RACING PIGEONS
The Sport and Hobby of Pigeon Racing
The thoroughbred racing pigeon is the fastest racing animal of all with the excitement and challenge of the sport of pigeon racing being enjoyed by more than two million fanciers throughout the world.
In Australia, many thousands of dedicated fanciers compete in races of distances ranging from 50 to 1200 kilometres every year.
The preparation of the pigeon race team for competition is no different than that of a football, swimming, running, cycling or any other team of athletes. The same principles of health and fitness apply to all these athletic disciplines whether they involve racing animals or human athletes. The underlying challenge of the pigeon fancier with the pigeon race team or the coach/manager of a football team is to prepare the team both physically and psychologically to compete successfully.
The only difference between the human athletic coach and the pigeon fancier is that the pigeon does not speak our language. The pigeon fancier therefore must learn to understand and communicate to the pigeon race team in many other ways and herein lies the intrigue and interest of racing pigeons.
During training and competition every athlete, including the racing pigeon is susceptible to illness. This is a failing of all elite athletes at peak fitness, because there is a fine line between the very best performance and the "break down" from illness. The challenge for the pigeon fancier is to maintain the race team in top form without "breaking down" from the illnesses that surround the pigeon in the race basket and transporter. It is the control of this fragile balancing act that sets the best fanciers from the rest.
Many pigeon fanciers chose not to compete in races and have thoroughbred pigeons for the pure joy of keeping and breeding this particularly beautiful and intelligent bird.After all, the thoroughbred pigeon must be the ultimate pet bird, because it returns for the love of the loft (it's home) when released from any point on the compass. Is there any other pet that is capable of the same?
In this fast modern urban age when we are so divorced from nature, the keeping of pigeons is one way for both adults and children to develop a greater understanding and respect for the complexities of nature.
Detailed information regarding the month to month care for the race team and the breeding loft.
Enhances pigeon performance by providing an immediate and sustained energy source.
The behaviour of pigeons as they fly outside the loft tells us a lot about their fitness, health and happiness.