Ron and Linda Caram are long-time Burleson pigeon trainers and handlers. They stand proudly in front of the pigeon loft in the back yard of their home where winning pigeons returned home from seven 200-mile races that began in New Braunfels last week. Ron holds a Blue Bar Splash pigeon in hand that returned home that morning.
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Ron and Linda Caram know a lot about birds and the sport of competitive pigeon racing.

Long-time Burleson residents the two raise, train, handle and race top pedigree birds.

Ron is the treasurer of Rodeo City Racing Pigeon Club and convention chairman of Texas Center 2010 Pigeon Convention and Linda holds office in the Rodeo City Club’s Ladies Auxiliary.

On July 16, it was off to the races.

Visitors from around the country flocked to Burleson and Fort Worth for the pigeon convention.

Forty-five racers met at the home of the Caram’s to eagerly await the arrival of their well trained birds.

At 7 that morning 563 birds were released in seven races beginning in New Braunfels for the 200-mile journey that would conclude for some in Burleson at a loft at the Carams’ residence.

“There’s a lot of misconception about these birds,” Ron said. “ They are very smart, highly intelligent animals. They are athletes, no different than a Dallas Cowboy.”

Well tended — the animals receive top-notch medical care, feed, grooming and long hours spent carefully tended by their handlers and trainers.

“I love to educate people who think birds are nasty dirty things that live under bridges. They are not,” Linda said. “They get shots, baths and specially-imported feed. I serve on lots of boards in the community and get a chance to tell people about these remarkable birds. We show them at the stock show same as horses and cows. It’s important to get the word out about the sport and of how well these birds are taken care of. I completely enjoy every aspect of pigeon raising.”

Pigeons are also big investments with top pedigrees known to cost upwards of $40,000. Bird owners can keep detailed family trees of bird bloodlines that trace the pigeons ancestry back through many generations of great-grandparents and to their European root.

The risk in racing for the birds are hawks who prey on the animals, or disorientation during their flights home. At seven to 10 days old the birds are fitted with bands that tells everything about them —who they belong to and their physical description. The bands have a computer chip that documents how fast they fly. When a pigeon returns to a loft from a race, as it enters the coup door a computer scans the chip and records the time and speed.

 
By CANDISE MONTEMAYOR
For full story, check out the July 25 edition of the Burleson Star. To receive current hometown news everyday, subscribe on this website by clicking the My Star link on the the left or by calling: 817-295-0486.