As the sun set in Thailand, the counter remained stuck at a chilling number: 4. Four pigeons out of 4,115. Today, January 20, 2026, the Pattaya International Pigeon Race (PIPR) reached its absolute lowest point. What was meant to be the sporting highlight of the 600 km X’tra Race descended into an ethical graveyard. There is only one conclusion: this was not a race; it was a deliberate slaughter.
The Facts: Thrown to the Lions
Let’s not beat around the bush. The majority of the pigeons released this morning had completed a grueling 540 km final exactly ten days ago. These weren’t the “early birds” of the final; these were the masses that had already expended significant energy just to make it home.
Instead of granting these athletes the rest and recovery they biologically require, the organization decided to throw them to the lions. Why? Because the commercial machine must keep turning. They wanted to squeeze the “rest group” one more time, purely to add a few more birds to the auction lists. Apparently, in Thailand, the life of a pigeon is subordinate to the commission of an auction house.
A Certificate of Incompetence
Of course, in our sport, things can go wrong. But what happened today was entirely predictable.
The Recovery Period: Ten days of rest between a 540 km and a 600 km race is biological exploitation for a pigeon that didn’t finish in the top flight.
The Release: Today’s race should never have been liberated. The weather conditions, combined with the exhausted state of the birds, made this a “mission impossible.”
The fact that only four pigeons reached the loft is not “bad luck.” It is a blatant certificate of incompetence by the liberation committee. It is a disgrace to the sport and a slap in the face to every fancier who cares for their birds with heart and soul.
Respect for the “Iron Four”
Amidst this organizational wreckage, we must bow deeply to the pigeons that achieved the impossible. The fact that they found their way home borders on the supernatural. These “Ironmen” fought against the heat, the wind, and the laws of biology:
Ivica Torbarina Team (Croatia): The sole winner to break the 1,000 m/min barrier. A phenomenal testament to character.
Team Underworld (Spain): A witness to the incredible hardness of Spanish pigeon strains.
Chanchai Peanhasilp (Thailand): The local hero who proved that local knowledge is worth its weight in gold.
Peter Janssen (DE/NL): The only bird from the Dutch-German enclave to reach the loft before dark. An absolute world-class performance from an iron-strong strain.
Honor where honor is due: this success is 100% the merit of the pigeon and the breeder, and 0% the merit of the organization.
Something to think about
This is what the organization itself says about today’s race
“From today’s Extra Race 600 km competition, the pigeons faced several challenging factors, including unstable weather conditions, rains, and winds from multiple directions, as well as a solar storm, or geomagnetic storm. The severity of such storms is classified from G1 to G5, and on this occasion, the Earth was affected at the G4 level, which is considered “Severe.” This may have impacted the pigeons’ natural navigation instincts. We sincerely hope that tomorrow all of your pigeons will return safely and completely. Please continue to follow and support them tomorrow.”
We also hope they will return, but they should not have been released!
Conclusion: Profit Over Morality?
The PIPR lost its credibility today. If we, as an international pigeon community, accept that thousands of top-tier athletes are sacrificed for a few extra clicks and bids, the sport loses its soul.
PigeonBoss.com says: Enough is enough. Stop the exploitation, protect the athlete. This must never happen again.
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
