NRPL is a small backyard pigeon loft with its first priority being to be competitive in the local club races -- with a priority in old birds. I also truly enjoy participating in one loft races and I am actively seeking to find the highest quality and most competitive one loft races in the U.S. to participate in. In 2009, I will actually extend my one loft participation to the most prestigious one loft race in the world - the Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race in in Sun City, South Africa.
As a matter of course, NRPL chooses to keep fewer pigeons than most even though my loft can accomodate many more pigeons than are kept. I have found that by having fewer pigeons I enjoy my pigeons more and am a much more competitive flyer when I can focus my time on fewer pigeons. On average, I keep 10-12 pairs of breeders; 18-22 widowers; and 30-40 young birds in my loft. With such small numbers, I have to be very selective in keeping pigeons and I have a tendency to eliminate pigeons very aggressively. I believe it is critical to avoid keeping inferior pigeons in your loft -- especially in the breeding loft.
On a local level I race with the Utah Valley Invitational Racing Pigeon Club. The club consists of approximately 20 members with anywhere between 12-18 racing in a given season. The UVI is a new club in Utah County that is really growing with young enthusiastic members. Most of the new flyers being individuals in their early 30's and 40's so we are hopeful we are building a base of flyers for years to come. Our club flies the north course, which credibly can be called one of the toughest race courses in the country. When returning home our pigeons have to fly over mountain ranges, through valleys, across the Great Salt Lake and a very dry desert like area. The UVI ships our pigeons with the Great Salt Lake Concourse (GSLC) and our birds are often released with 800-1000 pigeons early in the season. On average, our club has an overfly of 30-40 miles on the GSLC flyers in Salt Lake Valley and that requires our birds to think as they are being pulled through the Salt Lake Valley.
One of my greatest priorities is in helping new members in our club and I try to give them real and helpful advice as well as provide them pigeons that I know will be competitive. In fact, in the 2008 young bird series 3 of the Top 5 Champion Pigeons were off pigeons that I provided to new flyers in our club. In 2009 Old Birds and Young Birds, I was again consistently being beaten by some pigeons I provided to other members as well. Frankly, I find as much satisfaction watching individuals do well with pigeons off my stock as I do racing my own pigeons. As I do not sell pigeons, at the end of the racing season I will do an inventory and eliminate the inferior pigeons and then choose which pigeons to give to some of my friends and new flyers.
As with most things in life, I need to thank those who have helped me enjoy and find some success in this great sport. First and foremost, my father who introduced me to this sport and supported me during my youth. Next, I need to thank my good friend and mentor Neil Christianson who has provided me the with fantastic pigeons and fantastic advice. Most importantly, however, he is a fantastic friend to me and my family. I also need to thank Norm Seamons, who was a local club flyer throughout the 80's who was the ride I always needed prior to receiving my driver's license -- he trained my birds, he took me the club for countermarking and knock off and he always was there with advice and help for a new flyer and bullheaded young man. Finally, I just need to thank my wife and children for putting up my "crazy hobby." They always are there to feed, train and help in anyway when I need their help!
