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Belgian Pigeon Racers 1980

I started working at the Manitoba Museum in 1980. In my previous job with the Western Canada Pictorial Index, I had started collecting contemporary events in photographs. I was given the opportunity of doing more documentary work at the museum. The Belgian Pigeon Racers were part of a larger project on the Belgian community in Manitoba and the first project I worked on with Steve Prystupa, Chair of Multicultural Studies at the Manitoba Museum. Due to budget and overtime restraints, I worked as a free agent; photographing the event on spec (speculation) that it might be used/purchased later.

Sadly, these ended up on the cutting room floor…  so to speak.

But it did become the template for work I did with Steve and other curators.

With thanks to the gentle men in the photographs…

 

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Pigeon cote of Frank Catris, Poseidon Bay, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Frank Catris, Poseidon Bay, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Frank Catris, Poseidon Bay, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Frank Catris, Poseidon Bay, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Frank Cartis and Andy Jodts, Poseidon Bay, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Roger Jodts working on race clocks, La Riviere, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Roger Jodts, La Riviere, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Roger Jodts, La Riviere, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Roger Jodts, La Riviere, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Roger Jodts, La Riviere, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Roger Jodts with his favourite racing pigeon, La Riviere, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Roger Jodts, La Riviere, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Andrew Baert with trophies, rue de la Morenie, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Andrew Baert, rue de la Morenie, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Andrew Baert in pigeon cote, rue de la Morenie, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Andrew Baert, rue de la Morenie, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Andrew Baert, rue de la Morenie, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Andrew Baert with his best racing pigeon, rue de la Morenie, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Andrew Baert, rue de la Morenie, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Andrew Baert in pigeon cote, rue de la Morenie, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Mitch Houssin with trophy and best racing pigeon, Dubuc St, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Mitch Houssin, Dubuc St, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Mitch Houssin, Dubuc St, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Marc Bockstael rue Dumoulin, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Marc Bockstael in pigeon cote, rue Dumoulin, Winnipeg Mb

1980

Pigeon cote of Marc Bockstael rue Dumoulin, Winnipeg Mb

1980

14 Responses

    1. I think there is still an active community … not sure if the pandemic restrictions altered that …

    1. They were all such good fellows … loved photographing them, but still can’t tell one pigeon from another…

  1. Love the gallery, And you are right, its hard to tell one from the other. But sure they are all great speedsters 🙂

  2. Terrific photos, Rob. Fascinating, and rekindled memories from the late 1960’s of my neighbour and all his pigeons.

  3. It’s good to see some of these photos again, Rob. What a fascinating activity you have documented here!

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