Catch up TV

Series 10: My Pigeons and Me

A bird’s-eye perspective on the quirky world of pigeon racing through the experiences of two young fanciers during a busy racing and show season.\n\nOne million racing pigeons are bred in the UK each year, and though pigeon racing is often regarded as a sport for the older generation, today’s younger breed of pigeon fanciers are spreading their wings and reaching new heights in this avian feat of endurance. Among them are Keelie from Northern Ireland and Aaryan from Rochdale, who take us into their amazing world of pigeons!\n\nFilmed on location in Northern Ireland and England, this episode follows 15-year-old Keelie and 12-year-old Aaryan as they navigate the highs and lows of the 2019 racing season before preparing to enter their best birds in the world’s biggest pigeon show, taking place in Blackpool in January 2020.\n\nKeelie lives in Magheralin, a small village in Northern Ireland. When she was four years old, she was introduced to the historic sport of pigeon racing by her dad and grandfather, both champion pigeon racers. At the age of ten, she joined her local pigeon club as the youngest and first female member. Today, Keelie keeps almost 200 birds at her grandad’s lofts. The film reveals how this unlikely hobby has strengthened the bond between teenager Keelie, her dad and her 86-year-old grandad, and allows them to spend many hours together as they look after their birds.\n\nAt the lofts, Keelie introduces us to her birds and talks us through preparations for the new season. From April until September, she races her birds every weekend, and she explains what is involved as she hands over her beloved birds to be tagged, weighed and transported in crates to the race’s starting point in Fermoy, County Cork. The film captures the amazing spectacle as 25,000 birds are released from stacked crates – this is called a liberation! Keelie’s birds then have to make the near 200-mile journey to find their way home.\n\nFor Keelie, the hardest moments are when her pigeons don’t survive a race - they can fall victim to a hawk attack, fly into an electric cable or become disorientated by the rain. Waiting for the pigeons to return home is a nerve-racking time!\n\nMeanwhile, in Rochdale, Aaryan’s pigeons have helped him and his dad build a strong father-and-son bond. Pigeon fancying is in his DNA as both his grandfathers were keen pigeon fanciers and Aaryan is determined to keep the family tradition alive.\n\nKeelie and Aaryan’s pigeon journeys culminate in Blackpool in January, when they both compete in the UK’s biggest and most prestigious pigeon show – the Royal Pigeon Racing Association Show of the Year. Each year, thousands of owners and their birds flock to compete in this demanding event, where everyone wants their birds to win a prize.\n\nThe episode follows Keelie and Aaryan as they arrive in Blackpool for the 2020 Pigeon Show, which is held in the famous Winter Gardens venue. It captures the excitement and colour of the event, and as the kids nervously wait for the judges’ verdicts, there is a sense of how much this really means to them. Will they keep their composure as the judges scrutinise their show pigeons? As well as the anticipation of waiting for the results, Keelie has the added excitement of being awarded the coveted UK Young Pigeon Fancier of the Year trophy!

Source: CBBC