i disagree merlin, a champion is a pigeon that is sucsessful in either field be it racing, breeding or even for the showmen showing.
if you can get a pigeon that breeds top pigeons after racing as well true it is a champion but i also feel a pigeon with 23X1st is a champion as it has excelled in its objectives set out by the owner. i feel this applies to breeding too a pigeon breeding many winners i feel deserves the title also.
I do feel the term is used lightly nowdays maybe more so by the big studs ie massarella