Fast and Furious : The world of Northland pigeon racing

Ross Wallace is one of few Northlanders who are keeping the dying sport of pigeon racing alive. Photo/ Michael Cunningham

Once considered popular among the working class, pigeon racing is now a dying sport and a few Northland residents are keeping the spirit of the game alive.

Matarau resident Ross Wallace is one of those, racing homing pigeons for about two decades and is an active member of the Whangārei Pigeon Racing Club which has been holding strong for more than 70 years.

He is one of the eight club members who take pride in training and transforming young pigeon fledglings into the powerhouse racehorses of the sky.

“In a race with good weather conditions, these birds can speed up to 100 km/h and travel hundreds of miles in a single day without breaking a sweat or taking a break,” Wallace said.

“It took me three weeks to get something from Christchurch in the mail. I emailed the guy and said next time I’ll send you some pigeons down and you can tie it to that and I’ll get it quicker.”

Growing up in the UK, his fascination with bird sport started when he was a teenager.

“Back then, it was a massive blue-collar sport, especially after the end of World War II. People didn’t have as many sports as we have today, and pigeons were relatively easy to maintain in the backyard.

“That’s how I got a feel for such racing and have been doing so here for 18 years since I moved from my home.”

Wallace said on most weekends - depending on the weather- club members would indulge in a race.

Trainer Ross Wallace says all racing pigeons have a good muscle structure which separates them from regular pigeons. Photo/ Michael Cunningham

Last Sunday saw the trainer settle for second place after his competitor, Pipiwai Lofts’s racing pigeon, was just milliseconds faster to the finish line.

The winning pigeon travelled over 250km from Pirongia to their loft at speeds of up to 74 km/h completing in less than four hours.

The trainer said all competitors had scanners installed at their lofts to record the time and distance traversed by their respective racers.

The electronic ring is worn by every racing pigeon until the end of its career. Photo by Michael Cunningham

“The pigeons have this unique electronic ring attached to their feet. So, when they come back to the loft the scanner picks up the identity of the pigeon and then sends a message to the clock which records the time.

“Similarly, we also have a GPS tracker which calculates the distance and after that, we calculate the highest average velocity and declare the winner.”

As a trainer who managed six lofts which are home to about 100 well-trained pigeons, he said it was critical for any newbie trainer to keep an eye out for younglings who start to flex their wings.

“That’s the time they start to fly and when you need to make them recognise that your loft is their home.”

Wallace gathers the pigeons' poop from all his six lofts and uses them to fertilise his garden. Photo by Michael Cunningham

Wallace said like all athletes, the pigeons have their own racing career which started when they were 6 months old and ended when they turned eight.

In their short but illustrious career, the pigeons shed a huge amount of body weight, especially during long flight competitions which require them to fly for about 12 hours.

“That’s why it’s crucial to feed them well. So, I feed them a combination of maize, wheat and pigeon peas to fuel them with the necessary carbohydrates, fats and protein to keep them fit and healthy.”

Wallace said currently there were about 500 Kiwis in New Zealand who actively trained and participated in localised races.

“I just hope there are more people who can take an interest in these smart birds and try out this fun and exciting sport,” he said.

Avneesh Vincent is the crime and emergency services reporter at the Advocate. He was previously at the Gisborne Herald as the arts and environment reporter and is passionate about covering stories that can make a difference. He joined NZME in July 2023.