Introduction

I received my first pigeon when I was in the 4th grade.  We were living in Corona Del Mar, California.  There was a home in the neighborhood that had pigeons.  I asked if I could have one, and they reciprocated with my first bird.  It was a great looking rock dove.  Well, little did I know that was the beginning of something very special in my life.  Our family moved to West Covina when I was in the 5th grade.  There were many fanciers in West Covina, and I had a way of finding them.  I peddled my bike many miles meeting fanciers, acquiring more birds and many different breeds.  I loved to build things and loft construction was an ongoing projec, as it is today. 

There was one pigeon fancier named Mr. Moody.  He got me going with racing pigeons.  I became a member of the La Puente Racing Pigeon Club.  The only problem was I had limited means of transportation and money.  Eventually, I decided it would be a better option for me to raise Chinese Owls. I gave my racing pigeons to a friend and then continued on with the Chinese Owls until I was a sophomore in High School. I finally gave up the remaining birds for football, surfing, and girls!  By the way, one of the racing pigeon squeakers I gave to my friend won the first young bird race of the year at the La Puente Club.  Some older flyers said it was a fluke.  Fluke, or no fluke, it won! 

For 43 years I have been in education as a high school biology teacher and coach, as well as a community college adjunct professor of biology.   I have been a head coach of Varsity Football, J.V. Football, Varsity Basketball, Varsity Track and Field, Varsity Girls Fast pitch Softball, Varsity Baseball, and J.V. Baseball.  At my retirement celebration from Amador High School in June 2004, I said, " I will be racing pigeons again".  So I contacted the AU and they referred me to the Hangtown Racing Pigeon Club.  They are located in El Dorado County which is North of where I live.  I contacted the club president, and the rest is history.  In 2006 I was back full swing into Racing Pigeons.  I had a lot of fun and success plus meeting many fine racing pigeon fanciers.

I am retired from teaching high school, but still continue to teach Human Biology for San Joaquin Delta College.  My coaching today is confined to my pigeons!  In 2014 I knew success with the racing pigeons was taking its toll on my family and legs.  At that point I decided to raise and show American Show Racers and Show Type Racing Homers.  The racing pigeons had to go. Now that they are gone I am  focusing on breeding quality birds and attending shows.  I started out with American Show Racers and Show Type Racing Homers because they are so beautiful and docil.  Both breeds are easy to work with and the fanciers who raise them are just great.  Considering my biology background I could put to use all the genetics I have been teaching for the last 43 years!  It didn't take long to realize showing more than one breed at a show is quite challenging, so I now show only one breed.  I breed and show the American Show Racer.   This breed just grows on you.  They are referred to as the "Bird with Dignity" and once you see one you will know why. Currrently, I am breeding out of approximately 12 pair.