (16 year old girl and 14 year old boy) work with the bird or building the new loft or just planning pairings for next year. The wife will come out and talk about how we should "add a couch to sit in" or "move the nest boxes so we can see them from here". 

We do it for the birds. The birds pay us back by coming home. And _*we*_ do it together. As a family. 

Racing is just an excuse for us to get off the couch and have fun as a family.


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## JaxRacingLofts (Apr 11, 2010)

What better animal in the world to own then a homing pigeon? 
The beauty of watching your birds take to the air is special. Just watching them cut through the air like a bullet is impressive.
People that cannot appreciate how spectacular it is for a little bird to fly his heart out to return home to you will never have peace in their souls. 
There is something calming just sitting with your birds and observing them that relieves stress. I would say for me "Racing Pigeons" is an excuse to let my birds out to do what they do best...fly fast and free.
They don't have to fly home..they do it because they want to. You have to appreciate the depth of the loyalty these little birds have to their home.


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

Racing pigeons is like golf. Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, sometimes you loose your birds and sometimes your balls. Sometimes you win by seven strokes or seven minutes, other times you need mulligans just to stay competitive. But when it really comes down to it, you are still just walking in the park watching the birds. They both get in your blood. They are also a great place to give the wife a break from you. 
The sheer joy of owning animals also is a big part of it. One thing about the birds is that they are much more free. They are probably the best athletes of any domesticated animal out there. Not many animals can stay 10 hours on the wing at 60 miles an hour over 500 miles. You get the same rush watching these birds loft fly as you do watching fighter jets buzz the trees.


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

tequilaskylark said:


> Hi
> 
> I was wondering if people that race pigeons could tell me why they race them? Not the reasons behind keeping them etc, but the actual feelings you get when you race pigeons. The emotional side to racing them. The reason you spend money on keeping the pigeons, training them, and the time you put into it etc... Is it purely to fly your pigeons or for the competitive sport and winning. Or do you actually get more out of it. What made you go into pigeon racing in the first place?
> 
> Many thanks in advance to anyone who is kind enough to reply.


Do you have birds? If not you should find a local club and spend a day with someone that is loft flying a team of birds. This would give you a lot of insight.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

jAxTecH said:


> What better animal in the world to own then a homing pigeon?
> The beauty of watching your birds take to the air is special. Just watching them cut through the air like a bullet is impressive.
> People that cannot appreciate how spectacular it is for a little bird to fly his heart out to return home to you will never have peace in their souls.
> There is something calming just sitting with your birds and observing them that relieves stress. I would say for me "Racing Pigeons" is an excuse to let my birds out to do what they do best...fly fast and free.
> They don't have to fly home..they do it because they want to. You have to appreciate the depth of the loyalty these little birds have to their home.


That pretty much says it all. You really should find a club and go to one of the members houses on race day and experience the joy of when a bird comes home, even more if it wins.
Dave


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

For all of the above and more.

Picture a typical race day and you and your buddies have guessed that the winning bird for that days race, will arrive somewhere between 3 and 4 pm. At about 3:10 pm you have a bird land on your landing board and quickly go through the trap. Now picture that it is a bird from a mating that was an experimental breeding, whereupon you crossed an ornery old cock bird you own, with a delicate shy hen you never got anything good out of. Now your "guess" has paid off. It may or may not be the winner that day, but at that moment you have a feeling of great exhiliration and "hope". That little stinker that you raised and trained, did something scientist can not even fully explain, and did it well. You feel like you are on cloud nine, and you have that "tingle" in your body, that maybe. Just maybe. Your little #445 has made you a winner today. You know for darn sure you ain't last. You have talked with three other members of your club on the phone and they don't have any birds home yet.

Another reason is that, unlike many types of pets or animals. You can let your little boogers out and watch them fly free as a bird (pun intended), and yet they come back. You can even call them in immediately. Unlike a dog, cat, parrot, or iguana. Even if your pigeons live in a small hut on the top of your high rise building, they can be set totally free and will return. Try that with a dog or iguana.

They come back because they want to. Your cat may ignore your calls. Your dog may chase something across the neighborhood and you have to go find it, or put out a poster asking for help in locating it.

But your homing pigeon/s will come home as quickly as they can, from almost anywhere. Because they want to. Not because they are afraid of making you mad.

There are more reasons. They are often referred to as the "poor mans race horses", and they are. I could never afford to own a race horse and enter it into numerous races. Especially with any hope of winning. But these little critters I can. A whole bunch of them. Some will earn awards and even win money. Sometimes big money. Some will be only so-so and never win anything. But they all will do their best to come home from a race.

We all grew up with our elders telling us that it doesn't matter if you win or lose. It only matters that you try your best. I have never owned a racing pigeon that did not try its best to come home. When a bird that hasn't done anything worth bragging about for the first two years of its life, suddenly shows up a 6 pm from a 500 mile race. You just can't help but feel vindicated for participating in this hobby.

Besides. I like competition. It is what I live for.  Be it basketball, checkers, collecting comic books, or racing pigeons. I am just competitive. I want to beat somebody at something, everyday. 

Today the club. Tomorrow the world.  er...ah.... guess I'm getting a little carried away. Ha Ha

I tell you this. I had to quit racing pigeons for almost thirty years, for medical reasons. During that time, I could not drive on the road or walk in town, without looking at passing pigeons in the sky and wondering if that was a racing pigeon on its way home, or lost. For so many years I looked to the sky and missed them. Not any more. Even though I am allergic to them and have to wear a mask when in my lofts, I do. I will no longer watch the sky wondering what a pigeon up there is doing. Now I look to a pigeon in the sky and say, "I got one. A good one!"


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## R-Tune (Oct 26, 2010)

racing pigeons to me is like what everyone in here already mention.Except that i get mixed emotions on race days.... 

I get anxious cant wait for the bird to come home.but at the same time i also feel sad and worry if something happen to my bird while coming home and if it dont make it home i just lost a good bird so sad..
Then that's when i start thinking to myself.. i should not send it .then i think to myself again if i dont send it. i wont know how good it is.. ... . 
When it gets home and i see it flying that's the best part..then all my worries go away with a sigh of relief..
Then i feel excited and happy at the same time..And cant wait to see what place it placed.

All these mixed emotions, sad, happy, and excited make me like racing pigeons
..kind of like a thrill on a roller coaster..


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## Xueoo (Nov 20, 2009)

Racing pigeons is a waste of time for me, really. It's about the 6th-7th "hobby" I have going on that I'm into. Maybe that may change if my housing, or more to do with the pigeon housing, situation changes. My family's always had chickens and pigeons (racing, rollers, fancy, etc) and it's something I've been around. 

If you talk to pigeon racers, you'll see that, for most, it's not just the racing aspect of the sport that is the enjoyment. It's the overall function of the sport, from raising youngs to race day, and the social aspect of common interest with others. It becomes a lifestyle, such as an artist, painter, surfer, biker, etc. It becomes a part of your life. It's like anything else in life that you like to do. If you have or have ever had something you liked to do, then it's the same feeling with racing pigeons. Competition just makes you try a little harder, as you'd do with any other "game". 

For some, it's not as deep. For others, it's the only thing that matters, thus, it is a multi million dollar "hobby" worldwide.


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## jpsnapdy (Apr 4, 2010)

Xueoo said:


> Racing pigeons is a waste of time for me, really. It's about the 6th-7th "hobby" I have going on that I'm into. Maybe that may change if my housing, or more to do with the pigeon housing, situation changes. My family's always had chickens and pigeons (racing, rollers, fancy, etc) and it's something I've been around.
> 
> If you talk to pigeon racers, you'll see that, for most, it's not just the racing aspect of the sport that is the enjoyment. It's the overall function of the sport, from raising youngs to race day, and the social aspect of common interest with others. It becomes a lifestyle, such as an artist, painter, surfer, biker, etc. It becomes a part of your life. It's like anything else in life that you like to do. If you have or have ever had something you liked to do, then it's the same feeling with racing pigeons. Competition just makes you try a little harder, as you'd do with any other "game".
> 
> For some, it's not as deep. For others, it's the only thing that matters, thus, it is a multi million dollar "hobby" worldwide.


Interesting point of view!
Sadly for pigeon lovers, racing and racing pigeons are indeed for some (and especially in some parts of the world) only a means to make money, therefore the scandalous prices being paid for some birds. And how right Xueoo is there!
Also like Xueoo, I grew up with pigeons flying about in the yard which led me to know about birds and animals in general. But when I met a man who had homers, I was hooked, the racing pigeon virus got me and when I was able to earn a living, I repopulated the old loft, this time, with homers and later with racers. 
Then when you race, as conditionfreak says, the competition spirit gets you and when you win a (tough) race, your male ego feels better! In spite of that, the pigeons always come before my ego, so they got a real racing loft and better care. 

Is it a waste of time? 
For those who don't have the "pigeon bug" it must be! 
For me, by keeping pigeons I think I learned a lot about Health and medication at competition level, nutrition and the value and properties of grains and food in general, genetics and probabilities, building and architecture, weather and the Environment, dealing with club members from all walks of life and not least: organisation, planning, respect and discipline without which one cannot achieve any goal in life. And I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go.
So it is all in the way you look at it, as I can read on some clubs' banners around here, Pigeon Racing is the King of Sports, you gain to get a lot out of it and it keeps you out of trouble if you're not the "family-man" type. Plus you can be crowned "Champion" if you deserve it...


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Pigeon racing is the "Sport of Kings".

Or used to be, anyway.

Anyone know if the Queen of England has a racing pigeon loft? If so, are they actually raced?


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## avian (Sep 6, 2010)

its a question like ''why does the sun rise?''


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

conditionfreak said:


> Pigeon racing is the "Sport of Kings".
> 
> Or used to be, anyway.
> 
> *Anyone know if the Queen of England has a racing pigeon loft? If so, are they actually raced?*


*
*


She does have a loft. Don't know if they are actually raced, or just loft fly.


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## Feathered Dragons (Oct 15, 2010)

it's like "life is a box of chocolate, you never know what your going to get." LOL


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

The Queen has a loft,and the birds are raced....She even has special bands,with a name on them to show fellow flyers that the bird belongs to her....The birds have been bred down for 100`s of years,going back to her father....There is a BIG race she sponsors,that is a 500 mile race..The winner gets the Queen`s Cup,which she personally hands to the winner...A few years ago,one of her birds WON the cup....The Queen`s Cup race is the most sought after trophy in England.....The race has thousands of birds entered,and everyone sends their BEST long distance pigeons to this race...A little old guy has won it two years in a row,and his loft is very small and modest...Nothing fancy,and he is not a pigeon merchant....He sells no birds,or wants to...He is just a pigeon flyer,and a very good one for sure...Alamo


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## jpsnapdy (Apr 4, 2010)

conditionfreak said:


> Pigeon racing is the "Sport of Kings".
> 
> Or used to be, anyway.


It used to be, too!
There were days when in many countries, the pigeon loft, "colombier" in French, was a tall building on the land of the aristocrats. Only later was the commoner allowed to have a pigeon "coop".
Here in India, it was indeed the sport of kings. There is a famous story of a commoner whose pigeons beat the king's and he was appointed loft manager to the king's lofts,the story was retold by "Old Hand" and is about the properties of hemp.


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*good thread*

Warren, You said it as is right from the start. I could not help but smile after reading how you put it. I did read all the other postings and enjoyed them all as well. Now I need to work on finding a way to get the Queens Cup from Karen LOL. >Kevin


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## hankabus (Dec 3, 2009)

*why*

I have read all of the postings and replies to your question and for me a little bit of all of them applies. The gratification one gets from these birds is enormous...The social aspect, meeting with others that share your interests, the competition, the husbandry and responcibility of the birds health and happiness, pairing and breeding your next champion or in my case would be a first...the joy of watching them in flight. And then there's the loft management part of it. By that I mean the book keeping and record keeping part of it. Believe it or not I even enjoy that. Thank you for starting this thread. I really enjoy reading the responses. You have put a smile on my face...

Hank


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Alamo said:


> The Queen has a loft,and the birds are raced....She even has special bands,with a name on them to show fellow flyers that the bird belongs to her....The birds have been bred down for 100`s of years,going back to her father....There is a BIG race she sponsors,that is a 500 mile race..The winner gets the Queen`s Cup,which she personally hands to the winner...A few years ago,one of her birds WON the cup....The Queen`s Cup race is the most sought after trophy in England.....The race has thousands of birds entered,and everyone sends their BEST long distance pigeons to this race...A little old guy has won it two years in a row,and his loft is very small and modest...Nothing fancy,and he is not a pigeon merchant....He sells no birds,or wants to...He is just a pigeon flyer,and a very good one for sure...Alamo


I'm glad I asked. What a great story. I wonder if that "little old guy" would give some youngsters to the Quees, if she asked. My guess is his answer would be, "But of course. I would be honored".

Unless his last name is Smith.  Ha Ha Ha


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## Wayne Johnson (Oct 1, 2010)

Conditionfreak,
Please visit the loft design section and share your experiences with hutch style lofts.
It is a thread called"beginners loft challenge.
Thanks in advance
Wayne


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## PigeonVilla (Dec 8, 2010)

All one would have to do is own one and they wouldn't have to ask why.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

There is nothing greater than the feeling you get when you see that first bird coming in and you clock it. It makes me smile so big I could almost cry, and I jump around in my 'happy dance' that I have become famous for here at the house  It's what my parents look forward to seeing every weekend during racing season. It's one of those things where you don't really know how it feels unless you've experienced it yourself.
I planned the breeding and watched the baby grow from the time its egg was laid. When it was weaned, I trained and conditioned it, and made sure it was healthy. I fed it peanuts out of my hand to earn its trust. I gave it good luck scritches on the neck before I sent it on the race, and the next day I made sure it had a nice comfortable loft, a perch, a nest box, and hopefully a mate to come home to. It's hard not to get a joy from racing when you've put some much time and love into the birds. I tell people I have about a hundred feathered kids who have a constant craving for peanuts and rocks 
Sure, the competition is great and winning is even better, but honestly, if I get my birds back, I'm just as proud as can be. I may win, or I may lose, but it's still fun. It can be stressful at times, but in the end, I'm glad I did it. I've met tons of the best people in the world and have learned so much. 
Homing pigeons are fascinating birds in general. I've always thought it was so cool that they could come home from a distance, and make it back before we did. I'm even more fascinated by the long distances they can cover. 500 to 600 miles in a day. How many other animals can you say that about? Truly the greatest athletes. On top of their amazing flying skills, they've also done very important things for us. They served with us in wars, saving thousands of lives. They've brought us good and bad news. They fed hungry people and fertilized their crops. They've spotted people lost at sea, that we might otherwise overlook. And their intelligence and variation in breeds is remarkable.
So for me, racing is fun and exciting, because I know I'm raising very smart, historic athletes. And I'm not even forcing them. They want to come home. If you love something, set it free. And if it returns to you, it is yours forever


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