The
first racing pigeon was the Noah's Dove named in the Ancient
Testament. The racing pigeons was useful for the Greeks to proclaim
the names of races winners today became the Olympics games.
The Romans used them as a messages fast carrying service among
their territories. But it was in Orient that the carrier pigeons
was the most used.In France, the pigeon breeding became a nobiliary privilege by Charlemagne; this privilege has been abolished after the 1789's French Revolution. The first races took place nearby 1820 in Belgium. At this age, the first cross-breeding has been done, cross-breedings wich gave us our actual racing pigeon.
This
bird always disconcerts with its ability to fly back home when
it has been released several hundred kilometers far away.Several theories has been expressed by the researchers : orientation according to the sun position, to the smell, to the sight, to the presence of magnetit crystals located at the brain base. None of these theories has been checked.
The only thing we know is that the stormy weather disturbs the race progress.
Racing
pigeons carried messages during the 1870's, first and second
world wars. One of the most famous pigeon at war called "The
VAILLANT", last captain Raynal's pigeon, the Fort de Vaux defender,
obtains a mention to the nation order. Racing pigeons carried blood samples too between Granville and Avranches hospitals.
In United States, they take part to shipwreck victims research.
A deserving citizen !
- 22000 flyers registered in 900 clubs.
- 700000 young pigeons banded each year.
- 500000 racing pigeons crossing France in all the directions each week-end.
- Races speed averages from 50 to 120 km/h according to the wind direction and strenght.