About this category, when we presented the old birds from the national top 3, we stated that it is a very difficult category and rightly so, because the pigeons are obliged to rank all five long distance races. The finding is even more appropriate, however, in the case of yearlings that, since the first competional season of their career, manage to rank all five races in which they are engaged. In the 2021 season, 435 yearlings managed to achieve this norm.

The national top rankings, winners of the Long distance Ace Yearlings are: Ioan Manolache, from the Galați Association, Andrei-Ionuț Teslariu, from Vaslui, and Georgian-Timy Sandu, from Argeș. They are the three fanciers who got the best scores with their pigeons, in this case only young cocks.

Ioan Manolache (GL), with the best result so far

Ioan Manolache from Galaţi, a member of the Tecuci Pigeon Club, has been competing for over a decade. During this time, he managed to become one of the very good pigeon fanciers of his association, and in 2021 we can say that he has reached his peak. The young cock RO-20-0284002 surpassed the entire competition in the country and became national champion in the Long distance ace category, with a coefficient of 80.94 penalty points and brought Ioan Manolache the best result so far. However, it should be noted that this is not the only performance of the Tecuci fancier. At provincial and county level, Ioan Manolache already has an important record, the trophies being obtained mainly in the Long distance category. “I started in 2009, in 2010 I bought my first electronic clock and, every year, I tried to evolve. In 2013-2014 we made several purchases, we brought Vandenabeele pigeons, Van Dyck pigeons, but also from Romanian pigeon fanciers, such as Moise Dinu, Vicențiu Scripcaru and George Vochin. With these acquisitions, the results began to appear. The method of flight is widowhood. After the first race, I separate the pigeons and stay that way until the last stage, when I pair them again. When using the natural method, the pigeons are engaged in race on eggs laid for about 8-10 days. At the beginning of January, I separate the pigeons, after which I pair them three weeks before the first stage. Widowhood is done by rotation. In the morning I train the cocks, after which the hens pass them on the speakers during the day, and the cocks are moved on perches. In the evening I train the hens and the cocks are moved on their boxes. I’ve been doing this for three years, rotating boxes and perches for both sexes. As origins, this cock comes from pigeons that competed very well. His mother is 3 years old, and his father also performed very well. He was lost, unfortunately, at the last long distance race, in 2021. If he had also ranked this race, he would have achieved Long distance ace, 3 years Palmares. One of his grandmothers is a Vandenabeelle hen, bought from an auction of a pigeon house, a hen competed there by Ionuț Drăgușin. Another grandfather comes from Vicențiu Scripcaru. I can’t say that he had a special preparation or motivation. But, after the third race, I thought only of him, hoping for a good norm of Long distance ace. Fortunately, this has happened, “said Ioan Manolache.

2nd national place, also from Moldova

In order to find out who the vice-champion of the category is, we also remain in the area of Moldova, more precisely in the Vaslui Association. The pigeon fancier Andrei-Ionuț Teslariu competes here, who, in the 2021 season, is the happy winner of the 2nd place National Long distance ace Yearlings. His result was also obtained by a cock, who has the series RO-20-0557057 and who obtained 105.28 penalty points in the five competitions he ranked. It is interesting that, although the Vaslui pigeon fancier is not a fan of this category, his first national cup is at Long distance ace, and at county level, Andrei-Ionuț Teslariu occupies all three places on the podium. “I started competing in 2014, and my goal is the marathon stages. However, late breeded pigeons and some of the yearlings compete for the long distance races, which stand out in the early stages in the country as faster pigeons. I use natural method, and in the case of this cock I can say that every time he was embarked he had eggs recently laid by his hen, who always left the nest when she was left alone. She also competed for two long distance races, after which I stopped her at home so as not to risk the cock remaining without his pair. Only one of the long distance stages did not allow the hen to lay eggs in time, they were already in the nest and I had to use a plastic egg for her to calm down. The food used in the season was from Vanrobaeys, and the supplements I administered were Belgasol, Probac and K + K. Between the main races, I took the pigeons together with several colleagues to train, three or four times, at distances of 50 and maximum 100 km “, detailed Andrei-Ionuț Teslariu.

Georgian Sandu from Argeș wins the third place

The last of the three national trophies was won by the pigeon fancier Georgian Sandu, from the Argeș Pigeon Association, thanks to the cock with the series RO-20-0381528-20. Its coefficient is 148.52 penalty points, and one of the best races among the five ranked was the Partizanske competition (622 km), in which it obtained the 9th place out of 5,104 pigeons.