Abstract
The predawn hours of Wednesday, January 16th, were clear and cold in Portland, Oregon. Shivering members of the Northwest Pigeon Fanciers of Portland and the Mid- Valley Pigeon Fanciers of Salem, two Oregon clubs forming the Beaver State Alliance, gathered at the empty Convention 'Hall of the Portland Memorial Coliseum for the mammoth task of preparing the hall for the 63rd Grand National Show. Months of planning and preparation were past; hours of toil were now beginning for these dedicated workers. The job must be done quickly, and it must be done right. All across the nation pigeons and pigeon-people were on the move; 326 exhibitors were en route to the city, bringing with them 3,855 of the finest show birds in the country.
The sun rose gloriously over the shoulder of Mt. Hood, but the Beaver State Alliance had no time to notice; like the proverbial beavers they were hard at work. Under the capable leadership of Show Director Darwin Grange and Show Secretary Keith Casteel the work crews moved the multitude of tables into position, erected row upon endless row of coops upon them, attached feed and water containers, secured neatly typed show tags to each. Judging areas took form at predetermined points throughout the hall; fifty judges would labor for three days to select the best of the best, the Grand National Champions. Reporter Steve Erickson, of the Oregonian newspaper, arrived to interview the organizers of the show as it was a newsworthy event. For the first time in the 85-year history of the National Pigeon Association the Grand National Show was coming to the "City of Roses'.'
When the hall opened at 3 p.m. for the cooping-in, all was in readiness. The neat rows of coops sat upon papercovered tables awaiting their occupants; judging areas were in place, complete with seating for spectators. Alliance members stood ready to direct arriving breeders to their assigned part of the great room, for 31 separate Specialty Meets were scheduled as part of this extravaganza. Then the pigeon, began to arrive: big pigeons and little pigeons, smooth pigeons and rufflec pigeons, pigeons of every possible hue Carriers of every size and type came through the doors, from simple card· board boxes to elaborate partitionec wooded cases, which contained the high hopes of each breeder. Master Breeders and Novices, Juniors and life· long fanciers with fifty or more years devoted to the hobby have been brought together by their common love of these gentle birds. Mingling in the aisles the exhibitors were intent upon locating their assigned coops, to reassure their nervous birds, and to smooth out their ruffled feathers. There were old friends to greet and new friendships to be formed, but this would wait until the birds were fed and watered.
A camera crew and reporter John Hammarley, from KGW-TV, arrived to film the activity for the 5 o'clock news. Exhibitors freely spoke of their birds, their love of the fancy and their hopes of a National Championship. Throughout the afternoon and late into the evening birds continued to arrive. The pigeons had come to Portland, and Portland welcomed them with warm enthusiasm.
The Uncommon Pigeon
It is doubtful that there is anyone in this country ... perhaps in this entire world ... who has never seen a pigeon, or at least a picture of one. Pigeons and their near kin the doves have been around for a long, long time. The Bible records, in the 8th chapter of Genesis, that Noah released a dove to determine whether the floodwaters had abated, and the bird returned with a sprig of olive in its beak; to this day that event is commemorated as the international symbol of peace.
Pigeons were one of the first birds to be domesticated by man, and possibly the very first to be bred as a pet. They have provided a source of food for the hungry, a means of sending messages for the military. The liquid melody of their cooing has soothed many a troubled heart, and their cooing of alarm in the night has alerted many a householder to the presence of an intruder. They have domiciled in humble shelters provided by peasants and castle parapets provided by royalty. When Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth inherited the throne of England, she also inherited the British Royal Loft with its renowned racing homers. Spectators at the Opening Ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics witnessed the release of a multitude of pigeons; the birds were racing homers and their release was the start of the very first race of the Olympics ... a pigeon race.
Yes, the pigeon is a very familiar bird.
Even a common bird. Yet for all its familiarity the average person knows little about it. The iridescent-hued bluegray birds we are accustomed to seeing are but one of a multitude of varieties descended from one common ancester, the blue rock dove (see article in the Dec/Jan 1985 Watchbird, page 36).
From the genes of that single wild species have come a wide variety of descendants, so diverse in size, structure, feather and color that it becomes difficult to realize they are even related, much less members of the same species. Through natural mutation, selective breeding and genetic engineering the distinctive qualities of each variety have been developed, improved, refined and perfected. The process has taken centuries; countless enthusiasts all over the world have played a part in it.
Varieties have been named for specific characteristics: pouter, cropper, roller, fantail, etc., for cities of origin: Modena, Berliner, Bokhara, etc.,; for nations where they were developed: American roller, English trumpeter, Indian fantail, Chinese owl. Each variety has its own Standard of Perfection against which exhibition birds are judged.