Pigeon racing is a sport that tests the speed at which homing pigeons can reach their home when released a given distance away from it. Homing pigeons are specially bred birds that are trained to fly back to their owners’ roosting boxes, called lofts. The pigeons take part in races over graded distances ranging from about 60 to 600 miles (100 to 970 kilometers).
Pigeon racing is a popular sport in several European countries, and in Canada, Japan, and the United States. Local clubs organize races and offer prizes. The clubs are grouped into pigeon-racing unions. The unions provide officials who supervise the events and keep race records.
Every pigeon fancier (person who breeds and races pigeons) has a special clock. A union official sets these clocks the day before a race. Another official marks each pigeon in the race by attaching a ring to its leg. An official driver then drives the pigeons in baskets or crates to a prearranged starting point. The race begins when the pigeons are released. The birds then fly home to their lofts. When a pigeon returns, the owner removes its ring. He or she then strikes the clock that records the time at which the bird arrived home. The bird with the highest speed home is the winner.
