I race pigeons hence name Homer, not the Homer members thought In China and Taiwan pigeon racing attracts huge betting. In both countries, particularly China they have mega rich fanciers who buy the birds as prestige over their fellow fanciers. The price paid is a prestige buy, and the money is back pocket because of their huge wealth Their loft set ups are managed by several employed as loft managers. The bird will be in a special aviary and not fly in open. It will have several ladies to keep it busy and the offspring will sell at high prices and some raced. Lucky pigeon. Lucky owner who it was bought off. Massarella stud at Leceister are the biggest buyers in England and they are outstripped with the Chinese Even so they bought a pigeon in the old days which set the record at £10,000 and flew to Belgium and picked it up So our Chinese owners may take pigeon flying up A fancier in Belgium packed in and sold his birds for several million pounds recently , and Massarella bought some and the youngsters off them are on sale now at around £500 each. People who buy them will not race them but sell young off them, poor man making a bit. Hence a lot of these sort of pigeons are what we call paper pedigree birds and do not race at all but are sold down the line for mini prestige. The old Yorkshire men pulverise these sort of fanciers and good old Barnsley has some of the best fliers in the world...... Also the best football team???
Wife's uncle is an avid fancier. He's originally from Wombwell and now lives in Donny. Like Barnsley, Doncaster is a hotbed for pigeon racing, especially in the former mining communities. A lot of the lads from where I lived, are from Tyneside and their Dads came down to work in the pits when work was scarce in the North East. As a kid, always remember that one of the top breeders was a lad called Ronnie Miller who lived in Stainforth. Fanciers used to come from far and wide to buy the birds he'd bred. He's the lad who unfortunately was partially blind after years of bare knuckle fighting travellers during September race week. Not a man to tangle with was Ronnie, but he had a heart of gold and would help anybody who was down on their luck.
Remember old Ronnie He flew successfully with a strain called Cattrysse which originated from Belgium What did they call you dad
Not my Dad Homer. It is my wife's uncle who is the fancier. Understand he's now had to pack it in due to health problems. His name is Derek Hartshorne and he was good mates with Ronnie Miller. Dereks Dad Jim was Steward of the Reform Club in Wombwell, before the family moved to live in Dunscroft near Donny when Jim took over as the Licensee of the Broadway Hotel.