THE LONG FLIGHT

for [Music] AG it for [Music] sold for 70 Franks there aren't many bars in this world where you can take part in a pigeon auction but in Belgium yes it is common place here even more perhaps than most European countries pigeon rearing is a hobby and racing a big sport enthusiasts Farmers shopkeepers businessmen all pigeon fanes [Music] enthusiasts and Rivals just now in the bidding in the weeks ahead in the air who knows one of them may be rearing or may just have bought the local Champion perhaps even a national winner every morning for an hour so the birds stretch their wings in flight but always where is the return home poets have called The Pigeon a prince of love and quite rightly we humans travel happily or unhappily for business at best for recreation the pigeon only travels for love to return to its Loft and its mate this is what makes racing possible [Music] Ma and females live together during training and from every training flight pigeons will home to find their Partners at first they'll only have to fly say three miles then six until eventually they'll have to find their way back from aniz and more for the owner it's a moment of decision only a very few you are worth considering for the major races what are the signs of a champion the shape of the inside of the beak for ease of breathing the shape and quality of the feathers on the wings the suppleness of the breast muscles the cleanliness of the skin and the clarity of the eye a partnership to be broken whether or not the widowhood is temporary will depend on the Homing Instinct of the mate the local pigeon Club is the assembly point for the start entrance checked in and registered the ring the pigeon's identity card the stamp on the wing the local control an official Checker issues a special clock to each owner to register the time of his pigeon return even the trailer is specially built in other parts of Belgium they'll be loading up too all getting ready to head for the starting point but the pigeons will be taken more than 20 miles this time this time they'll really have to earn their reputation as Travelers [Music] foreign fore [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] halfway through the second night and the journey is still not over spe [Applause] [Music] Mar a thousand miles from home all the trucks have converged it's morning nearly 6:00 [Music] he [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] oh [Music] in fine weather in a slight Southwest wind the national pigeon Championship flight started from Marill at 6 this morning now for those who travel and for those who wait a long day begins [Music] [Music] Isabelle e [Music] [Applause] [Music] e [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] for e [Music] they can't be far away now last year's winner was in about this [Music] time hello no for the areen Belgium at last but the field is well spread out only a handful of pigeons are possible winners now [Music] hello it was the first recorded arrival possibly the winner just over 12 hours flying [Music] but it cannot be a happy ending for everyone don't cry little Isabel perhaps your pigeon will come home tomorrow [Music] for