Over 2,350 pigeons participated in the National Stendal marathon, organized under the coordination of the Satu-Mare Pigeon Association at the end of last week. It was a stage that brought together the entire western province, even if not all counties basketed enough pigeons to have a ranking center. At the same time, there was a competition in which the Tunduc Family from Oradea reaffirmed itself, which won first place in both pigeons and fanciers, with the only two pigeons arriving on the competition on its first day.

Specifically, 2,374 pigeons basketed for the 2021 National Stendal competition, a stage attended by 307 pigeon fanciers. From the point of view of the participating pigeon fancier associations, they were Satu-Mare, Bihor, Arad, Timiș, Caraș Severin, Maramureș and Sălaj. The pigeons were released on Saturday morning, at 08:20, and, as we said above, the only two pigeons that finished the race on the first day were from Tunduc Family loft.

A new 1st place on the launch with the hen 0028223/2019 and the 1st place in fanciers competition, with only four hens employed in the competition

Arriving at 21:39:08, from a distance of 949 km, the hen of the Tunduc Family (foto right) won the first place on the launch at the National Stendal race, with an average speed of 1,188.45 m / min. A performance itself, the victory of the hen 0028223/2019 is doubled by the fact that this pigeon managed to win first place at the launch in Nuremberg, the first marathon competition of the season in the Western province, thus taking a serious option to win the national title at Marathon Old birds category. In order for the evening to be perfect, at 22:18:02 the second hen arrived at the Tunduc Family farm. With only four hens basketed for the race, the Tunduc family also won first place in the fanciers, ranking a total of three pigeons (1st, 5th and 109th places), a true example of quality-quantity ratio. “It was a big surprise for us. We had great confidence in the pigeons we sent at this stage, but we did not expect to take first place and have the first two pigeons in the first day of flight. The emotions of arrival were overwhelming. I and my colleagues who came to see the pigeon and to celebrate together that night were simply speechless. Five years ago I started flying only hens and applying what I learned from the Kipp family many years ago and more recently from Horvath Karoly in Hungary and Willy Daniels in Belgium, and to fundamental approach to competitions and selection of pigeons. Since we started doing this, we have over 30 first places. Out of 13 marathons played from 2017 until now, we have 5 first places and, honestly, we are more attracted to the first place than to the norms. We really like pigeons that are able to make the difference. We practice a very tough selection, starting with young birds. During the winter we select the pigeons very hard, this being the reason why we play with a small number of pigeons. Personally, I really like to motivate them. This has beneficial aspects, in the sense that you can win competitions, but at the same time, it is very risky, because not all pigeons resist mentally and the harder the races, the greater the chances of crashing. Otherwise, a dream moment for us, which any pigeon fancier in our country wants to live, because in the end these moments are the culmination of years of work with pigeons. We hope to make a beautiful new figure in Berlin as well. Now, after two first places, I dare to dream of the third, although I am aware that it is very difficult. But, we will do our best to send a strong and motivated team and, if God will help us, we will make a beautiful figure there as well “, said Marius Tunduc, president of the National Federation of Pigeon Fanciers in Romania and of the Bihor Pigeon Association.

County rankings

Seven pigeon associations took part in the National Stendal race, but only three gathered the necessary number of pigeons and fanciers to have a ranking center. These are the associations of Arad, Bihor and Timiș. From the Arad association, 748 pigeons and 80 pigeon fanciers participated in the National Stand. In both pigeons and fanciers, the 1st place in the county was won by Călin Habaci, who occupies the 3rd place on the entire launch in pigeons and the 2nd place in fanciers, in the general rankings. 793 pigeons and 76 pigeon fanciers from Timiș County participated. The first county place, in both rankings, were won by Marian Ticu.

Last but not least, we must mention the pigeon fancier Robert Kocsis, from Sălaj county, who took second place at the launch, in the pigeons ranking, but also Frații Ilea, from Bihor, who ranks third in the general classification of the stage. Congratulations to all the winners!