Pigeons

Pigeon sprint racing refers to the distance flown, not the velocity, notes Thomas Smit.

With armchair pigeon racing, all the work is done for you. You just have to breed the youngsters you enter, writes Thomas Smit.

There’s no secret formula when it comes to selecting winners, but there are some guidelines worth following, writes Thomas Smit.

Champion fancier Chris Van Jaarsveldt talks to Thomas Smit.

Fanciers who understand the psychology of bonding with racing pigeons will be able to use this as a secret weapon in a master breeder’s programme and during races.

It’s no longer possible to be competitive in South African pigeon racing without world-class quality pigeon stock, but there are ways of acquiring this without breaking the bank, says Thomas Smit.

What you do now to prepare your race team will affect its performance in the upcoming season, writes Thomas Smit.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a new starter or an old hand at pigeon racing, without well-defined goals and proper preparation you’re not going to be a competitive fancier, says Thomas Smit.

The Kitchenbrands are one of the oldest pigeon families in the South African pigeon racing fraternity. Now, fourth-generation champion Mark Kitchenbrand is racing pigeons both here and abroad, reports Thomas Smit.

There is no weak link in champion racer and renowned breeder Boet Troskie's racing pigeon stock. He recently sold all his superstar pigeons at three auctions. Thomas Smit reports on the first auction.

Role players in the sport cannot agree on this question, resulting in a looming court case that may spell the end of pigeon racing in South Africa.

An increasing number of well-heeled fanciers will stop at nothing to push their pigeons to the limit - even, it is alleged, using tough races to kill off weaker birds. This has led to a court case and the creation of a task team to investigate cruelty to pigeons.