The most important competition with cash prizes organized by the Union of Pigeon Fanciers in Romania (U.F.C.R.), the Gold Club, manages to break new records from year to year. Thanks to the seriousness and transparency with which it was organized from the beginning, the Gold Club attracts more and more fanciers eager to live at maximum intensity a competition that benefits from the largest prize fund in the Romanian pigeon sport. Starting this year, the Gold Club is also addressing fanciers in love with the marathon stages, who, for the first time, had the opportunity to purchase special rings based on which they will be able to participate in the Gold Marathon.

As it is known, starting with the 2023 season, the Gold Club will include, in addition to the Long distance yearlings, the Marathon Yearlings category. The change was mainly due to requests from many fanciers who asked the UFCR to extend the possibility of winning cash prizes to the most beloved category in the country. The interest for this new category is confirmed by the number of rings already ordered by the county branches, which, although not much, exceeds the number of those destined for the Long distance Gold category.

Argeş county remains at the top of Long distance Gold

As in the previous season, fanciers from Argeş dominate the ranking rings demand. Thus, according to the centralized situation, 2,800 rings will arrive in this county, 500 more than the number registered in the previous year. Undoubtedly, this only confirms that the Gold Club is an extremely attractive competition, which, however, has not yet reached its full potential. Arad then follows in the top of the ordered rings, with 1,500. It is followed by no less than seven counties that have reached the milestone of 1,000 rings ordered. These are Bucharest, Dolj, Mehedinti, Neamt, Olt, Prahova and Suceava, counties that have proven, more and more, an increased “appetite” for this competition.
In total, 20,000 Long distance Gold rings have been ordered nationwide so far, a figure that is expected to increase as the period they can be purchased has not ended.
Suceava county leads for the Marathon Gold rings
As we mentioned at the beginning, the interest in the new rings for the Gold Marathon category is huge among fanciers. And this can be seen very clearly when it comes to the number of rings ordered, which has already reached 20,200 pieces! Most of them, respectively 2,500, will go to the fanciers from Suceava, a county recognized for the large number of pigeon fanciers that can be reduced to this distance category. On the other side of the country, in Bihor, 2,000 rings will go, the “podium” being completed by Botoşani, where 1,800 rings were ordered.
The list of counties where there will be intense “battles” for the Gold Awards also includes the “winners” from Fond Gold, Argeş and Arad, both with 1,500 rings. They are followed by the branches of Buzău, Dolj, Mehedinţi and Neamţ, each with 1,000 rings ordered.

Easy to purchase

For fanciers who have not yet purchased rings, but are considering doing so, it should be noted that they can be ordered very easily. All they have to do is pay, through a UFCR club, a fee of 20 lei for each ring and opt for one of the two options: Long distance Gold or Marathon Gold. Simple as that! Let’s also remind that the amounts paid for the rings are called Gold membership, it being transferred from the clubs to the branch, which in turn transfers money to a special account of the Union of Pigeon Federations in Romania, the amounts collected being used, as every year , exclusively for awarding the fanciers.

More prizes, more chances for fanciers

And because we mentioned the awards, we have to say that UFCR has decided to expand them, including at the club level, which means more opportunities for fanciers who will perform well. Obviously, the most important prizes, in the amount of 10,000 lei each, will be awarded at the national level. We are talking about 10 National Gold awards for the first 10 pigeons with the lowest score in the Long distance Gold yearlings and Marathon Gold yearlings categories. As is the case now, a national award will go to each province, to ensure a fair distribution of them. Then follow the prizes for each county that purchased Gold rings, where three county prizes will be awarded, their amount to be determined according to the number of rings purchased. And, for the first time, from the 2023 season, prizes will be awarded at the level of each club of the branches, one for every hundred rings purchased!

For example, here are some calculation simulations:
Simulation 1: 20,000 rings / category
Total amount collected: 400,000 lei / category (1 lei = 0.2 euros)
100,000 lei represents the ten National prizes / category
5% = 20,000 lei ring costs and promotion / category
The remaining amount, equal to 280,000 lei, which means 70% of the total amount, will go to the county branches for local awards.
A subsidiary that has 4 clubs and has purchased 500 Gold Rings will have a budget of 7,000 lei, which will be distributed as follows:
Club 1 = 120 rings – 1 prize = 1000 lei
Club 2 = 210 rings – 2 prizes = 2 x 1000 lei = 2000 lei
Club 3 = 130 rings – 1 prize = 1000 lei
Club 4 = 40 rings – 0 prize
A number of 3 prizes will be awarded per county, as follows: 7000 – 4000 = 3000/3 = 1000 lei
Place 1 = 1000 lei
Place 2 = 1000 lei
Place 3 = 1000 lei
A subsidiary that has 5 clubs and has purchased 1000 Gold Rings will have a budget of 14,000 lei, which will be distributed as follows:
Club 1 = 120 rings – 1 prize = 1000 lei
Club 2 = 210 rings – 2 prizes = 2 x 1000 lei = 2000 lei
Club 3 = 130 rings – 1 prize = 1000 lei
Club 4 = 240 rings – 2 prizes = 2 x 1000 lei = 2000 lei
Club 5 = 300 rings – 3 prizes = 3 x 1000 lei = 3000 lei
A number of 3 prizes will be awarded per county, as follows: 14000 – 9000 = 5000/3 = 1666.66 lei
1st place = 1666.66 lei
Place 2 = 1666.66 lei
Place 3 = 1666.66 lei
County prizes may increase or decrease depending on how many distinct prizes there will be on clubs.