PIGEON SHOW.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 158, 5 July 1924, Page 5

PIGEON SHOW.

PROMISING YOUNG BIRDS. | I PEEMIER CLUB'S FEME ENTRIES. ■ That interest in the breeding of utility lor racing pigeons in Auckland is an j absorbing hobby is evidenced by the fact that there are no less than eight ! well-estabKshed clubs in Auckland. The | Premier Homing and Pigeon Club ] opened a show this morning for young i birds, and there were 169 entries. Pigeons have long been utilised as carrying agents, and in the great war, even with its most modern means of communication, pigeons were brought into* service, and performed many useful and ' timely tasks. On aeroplanes and seai planes they were in particular a great I asset, and it is on record that a bird flew back to the coast with a message from !a. disabled plane, and facilitated the I rescue of" the crew. The wonderful fortitude of the birds is illustrated in this incident and another. In the first I the bird died soon after delivering its I S.O.S. Another epic of the carrying ' feats of the birds during the war is the case of a pigeon which had its message shot into its body and arrived at its destination in a dying condition. In England the breeding of the birds for commercial use attracts great competition, and high values are placed on strains with good* performances. One loft of English birds sold recently aggregated over £2000, and as much as £200 was given for a single bird. During the war there were nineteen lofts on the English coast, the birds being utilised by war craft in the North Sea. Though the distance between Dunedin and Auckland has frequently been flown the standard generally set in Auckland iis the 500-mile fly from Auckland to j Christchurch. The judge of the birds on show to-day, ! Mr. H. E. Crowhurst, was very impressed . with the splendid quality, and he criticised the competition as particularly keen. Be also complimented the club on j the arrangement of the show. The prize for the best bird in the ! show was won by Mr. J. G. McFarlane | with a speckled cock, which he bred : himself. This success illustrates tha 1 virtue of breeding from the best strains, for this bird is the progeny of a fine cock owned by Watson Bros., which flew from Auckland to Dunedin four times, and a hen, which was one of the fine collection bred by the late Dr. Savage. Hunter Bros, won the trophy for the best hen in the show, and J. G. McFarlane's fine bird won the premier honours for best cock. The awards are:— Blue Cock.—S. Stark 1, E. Coles 2, R. Prentice 3, C. Bridge v.h.e. Bine Hen. —W. Churchill 1, Hunter Bros. 2, R. Prentice 3, J. Slater v.h.c Blne Cheu.. Cock.—J. McParlane X, 3. G. McFarlane 2, A. G. May 3. Bine Cheq. Hen.—Hunter Bros. 1, J. G. McFarlane 2, E. Hog-en 3, F. McPike v.h.c. Black or Black Cheq. Cock.—R. Prentice 1 — Pearce 2, J. G. McFarlane 3, F. Potter v.i.c. Black or Black Cheq. Hen.—R. Cunningham X, A. G. May 2, P. McPike 3, — FuUerton v.h.c. Red Cheq. Cock.—G. R. Wilkinson 1, R. Spiers 2, R. Prentice 3, F. McPike v.H.c. Red Cheq. Hen. — 3. G. McFarlane 1,. 3 i and v.h.c, J. BeU 2. I Mealy Cock.—Hunter Bros. 1, J. G. McFarlane 2, R. Spiers 3, A. Horspool T.h.c. Mealy Hen.—J. G. McFarlane 1. Pied Cock.—J. G. McFarlane 1 and v.h.c, F. McPike 2. W. Guyen 3. Pled Hen.—F. Murphy 1, — Lincoln 2, H. Bigg 3, 3. G. McFarlane, v.h.c. feed Hen.—J. G. McFarlane 1. Any Other Colour Cock.—J. G. McFarlane 1 and v.h.c. Hunter Bros. 2, W. Churchiß 3. Any Other Colour Hen. —B. Crmmngham 1, J. G. McFarlane 2, Hunter Bros. 3. 100-Mile Cock.—F. McPike 1 and 3, — Eusrlen 2, A. Byan v.h.c. 100-Mile Hen.—W. Watson 1, Hunter Bros. 2, R. Cunningham 3, F. Loveridge v.h.c