New 4-H Club Comes to Elkhart County
Published: Friday, March 6, 2026
Ten-year-old Lucy Shaffer stepped up to the loft and peered inside at a flock of racing pigeons as Jeremy Youngberg of Goshen demonstrated some tips and tricks to pigeon care. He opened the cage and replaced the birdbath with fresh water, explaining that the most important thing to remember when raising racing pigeons is to make their loft feel like home.
One way to do this is to give pigeons regular opportunities for baths, Youngberg said. According to Larry Solyom, also of Goshen, another way is to keep the birds well-fed in their lofts.
Solyom and Youngberg are founding a new 4-H club in Elkhart County for racing pigeons. Shaffer is the first member to join.
"I love birds and I think that would be fun," she said, when asked why she wanted to join the club.
Lucy is looking forward to raising and caring for her pigeons, which she will get next month.
The start of this club is coming two years after the inception of the Jasper County 4-H Racing Pigeons Club. Pigeon racing is a sport that began hundreds of years ago in Belgium and remains the country's national pastime today.
According to Solyom, racing, or homing, pigeons, can fly over 400 miles, with some able to make a 500-mile trek in four days. He said Lucy and other 4-H'ers who join will learn how to care for and train their pigeons and how to show their birds at the fair. To prepare, they will participate in three or four races over the summer.
In the first year, 4-H'ers will use a rubber band and hand record flight times of their birds. Each 4-H'er will get six or eight pigeons to care for and train, and will need a 4-by-4-by-2-foot coop. Youngberg will provide the birds at $1 a pigeon and has offered 4-H'ers the use of his coops for the first year if they cannot buy their own materials. This would come with an additional cost of $100.
Solyom said 4-H'ers will race their pigeons distances of 30, 45, 60 and 75 miles.
He raced pigeons in his youth and recently got back into the hobby a few years ago. Recently, he decided to share his love of the sport with 4-H.
"I love it because it's a challenge," he said. "Even the young person who's not the best in the class or doesn't have the most money might do better than everyone else. It's a great equalizer."
He hopes to get four to six more members.
Solyom added that the sport has a rich history, including a few war heroes. One bird, Cher Ami, was used to send messages in World War I after the radio failed. She was shot three times in her flight but still managed to fly 25 miles to deliver the message.
Youths can learn more about the history of pigeon racing and messenger pigeons in the 4-H club.
Youngberg grew up racing pigeons in Oregon before moving to Goshen at the age of 21. About five years ago, he decided to get back into the sport as a way to train bird dogs for hunting.
"I think it's a great sport," he said. "There's nothing better than seeing a pigeon come in after flying 350 miles."
Youths interested in joining the 4-H club can contact Solyom at 574/206-5750.
"It's not something where you raise an animal to auction off at the fair. You're the coach, you're the nutritionist, you're the caretaker," Youngberg said.
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