ON a day of bright sunshine last week, a flock of racing pigeons took flight from their mobile loft on Richmond Racecourse and headed home.

The birds were taking part in the semi-final of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association One Loft Race from Richmond to their loft in Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire, a distance of 167 miles.

The winning bird arrived back in its loft in four hours and two minutes – an average speed of about 40 miles an hour – with 200 of the 552 that left Richmond returning within seven hours.

A message from the Celebrate Richmond 950 patron, Baroness Harris of Richmond, and Richmond Rotary president, Emma Fulton, was carried by one of the birds in a Second World War capsule with the message: “Greetings from Richmond, North Yorkshire, celebrating our town's birth, 950 years ago. As their contribution, the Rotary Club of Richmond ran an exhibition in August about Richmond's Communications through the Ages. This pigeon race is the finale. For all the future events please see richmond950.co.uk if you find this message ring.”

The message and capsule added three grams to the pigeons' average weight of 450 grams.

The race, which was the semi-final, carried a prize of more than £3,000 for the winning pigeon’s owner. The final is a race from Alnwick to Tewkesbury with £25,000 on offer for the winner.

 

The pigeon that carried the message from Richmond to Tewkesbury Picture: COLIN GRANT

The pigeon that carried the message from Richmond to Tewkesbury Picture: COLIN GRANT

 

The pigeon release was organised by Richmond Rotary Club as a finale to the 950 Years of Communications exhibition, which is part of the celebrations for Richmond’s 950th anniversary. Organiser Colin Grant said: “It is fantastic to see racing return to Richmond’s Georgian racecourse after a pause of 130 years, although the participants were of the feathered kind rather than hoofed.”

Although this was the last event of the three-week exhibition, there is still time to take part in the quiz devised for the Communications Exhibition. Quiz sheets are available to collect from the foyer of Richmond Town Hall, where there is also a post box for completed entries. The closing date has been extended to October 31.

Celebrate Richmond 950 events continue this weekend with Conquest Living History in Richmond Castle and carry on until the final event, Carols Through the Ages, on Saturday, December 11.