One Loft Races

by

John Clements

I have been lately focusing my attention on ‘Flock Behavior' in pigeons and more importantly how 'Flock Behavior' affects actual races.  There is possibly no better example of 'Flocking' and flying in groups than in 'One Loft Races'.  There is a host of examples of tens or even hundreds of pigeons arriving at the home loft at the same time. Obviously these flocks have flown all the way as a group. They have stuck together the whole way and have paced themselves to arrive together as a group.  This example of many pigeons arriving at the same time cannot be called a race it is more of a trapping match where the first one over the pad or into the loft is the winner. Most unsatisfactory.

There is another element or assumption in this type of racing that has filtered across from normal racing   that is the assumption  that every time a liberation takes place the convoyers  or the race controllers are obliged  to seek a favorable  'line of flight' forecast or at least good weather at the start.

If we look at the situation in 'One loft Races' where clear individual winners out in front are better pigeons than in  a flock of twenty or more arriving at the same time, the weather has a great deal to do with it.   A bit of dodgy weather is more likely to break up the flock than a clean clear line of flight the whole way. The conclusion therefore must be that convoyers and race controllers engaged in 'One Loft Races' should in fact seek to have liberations in dubious weather rather than clear weather if they want  to achieve a more defined result.

Of course seeking to liberate in poor weather as a matter of policy goes against all the conventional wisdom of pigeon racing since it began in or about 1850 but if we accept flock behavior in pigeons as a basic instinct then we must also accept the consequences when we try to stage manage events and the question we must ask are 'one loft races' a reflection of the ability of the pigeon or are 'one loft races just yet another gamble?

Why not accept that the flocking principle exists and try liberating in poor weather for a change? Why not attempt to think out of the box? Why not try something different?  Perhaps it is better to hold one loft races during the winter when the weather is no so kind? All these questions have to be asked just to determine what exactly we are attempting and what knowledge we are bringing to bear on the project.

I have a queasy feeling that if 'One Loft Races' did indeed begin to clearly find the superior pigeon in every race held then this type of racing may lose its attraction.