Racing Pigeons

Award winning Goldstar Racing Loft, winner of the AU National Loft of the Year
picture contest 2003 Big Loft Category
Picture taken by G. Goeken in July 1999.

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This site is dedicated to the sport & hobby of racing and breeding
Racing Homing Pigeons! This site last updated 8/30/10

Late hatches - Breeders for sale NOW- See"Birds for sale" page
Soon we will be a distributor of the "Pigeon Vitality" line of products
More NEW pictures and information coming soon!
(I know I keep saying that but I just been real busy... sorry!)

Goldstar Racing Loft was actually founded in 1973 but the strain is more than half a century old. It wasn't until 1995 they began winning
consistently for us at the distance. In fact, that year, when it all came together, we won 7 of the Combine average speed awards in old birds
alone. The birds, a strain I have named and developed over the last 38+ years in my loft had been bred in part by the late Gene
Goldschmidt of St. Louis Mo. The combination of his decades of breeding and several key birds I blended into them over the years has
created a family of birds I call the "Goldstars". The Goldstars are a quality breed of birds which excel at the distance and or on hard
weather races as well as any distance race from any direction. Everyone who obtains them wins with them and observes how smart these
birds are in racing home or just in the loft. Read on and check out all the pages on the site. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

Goldstar Racing & Breeding Lofts

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Above are photos of my old loft (before we moved) where I bred and raced birds for 35 years. Left is a newer photo of the old loft taken
2007. The birds as well as us enjoyed the goldfish pond/waterfall in front of the YB Loft. I hope to get the new loft at the house we moved
to in similar landscape one of these years.

Goldstar birds are now flying (and winning) in Hawaii, Taiwan, Texas, Delaware, Washington, Oregon, Florida, North & South Carolina,
California, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Minnesota, Illinois, Washington, Wisconsin, Nevada, Utah, Ohio, New Jersey, New York,
Indiana, and other states. Including Mexico City, Mexico. If you want beautiful, smart birds that when races at all distances (especially
long hard races) and want to win shows as well try some of these Goldstar birds. You will love them!!!!!!!

This site is for the purpose of promoting the sport of Racing Pigeons. We want to show everyone our beautiful birds, the lofts and
express the enjoyment we have in caring for these wonderful creatures. For those of you that do not know, THIS is the ultimate hobby.
It involves not only caring for a living thing but much more, such as in interacting with fellow fanciers in pigeon shows and competing in
races. In order to do these things there is much more involved than simply "caring" for them. There are club memberships, meetings,
outings, visiting, auctions, and a whole list of other happenings that will keep you busy all year long outside of just caring for the birds at
home.   However, the efforts of this hobby include loft building and re-modeling, breeding the birds which can involve hours of studying
which birds to mate together (if you so desire).   Feeding the birds, giving supplements, cleaning, banding babies and settling them to the
loft not to mention training them to home and to race home all this is only a pittance of this hobby.

There is so much to learn about these wonderful birds! They are individuals that are extremely smart and all have their own unique
personality. Even after 35+ years I am amazed by the birds and learn something new about them and working with them all the time.
People in my life have came and gone but once you acquire the love for these birds and this hobby you instantly have many brothers (and
sisters) as you will feel that kinship with other people who enjoy the same thing, which is the BIRDS.

For those people who are not involved in a pigeon hobby, especially in the Racing of them, you have no idea what you are
missing!   It is unexplainable the excitement and satisfaction we get from this sport and the birds. I feel I am the luckiest guy
in the world to know this and enjoy this hobby and that I was born to do this, and thankful for it.

Here is a picture of the inside of the OB flying loft. Against the north wall is 15
hand made nest boxes.   I made the boxes myself custom made to fit etc.
Each box has a second shelve for the birds to start another round of eggs in.
Of course I only let them raise one round (or one baby) prior to race season.
After this they fly to wood eggs

There are now 3 more nest boxes on the south wall. This gives me 18 boxes
or an old bird team of 36 birds.

I still have more work to do in this loft like putting a vent near the floor in front
of the loft. Look at the YB loft (left side of loft) in the picture above. This is
what I will do for more ventilation in the OB loft. I also need to make the loft
more easy to catch the birds in. It has too much open space so it is hard to
catch the birds right now.
I am sure my yearling's next year will be less wild in this loft as well.    I have
had as many as 15 Ybs in my lap as I sit on the floor feeding them by hand.
They seem much tamer than the late hatches I spent no time with.   Get the
hint, spend time with your birds and watch them. Especially when they are 30
to 40 days old. Handle all of them every day!

At the right is the NEW Goldstar racing loft. Picture taken July 2009.   A little over a year
now so we continue to make it better and decorate it as well.   As you can see we have
put a large clock by the landing board so my birds can see what time they get home.
Also Gold Star for decoration.   The loft in total is 24' x 8' at this time (now with an 8 x 10
breeder loft in the back). The young bird section is on the left and old birds in the
middle with a small hall way storage on the right. One big advantage to this loft is having
one landing board & trap instead of two. I will no longer have to re-train the YBs to the
OB board and trap. There is a box inside where I can direct them to either loft. I have
learned over the years that having only one drop hole for the birds is the best way to go
when racing OBs around here.   This loft is more than 24" off the ground. High and dry
is better for sure. The roof is slanted front instead of back so I can see the birds. Other
buildings are far enough away that they will land on the loft (mostly). The aviaries are all
1 x 1 welded wire which is perfect for pigeons.    MY YB perches are made of 1 x 6's and
are 12 x 12 with dividers 2 " up from the bottom. I have over 60 YB perches but my
normal team will only be 50 birds. The roof is white metal with insulation R board under it
so as not to transfer heat or cold into the loft. Even when it is very hot out it stays nice
inside much to my surprise. I am still perfecting it & landscaping it so it will get better with
time.

"Superior Long Distance Racing Pigeons"
(read on to see why they deserve this title)

Loft news and update: Around the Goldstar Loft. 8/14/10

Update as of 8/30: This is the BEST group of young birds I have ever had! Many tosses, different directions, with club members birds,
60-miles and a 100-miles and NO loses at all (the last 3 weeks).     Yesterday I sent most (45) to the 100-mile trainer and had excellent
return times on all the birds.   They are very healthy and that is what makes them good. I am excited to start racing with the combine.
Although as a club we don't do good against the combine (due to direction and drag etc) I expect to be "up there" and compete well against
my club members.   The key is keeping the birds healthy and in shape pushing for "form".

Even the seven 4 on 44 special race birds (bred by others) are doing well. I am not sure how I will do with them as they sure do not
resemble the quality of my own birds. So far I have found very few birds that can keep up with the "STARS" (as they have become nick
named by some).    Some times other strains do out fly mine in the YB series but when it comes to developing into a terrific old bird on the
distance races, well they don't cut it.   I do NEED to find a quality racing pigeon to blend into my family. The search is on to trade some of
my "Stars" for an equal number of quality birds. If you already have a good family of birds that are winning at the distance and want to (need
to) cross in some different blood let me know.   We can help each other out in the continuing effort to improve the quality.

Several old timers have told me that anything you do to a pigeon (health wise or training wise) will not really affect the bird(s) for 2 weeks or
so. Just like us, if we start working out today then will we see or feel a positive difference in the next few days? I think not (other than being
tired maybe). If we take medications, vitamins etc will we see or feel a difference in the next couple of days? Of course not. These things
take time to positively affect the body (man or pigeon).   We all must use common sense when it comes to the birds and think about how
they feel by thinking about how we would feel if treated that way.   Things do not happen over night and it is an on-going plan of care and
preparation we must apply to getting the birds to perform at the top.   Have patience and keep working on obtaining your goals by
disciplining your self to do everything you can to get the birds "right". It will pay off in the end and you will have fun competing.

Here are a couple pictures of
some of my Goldstar young
birds from the race team in 09.

These are not only beautiful
birds they are superbly smart
and very calm birds. I was
within inches of them on the
landing board.

They do not get lost and they
can fly ALL DAY LONG.

Excellent at 400-miles as
young birds and 600-mile as
old birds.