This category is the first one of the long distance flights categories. To meet the norm of this, three stage rankings with a distance of more than 475 km are required, the requirements being the same for old bird, yearlings and youngsters. Today we will approach the Long distance old birds category, whose national podium was occupied in 2020 by the following pigeon fanciers: the team Nica Gabriel & Haiducu Robert (Olt), on the first place, Cătălin Sandu (Ilfov), on the second place and Marin Stoica (Bucharest), in third place.

In the 2020 season, over 5,000 old birds achieved the norm in this category, occupying a place in the National Catalog. However, in order to be ranked on one of the three places awarded with a national trophy, the pigeons had to compete almost perfectly. Considering the fact that many pigeons compete in the long distance races, and the norm is made in three of them, the very low penalty points are difficult to obtain. However, on the first 14 national places there are pigeons with a coefficient of less than 10 penalty points.

Team Nica Gabriel & Haiducu Robert (Olt) wins 1st place National Long distance old birds

The best pigeon from the 2020 season in this category was the hen RO-18-0543334, of the Nica Gabriel & Haiducu Robert team from Olt County. In the three long distance competitions that were counted for the norm, the hen obtained a score of 3.85 penalty points. The three long distance stages had a distance of 672 km, launching from Mykolaiv, Ukraine, competitions in which the hen ranked first, against 3,564 pigeons, third place in a competition of 1,964 pigeons and 10th place out of 4,905 pigeons, all results being from the general rankings of the stages. “Our champion is reproduced from a cock by A.P. Overwater, and her mother is a Houben and Philippe Frederick hen. She competed in widowhood all season and I can’t say that she had a special training, only that, after the third stage, I stopped her cock at home. For their diet I used several racing mixtures from Bayers, and supplements I used from Schroeder and Tollisan. I did a lot of training with my personal car during the season, the pigeons being taken almost daily to over 30 aerial km. The cocks were launched first, and the hens after, the day before basketing being the last time they were allowed to see each other “, mentioned Gabriel Nica. It should be mentioned that the hen of Nica Gabriel & Haiducu Robert team ranked 11 races in 2020 and, in addition to the 1st place in the National Long distance old birds, she is also a national champion in the Allround Old birds and National Old birds Ace categories.

 Cătălin Sandu (Ilfov), national vice-champion of Long distance Old birds

Cătălin Sandu, the president of the Ilfov Pigeon Association, is the one who occupies this season the 2nd plac in this category. Also a hen, RO-18-0000208, his vice-champion obtained a higher coefficient by only 1.66 points than the hen on the first place, totaling in the three races 5.51 penalty points. Its rankings are as follows: 8/12,397 pigeons (646 km), 16/9,211 pigeons (669 km) and 25/8,014 pigeons (684 km). “I am very happy for this result, especially since I compete in an area where fanciers like Cosmin Olteanu, the team Stănescu + Dobre, Sandu Cazacu, the team Simion Emil + Dumitran Stelian and other very good fanciers also participate. The hen also competed very well last year, and this year she achieved all the norms, except for the marathon. It is reproduced from a nephew of my Olympian, the cock named Negrilă and the mother is a Koopman hen from Cosmin Olteanu. I used the mixes Koopman and Gaby Vandenabeele from Bayers, and as supplements, Energy Tabs from CEST Pharma both before and after the competition. Every day, during the season, the pigeons were taken to a training session from a distance of 55 km “, stated Cătălin Sandu.

Marin Stoica (Bucharest) completes the national podium

Marin Stoica from Bucharest ranks third nationally in this category. Again, we are talking about a hen, who is, through this result, at the most important performance of her career. The score with which he won this trophy is 6.24 penalty points, achieved after ranking 3/9,211 pigeons (669 km), 8/6,169 pigeons (684 km) and 37/8,014 pigeons (684 km). “She is a 50% Vanbruaene and 50% Aarden, but among the pigeons in her pedigree are also pigeons from Neacșu Stan. In fact, the pigeons from this fancier are the ones who are the basis of our loft. She competed in widowhood, without breeding before the season. For feeding we used a mixture made from several varieties from different companies and local seeds. For training and recovery we use products from Bayers and Dr. Brockamp, ​​and the program is adapted to the situation and condition of the pigeons. I want to add that the pigeons were not taken to any personal car training. They trained only around the loft “, said Marin Stoica (foto right).

This is the story of this season in the Long distance Old birds category, dominated by hens this season.