The
Origins of The Racing Pigeon
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There
had to be a beginning that is to the appearance
of the first racing pigeon and history
should provide us with the answer.
Unfortunately I am not an historian and
therefore I did not come properly prepared
to see what history would reveal if anything.
What I did discover was that there existed
disagreement between those who like myself
was in pursuit of the truth.
On the internet and in the written word
I saw different accounts of the origins
of our thoroughbred. And perhaps that
is what history is all about for to borrow
from another definition history 'is in
the eye of the beholder'. Unfortunately
human vision can for whatever reason become
negatively influenced by the human ego
and therefore is partial or limited in
truth.
At
the dawn of pigeon racing history the
person of Dr Ulens of Antwerp is prominent.
He is acknowledged to be the first great
Antwerp fancier and to some he was the
creator of the racing pigeon. In those
early days of the sport it is believed
his bloodlines permeated every loft of
racing homers in the land of the sport's
said origins namely Belgium. Today it
is accepted by
some that the Ulens were the outcome of
crossing three breeds namely the Persian
Carriers, Tumblers, and Smyters. Thus
creating his own strain and was considered
to be the epitome of good breeding management.
Others are of the opinion
however that it was Ulens loft manager
a Dutch man called Beernaerts who was
the real maestro who created the strain
and laid the foundations of the sport.
But
there is another school of thought who
contend that it was the author M Felix
Gigot who initiated the above erroneous
belief.( Felix Gigot was the originator
of the famous or ill famous 'Eye Sign
Theory' of the sport.) One of the latter
being the famous M Georges Gits who apparently
was a neighbour and club mate of Ulens
and who for years strongly and flatly
contradicted the story acknowledging Ulens
as the creator of the racing pigeon. In
a letter in the 'Le Moniteur Colombphile'
on the 26th of December 1912 Gits wrote:
'In an article appearing in the Martinet
of November the 13th the Editor professes
to give the history of the old Antwerp
strains and to prove that all the great
lofts are founded on practically one or
two. The survivors, myself included, from
the period to which reference is made,
find plenty of food for amusement in these
wonderful revelations. In the first place,
the author of this 'humorous' article
claims that Chevalier Ulens was undoubtedly
the first to form a strain by his clever
crossing - a great strain on which all
the others were founded.
Anybody
who was acquainted with M Ulens, or rather
his man Bernaerts, who for many years
had the absolute control of the lofts,
knows perfectly well that they were determined
inbreeders and never introduced new blood
into the loft; and that their pigeons,
roupy and full of canker were fled from
like the plague for fear of contagion...
The Martinet also states that Ulens crossed
his birds with the English carrier pigeon.
In this he is confusing Ulens with Pittevil,
one of the most serious breeders we ever
had...'
Georges
Gits in his letter goes on to undo the
foundations of the theory and refers to
another fancier Van Schingen who was used
by Felix Gigot to support his position
in his article. In relation to the foregoing
Gits cites correspondence from M. Delmotte
in support of his position. The letter
also contains content refuting Gigots
reference to another fancier called Vekemans
whom Gigot used in support of his thesis.
In contrast I must state that the pigeon
racing historian Jules Gallez supports
the 'Ulens theory' in his writings. He
cites a Mr P Voot a friend of Ulens as
the source of the crossing by Ulens of
the carrier, tumbler and the smyter. But
even Mr Gallezs attempt of confirming
by the physical characteristics of the
above breeds and the modern racing pigeon
is questionable.
I
found M Gits as one of the strongest opponents
of the 'Ulens theory' in fact overall
I found his letter a very strong statement
against the theory . A letter permeated
with a sense of anger and disgust if I
am not overreacting to its spirit. Perhaps
this reflects Gits as an upholder of truth
or as a fellow club member and neighbour
was there something negatively personal
about the matter? That is perhaps were
we need the professional historians expertise
for as a sport we need to be accurate
about our origins and it provides perhaps
to a student of a University the basis
for a masters or doctors thesis.


by: Liam O Comain
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