The Art Of Pigeon Racing

I feel sorry for newcomers coming into the sport of pigeon racing. Infact they are getting a raw deal.
Competitiveness has destroyed this great sport. It's like the secret service.
Why? Greed.
Theres a lot more to pigeon racing, than just breeding, feeding and training.
What is it that makes a winning loft? 60% Fancier 40% pigeon.
No maybe I'll stick my neck out here 70% fancier 30% pigeon.
I once had this percentage debate many years ago. I had a gentlemans bet with one of my neighbours, who is a very good fancier and a good friend.
I used to have a tippler cross pigeon that I used for a dropper on race days. The bird was in such good condition, when I let it out it flew off and never returned for an hour. I bet my friend that I could cross this bird, with a racing pigeon of his choice and I could win with the offspring.
My friend was as nutty as I and was very excited at the prospect of me trying to win a race with a quarter tippler. To make the experiment even more exciting, I told him that I was going to use one his hens of his choice.
Lefebre Dhaenen hen x tippler cross.
It bred a chocolate pied cock. I only let it rear the one bird.
I took a third place with it.

ive herd this before ppl years ago had tippler crosses i never did belive it tho lol

well i be damned lol

interesting post gary...........

sent a racer cross show racer for a laugh once 70 miles it got home but that was about it lost it next week

Gary Burgess wrote:

I feel sorry for newcomers coming into the sport of pigeon racing. Infact they are getting a raw deal.
Competitiveness has destroyed this great sport. It's like the secret service.
Why? Greed.
Theres a lot more to pigeon racing, than just breeding, feeding and training.
What is it that makes a winning loft? 60% Fancier 40% pigeon.
No maybe I'll stick my neck out here 70% fancier 30% pigeon.
I once had this percentage debate many years ago. I had a gentlemans bet with one of my neighbours, who is a very good fancier and a good friend.
I used to have a tippler cross pigeon that I used for a dropper on race days. The bird was in such good condition, when I let it out it flew off and never returned for an hour. I bet my friend that I could cross this bird, with a racing pigeon of his choice and I could win with the offspring.
My friend was as nutty as I and was very excited at the prospect of me trying to win a race with a quarter tippler. To make the experiment even more exciting, I told him that I was going to use one his hens of his choice.
Lefebre Dhaenen hen x tippler cross.
It bred a chocolate pied cock. I only let it rear the one bird.
I took a third place with it.

Have seen this happen before but only as a youngbird Gary but the main thing is you proved them all wrong fair play mate

birdy2011 wrote:

sent a racer cross show racer for a laugh once 70 miles it got home but that was about it lost it next week

I know were your coming from Graham but if you were to have kept that pigeon and used 2 crosses the feather quality of the pigeons would have been top quality

The reason i say this is because Joe Shaw one of the stewards at the old commareds show did it and he fled a fair pigeon over the water and he always said that if it was a sticky day with rain about he would always have full returns none out like most people.

Just a thought mate

Don Webb wrote:

birdy2011 wrote:

sent a racer cross show racer for a laugh once 70 miles it got home but that was about it lost it next week

I know were your coming from Graham but if you were to have kept that pigeon and used 2 crosses the feather quality of the pigeons would have been top quality

The reason i say this is because Joe Shaw one of the stewards at the old commareds show did it and he fled a fair pigeon over the water and he always said that if it was a sticky day with rain about he would always have full returns none out like most people.

Just a thought mate

never realy studied breeding don to be honest but reguards the feathering if i remeber yes it did have a nice thick body of them

Graham i have never mixed the two but just remembered want was said to me after reading your post mate

I readonce that there were crosses made in the U.S. with fancy sorts. We have race birds with feathers on the legs in nearly every race. Would that not be a gene from a fancy breed?

Gary Burgess wrote:

I feel sorry for newcomers coming into the sport of pigeon racing. Infact they are getting a raw deal.
Competitiveness has destroyed this great sport. It's like the secret service.
Why? Greed.
Theres a lot more to pigeon racing, than just breeding, feeding and training.
What is it that makes a winning loft? 60% Fancier 40% pigeon.
No maybe I'll stick my neck out here 70% fancier 30% pigeon.
I once had this percentage debate many years ago. I had a gentlemans bet with one of my neighbours, who is a very good fancier and a good friend.
I used to have a tippler cross pigeon that I used for a dropper on race days. The bird was in such good condition, when I let it out it flew off and never returned for an hour. I bet my friend that I could cross this bird, with a racing pigeon of his choice and I could win with the offspring.
My friend was as nutty as I and was very excited at the prospect of me trying to win a race with a quarter tippler. To make the experiment even more exciting, I told him that I was going to use one his hens of his choice.
Lefebre Dhaenen hen x tippler cross.
It bred a chocolate pied cock. I only let it rear the one bird.
I took a third place with it.

well is that not telling you something,stick with the tippler crosses and get rid of the rest..you might win with a full team...lol

Chad wrote:

I readonce that there were crosses made in the U.S. with fancy sorts. We have race birds with feathers on the legs in nearly every race. Would that not be a gene from a fancy breed?

i have a red pied hen with feather legs she is a bricoux also remember my grandfather having the gits and these had feather legs phillipe martin of belg says in the bricoux the feather legs are bred down from a bird called the cassier cock

tippler crosses ffs not for me , hope everyone in shields goes that way make it much easier

Not something I continued to do. But it was one of more sensible bets. It was just funny funny taking a third with something like that, especially when flying against some very stiff opposition.
But I was just trying to make a point about experience.
It's hard to get these days.

one or two of my lefebre dhaenens have slight feathery legs............ wonder if they are crossed with a fantail

Not unless they have funny tails.