THOUGHTS
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO RAISE THE TRUE BIRMINGHAM ROLLER SHOULD TAKE THE TIME TO READ ABOUT, LEARN AND UNDERSTAND THE PIGEONS THEY ARE RAISING. MORE THOUGHTS: A few thoughts about the World Cup for you guys to think about and chew on.........The judge needs to judge the birds on the merit of the birds and not have an agenda. An understanding of the rules across all borders needs to be a priority so that misconceptions and misunderstandings will be at a minimum. Rotate the start of the World Cup, every year or every (2) years to balance things a little. The Rules as written stand on the own, just a little tweak to a couple of things. But really needs to happen is understanding of the rules and how everyone interprets the rules about flying a kit of rollers. Maybe get some input from representatives of the other countries on the subject of the rules (This maybe happening already i don't know), but more dialog would help all parties involved. Just a few random thoughts for everyone to think on........Glenn .

Cornell Norwood: Roller Pigeon Authority by Paul M. Gomez
Cornell Norwood was the founder of the BCRC, the Black Country Roller Club, a group comprised of breeders and flyers of the Birmingham Roller Pigeon, a breed of pigeon which originated in the “Black Country” around Birmingham, England. The Birmingham Roller is a highly developed aerial performer which turns backwards somersaults, and is capable of spinning in excess of ten revolutions per second and dropping 20 to 30 feet or more before completing this performance. This breed is very popular nationwide, as well as in Canada, Europe, South Africa and is currently gaining popularity in Australia as well. Cornell founded the BCRC in 1971. It is the oldest club of it’s kind founded by an African - American, but has not been exclusively a black organization, having had several members of other races. From one time to another the club has extended from Simi Valley to Yucaipa and Costa Mesa, but has had it’s roots and main membership in the central Los Angeles area. Norwood founded the club with the intent of having an organization which promoted the high velocity spinning qualities of this breed above all other considerations. There had been a trend toward a breakdown in the performance of the breed, caused by breeding for show qualities and for simultaneous performance type competition. Cornell wished to do his part to combat this trend toward degeneration of the breed. During his years as president of the BCRC there were monthly meetings, which were true events, and which often lasted well into the night. Lifetime friendships have resulted from these associations. Our club (I was Vice-President much of the time) had many competitions as well as lawn shows which judged quality of the true spinning roller. We started a new system of judging the pigeons, which is based on speed, frequency, style and depth. Cornell was the most knowledgeable American roller breeder I have ever met, from my experience being eclipsed only by the famous Bill Pensom, of England, who was the premier authority of the breed and who imported the foundation of the breed to America. He could recite the pedigrees of many hundreds of birds, often back to their English origins. He was the complete fancier, and was an expert breeder and flyer, and was the source of high velocity spinners for a great many breeders. He had written many of his valuable insights into the breed, which, after his death, his son Don compiled as “The Aerial Performance of the Birmingham Roller”, which is the only book of its kind written thus far by an Afro-American. Cornell was a storehouse of knowledge about a great many subjects, and was one of the most extraordinary men I have ever met.