Because we are approaching the start of the new competition season, we have decided to open up a number of materials describing the situation of associations in the different provinces in terms of the number of pigeons and fanciers announced for the start of the season. Today we will present to you how things are in associations in the province of Muntenia, an area where a very large number of pigeons compete every season.

The province of Muntenia includes the columbophile associations Constanța, Ialomiţa, Călăraşi, Ilfov, Bucharest, Prahova, Dâmboviţa, Giurgiu, Buzău, Brăila and Tulcea. So we are talking about the province with most county associations in all over the country. From the outset, it should be noted that, to a large extent, we are talking about an obvious increase in the number of pigeons and fanciers in almost all associations, and where there has been no progress, at least we are not talking about a decrease.

At provincial level, the number of pigeons and fanciers for 2020 is considerably higher
Associations belonging to the province of Muntenia will, at least theoretically, have a more competitive 2020 season. The number of pigeons and fanciers announced for the season to begin is considerably higher in almost all associations. For example, the Columbophile Constanta Association will have about 9,500 pigeons and 150 fanciers at the first stage of this season. If compared to last year the number of pigeons is about the same, a significant increase is recorded among fanciers, from 124 fanciers to the start of the 2019 season to 150 fanciers announced for 2020. The Columbophile Ilfov Association will count this season on 56 fanciers and about 3,000 pigeons. In Dâmboviţa, 160 fanciers were activated for this season, and the association’s representatives are counting on over 6,000 pigeons at the first stage. In Giurgiu, by contrast, 85 fanciers will compete in 2020, who announced a number of 5,600 pigeons in the first stage. Given that the aforementioned associations (Ilfov, Dâmboviţa and Giurgiu) will compete together this season, we will have a first stage in which more than 300 fanciers and over 14,000 pigeons will participate. Last year, together with the fanciers from Ilfov, Giurgiu and Dâmboviţa associations, a good part of the members in Bucharest (148) competed, and 17,479 pigeons were engaged in the first stage. Of these, 7,141 were only of the fanciers in Bucharest, so of the three associations were engaged just over 10,000 pigeons. As for 2020, the fanciers of Ilfov, Dâmboviţa and Giurgiu announced more than 14,000 pigeons, we can see that the number of pigeons in those associations is much higher than last year.

The Columbophile Bucharest Association will compete at Short Distance and Middle Distance on two levels
A novelty for the 2020 season can be found in the Columbophile Bucharest Association. If last year, the Bucharest columbophiles participated in the Short Distance-Middle Distance contests following two protocols, this year they will compete alone, but after two flight plans. Divided approximately equally, the Bucharest columbophiles will follow two different flight directions for the Short Distance-Middle Distance stages. Some of them, about 200 fanciers, from Traian Niţescu, Rapid, Triumf, Ghencea, Rândunica and Voluntari clubs, will compete for Suceava, with races such as Focşani, Adjud, Dubasari, etc. In contrast, the other fanciers in the capital, also about 200, from Rahova, Ferentari, Gyo Antilopa, Gyo Iccf, Copăceni, Dobroieşti and Gyo Arena have opted for a competition plan to The Republic of Moldova. At the stages of Long Distance and Extreme Long Distance, the Bucharest fanciers will compete together on the Ukraine route.

Prahova holds the record
From Muntenia, Prahova will be the association that this season will line up the highest number of pigeons. After last year when most fanciers who competed on young birds stages preferred the flight route to Bulgaria and gave up Poland, the same option was chosen for the old birds season of this year. Some more than 1,000 fanciers from Prahova will participate in the first stage of the season (Razgrad, Bulgaria) and announced more than 35,000 pigeons. Only about 100 fanciers from Prahova chose to fly their pigeons on the route to Poland in 2020, making a protocol with the Columbophile Brasov Association.
In the rest of the associations the situation is as follows: Calarasi- 2,000 pigeons/50 fanciers; Tulcea – 1,000 pigeons/20 fanciers; Buzău – 6,000 pigeons/120 fanciers. Statistically speaking, both the number of fanciers and pigeons announced for this season is significantly higher. This is primarily beneficial for the competition in Romania, but also a sign that things are moving in the right direction.