Free as a bird

Tough economic times call for bold innovation or, in other cases, a return to old traditions.

So old that it seemed new again, a public relations event by Procure It Direct resuscitated the time-tested sport of pigeon racing.

Motivated to stage the event in part by spectacle and, apparently, in part by metaphor, Procure It Direct CEO Andrew Smith explains, "Pigeon racing is all about speed, virility, logistics. We compare our company to pigeon racing, about getting things home."

Procure It Direct touts itself as a "procurement firm," essentially a broker that helps move products from manufacturer to end-user. Whatever their business or the motivations for racing birds, the ascent of 300 pigeons April 23 into the skies in front of Prague's Letná Chateau was a sight to be seen. It seems pigeons, like airlines, tend to be tardy, as eager attendees observed their departure at 6:45 p.m. rather than the scheduled 6 p.m.

After takeoff, the race was on, and pigeons headed for home as quickly as possible, most to distances about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) away. The winning bird is the one with the highest average speed, measured by dividing the distance flown by the time taken.

Taking to the sky

Pigeon racing, which has its origin in mid-19th-century Belgium, is a popular sport in China, where, coincidentally or not, Procure It Direct recently opened their fourth office. While it does have a tradition in the Czech Republic, it gets less publicity here.

"Pigeon lovers are an introverted bunch," says František Bouček, head of the Prague branch of the Association of Pigeon Owners.

Pigeons were clocked with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, as opposed to the traditional method involving rubber bands and a specially designed clock. Attendees placed bets on potential winners with the vaunted bird "Number 14" drawing the smart money. The proceeds went to Prague Zoo.

Procure It Direct launched their own pigeon in the race, a specimen by the name of "Václav," whom most described as charming, intelligent and speedy.

"He has a very typical Czech name, quite a patriotic pigeon. We hope he will travel the world and win races," said Smith, a native of Yorkshire, England - itself a historical hotbed of pigeon racing.

While 30 kilometers seems a long way for a bird to go in the projected 20 to 40 minutes, Bouček, who has been a pigeon lover from the age of 16, set the record straight. "I feel really silly even calling this a race, because these pigeons are designed to fly 300 to 1,000 kilometers," he said, before having to leave in mid-conversation as a pigeon escaped inside the chateau dining room.

Copious amounts of food and bottomless glasses of wine added to the atmosphere as Billie Holiday's "Summertime" played in the background.

"In today's society, there's doom and gloom with the crisis in the markets. Everything's negative stories, so we tried to make it fun for everybody," Smith said.

Karel Dražňák, a Prague-based designer agreed, "It is a very unique sight to see 300 pigeons take to the sky, very beautiful. I think it is a perfect way to forget about your worries."

While PR events seldom stop on this side of boredom, the quirky concept did provide laughs and cheer for guests who may find little to laugh about amid today's financial realities.

"It is a wonderful and original idea. I think that light entertainment like this has its place even in tough times; soldiers were also happy to see singers perform for them in times of war," said a mysterious guest, giving her name only as Zdenka.

The winning bird clocked in a time of 19:03. The vaunted pigeon "Number 14" offered the only disappointment of the night, finishing third.

Sarah Borufka can be reached at
sborufka@praguepost.com