Fanciers' passion for pigeons

By Tom Warren
BBC News, Blackpool

Hundreds of pigeons will be on show at the Blackpool event

Up to 30,000 people are expected at one of the UK's biggest pigeon shows in Blackpool on Saturday and Sunday.

The Racing Pigeon Show of the Year is expected to raise about £80,000 for charities and attracts "fanciers" from across the UK and Europe.

A miner in a village near Doncaster first introduced Alan McGowan to racing pigeons.

And after that day they became a major part of the 51-year-old Post Office worker's life.

I've tried drinking, I've tried gambling - you name it I've tried it - and there's none of them any better [than pigeons] Charlie Perry, pigeon fancier

"I saw them down the allotments and asked this old bloke, 'what are you doing mister?'.

"So he set me up cleaning his loft and basically I was hooked.

"He was an old pit man, there were no emotions until he talked about pigeons.

"He wasn't given to flights of fancy or poetry, but when he talked about pigeons he got me going."

Mr McGowan said keeping racing pigeons was a "passion and not a hobby".

"It's 365-days-a-year, it's total commitment."

Mr McGowan is one of thousands attending the pigeon show at Blackpool's Winter Gardens on Saturday and Sunday.

James Andrews discovered pigeon racing through his grandfather

The event, sponsored by the Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA) takes place in the Lancashire town every year and raises tens of thousands of pounds for charity.

On Friday, as fanciers began to arrive, hundreds of cages were lined up in rows on the main floor of the theatre awaiting the birds.

But despite the event's huge popularity there has been a long-term decline in the numbers of people across the country keeping racing pigeons and getting involved in the sport.

And it is struggling to attract young enthusiasts.

Peter Duffield, 61, believes part of the problem is the growing number of housing developments built without gardens.

"It's in decline. The bottom line is societies are losing land to building. And homes built today have no gardens.

Trips abroad

"The majority [of people involved in the sport] are mainly from 40 upwards."

He said there were initiatives in place to get more young people interested.

Some are taken on trips to places such as Belgium to watch races.

James Andrews, 14, is one teenager fascinated by the birds.

The pigeon show is held annually at Winter Gardens

"My granddad keeps pigeons, the way they fly amazes me and the way they recognise people."

But James has little time to keep his own birds, as he is a talented footballer on the books of Leeds Utd.

His grandfather Charlie Perry, of Askern, near Doncaster, has been involved with the bird show since it began in the early 1970s.

The chief steward said pigeons were a huge part of the mining community where he grew up.

"Back in the 50s there must have been 30 or 40 lofts in a little village of 10,000.

"I worked on the coal face and the men who stood either side of me were into pigeons and that's what got me started.

"I just like doing it. I've tried drinking, I've tried gambling - you name it I've tried it - and there's none of them any better [than pigeons]."

Jayne Newbold, from Friskne, Lincolnshire, runs a stud farm.

She thinks a big part of the birds' attraction is the rush competitors get from racing them.

Jayne Newbold runs a pigeon stud farm

"It's the adrenaline when you are timing the bird in, it's a nice feeling."

Mrs Newbold is one of a significant number of women who enjoy pigeon racing.

And David Bills, general manager of the RPRA, said projects in schools were encouraging more youngsters to find out about pigeon racing.

"[Pigeon racing] will never disappear, it will always be around but currently the numbers are dwindling.

"Old men in flat caps is obviously a perception some people have.

"But it's very family orientated and you will often find its grandparents and parents who have got children in to it originally."

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The Racing Pigeon Show of the Year takes place from 0900 to 1700 GMT on Saturday and 0900 to 1530 GMT on Sunday.

Tickets are available from the box office on the door.