Welcome to Pigeon Racing New Zealand
Pigeon rotavirus infection was confirmed in March 2019 in racing pigeons in Canterbury and Auckland. For further details refer to our Rotavirus Information page.
Pigeon Racing New Zealand Incorporated (PRNZ) is the New Zealand national body of the racing pigeon fraternity, and provides governance, support, and assistance to affiliated clubs in their sport of pigeon racing. For further details of PRNZ Rules and Code of Conduct, refer to our PRNZ Documents page.
Purpose of PRNZ website
The main purpose of this website is to provide information to members, including Race Results. It is also used for reporting Found Pigeons and advertising trading products.
Supporting NZ Pigeon Clubs
PRNZ has 36 affiliated member clubs and 3 affiliated federations and is available to adjudicate in disciplinary matters if required. PRNZ provides support and guidance in decision making with regards to animal welfare matters to ensure all members adhere to good husbandry practices in all aspects of the sport. PRNZ provides advocacy for racing pigeon enthusiasts and clubs in dealings with local body and central government, and the general public.
Pigeon Racing in NZ
The sport of pigeon racing in New Zealand is mostly carried out by fanciers in small clubs (6 – 10) members throughout the country although in the larger centres memberships can be as many as 30 plus flyers. Regional areas have amalgamations of clubs to form federations or combines to provide a higher level of competition. Both PRNZ and Federations organise national races to give the opportunity for all members throughout the country to participate and compete against competitors from outside their club or region.
Transport of racing pigeons to designated race points for liberation is mainly by road transport, operated and coordinated by regional federations and combines. Air transport is also used where small numbers are concerned, but flyer operated road transport is essential for the sport to function in current times. The birds are normally liberated en masse at the race point, and each bird will fly to its particular home coop or loft. Each loft is accurately surveyed so that the distance covered by each bird can be calculated to an accuracy of +/- 1 metre. The time taken for each bird to complete the race is measured by electronic timers, and the bird with the highest average speed (distance divided by time) is the winner.
The racing is divided into two seasons, a Young Bird program generally raced from February to May, and an Old Bird program between August and December. The shortest races would generally be from approximately 100Km and the longest up to 1200Km. The longer distances would usually be contested only once per year. Wind and terrain greatly influence the time it takes a pigeon to complete a race. A modern racing pigeon can sustain an average speed of 80 Km per hour in relatively still conditions, and more than 120 Km per hour with favourable wind assistance.
Membership Enquiries
If your pigeon racing club would like to become a member of PRNZ, please contact us.
Trading Products for Pigeon Racing
If you have a trading product you wish to advertise that is associated with pigeon racing, please contact us. You can purchase an affiliate membership in return for advertising on the Trading Products page.