TCC Loft: Lofty Ambitions

A Celebrations feature, in the Barrie Examiner This Week, appearing Friday, September 27, 1996

Written by Donna Danyluk, Editor

This one and half page article was certainly a celebration as three generations of Rufenach's and several club members attended the interview at George's house on a beautiful September afternoon.

Getting to know the pigeons around you

Pigeons. Most people think of them as nuisance birds. As birds whose sole purpose is to make a mess on rooftops, cars and streets. To some people the poor pigeon has no purpose. And they aren't even good looking. I must confess that until recently I really never had a second, or first, thought about pigeons. That was simply because I had never really got to know one. I had dodged them as they flew over my head and walked through a gathering of pigeons, but I had never really spent much time with the grey-winged birds.

Then as fate would have it the opportunity arose to spend some quality time with a pigeon, my son named Peter. I bumped into Peter as my husband was carrying him through our front door. It seems the young racing pigeon had met some trouble while on route and wound up dodging cars on Highway 90, grounded with a broken wing. My husband dodged a few cars himself and rescued the bird who now sat in a cage, made out of two laundry baskets, in my spare room.

Not knowing much about pigeons I learned quickly. I learned that they splash their drinking water around, spray their seed everywhere and relieve themselves a lot. Just a word to the wise - if a pigeon's cage is not cleaned regularly a repulsive smell will soon permeate the air. I remember thinking to myself, "pigeons are not cuddly. They won't fetch a ball. There's not much you can do with a pigeon." At that point I put some music on and to my amazement I noticed the pigeon perk up as if he was listening. He then started to preen himself. He turned his head as if to listen to the music better. That is when I noticed that this bird had personality, something I didn't think pigeon's had.

After that discovery I began to take him out of his cage and let him sit on my shoulder, or head. I learned what he liked and didn't like. Once his wing had mended, thanks to the help of Aldergrove Animal Hospital, I gave Peter (who turned out to be a female) to Mike Taylor, President of the Barrie Racing Pigeon Club. It was through Taylor that I discovered a whole network of "pigeon people."

These people are fanatics about the birds, spend most weekends racing them and the rest of their spare time caring for and training them. George Rufenach is one of those people. For almost 40 years he's been a real pigeon person. He loves the birds and if you want to find out why please read his story on this page.

As for my pigeon, I don't mind saying I miss her little pigeon ways but I don't miss cleaning up after her - and I thought clumping kitty litter was bad. The next time you see a pigeon fly by, duck, and remember my pigeon prose.

George Rufenach

One of the province's best pigeon racers toils away in almost complete anonymity. George Rufenach's life has gone to the birds. You could say that right to his face and it wouldn't ruffle his feathers. That's because it's true. For almost 40 years, George has raised and trained racing pigeons. George's success with his feathered-friends has earned him the reputation as one of the best pigeon racers in the province. One look at his crowded trophy table and it's easy to see just how successful he's been (More than 100 racing trophies line the shelves and cover the walls of Rufenach's Alcona home). George's love for pigeons is also easy to see. He's had a passion for pigeons since he was a boy living in Germany. "I love them, that's all," said George "If you get hooked on them you can never break loose. It is like an addiction."

George Rufenach knows a good bird when he sees one.

Theres a special bond that develops between a pigeon and it's handler.

But in this case his addiction is a healthy one bringing him trophies, cash awards and much personal satisfaction in knowing that some of the best racing pigeons around are in his loft. Racing aside, George derives great pleasure from the daily caring and training of the more than 60 birds in his lofts. "A lot of people think pigeons are just stupid birds, but they are very intelligent," he said. "Every day you learn something new about them."

Tales have been told and retold about the cat that came back, but George has one about the pigeon that came back. He once took a young pigeon out to a training site approximately 60 kilometres away and released her. That was the last he saw of her, until the next year when she walked into his back yard. "It is something I will never forget as long as I live," said Doug Rufenach, George's son. "Here's a pigeon who couldn't fly home so it walked home."

That's not the only pigeon story the Rufenach's could tell you. Time and time again both George and Doug say they have been amazed at the loyalty, endurance and intelligence of these grey birds. "You can see them actually thinking," said George.

To train the birds George takes them to a site, lets them go and then returns home to clock their travel time. "These birds can fly 60 kilometres in a half an hour. Sometimes they have even beaten me home," he laughed.

Yet the skies can be a dangerous place for pigeons. The wild storms this summer have sent many racers off their course. In the air the pigeon's greatest enemies are falcons and hawks. On the ground, or in their loft, the biggest threat are raccoons. "If a raccoon gets in there he will just kill everything in sight," said Doug.

George is a member of the Barrie Racing Pigeon Club. It is a club whose members hardly ever meet because they spend every weekend at pigeon races. Mike Taylor is President of the club and explains why raising pigeons is so addicting. "When you are in the loft with the birds, all your problems are in the loft. You forget everything else that has happened that day and concentrate totally on the birds," said Taylor.

That's not a problem for George. Although age is slowing down his pigeon racing activities it hasn't quelled his passion. He's passed all his knowledge over to his son Doug - who's already hooked on the sport. "If you stimulate the bird he will do anything for you. He will give you his heart," said George. And it would seem George has given a bit of his heart away too.