DSRPA - History

Beginning

In the early fall of 1938 a small group of devoted pigeon fanciers from several southern cities met in Savannah, Georgia, to discuss the organization of a Racing Pigeon Concourse for clubs of the Southeast. In attendance at the Savannah meeting were: C. A. "Pat" Murphy, The Kemper brothers, and D. Lee Wicker of Atlanta; W. H. Hoppmann Sr. of Charleston, S.C.; J. L. Collins of Charleston, S.C.; Joe Engel of Chattanooga, Tennessee; T. A. Mitchell, Dr. J. W. Hess, J. Archie Johnson, Dr. W. A. Cole, D. L. Johnson, Frank Fennell, and W. E. Sinclair, all of Savannah. This was the spark that started the flame. Through the years the Association has grown from six member cities to a total of 28 in 1962.

Although reorganized several times, the S.R.P.A. was the outcome of the meeting in Savannah and was formally organized at a meeting on September 2 and 3, 1939, in Atlanta, Georgia. Clubs from the following cities were represented at the Atlanta meeting: Atlanta, Augusta, Charleston, Chattanooga, Macon, Savannah, and Tampa. The meeting was held at the estate of "Pat" Murphy and after selecting the name, "Southeastern Racing Pigeon Concourse" the first officers of the organization were elected. They were: T. A. Mitchell of Savannah, President, and Dr. J. W. Hess of Savannah, Secretary. The Southeastern Concourse continued to operate until 1944 with one young bird race each year, the Joe Engel Handicap.

Due to the war no meetings were held until 1947 at which time the Concourse was organized under the name of "The Dixie Center." the first meeting under the new name was held on November 23, 1947, in Charleston, S.C., J. L. Collins, President, presiding. The Center continued its activities as an administrative body until 1951 at which time its charter was lost due to insufficient membership.

Continuation

In 1949 our affable friend and promoter, Tommy Peacock, of Atlanta, started the ball rolling in getting the present Southern Racing Pigeon Association organized. The first meeting under this name was held in Atlanta and the following clubs were listed as members: Atlanta, Augusta, Brunswick and Savannah, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; Chattanooga, Tennessee.

By-Laws and race-rules were formulated at this time and four races were scheduled for 1950. The races consisted of one 300 and one 500 mile old bird race, and one 200 and one 300 young bird race. The races have been actively participated in with all member clubs flying the specified distance from their regular race station. One winner from each city is acclaimed by fastest speed in yards per minute. Shows and annual meetings have been gaining each year, and Atlanta set a new record of 826 birds entered in their show in 1962.

At the convention held in Wilmington NC in 1977, a group of flyers met to discuss the By-Laws and how they restricted some fanciers from flying the regional races due to borderlines. It was decided to hold a meting in Atlanta Ga. sometime in 1978.

The meting was held in Atlanta as planed and it was decided to fly the same races as the Southern Racing Pigeon Association had been flying. The race series would start in 1979 and the convention to be held in Atlanta Ga. in Nov 1979. Tom Peacock was elected to the office of President. Thus was hatched the Dixie Racing Pigeon Association.

Note: Tom Peacock passed away during the year and Frank Price filled in for the rest of the year.

Merging

It started back in 1980, when representatives from the two existing Southern pigeon associations the Southern Racing Pigeon Association (SRPA) and the Dixie Racing Pigeon Association (DIXIE) - got together and discussed the possibility of holding a combined convention in 1981. The initial meeting took place at the DIXIE convention in Jacksonville, Florida. In attendance were Gysbert Oostlander (President SRPA), Mike Anika (Secretary/Treasurer,) both from Savannah, Georgia, Frank Price (former President DIXIE) from Atlanta Ga., Curtis Christian III (Secretary/Treasurer DIXIE) and Wade Shrivalle both from Charleston, South Carolina. After several lengthy discussions at the meeting and considering several possible convention sites, it was decided since the DIXIE association already had plans to hold their convention in Charleston, the SRPA would join them for a combined convention.

Subsequent meetings involving aforementioned officers were held in Savannah, Georgia to discuss the details, and at those meetings, it was decided to try to unite both associations into one by way of a merger. A proposed new constitution, by-laws, and race rules were accepted. The hardest issue to resolve was the name for the new association. It was agreed to combine both names into one, and so the DIXIE SOUTHERN RACING PIGEON ASSOCIATION was born and the initials "DS" were to be used on the association's special bands. Since that time, the association has adopted several new programs recognizing the individual accomplishments by its members and their pigeons, and grown to today's size of approximately 40 clubs with 400 plus members, ranking it among the largest organizations in the country.

Past Presidents

Southern Racing Pigeon Association

1950 - M.R. Elam, Chattanooga, TN.
1951 - M. R. Elam, Chattanooga, TN.
1952 - J. W. Carpenter, Salisbury, NC.
1953 - J. W. Carpenter, Salisbury, NC.
1954 - D. Lee Wicker, Atlanta, GA.
1955 - G. S. Carter, Charleston, SC.
1956 - R. H. "Bob" Fennell, Savannah, GA.
1957 - Joe Engel, Chattanooga, TN.
1958 - G. J. Barry, Atlanta, GA.
1959 - W. P. Baldwin, Wilmington, NC.
1960 - J. L. Collins, Charleston, SC.
1961 - James McMahon, Oak Ridge, TN.
1962 - C. Allen Ivey, Atlanta, GA.
1963 - Jerry Pillus, Coca, FL.
1964 - Ed Kleckly, Charleston, SC.
1965 - Bob Fennell, Savannah, GA.
1966 - Paul DeFeo, Miami, FL.
1967 - Bob McColley, Orlando, FL.
1968 - Clarence Martin, Richmond, VA.
1969 - D. Lee Wicker, Atlanta, GA.
1970 - Louis Hoppmann, Charleston, SC.
1971 -Tommy Baldwin, Wilmington, NC.
1972 - Steve Whitmire, Atlanta, GA.
1973 - Waldo Hotchkiss, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
1974 - Louis Hoppmann, Charleston, SC.
1975 - Bud Barner, Fayetteville NC.
1976 - Tom Peacock, Atlanta GA.
1977 - David Temple, wilmington NC.
1978 - Louis Hoppmann, Charleston SC.

Dixie Racing Pigeon Association

1979 - Tom Peacock, Atlanta, GA.
1980 - Laura Cloud, Jacksonville, FL.
1981 - Wade Shrivalle, Charleston, SC.

Southern Racing Pigeon Association

1979 - Bert Oostlander, Savannah, GA.
1980 - George Parker, Knoxville, TN.
1981 - Bert Oostlander, Savannah, GA.

Dixie Southern Racing Pigeon Association

1982 - Ellery Vandenbree, Newport News, VA.
1983 - James Wiley, Jacksonville, FL.
1984 - Gysbert Oostlander, Savannah, GA.
1985 - Martin Frankenberg, Atlanta, GA.
1986 - Ben T. Smith, Macon, GA.
1987 - Henry Albers, Charleston, SC.
1988 - Pete Petzel, Jacksonville, FL.
1989 - Jim Williams, Atlanta, GA.
1990 - Sandy Fabricatore, Fayetteville, NC.
1991 - Raymond Farley , Chattanooga, TN.
1992 - Pete Petzel, Jacksonville FL.
1993 - Waldo Slie, New Orleans, LA.
1994 - Raymond Farley, Chattanooga, TN.
1995 - Mike Anika, Savannah, GA.
1996 - Don Squires, Fayetteville, NC.
1997 - Calvin Durham, DeLand, FL.
1998 - Richard Staney, Jacksonville, FL.
1999 - W. E. Folsom, Atlanta, GA.
2000 - Calvin Durham, DeLand, FL.
2001 - Richard Krale, Deltona FL.
2002 - 2004 - W.E. Folsom, Atlanta, GA.
2005 - 2007 - Tim Mounie, Norfolk, VA.
2008 - 2010 - Steve Jenkins, Norfolk, VA.
2011 - 2013 - Alvin Petty, Chattanooga, TN.
2014 - 2016 - Doug Jones, GA
2017 - 2019 - Johnny Hutcheson, GA.
2020 - 2022 - Johnny Hutcheson, GA
2023 - 2025 - Adil Hrnic, GA