Racing > Living on an Island & Racing Pigeons

Living on an Island & Racing Pigeons

When I decided to start racing again I realized that there would be factors that would influence the methods I could use. One limitation is the distance for training on-island, about 10 km. After that it takes about two hours at least to take a ferry and drive for a 30-40 km toss. My decision was to rely on round-the-loft exercise for conditioning and concentrate on the longer races. I will try to be competitive at the shorter distances but I realize there are disadvantages.

As I just started again last year with young birds all my eligible racers are yearlings. However, I am not afraid of sending yearlings to the 600 mile race. When I raced with the Capital City Club in Victoria I was told that you only send older birds to the 600. I knew that yearlings of the right type could cope with that distance if they had been well prepared for the task. I think I sent six yearlings to the race.

There were no birds home on the day, but I clocked a blue check cock early on the second day to take second in the club. I was beaten by Bob Paulsen, a very experienced long-distance flier. Our two birds were close and a full hour ahead of the third bird. I also clocked another yearling later on the second day, and all the others returned home.

I know my present stock is based on some excellent families and I will not be afraid to ask them to perform. We fly a very tough course! In the long races they must negotiate the Rocky Mountains, the interior plateau with a big population of predators, the Coast Range, and finish over 40-50 miles of the Pacific Ocean.

Email me at laurholb@telus.net.