Creation of the Giant Homer - American Giant Homer Association

The pioneers in the creation of the Giant Homer also became pioneers in the establishment of the GiantHomer Association. R.W. Keene was the first Charter President, C.F. Hober became Vice President, andWm. P. Gray became Secretary-Treasurer.Between 1918 and 1928 many pigeon breeders were trying to develop bigger and better Homers --- asduring those early years the squab was a most popular table delicacy and profitable economic product.The early Squabbing Homer was not always known as the “Giant Homer”. In 1919 and 1920, the WilsonPigeon Farm, in Wilson, Kansas, called their best squabbers, the Homer, just a “Squab-breedingpigeon.” In 1921, the Quality Pigeon Lofts, in Marinette, Wisconsin, called the Squabbing Homer the“Classy Flying Utility Bird.” Also in 1921, the Marksacre Pigeon Lofts were selling Homers as “SquabBreeders” and “Exhibition Birds.” W.C. Osterwisch, in New Memphis, Illinois, was selling “SquabBreeding Homers.” At the same time, in Butler, Pennsylvania, the Ideal Squab Company Inc. wasstarting to produce a larger squabbling Homer cross. So here in 1021 we can mark the beginning of acompletely new movement in developing larger utility squab breeders ---Cross-Breeding.Beginning slowly after 1918 --- picking up momentum in 1921 --- many squab producers were raisingflying, working Racing Homers along with one or more breeds of the “BIG SIX” utility group --- tryingto combine the prolific production ability of the Working Homer with the larger size of the “BIG SIX”utility breeds. The “BIG SIX” utility group consisted of Hungarians, Runts, Maltese, Carneaux, WhiteKings, and Registered White Swiss Mondaines. The Homer breeders were seriously beginning to usethese “BIG SIX” breeds solely as tools to make their Giant Homers bigger and more prolific producers ofheavier squabs.It is general scientific knowledge that “Hybridization” of compatible breeds of plants and animalsincreases the capacity for improved production. In 1920, the Cedar Lawn Poultry Farm, in Morristown,New Jersey, were raising White Swiss Mondaines, Carneaux, and Working Homers together --- crossbreeding.H.N. Webb, of Springfield, Missouri, was also crossing Homers with Carneaux andMondaines. L.N. Simons, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was crossing Carneaux and Working Homers. Itwas here during these years of the flourishing squab industry that the flying Homers became known as th“Working Homer”, --- and it was out of the “Working Homer” concept that the new idea of the “GiantHomer” came forth.In 1922, a new “twist” entered into the objectives of the “Cross-Breeders”. The Dalton Pigeon Lofts, ofJoplin, Missouri, was still crossing Working Homers with Carneaux and White Kings with a newobjective. Floyd Baker, of Hereford, South Dakota, also had this “New Vision” in his crossing of Runts,Carneaux, and Working Homers. These Breeders, and many others like them, were, of course, interestedin developing the Homer as a “Super Squab Producer”, but, with others, were also beginning to developtheir “Prize Birds” as Show Birds and Squab Producers. Here --- the Giant Homer began to emerge as aDual Purpose Bird.As the satisfaction of competition began to outweigh the dwindling profits of selling squabs, the Homerslowly became more and more a popular Showbird. The squabbling industry lost popularity because ofrising production costs and shipping fees which produced lower and lower profit margins. Keep in mindnow that this article is dealing with the history of the American Giant Homer as it originated in 1918 ---and how it developed up to 1928 when the “American” Giant Homer Association was organized.Following 1928 --- new efforts to build the Giant Homer into a more beautiful Showbird by crossing itwith other breeds were begun changed. These efforts following 1928 will be dealt with in further chaptersof A.G.H.A. history.