The Americas
United States
The sport was introduced into the United States about 1875, although regular racing did not begin until 1878.
The sport of pigeon racing is well established in the US, and growing. According to the American Racing Pigeon Union, one of two large accrediting groups, there are 15,000 registered lofts in the U.S. Although the sport is banned in Chicago it was popular throughout the twentieth century in the New York area, particularly Hoboken New Jersey and Coney Island, where it still has devotees. Shady Hills ,Florida is home to a pigeon racing club and hosts an annual racing event.
Canada
The sport of pigeon racing has increased in Canada with Pigeon Clubs and Ladies Auxiliary popping up in cities and towns. CRPU - The Canadian Racing Pigeon Union is an organization that is dedicated to the Growth, Preservation and Support of Pigeon Racing in Canada.
Brazil
The "Brazilian Pigeon Racing Grandprix" is the biggest pigeon race in South America. The Sergipe's Pigeon Racing Association and the government from Aracaju City, organizes this event.
Asia
Pigeon racing is becoming increasingly popular in parts of Asia, especially China, Pakistan, Philippines, Japan, Taiwan and Bangladesh. Its popularity in India is now on a rise, and youngsters are particularly involved in this hobby, especially in places like Chennai, Bangalore,Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Tuticorin. In Bangladesh there are three pigeon racing associations which are looking after the sport and are organizing many races. There are thousands of registered pigeon fanciers in Bangladesh and more people are getting involved in this sport.
Clubs in Chennai, India holds the record of long distance races of up to 1300 miles(2100 km) mark in India.
Taiwan has more racing pigeon events than any other country in the world, and can point to between 2 and 3 million birds. Nearly 500,000 people race pigeons on the island, and each year, prize money for races reaches the billions of NT dollars.
Oceania
Australia
The largest Racing Organisation in Australia is the Central Cumberland Federation.
In Australia, velocities are recorded in meters per minute. The state of Queensland also has a number of clubs and organisations. The biggest of these is the Qld Racing Pigeon Federation Inc (QRPF). Located in Brisbane, the QRPF has a long history dating back to the second world war. Each year the QRPF organises pigeon races for its some 80 members. These races start at approximately 145 km in distance and continue on a gradual basis out to distances of over 1000 km. A specialised transporter is used to transport the birds to the release points. This transporter enables the birds to be fed and watered on route before mass release at a predetermined time for their flight back to various home lofts. Many thousands of pigeons compete in races each weekend during the winter months...
An innovative new One Loft Race is the Australian Pigeon Punt Race held in Victoria,Australia.
The sport of pigeon racing has been declining around Sydney with pigeon club members gradually dying off as fewer younger people take up the sport. The high cost of feeds and fuel have also contributed to the decline.
Europe
UK
The first regular races in Great Britain was in 1881. The British Royal Family first became involved with pigeon racing in 1886 when King Leopold ll of Belgium gifted them breeding stock. The tradition continues to this day, with a bird of Queen Elizabeth II even winning a race in 1990.The sport is declining in the UK with membership of recognized clubs and federations falling by about five per cent annually.
The National Flying Club is a British pigeon racing club, and open to anyone in England and Wales.
In the United Kingdom Pigeon Racing is regulated by 6 independent organisations.
- Irish Homing Union (IHU)
- North of England Homing Union (NEHU)
- North West Homing Union (NWHU)
- Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA)
- Scottish Homing Union (SHU)
- Welsh Homing Union (WPHU)
In 2007 the British Parliament banned pigeons racing from the mainland of continental Europe to Britain because of the risk of bird flu.A British MP is supporting fanciers to have the ban lifted. Labour's MEP Brian Simpson, from Golborne, believes that it is unfair to allow concerns about avian flu to throttle the fanciers' sport.Mr Simpson said, "But what is clearly apparent now is that pigeon are low-risk in regards to avian flu and the decision to ban continental pigeon racing was wrong."
Belgium
The Janssen Brothers (Louis, Charel, Arjaan and Sjef) are a famous and very successful pigeon racing family from Arendonk Belgium.
Louis Janssen, born 1912, is the last of the Janssen Brothers still alive.
Descendants of their pigeons can be found racing all around the world.
Another famous and successful pigeon fancier is Karel Meulemans. Karel, born in Retie, also lives in Arendonk As often occurs in smaller communities there is much competition between the families Meulemans and Janssen.
Romania
Pigeon racing in Romania is one of Europe's hot spots in the sport. Many pigeon breeders join the (FCPR) National Association every year, triggering more and more competitive challenges. Another aspect is the image that has changed in the last decade in regards of pigeon racing, since nowadays it stands for a fine art within the country, with high prizes and bets. A high collaboration with pigeon fanciers from Belgium, Holland, Germany and so forth is also observed.
In the recent years FCPR which is the national association, is organizing a national race with a release point from Berlin ,in which more than 10000 pigeons from all over the country are send ,pigeons sent on this racewill have to fly a distance of over 1300 km for the fanciers located in the south of the country .
Turkey
The sport is popular in Turkey. In May 2008 a nine part, 1,150-kilometer pigeon race from the town of Manisa to Erzurum was organized with participants from many pigeon associations across the country.
Hungary
The sport is very popular in Hungary ,these fanciers even organizing extreme long distance races from Barcelona within the Panon Marathon Club ,their pigeons will have to fly a distance of 1300 km
Africa
South Africa
South Africa is the home of the richest One-Loft Race in the world, the Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race. The Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race pits 4,300 birds from 25 countries against each other for a share of $1.3m in prize money. The runners-up win cars and smaller monetary prizes, while the overall winner can expect to pocket US$200,000. Sun City's "one-loft" race, sees birds from across the world air-freighted to South Africa as squabs, months before the race, and trained to orientate to a single loft. Then on race day, after being released 550 km out on the South African veldt, the birds all race back to the same destination.
Brought to you by Dacian Busecan
