Correct training, feed, and good birds (strain names are pretty immaterial so long as they are from good long distance families) are important, and a family that can succeed on your course. A long distance winning strain that has been developed on a flat, level course over the span of years might not be one to fly a mountainous course against a strain that’s been developed for that one.

One thing I always, always look for is a soft wing (personal prejudice perhaps) but an older winning flyer showed me years ago that birds which would “lay their wing in your hand” usually did much better at the distance than did those that “snapped it back”. Color is pretty immaterial (though I try to watch for any in the family that might wind whip their flights excessively)

Some fly widowhood, some natural (a good hen on just hatched squeakers is hard to beat even with a good widow cock bird). I’ve done both and seen both win.

Feeding on the curve also helps as does correct training (which seems to vary on different routes – that’s something you might have to check with your local flyers). So does making sure they’re hydrated correctly for the flight.

One hugh part of the recipe is seeing that the birds love their home and feel secure in it.

If you want “strains” – which I’ve found over the years often really aren’t what people say they are (how many times have you heard the “It’s Janssen – it’s mom was out of so and so” and they sort of ignore the sire? or the grandsire? or any of the others in the family line?”

Look for flyers who are currently winning in the distance and terrain that you want to fly in. Ask them – often if they’re not your direct competitors (and sometime even if they are) and if you are polite, you will get a direct and useful answer for yourself.

in addition to checking out some of the larger longer races here in N. America, you might simply want to Google the Barcelona National pigeon race to get results of some fo the long distance birds and strains presently flying in Europe as well. You might also want to Google Australian pigeon races – they fly some really long distance races there as well.

Below I’ve listed the website URL for one of the people who flew the Barcelona and places pretty high up and their birds.

visit my blog for more tips. http://michael-pigeonracing.blogspot.com

Racing pigeons are a special breed of pigeon, they were bred specially for message delivery back in the medievil days, 2 different people had the one bird, and this bird new these 2 locations.. so these two people would use this bird to send a msg to eachother, and for all the people they need to send messages to fast they had a bird for it. so if they had 20 people, then there was 20 birds..
now days, they use them for racing, the bird is taught trust there owner and they teach them and special noise they will use and when the bird learns this noise and comes to the owner, the owner then lets the bird out to fly around and teachs to bird to come to the noise and learn the area, like what there house looks like, and the bids remembers this ands so when they learn all this, and a race is on, they can take them thousands of miles away and the birds will fly home.

Pigeons use at least three different modes of navigation. Right between their eyes, they have a layer of magnetite cells (like natural magnets). These sense the earth’s magnetic fields and they use that sense to help get back to where they feel “comfortable”. Second, they have been shown to use the angle of the sun and the time of the day (sort of an internal clock that lets them know where the sun “should” be for home, and they head that way. Third, there is evidence from some Italian studies that they may actually use scent — though there is still some experimentation being down to verify this. Fourth: they’ve been shown to also use some visible landmarks – they often follow roads, etc., which you can actually see them do if you have racing pigeons and follow them sometime.

There is also evidence that pigeons can hear infrasound (deep sounds way below what human beings can hear) and that they may also use these clues to find their way. A pigeon in California can likely hear the wind going thru a pass in the Rocky Mountains.

There is still much research being done on homing in pigeons as well as in wild birds. It’s a field that is active and it’s still got a lot of surprises waiting for us to discover.

Pigeons are fascinating and wildly exciting animals that are much, much more than just the “things” that are dirty because they’re forced to live in human dirt and oil in cities.

Visit our blog @ http://michael-pigeonracing.blogspot.com

Review

“I can count myself as lucky for having stumbled across Jim Jenner’s wonderful pigeon documentaries that played no small part in inspiring me as I wrote “PIGEONS: The Fascinating Saga of the World’s Most Revered and Reviled Bird”. Jenner, as a former CBS newsman and lifelong pigeon fancier, brings a unique blend of professional skill, colorful writing, and encyclopedic knowledge to his passionate films on these birds. I’ve learned that within the pigeon world his movies are considered the gold standard. His generous help, and that of his many friends in the hobby, was a rich resource I drew upon many times. If you find my book enjoyable, I can guarantee you will be delighted with the many entertaining and informative stories Jenner has captured around the world about a most wondrous and gentle creature–the humble Rock Dove.” Andrew D. Blechman- Author “PIGEONS: The Fascinating Saga of the World’s Most Revered and Reviled Bird” –Andrew Blechman – Author “Pigeons”

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This authoritative book is aimed at all pigeon enthusiasts, particularly those who participate in racing them at distances greater than five hundred miles. It encourages the reader to view the humble pigeon in a different light, gaining a deeper appreciation of the enormous joy and satisfaction that can be gained from long-distance pigeon racing. In addition to the interviews with both British and Continental lofts, features covered include acquisition of stock, health and immunity, loft management, and pairing and exercising of the birds.

About the Author

John Clements started racing pigeons as a schoolboy in 1952. He went on to break new ground when, in cooperation with Jos Thone of Belgium, he compiled a series of books listing the results and the methods used by winning Continental and British fanciers. John has successfully flown pigeons in most major UK long-distance races and for the last three years has competed in the Entente Belge Intgernational Dax. He is a serious and dedicated commentator on the sport and writes a regular weekly column in British Homing World.

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Review

Product Description

What does it take to construct the perfect racing pigeon loft?
Why do champion trainers say that excellent pigeons in a bad loft will seldom, if ever, win races?
Why do pigeons from humble housing often crush excellent birds from huge palatial pigeon lofts?

Those are the questions award-winning film maker Jim Jenner sets out to answer as he visits dozens of some of the most successful pigeon lofts in the world.

This is literally the inside story of how the best lofts work. Using 3D computer animation, and hundreds of shots of construction details, Secrets of Champions IV is your guide to learning what you need to know about creating a loft that brings your birds into winning condition and holds that condition for the entire racing season.

Filmed in Belgium, Ireland, Scotland, England and the U.S.A. this film explores how four key components are the secret to form. The perfect blend of oxygen exchange, humidity and temperature, combined with what champions call the carrying capacity of a loft are the factors that are key to perfect condition.

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Review

While attending the Old Comrades Show recently I was chatting to Frank Tasker and my friend Doctor Geoff Richmond and was introduced to Jim Jenner who has made several videos/DVDs including the famous Marathon in the Sky and Oldest Feathered Friends. Jim said that his new DVD Secrets of Champions was a good one also and that he would like me to view it and give my opinion on it. Well the other night I could not sleep as my mind was over active. Unlike my body my wife says. O I sat down at 3am and watched it. What did I think about it? Well I don t think, I know! Secrets of Champions is without doubt the finest piece of national ? filming ever put together on a pigeon DVD. If there is a better one let me know and skin flint as I am I will happily buy a copy. To be truthful how could it fail to be as good as it has a cast of superstars in the credits including As Schaerlaechens, who for my money is the best writer on pigeon topics today, Frank Tasker himself a veteran champion and I am not trying to say Frank is old but he has been winning for many years, Ronnie Williamson who without question is Northern Ireland s number one and Geoff Kirkland who for my money is the finest fancier this country has ever produced. What these four have in common besides their ability to race pigeons is a willingness to share their thoughts and views on pigeons. So how could this film fail barring Jim running out of film. Well Jim Jenner didn t run out of film and his DVD is a class act and well worthy to run with its stablemates Marathon in the Sky and oldest Feathered Friends . The biggest criticism, I often hear ? fanciers level is that You learn now t from em, you just see fancy lofts and advertising . Well I can assure you that you will learn plenty from this baby and as for advertising not one work is mentioned. In fact many of the people interviewed declared their displeasing at the level of commercialism in the sport today. You will hardly see the inside of a loft on this DVD. It is 100% factual, edited in a pleasant and very viewable manner. I am very confident that all fanciers, from the most seasoned veteran to the newest beginner will glean a huge amount of information from Secrets of Champions. Dr. Carlo Gyselbretcht, the Belgian pigeon flying veterinarian also feature together with Paul Haelteramn, the man who is responsible in no small part to Frank s phenomenal success as well as Dr. Ken Dial, professor of avian flight studies who reveals many amazing facts about our belonged pigeons. Alan and Dirk Van den Driessche provide the Belgian angle on such matters as the darkness system and introduction of new stock. Two successful disciples of Frank and Ronnie, Gregg Brothers tell of their beliefs on a variety of subjects. I do not wish to spoil our enjoyment of the DVD by giving too much away but the subjects of contented pigeons, motivation, overcrowding, eyesign and many more aspects of our sport are covered. The secret of the motor is revealed and Geoff Kirkland says it is not a theory but a fact. This piece alone is worth the cost of the DVD. Anyone looking at buying a Christmas gift need search no further. Order today and reap the rewards. As Jim would say “enjoy”. –British Homing World

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From Publishers Weekly

Many people consider the ubiquitous rock dove, better known as the pigeon, a “rat with wings.” But as Blechman demonstrates in his enjoyable and informative book, this much maligned bird has served humans well for thousands of years, carrying messages informing the ancient Egyptians about flood levels along the Nile, bearing news of Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo and saving thousands of soldiers’ lives during the two world wars. Today pigeons are found everywhere, from the queen of England’s luxurious racing pigeon lofts to the garbage-strewn streets of every large city. Pigeons—gregarious, easily domesticated and capable of flying for hours at speeds of more than 100 mph—are interesting in their own right, but Blechman writes not so much about the birds themselves as about the people who either love or hate them. These include members of a Newe York City homing pigeon club who dedicate themselves to raising and racing pigeons; Queen Elizabeth’s royal pigeon handler; breeders who spend years perfecting champion birds for show; gun enthusiasts who participate in brutal live pigeon shoots. Many of these people are eccentric, and while Blechman’s book won’t convert pigeon haters to pigeon lovers, it does make for entertaining reading. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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The history of Racing Pigeon Club of Angeles (Philippines)(RCPA) is the former (ACPRA) Angeles City Pigeon Racing Association, (RCPA) is nostalgic and inspiring all the fanciers here in Angeles City. The pioneers led by Richard Caparas, first Presiding BOD,Adrian Suarez, first Secretary,Renan Agustin,first Treasurer ,Mike Yabut, Programmer & Officer, Elmer Castaneda, first BOD, Roland Salunga, first BOD of ( RCPA) triumphed over the seemingly insurmountable odds when (RCPA) was still at its infancy stage. They, a member of the Racing Pigeon Club of Angeles(Philippines) established in 2007, actively participated in the club races. The club was organized and supported by Carmelo “Jon” Lazatin II and with the support of other members.

Product Description

Racing Pigeon Club all over the world struggle to race their pigeons and for each of the members give their best to reach the top and get the over all champion. Pigeon Racing is a sport developed by lots of fanciers and pigeon lovers not only in other big countries but include the smaller countries.