10,000 visitors are expected at the pigeon exhibition in Dortmund.
A pigeon from Bavaria won the beauty contest.
Munich - "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" This question has now been answered - with regard to carrier pigeons.
The beauty contest of a different kind took place in Dortmund.
Pigeon beauty contest - pigeon from Bavaria wins
The result: The prettiest female carrier pigeon comes from Forchheim in Upper Franconia.
The most beautiful female comes from Grevenbroich in North Rhine-Westphalia.
At the German carrier pigeon exhibition on Saturday, December 17th, breeders and fans chose the most beautiful birds of the year.
The overall victory of the beauty contest also went to Forchheim - but to a different breeder.
This brought the four most beautiful pigeons to Dortmund, explained Harald Herbach, member of the presidium of the carrier pigeon association.
17 pictures: At home in Bavaria – known all over the world
17 pictures: At home in Bavaria – known all over the world
After a two-year break due to the corona virus, carrier pigeon breeders met again for their central trade show.
The trade fair and carrier pigeon association expected around 130 exhibitors and 10,000 visitors from all over the world to the two-day exhibition that lasted until Sunday.
About 1000 carrier pigeons were exhibited.
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Expensive birds at the International Carrier Pigeon Fair 2019
Carrier pigeon from Bavaria wins competition - over 25,000 breeders in Germany
According to the association, there are a good 25,680 carrier pigeon breeders in Germany.
In the boom times of the 1960s, it was once over 100,000.
According to Herbach, pigeon breeding is very popular abroad, especially in Poland and Portugal.
In Germany, the association is struggling with demographic change: many clubs are losing their mostly older members.
The carrier pigeon was added to the list of intangible Unesco cultural heritage in March.
Nevertheless, the sporting use of carrier pigeons remains controversial.
Critics see the birds exposed to considerable stress during races.
(came/dpa)
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