A hobbyist becomes a racing enthusiast

When S. Mohamed Nijamudeen (38), a local body representative, received a one-month-old racing bird as a gift from his friend a few years ago, little did he realise that it would win him the championship in pigeon racing.

Mr. Nijamudeen, vice-president of Panaikulam panchayat, with business interests in Dubai, developed an interest in rearing pigeons from a young age but often got disheartened when the birds flew away.

When he was about to give up the hobby, his friend introduced him to Racing Homer, a breed with an astonishing homing instinct, bred solely for pigeon racing sport.“I loved the birds more for their homing instinct and began taking part in racing only in the last five years,” he said. He had 60 birds and reared them by appointing a full-time worker and spent about Rs. 15,000 a month. But he suffered a huge setback when he lost 44 birds in a theft in October last.

Four of them, including the ‘gifted bird,’ returned home a few days later.

He took part in this year’s racing conducted by Ramanathapuram Racing Homer Club (RRHC) and won the championship with 17 points.

In the first leg of racing from Chennai to Ramanathapuram (508 km), he drew nil points but his bird came first in the second leg from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh to Ramanathapuram (670 km), second in the third leg from Sillakalluripet (AP) to Ramanathapuram (870 km) and again first in the final round from Kammam (AP) to Ramanathapuram (1,067 km).

In half the time

In the final round, the organisers gave five days’ time for the birds to return home, but his bird returned home within two and a half days. Now, Mr. Nijamudeen has set his eyes on South Indian racing to be conducted in Chennai next year.

Paranthaman, secretary, Madurai Racing Pigeon Club, and Philip Inbaraj, secretary, Tiruchi Club, presented the trophy to the winner at a function here on Sunday. P. Ravi from a nomadic family, who won the RRHC championship last year, came second with 10 points this year.

The RRHC conducted the racing under the guidance of founders N. Ramesh and Marriappan. Mr. Ramesh said they had been conducting the racing event for the past nine years and spent about Rs. 75,000 for it this year, adopting strict guidelines and regulations of the sport.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Tamil Nadu / by D.J. Walter Scott / Ramanathapuram – April 07th, 2015