Alright fanciers, let’s talk. I’ve seen just about everything in pigeon racing storms that made the hard men cry, champions that went from heroes to history in a season, and basketing baskets that smelled like they’d been through a war. But what I’m reading now? That takes the cake. 🚨
Pipa.be proudly presents the Champions League for yearling long-distance pigeons. Sounds prestigious, right? “Finding the best fancier with his first nominated pigeon on the national results of all the great long-distance races up to and including Narbonne.”
It has all the sparkle of top-level sport… until you see what’s required.
To win, this yearlings flown Narbonne, Agen, and Dax. All three. In just four weeks and a handful of days. And Narbonne? They were even stuck in the basket for a full week before they even see the starting line. 🤯.
Now, I’m no member of the animal rights party. I’m not here to tell you how to run your loft. But let’s be straight, three monster races in a month for yearlings is madness. If you think otherwise, you’re either fooling yourself or selling a dream
Let’s break it down:
- These aren’t Sunday sprints 🏁 — these are brutal, soul-draining distances where only the toughest make it home.
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For most yearlings, just one of these races would already be a career-defining performance.
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But here? It’s back-to-back-to-back like some gladiator endurance challenge. ⚔️
My take? Save your yearlings from this kind of overload. Or go ahead and race them — but don’t complain when half your loft doesn’t return, or when your “superstars” can’t even handle a 300 km next season.
And please, don’t parade that one miracle bird that “flew all three without blinking.” I’m talking about the other 99% — the ones that come back empty, broken, or not at all. Believe there are champion birds amongst them also, but it was YOU who killed their carreer!
We need to stop seeing pigeons as machines. Champions aren’t made by draining every last ounce from them. Champions are built with planning, timing, and respect for the animal. The real masters know when to make a bird peak — and when to let it rest. 💪🕊️
So here’s my challenge: Race smarter. Respect your pigeons. Build legends, don’t destroy them. Because in five years, we can either have a sport full of champions… or a graveyard of what could have been. ⚡
💬 Your turn — is this true top sport, or are we just pushing too far?
Untill the next blog,
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
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