Why do we love our pigeons?

[Murray]

Just for a change of pace, something friendly and happy, I'll go first.

All my working life I said I was going to retire and race pigeons. All the years I was working I was trying to find the time to really do them well. Now I am retired and I am having a ball

When I go to the loft I love that they all get excited, Ronnie the yearling grizzle pulling my woolly hat off, Baby Dot the Pitbull marching from one shoulder to the other daring anyone to push him off.
In the hen's side playing peek a boo with the Billion Dollar Baby and Free Beer, it is a joy.

But they are racing pigeons and I'm an old jockey. I want to win. And I'm not stuck in the mindset of breed plenty, send plenty and hope your number comes up.
A lot of the pleasure I get from them is from looking at what you have and working out how you can win with them.
In NZ just before we came to Australia 20 years ago I had a small loft with 9 widow cocks in it. 8 of them had won at least 1 race, most of them had won several. That's all I had.

Here in Australia I've had to unlearn a lot of things. But the same desire remains.
Back in 2014 I started again and my young cock "The Diver" on eggs and small babies, won his first three weeks in a row and the rest of the sprint series was immediately cancelled because of excessive sulking. The old Diver is still here, he's a 2013 pigeon, so he's getting on a bit. He flies out and is happy.

Last year after we moved to the country I bred a small team of youngsters. The expectation is that after a move, especially a long move, you might take a few seasons to regain your old form. Nope. That was the best team of youngsters I have ever had. Or even seen They would fly 90 minutes in the morning and 60 minutes in the afternoon, like rockets. They would fly a 20 mile toss in 19 minutes every time.
Going out to the first race liberation with David Cox, he asked if they were going good? I just grinned.
When we got there I phoned Catherine and said they would be home in 55 to 60 minutes. I could see Davey doing the arithmetic in his head as he went behind the trailer to relieve himself. They actually took 63 minutes.

Anyway, off they went, a small group took off while most of them did a few swirling circles. We won the race by 130 metres per minute, and a few days later I was told that I couldn't go in the rest of the sprint series, due to excessive sulking.

This is why I love the pigeon sport. My pigeons are my friends. I go in the loft and pick them up and talk to them, they interact with me.
I love winning races, and I'd rather set up one to win than 50 to loose.

[chrisroscoe]

When I was a kid my grandad built me a loft, he got some birds from a few local guys and I had them for a year untill my mum and dad told him to get rid of them I was 12 I think so he build me a small 2ft by 3ft shed we hung on the wall at a pub my parents ran,

I have a cock bird that was white with a black patch on his back in the shape of a love heart.

He worked out my bedroom window was open and use to fly in and would be dancing and coo on my bed in the morning I was hooked from there.

That bird was fantastic.

[Devo1956]

I have racing in my DNA, Pigeon racing, horse racing and greyhound racing. Also my love for Formula1, all my life i have been a lover of speed. How do we get things to go faster? is it the fuel we feed them?
Is the love we show that makes them want to return home faster? many qustions can be asked on this subject. And some answers are out of our control, But i can say the more you put into anything in life, the more you will take out. Does it cost a lot to be involved in these sports? oh yes and some sports are not cheap. So this is were syndicates are formed, to cut cost for you entering that sport. But the question is, do you show the same love.

[Murray]

I have racing in my DNA, Pigeon racing, horse racing and greyhound racing. Also my love for Formula1, all my life i have been a lover of speed. How do we get things to go faster? is it the fuel we feed them?
Is the love we show that makes them want to return home faster? many qustions can be asked on this subject. And some answers are out of our control, But i can say the more you put into anything in life, the more you will take out. Does it cost a lot to be involved in these sports? oh yes and some sports are not cheap. So this is were syndicates are formed, to cut cost for you entering that sport. But the question is, do you show the same love.

That's where Devo and I have made such a strong relationship.
Not only is is a dear, great friend of Catherine and I, we have the same views on the pigeons.
When Devo visited us early last year he put up the finance to double the size of the loft, and we now have a terrific loft where we breed and send out youngsters to many lofts.
Of course I am the active member of the partnership, the shed is in my back garden, but when I say "we", I am referring to a partnership with Devo. He has caused a quantum leap up for our loft.

[Devo1956]

I have racing in my DNA, Pigeon racing, horse racing and greyhound racing. Also my love for Formula1, all my life i have been a lover of speed. How do we get things to go faster? is it the fuel we feed them?
Is the love we show that makes them want to return home faster? many qustions can be asked on this subject. And some answers are out of our control, But i can say the more you put into anything in life, the more you will take out. Does it cost a lot to be involved in these sports? oh yes and some sports are not cheap. So this is were syndicates are formed, to cut cost for you entering that sport. But the question is, do you show the same love.

That's where Devo and I have made such a strong relationship.
Not only is is a dear, great friend of Catherine and I, we have the same views on the pigeons.
When Devo visited us early last year he put up the finance to double the size of the loft, and we now have a terrific loft where we breed and send out youngsters to many lofts.
Of course I am the active member of the partnership, the shed is in my back garden, but when I say "we", I am referring to a partnership with Devo. He has caused a quantum leap up for our loft.

Murray, you know i am one for observing, after 2 days staying at your home. It was clear to me the love you show for the birds, sometimes putting them before yourself. I could see you had quality birds, but very short on space. Cathrine and yourself really enjoy the garden, you both just potter away carrying out different tasks. For me it was going to be a great loft visit, and made even better by yourself and Cathrine. You made me feel so welcome. So after having a chat to you, and also the visit to David Cox loft. I asked you to plan the exstention of the loft, to give you more room for future breeding. And you done it so well, after i left to return to the UK.
What a time i had with yourselves, and a great end product that you planned. The loft as given you more space to work in, and produce quality youngsters.

[Tony-P-]

Some great stories there fellas thanks for sharing.

Mine started as a very young kid, visiting my grandparents every Saturday, my uncle was still living there as he was only 16 or 17 I think anyway, he had pigeons on the veranda of the flat they lived in, he had court strays and bred Y/Bs from these he had them for years, not racing them I don't think just as his pets. I would help him with them when I was visiting.
as I got older and went to my mates house after school, their dads and brothers had lofts in the back garden I'd be 11 or 12 at this point, I was amazed at the set up and the pigeons flying round and coming back to the loft. Yes I got used to clean the lofts out because of my interest in the pigeons, I could hold them and look at the eggs and Y/Bs.
I'd go round on race day to watch the birds come home, I would go to the club on a Friday night to watch the pigeons get loaded up on the wagon.
But I could never have them at home only budgies from my grandad which have been with me all my life (not the same budgies hahaha) but I have always had birds and still have a mixed shed of them today.
I have finally after moving house 4 times over the years now been given the Green Light by the Boss (Mrs) to get myself some pigeons I can't wait.