Is pigeon racing a sport?

[Pebbles]

The pigeon racers have been told that they must pay business rates because the activity has not been deemed to be a sport. This means they will not get the tax dispensation that Revenue & Customs and local authorites give to sports clubs.

Members of the club say this decision could affect nearly 50,000 pigeon competitors and the annual cost could rise to more than £5m.

The club is now proposing to seek the help of the Queen, in her role as the patron of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association.

Eric Sim, pigeon owner and chairman of Belford Racing Pigeon Club, highlighted that during World War II "pigeons were used most effectively to carry messages from battlefronts and to save lives from sinking ships and downed aircraft."

Do you consider pigeon racing a sport? Are you a pigeon competitor or do you follow the races? What other activities which should be considered a sport?

http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=3862&edition=1&ttl=20071127131943

[tom33]

Hell No! Get Real!

[TD63]

I wouldn't call it a sport either, but an outdoor activity/hobby. Then again, what I actively compete in (Trapshooting) really isn't a sport either... Its an outdoor activity to compete in, but moreso a place to spend a pile of money in a hurry.

[chopper]

that would be funny to watch not!

[Annie]

Yes, it is a sport, just as dog racing and horse racing is a sport. I think any kind of racing is a sport, NASCAR, Stock Car and human racing like Cross Country, for instance. Why wouldn't pigeon racing be a sport?

[oneqt]

mmmmm, ya not a sport.

[RedVixen]

I suppose it is a sport, if you like that sort of thing.

[stucknmarriage74(f)]

dont think its a sport..i dont hear men @ sports bars cheering for their favorite pigeon

[Huzyerdaddi]

can you shoot at them during the race? THEN maybe it'd qualify as a sport.

[Cotties]

IF hunters would shoot at each other and act like men..then it might be a sportcan you shoot at them during the race? THEN maybe it'd qualify as a sport.

[spare_change]

Definitely a sport -- no different than dog racing or dog handling -- but then, i spose cockroach races qualify as a sport, too --- if you can bet on it, and it's a competition, it's a sport.

[Cotties]

yep I think sport has a pretty easy to understand definition...an active past time involving a skill...if the birds are owned and trained..its a sport

goes for the coachroaches as well I guess

[mithidraes]

do they test them for steriods?

[spare_change]

do they test them for steriods?


No, but I heard Arnold Schwarzenpigeon is no. 1 -- but Roger Inclementpigeon is close behind. Andy Pettitepigeon told the Guardian he only used it once, and that was only cuz he kept missing the windshield from distances greater than 18 feet.

[Fargo...really]

There was a big article in Sports Illustrated about pigeon racing's Vegas Classic (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/more/01/23/the.birds0128/index.html)

It was my understanding that SI usually does articles on sports, with the odd layout of hotties in bikinis. My assumption would be that pigeon racing is the former, not the latter.

[rizz]

wow....that and bobbing for apples will be added to the olympics soon im sure

[chuck909909]

no way that is a hobby not a sport

[thebouncer]

pigeon pacing is a sport ...but only for the pigeons