A racer needs to provide proofs that he is, indeed, the owner of the pigeon. Each competing pigeon must be healthy and should wear a racing band. Each pigeon must return to its loft at the end of the race. Otherwise, it is disqualified. The shortest distance possible for each official race is no shorter than 75 miles. You must have that effect on the bird to let it understand that you are working on a certain schedule. Likewise, constancy of action is very important. Never ever confuse the bird by making command variations or interchanging them. With regards to the schedule, the racing pigeons become fully aware of what to expect from you at different times of the day. It doesn't have to be large nor expensive; you just have to make sure that it would house your birds comfortably. Building large lofts would only equal to bigger costs. For example, in some places, there's a building code that if a structure goes beyond 100 squares feet, the building department would already require you to pay for a building permit. Doing this can increase the motivation of your pigeons to fly home as quickly as possible and as a result improve your chances of winning the competitions. 3. Set up a training loft and always keep it open during training sessions. Also ensure that there's sufficient space for the pigeons to enhance their flight skills. They have taken particular interest to these birds and have realized that they can make a hobby out of it. In fact, some people or organizations treat the sport as a profitable business. Yes, it is very profitable because it aims to gather fliers from all over the world to compete for a much coveted prize in this competition. You need navigation so birds can fly on their own and return to their loft and endurance so that the birds can withstand long travels. Add up the 'care' ingredient and you have the perfect recipe for racing pigeon champs. You will also need to incorporate care and understanding because these birds are living creatures as well.