The separation of the youngsters from this category (the norm is achieved from five competitions ranked between 95 and 420 km in a season) from the National Championship of the 2020 competitive year was made as a result of very small differences in scores. It is true that the only score of only one digit is that of the pigeon on the 1st national place, but, still, the ranking is very tight. The difference between the second and the third place is only 1,20 penalty points, and if we look below, we will notice that the battle for a place as possible in the national ranking of the Young birds Short distance ​​category was a fierce one.

For example, the pigeons in the 4th, 5th and 6th places nationally obtained, each, 15 penalty points. The draws are made by the hundredths, for example the pigeon on the fourth place has 15.26 penalty points, and the pigeon on the sixth place has 15.86 penalty points. However, we know that the national podium has only three places “available”, and this year, thanks to their pigeons and the skill they have shown, these three places will be occupied by the following fanciers: the team Călin + Buzura (1st place National ), Natural Sport (2nd place National) and Team Sava (3rd place National).

The tandem Călin + Buzura (DJ) wins the 1st place National Young birds Short distance category with an extraordinary performance

The team from Dolj formed by the pigeon fanciers Răzvan Călin and Radu Buzura managed to have the best pigeon in Romania in this ​​category, winning the 1st national place with a coefficient of 6.97 penalty points. This was possible thanks to the youngster RO-20-0354051, who won 1st place on the launch at a race of 167 km and against 2,722 pigeons, 1st place  in a race of 178 km, against 2,394 pigeons, 1st place on the launch at a distance of 354 km, against 2,616 pigeons, 6th place on the launch, at a stage of 261 km, against 2,649 pigeons and a 4th place on the launch, from a distance of 354 km, being a race where 1,133 pigeons participated. “The youngsters competed together with with my friend, Radu Buzura, were reproduced at the beginning of May. We tested two methods, some being flown, let’s say, naturally, and some of them being competing using the darkening method. The champion in the Short distance ​​category is one of those competed using the second method, a pigeon with 75% Vandenabeele origins, from pigeons from Tomas Lecke and Wolfgang Rupprecht. One of her grandmothers is our 2016 champion in the Allround Yearlings category and the 2nd place National Middle distance Yearlings and Lomng distance Yearlings. For feeding, we used Bayers food, supplements also from this company, and for training we took them twice a week to 30 and 50 km training sessions ”, explains Răzvan Călin. The same top pigeon of the Călin + Buzura team is the 1st place also for the National F Category, and one of its brothers is the 2nd place in the county for the Young birds Short distance category.

Natural Sport (HD), a new national result for young birds category

“Natural Sport” is the title under which competes in Romania the well-known pigeon fancier Jean-Francois Cure from Simeria, Hunedoara County, one of the best competitors in our country and, for now, the only Olympic champion in Romania. This year, the French fancier already established for more than twenty years in Romania managed to win again several national trophies with youngsters, one of them being the 2nd place National Short distance Young birds. His hen, RO-20-2015559, managed to obtain a coefficient of 10.94 penalty points, enough to win the 2nd place National Short distance, and because he competed very well, the same pigeon also occupies the 2nd place National F Category. “The idea to compete under the name Natural Sport came as a result of the very good relationship I had with the representatives of the Belgian company Natural, in an attempt to promote both the supplements they produce and which I use to keep the pigeons healthy, as well as to promote the pigeons they breed in their centers in Belgium. We compete in all categories, which is why our loft consists of 50 breeding pairs, but we do not reproduce from all couples in a year; a batch of 100 old birds and about 150 youngsters. This year, 80 of the first young birds I bred were sent to Belgium, where we have the Allemeesh-Cure team, with only 17 young birds left in Simeria. I competed them using the well-known sliding door method, after they were matured, being separated (cocks/hens) and competing separately. I let them together only after returning from the races or after the educational trainings. As origins, the hen has 70% of long distance anf marathon pigeon genes, and 30% of the allround pigeon genes. As proof, it is ringed with a Gold ring. It is reproduced in a project I have been working on for several years, through which I want to create pigeons capable of winning first place at distances of 200 km, up to 900 km. In my work as a pigeon fancier, I try to simplify everything as much as possible. The quality of the pigeons is the most important aspect, and in the case of the young birds, education matters a lot, an advice I give to all the fanciers who ask me for tips and advices, another project of mine to which I give maximum importance. I am glad that I managed to obtain a very good new result with the youngsters, and I think this hen will have a good future. At the arrivals from the races, at least one minute she was still flying around the loft, a sign that she was not exhausted, which makes me believe that she will have a beautiful future “, Francois Cure detailed.

Team Sava (HD) completes the category podium

The 3rd Place National Young birds Short distance ​​2020 was won by Team Sava, the name under which Cosmin Sava, from Cugir, member of the Hunedoara Pigeon Association, competes. His pigeon, RO-20-0328539, also competed using the darkening method and obtained a coefficient of 12.14 penalty points in the five short distance races he ranked to achieve the norm. One of its best rankings is the 13th place out of 7,081 pigeons (178 km), but also the 2nd place out of 1,814 pigeons, at a stage of 214 km. “The father of this young brird is a son of a very good flyer of Dominic Bedeleanu, and his mother is a hen of Denis Faber. I must mention that all the young birds competed using darkening methot, which I applied starting with March 20, until two weeks before the first race. As food I used several mixtures from Bayers and Verses Laga. I would like to add the fact that I returned to the pigeon competitions after an eight-year break. Last year, with pigeons from my mentor Laurențiu Pinca, I resumed this passion, and this year’s result, which is largely due to my wife, motivates me a lot for the future “, mentioned Cosmin Sava.

A first conclusion that we can deduce from the presentation of the pigeons on the national podium is that, at least in the Short distance ​​category, the national level results with the young birds are made by mastering special methods. The use of darkening is a procedure more and more common for fanciers who win in recent seasons important races or trophies with young birds, a decisive method in determining the winners of this year’s National Championship in the Young birds Short distance ​​category.