Pigeon racing enables the owner to be breeder, dietician, manager, trainer, coach and competitor. Selective breeding, balanced feeding, systematic training, care and understanding all play a part in creating the champion pigeon which races 500 miles in a single day. A great feat when you realise the average pigeon weighs little more than 16 ounces or 400 grams! Travelling at roughly 42 miles per hour depending on wind speed and direction
When competing in races, the birds are taken to a predetermined release point in large, air-conditioned vehicles, some carrying as many as six thousand of these avian athletes. The release is a spectacular sight. Each pigeon carries a secretly-numbered rubber band in addition to its permanent identity ring. On arrival home, the rubber ring is removed and placed in a tamper-proof clock which stamps the exact time of return. The distance from the release point to each loft is known to the nearest yard. When clocks are returned to the clubhouse, rubber rings are checked, times read and speeds of the birds can be calculated by computer or secretary of the club The bird with the fastest speed wins the race and is awarded a prize.
The loft can need not be an elaborate structure a small garden shed which fits neatly into the garden will do the job. If you feel this is the sport for you then you may like a specially designed loft to house your pigeons
Try using a hutch system like Keith Mott or try a pair in the novice hutch if space is at a premium (see photo’s) Very often a major race is won by a bird racing to a small back garden loft whilst entrants from large expensive structures are amongst the 'also ran’s. This is one of the great attractions of the sport: the ordinary working man with a small team of birds can compete on an equal footing with the better off where expense on loft and birds has no limit.
Winter is the season for shows, both local and national. Through these events pigeon fanciers raise tens of thousands of pounds for charity every year. The major show each year is the British Homing World's 'Show of the Year', held each January in the Winter Gardens, Blackpool. This event has become a Mecca for fanciers throughout this country and abroad and, to date, this show has raised over £1,000,000 for charity.
The North East Homing Union will be having their show at Temple Park Leisure Centre November 26th 2005 (South Tyneside) CANCELLED due to the avian flu scare
The Heworth Homing Society is open to new members residing in the Heworth & Wardley area north of the felling by-pass to the south bank of the river Tyne.
The boundary for the club being as follows from Heworth roundabout along the A194 to White-mare pool down to Bill Quay Bridge from there to the river Tyne along the river bank to Low Heworth Lane then up to the Heworth roundabout
The largest number of lofts in the club race to the Cowpath Allotments these are situated near Bill Quay park/ Stonehill ind estate several for an annual rent of £25
Interested call by and ask for the secretary who will be glad to see and hopefully be able to
answer any questions you may have gary@robson167.freeserve.co.uk
Awards for All
The Heworth Homing Society has just been awarded a grant from Awards for All for a total £3700
for the purchase of a laptop computer
8 new t3 timing clocks and accessories (dvd’s ,books showpens) pigeon basket etc
This is to help existing & new members
10 facts on racing pigeons
1 a pigeon is about 13 inches long from beak to tail
2 a full grown pigeon has approximately 10,000 feathers
3 unless separated pigeons mate for life
4 they have been known to live for 30 years
5 a pigeon beats its wings up to 10 times per second while maintaining a heart-rate of 600 beats per minute up to 16 hours with out rest
6 pigeons can swallow water without the need to tilt their heads back
7 during long races it reaches back and holds onto the short tail feathers with its feet to save energy from holding its legs up
8 a pigeon can see for 26 miles on a clear day and have been used by search and rescue to spot people in the sea
9 the queen races pigeons and the rings on her pigeons have the letters ER on them
10 in the 17th century King George 1 of England decreed all pigeon droppings to be the property of the Crown, and the lofts were policed to enforce the law (pigeon droppings were used in the production of gunpowder