Woman who 'didn't like pigeons at all' has been racing them for 30 years as a hobby

A pigeon racing enthusiast says she ‘hated’ the birds - until she met her husband and it became a hobby they could share together.

When they moved in together in 1993, Pauline Brown accepted her new husband’s interest in homing pigeons, but explains that she ‘didn’t like them at all’.

But it wasn’t long before Pauline, from Cannock, developed a passion for the misunderstood birds. “I was always at the bottom of the garden, and I’d see it coming in the distance, and you just get into it.”

‘Thrill’ of birds coming home

Not only has Pauline been taking part in the traditional sport for over 30 years, but she has also been the secretary for the Midlands Continental Classic Flying Club for the same length of time.

Speaking in Episode 3 of The Great British Hobby Hunt, Pauline adds: “I think it’s just that you’ve looked after the pigeons, trained them and got them into the top condition. Then you send them off, and then it’s the thrill of watching them come back home and land.”

Pigeon fanciers feature in TV show

In the short TV show, Lucinda Herbert goes inside the Royal Pigeon Racing Association Show of the Year which took place in Blackpool earlier in 2025. Known locally just as the Pigeon Show, it is the largest of its kind in Europe, attracting more than 15,000 visitors each year. Now in it’s 54th year, the two-day event featured over 100 trade stands with exhibitors including various groups and organisations.

Also speaking in the programme, which was filmed exclusively for Shots! TV, David Trippett, the show’s chairman, says: “This is an opportunity for pigeon fanciers from all over the world to get together, socialise, show off their pigeons, have them judged, and for a bit of competition as well.”

Watch some of the judges as they handle the fancy pigeons - trying to pick the category winners, across the 37 different classes. Mr Trippett explains: “They’ll handle each one and assess which one they like the feel of, that doesn’t have any noticeable faults.”

The show also features Meagan Todd - a Blackpool based crafter who crocheted a special batch of cute pigeons for the annual event. Meagan explains, in the TV show: “I’ve been going on my TikTok live a lot and I’ve had a lot of people that own pigeons reach out and send me pictures of their pigeons, which was really cool. The town centre is always so busy every pigeon weekend so I just wanted to see what it was about.”

Watch The Great British Hobby Hunt on Shots! TV

In a new series, we dive into the fascinating world of British hobbies. From ancient traditions to modern passions, get ready to explore what makes Britain’s hobbies truly unique. In the first episode, we travel to Lancashire to try our hand at curling and get rough and ready in roller derby. Watch The Great British Hobby Hunt: Episode 3 to learn more about the country's most unique pastimes.