PIGEON RACING

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22459, 21 July 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

PIGEON RACING

The first Saturday in May is the day for the opening of the pigeon racing season in England. When he was Duke of York the late King George V established a loft at Sandringham, and in 1899 two of his entries in the Grand National race, flown from the Shetland Islands, won third and fourth places. King George V presented a number of cups for competition and won races both in 1934 and 1935. . The homing instinct of pigeons has puzzled many scientists, and no generally accepted explanation has yet been given. The birds have to be trained first of all over short distances, but once the pigeon has learnt- to return to its loft flying over strange countries makes no difference to it. Races are held over distances up to 1000 miles; and the speed of the pigeons depends very much upon the weather and particularly upon the wind. Forty-five miles an hour might be considered a good average, but very much higher speeds have been registered in favourable conditions. Some time ago a number of crack pigeons were raced in Norway against a light aeroplane which, maintained an air speed of 100 miles an hour over 70 miles. Five of the birds managed to beat the machine.

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