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A Racing Homer is a breed of Pigeon that has been developed for the sport of Pigeon Racing . Far and away the most popular of domestic pigeon breeds, the Racing Homer is also one of the newest. Levi in his book ''The Pigeon'' refers to racing pigeons first being developed in Belgium and England during the Nineteenth Century. He further says that they came about from the crossbreeding of a number of other breeds, primarily the Smerle, French Cumulet, English Carrier, Dragoon, and the Horseman (now lost). From the high-flying Cumulet, the Homer received its endurance, the ability to fly for hours on end without tiring. From the Carrier, it inherited the ability to find its way home from great distances. Pigeons have been used to carry messages for centuries. However, during the Nineteenth Century, the communication value of the bird--especially for carrying messages during war--became appreciated. Breeders competed to develop ever faster birds. Competitions soon developed, with pigeon racing growing into a popular sport throughout Western Europe and, beginning in the early Twentieth Century, in the United States. Large purses were offered for race winners. All participants in World War I made use of the Racing Homer's ability to carry messages, with the British alone employing approximately 9,500 birds. The Second World War once more saw the major powers make use of the Homing Pigeon. Over the years, the Homing Pigeon has led to a number of other breeds, such as the Show Homer, the Giant Homer (bred for squabbing), among others. REFERENCES SEE ALSO |
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