Official Homepage ofT

The Official Homepage of

St. Louis Metropolitan Pigeon Fanciers Association

		The Beginning of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pigeon Fanciers Association By Ed Hohn One evening in 1958, seven pigeon breeders met at the home of Jim Conway with the idea of once again starting a pigeon club in and around the city of St. Louis. The Greater St. Louis Pigeon Club had disbanded years before. The seven breeders were John Sueme (a well known all breeds judge as well as a master breeder of African Owls), Gus Fruehauf (a longtime breeder of Jacobins), Russ Schoen (Tumbler breeder), Erv Beyrow (breeder of Fantails), Fred Cucchi (breeder of Modenas & Swallows) , Jim Conway (breeder of Oriental frills & African Owls), and Ed Hohn (Oriental Frill breeder). We decided on the name “St. Louis Metropolitan Pigeon Fancier Association”. We wanted breeders to know it was a new club. We also thought the word Metropolitan would let all breeders in the area know they were welcome; not only the St. Louis breeders. Jim Conway was the first President. Russ Schoen was the first Vice President, and Ed Hohn the first Secretary Treasurer. We held our first show the following year. We only had 162 birds at our first show, leaving us without enough money in the treasury to pay the bills, We there officers of the club paid the bills out of our own pockets, holding the bills until we had enough money in the treasury to pay us. After the first show, we started to grow. In 1963 we held the 41^st Grand National Pigeon Show at Kiel Auditorium. We had 5600 entries, making it the largest Pigeon show ever held in the United States. We had over 200 breeds. By this time, we had 58 members. Even with 5600 birds, we had all birds judged and the marked catalog printed and on sale at 12 pm. the Saturday of the show. Most breeders who were used to waiting weeks for a marked catalog could not believe their eyes! Our lawn shows would have between 500 & 600 birds; winter shows even larger. We managed to get lot of publicity both in the papers & appearance on T.V. shows. Many of our members were the best know breeders in the country for their various breeds. Because of our great officers and members our club has continue to grow each year that we have been in existence to assist new breeders who join our wonderful hobby.