linnmarr lofts

Hi all This is my first post... I live in the USA. Michigan "cold country" I work for my local school system, as a paraprofessional (teacher's aid) for the agricultural dept. 2 years ago I had a student come to me and say he wanted to get into pigeons. To raise as a FFA project... [Our school has a rather large FFA program] Anyways, He had found some plans on the internet for a small loft, and I helped him get the materials needed from a local lumber dealer (donated free) and we built the loft behind the school. We were given some Rollers from a local fancier and got started with them. Before long we had about 6 or 7 others students wanting to have birds, and some of them wanted to have homers and race. So were found a local club and joined. One of the members of the club (whose wife also works as a teacher for our school) helped the Boys built a new BIG loft for the racing birds... All of the older fanciers in the club gave the boys birds to get started, and things seem to go pretty good... we raised about 30 young birds, and started training for the young bird races... That�s when the problems begin... the old guys could not agree on how the Birds they had GIVEN the kids should be trained (I never having had pigeons before didn�t really know what was right) Things just went down hill from there. OUR birds did not do very well in the races (which made the old fanciers upset, because they had GIVEN the boys GOOD stock etc. etc.) I don't think I need to go on, I am sure you all know what effect this had on the students. The one bright spot in all of this, was the Kids did Show their birds at the local county fair and won, won... many Grand and reserve Grand champions (our fair has a show of about 100 birds each year) The kids Loved it. This year we are only breeding show birds... I won't put the kids thru all of the fighting and BS that took place last year again. I my self have built a loft at home and I am planning on racing again this year. (I can deal with the BS better then the Kids did.) That�s why I am here, reading, and trying to learn as much as I can. Maybe once I am better prepared to help the kids myself... we will try racing at school again... in conclusion, I have to say... I have found that our youth, love pigeons, are good about taking care of them, love the raising of babies, and really love watching them fly, and come home. But they hate the politics that seems to go along with the sport... I for one, don't know how you will ever change that. Thanks for letting me have my say... Gary: Linnmarr lofts in Michigan USA ;D 8)