Profession: pigeon fancier
Did you know that carrier pigeons can be worth up to 1.6 million euros? Belgian pigeons are particularly renowned for their endurance (they can travel up to 800 km per day) and for their ability to navigate in difficult weather conditions. In Belgium, pigeon racing is often a family tradition, passed down from generation to generation.
This photo reportage presents the different aspects of the Belgian pigeon sport; from training the pigeons to national and international racing competitions and the daily care of the pigeons.
As early as 1800, competitions were organised in the north of France and in Belgium. Pigeons were cheap to feed and maintain, which allowed pigeon racing to become a popular and democratic sport, accessible to all.
However, there has been a drastic decrease in pigeon racing licences. From 250 000 members in 1950, down to 20 000 in 2017, the risk of disappearance of this practice is more and more palpable. What is the future of pigeon racing in Belgium and who are the people who still practice this sport?
Adrien Mirabelle is a young pigeon fancier from Wallonia, who represents the future and keeps the sport alive. With him, during the racing season 2023, let’s discover the multiple facets of this little-known sport in order to better understand this somewhat forgotten passion and the interest that this young generation has in it.
