Beginner's Guide To Racing PigeonsHistorically, pigeon racing has been around almost since the beginning of time. In the first century there were bets recorded for the outcome of pigeon races. It mattered how fast the pigeon could carry a message to the destination. Even during World War I homing pigeons were used to carry important military messages to distant outposts. Basics A racing pigeon is a pigeon that is specially bred for speed and performance. It is usually competed in a sport called pigeon racing. In this sport, the specially trained pigeon is released and is allowed to cover a specific distance. The winning bird is determined by measuring the rate of travel of each bird. The final decision is arrived at by comparing each bird's speed. The one with the fastest rate wins. Usually, the distance racing pigeons have to cover runs anywhere from 100 km to 1000 km. You might think the first bird to arrive home to the loft is the winner but there is more to it than that. Rules Because the sport of racing pigeons has been around for centuries there has been a long time to create strict measures and rules. The primary purpose of all the complicated rules is to be certain no racer can cheat and to assure the owner of the fastest pigeon will receive the first place prize. Today there are microchips and scanners and hi tech recorders to help determine the rate of travel. After the birds all return home, the racers go to the club with their results and find out which bird is declared the winner. Among other things, it teaches and breeds patience. The rules of the sport, as set forth by the pigeon racing governing body the American Pigeon Racing Union mostly covers significant rules regarding how to race, how to calculate dead time, and how to time the race. Some of the important rules are: Racing: Each race starts at the same location at the same time. A racer must prove that he is the owner of the pigeon. Every competing pigeon must be healthy and needs to wear a racing band. Each pigeon has to return to its loft at the end of the race. Or it is disqualified. The shortest distance allowed for each official race is no less than 75 miles. Timing: Every race is timed with electronic band scanning clock systems. Each of the clocks used during the race should run at the same time. Owners need to provide proper labeling of their timers. Participants must use properly working timers. The timers have to be easy to read and have clear time stamps. Each timer used in the race ought to be able to PRINT the time the birds return to their lofts. Dead Time For especially long races, a dead time may be needed. The "dead time" is used to close the race during the night. It begins 30 minutes before the official sunset and resumes 30 minutes before the official sunrise in the area of the race. During dead time, the clocks are stopped. However,not every races uses dead time. Some organizations continue the race timing through night. Some Important Things To Help You Become A Good Pigeon Fancier Health is important for a racing pigeon. Do not expect a sick bird to race fast or at all. Often "training tosses" dont help with the pigeon's performance. Instead, they often have negative affects on the health of the birds. Be practical. You are better off with a pair of excellent pigeons than a group that doesnt perform well. Treat your pigeons well. Do not overwork them. Remember to allow the young ones to mature prior to racing. Never overcrowd your pigeons. Overcrowding contributes to disease among these birds. You want to choose intelligent pigeons who have no trouble finding their lofts. Make a commitment to train your pigeons and bond with them regularly.
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