Pigeon Racing in Barnsley

Yes ... I did ... I apologise. Be honest with you I couldn't remember its name. Sometimes go from there to the pub on laithes lane near pit fields then onto the north to the club. Again can't remember their names

 

Terry Stewart is a great bloke - I used to play football for Royal Arms on Sunday mornings in the mid 80s with their Ray when Terry was there. I remember Nocker as well. Terry bought us our first kit and helped set up Red Lion FC at Silkstone 32 years ago when he took over the pub in 1987. That team became Silkstone United FC and is still going strong today

 

I flew in Wombwell until moving to Hemingfield
Will probably know your family and I know some Dunscroft members. Good fliers
Prices of pigeons can vary
If they are champions then just like other sports they are valuable, if they are just run of mill then worth nothing . China and Thailand Billionaires pay the most and some have fetched over a Million pounds
Money no object and they are a status symbol

 

Maternal Family name is Hartshorne. Wasn't the Massarella family ( Mr Softee ice cream) involved in breeding
at some point.? Over in Stainforth/ Dunscroft remember when I lived over there, Ronnie Miller was a leading name
in breeding circles.

 

I know the fancier. Fetched a bird back from them
The dad is I think Eddie and I think he passed away and the son races them.
Flew a good pigeon a few years ago
Massarella has the biggest stud of racing pigeons in the UK based at Markfield Leicestershire
Also show jumpers and cattle , sheep . Breed to order.
Old Ronnie Miller was indeed the top man but there a few tidy lads at Dunscroft

 

A pigeons home is originally where it is born in the nest
When it learns to fly it homing instinct brings it back to the loft.
They will exercise 30 40 minutes and take off locally, but then arrive back to home
They are then sent between 10 to 40 miles and let go several times and again their homing instinct fetches then home
As older pigeons they pair up and lay eggs in a nest box in loft along with other pairs and they fly to eggs or youngsters which makes them keener
They are raced April to September , dark nights and cold weather stops it plus moulting the old feathers for new ones
If pigeons are sold it is usually a good one and will be put in a fanciers stock loft and not fly out but just breed
If a racer does get out or is tried to settle at a new loft it will usually go back to original loft
There are many theories how they home, but they have carbon content under their white noses and like Dolphins probably home with magnetic pull of earth. Like a sat nav.
They have evolved from fanciers breeding best to best and their strain usually comes from the fanciers name
Birds usually race for 4/5 years
Telegraph wires and cables birds of prey ... Very bad present years all over, and also really bad weather rain fog etc take their toll so you lose a few over the year.
I can see you starting up???