This category, along with other categories of the National Championship, is one of the Olympic categories. This means that the pigeons on the national podium in the Middle distance Palmares category are eligible to participate in international exhibitions: the Racing Pigeon Olympiad and the European Cup. In 2020, 4,794 pigeons met the criteria of the Middle distance Palmares norm, ranking eight races, with a distance between 285 and 630 km, in the last two seasons. Among them, on the first three national places are the pigeons competed by Constantin Stoica (Vâlcea), the Strava family (Brașov) and Costel Popa (Ialomița).

Although we are talking about a total of eight races, the pigeons on the national podium of the Middle distance Palmares category obtained very good scores. The national champion, cock RO-17-0024145, competed by Constantin Stoica, has a coefficient of 28.63 penalty points. The vice-champion, also a cock, with the RO-18-0330003 series, competed by the Strava family, has a score of 30.30 penalty points. On the 3rd place is a hen RO-15-0112421, competed by Costel Popa, with the coefficient of 40 penalty points. This means an average of 3.5-4 points per race for each of the pigeons.

Constantin Stoica (VL), again on the national podium for Middle distance category

Last season, Constantin Stoica from Vâlcea won two national trophies in the Middle distance: 3rd National Middle distance and 3rd National Old birds Middle distance. Another pigeon of the same fanceir ranked 14th National Middle distance Old birds, but this ranking is far from its true potential. In 2020, the cock RO-17-0024145, because it is about him, competed almost without mistake. To the 12.24 penalty points last year from Middle distance Old birds, he added another 16.39 this year, thus achieving the best coefficient at Middle distance Palmares and winning the title of “National Champion”. In the two seasons, his results for this norm are as follows: 2 / 2,817 pigeons (384 km), 2 / 1,386 pigeons (384 km), 9 / 6,924 pigeons (384 km), 3 / 1,260 pigeons (384 km), 4/972 pigeons (384 km), 26 / 7,820 pigeons (316 km), 12 / 1,880 pigeons (384 km) and 33 / 7,175 pigeons (384 km). “The cock comes from a cross between several lines of pigeons. His father comes from Ioniță Gogu, from Koopman pigeons from Cosmin Olteanu, and his mother is from Silviu Tătuț, from Moulin Rouge pigeons. As categories, I also compete in the long distance and marathon, but in recent years I have also brought these faster pigeons, which I see they perform very well in the middle distance. I use widowhood method. On the first of March I allow the flight group together, they pair as they please, they reproduce a series of young birds, and after they lay eggs for the second time and hatch for 10 days, I separate them. For feeding I use a food produced in Reghin, a single mixture all season. I recover them with bee honey, lemon and nettle tea in water, and as treatments, I rely on those produced in Romania “, said Constantin Stoica.

After the 3rd place National Middle distance Yearlings, the Strava family (BV) wins the 2nd place National Middle distance Palmares with the same pigeon

The vice-champion of the category, with 30.30 penalty points is the cock RO-18-0330003, competed by the Strava family, from Brașov. Last year, as a yearling, the same pigeon obtained the 3rd place National Middle distance Yearlings, with 9.10 penalty points. This season he obtained 20.20 points, finishing the norm at Middle distance Palmares and ranking 2nd National. For this norm, the cock ranked the following races: 1st/3,696 pigeons (334 km), 2nd/1,677 pigeons (386 km), 1st/537 pigeons (386 km), 1st/533 pigeons (384 km),2nd/980 pigeons (386 km), 7th/1,746 pigeons (386 km), 19th/2,049 pigeons (386 km) and 15th/1,533 pigeons (405 km). „The cock was competed using widowhood method. The pigeons reproduced a pair of young birds before they were separated. It’s a good opportunity to get an idea of ​​the pigeons in the flight group, depending on how they manage or not to raise their two young birds. Two weeks before the first race they were separated, but I want to mention that, due to the delay of the season, I extended the darkening period. The blinds remained closed until 09:00, and the night began at 18:00. That lasted until May 15. For feeding I used Gaby Vandenabeele mixture. Upon arrival they received race mixture, and for recovery we used Biolektron, Columboclin, honey and alot of teas. Because I only compete with cocks, at every race they are expected by their hens in the breeding box. When most of them arrive home, they are allowed to enter the box with the hens and will stay together for no more than one hour. Again, rest is very important. Pigeons do not fly by the flag, but they must stay outside for an hour per day. At the heavier races, they don’t go out the day after the competition. I want to add that the runner-up is 75% Gaby Vandenabeele and 25% Steven van Breemen, and last year, due to a mistake in the clock software, six races with very low penalty points were canceled for him”, explained Ionuț Strava.

On the third place is Costel Popa (IL) with the hen RO-15-0112421

On the third and last place of the national podium in the Middle distance Palmares category is the pigeon fancier Costel Popa, from Slobozia, member of the Ialomița Racing Pigeons Association. His hen is not at the first top result of national level. Last year she won the 2nd place in the National Category H-Old birds and should have participated in the European Cup, a result corroborated with many rankings in the provincial top 3 in different categories, such as National Ace or Long distance Ace. The norm for this category was achieved by ranking eight races of Suceava (358 km), as following: 1/3,274 pigeons, 1/1,067 pigeons, 12/3,268 pigeons, 1/266 pigeons, 2/275 pigeons, 7 / 951 pigeons, 27 / 3,605 pigeons and 17 / 1,845 pigeons. “In Slobozia there is a pigeon fancier center, arranged on a concessioned land from the town hall, where the 15 pigeon fanciers  have their lofts. That’s where my loft is also. I have been competing using natural method for three years, after many unsuccessful attempts to try widowhood. The hen that made this result is a cross of pigeons by Rudi Diels from Silviu Glodeanu, pigeons from Nicu Bizdrigheanu and Ștefan Toncu. He has the same grandfather as one of the pigeons of the Mustățea family, which took the 2nd place at the European Cup. She is a good flier, provincial champion at Long distance Ace Old birds, she took the 2nd place provincial National ace, the 2nd place provincial category H and the 2nd place National category H. She should have participated in the European Cup, but due to personal problems I could not send her. I use food from Versele Laga, the Champion Plus mixture, adding some local cereals. As supplements, I use Rohnfried products. During the season, I trained them between races, from a distance of 25 km “, said Costel Popa.

So, that’s how things went in the Middle distance Palmares category in the 2020 season.