placed in a module where an electronic SuperintendentAlHanson Breeds, scanner is used to identify the . The are then transported by trailer to a Raises and Trains RacingPigeons specific location and released all at the same time for each race. Each trailer can By DAVE KAZMIERCZAK hold about 2100 birds. The time it takes Golf course superintendents enjoy a and many messages the birds to fly back to their individual wide variety of hobbies when not tending throughout history house or "coop" is recorded by a scanner to their respective golf courses. Some have been delivered at the coop and a winner is crowned. The hunt, fish or snowmobile while others via "pigeon mail." basic measuring tool is yards per minute chase birdies on the courses they care for. "They were very since every coop is not of equal distance For A1 Hanson, Superintendent at Viking useful during World War II," Hanson said. to the release point. Meadows in Cedar, Minn. birdie chasing "They would release the birds to tell the The season in Minnesota par- has a completely different meaning. troops where other people were." allels the golf season. Races are anywhere Hansen breeds, raises and trains racing "They still use racing pigeons right from 100 miles to 600 miles for the local pigeons. The birds Hansen raises aren't now in remote countries to bring blood racing clubs. Some races can go up to your average pigeons often seen nesting samples back to hospitals. They bring the 1,000 miles nationally. The season is some- in the nooks of buildings or gathered in a pigeons with them, and they always go what divided into old bird races, roughly park for a free meal. They are a specific back to the hospital." from early May until July 4 and young type of pigeon with a keen homing ability Technology may have made the bird races that start in early August and that allows them to find their way back to pigeons' postal value obsolete but a group last through September. Distance of races their nests from hundreds and sometimes of individuals have found another way to varies within the season. Each race can be thousands of miles away. celebrate the birds1 unique ability. They number specific (five birds entered per "They're called homing pigeons. It's have formed flight clubs that race their person) or open to as many entries as a not like the ones you see on the railroad pigeons a variety of distances. There are racer wants to enter. tracks," Hanson said. "Those are what we six pigeon clubs in the metro area and The races Hansen enters have the pos- call scrubs. These are homing pigeons and many others across the country and the sibility of moderate monetary gain or they're bred for it and we pay a lot of world. money for them." The birds are raced by first banding the (Continued on Page 11) Man has found these birds very useful birds around their legs. The birds are then over the centuries for a variety of needs, brought to a central area on race day and Quality since 1971 distance races, some for races." Hanson said. "I've been flying now since Racing Pigeons- Training is also critical for success. The the late 80s" (Continued from Page 10) birds are put through practice runs in the Like most hobbies, pigeon racing isn't spring and in season. They need to be cheap. The pigeons need daily care and a trophies but some races can command cared for properly, have good living quar- specialized coop to protect them from the some serious money. ters and even be prepared mentally to elements. Those elements include the Ron Des Lauriers, greens mower at race. weather and predators. Des Lauriers was Mississippi National Golf Club in Red "You're sending an athlete out there. bemoaning the loss of a bird that had won Wing also raises racing pigeons and won They have to be trained properly, fed significant races to a fox that had broken one of the 600-mile races worth $10,000. properly and there's ways of psyching the into his coop. There is~also the possibility Des Lauriers said that in the southern part birds up (to race)," Hanson said. that hawks or other natural causes can of the country the races are bigger, more Pigeons mate in pairs. The pair will prevent an expensive, well trained bird involved and worth a lot more money share a single coop and raise young. from returning on his or her journey. The biggest is put on by the American Hanson said one of the ways to psych up "Most of the time, they will make it Racing Pigeon Union which has a national the birds is to separate the pair a week back," Hanson said. race. The national was held in Minnesota before the race with the promise of being Nearly a quarter century of involve- in 1997 and again this year. reunited as a motivating force to fly faster ment in pigeon racing hasn't dampened Raising birds might seem elementary during the race. Hanson's desire, but he said he still treats to the outside observer but Hanson said a Hanson has known of racing pigeons it as a hobby. Hanson won one of the first lot of time, effort and money is put into from an early age. It wasn't until early races he entered for a decent amount of these birds. Pigeons can command any- adulthood that he started raising and fly- cash but he focuses on the relaxing aspect where from $25 to $1,000 per bird depend- ing pigeons himself. In a way, Hansen of having the birds around and watching ing on pedigree and race results. A typical seemed destined to be involved in the them come home to roost. racer will have from 50-100 birds in their sport. "For me it's tough because it's the holdings. The key to a successful program "A neighbor of mine when I was grow- busiest time of the year for superintend- is to continue to build better racing birds. ing up, about 12 years old used to fly. I ents, but when I retire I'm really going to "It's like ," Hanson said. liked going over there and watching the get into it. For now, it's just for relaxation," "You want to genetically breed your bird birds. Then, as fate would have it, the girl Hanson said. to what races you want. Some fly for long I got married to- her dad raced pigeons,"

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Hole Notes April 2009 11