Porumbeii de Maraton

The Marathon and long distance pigeon racing

Preface
~~~~~~~
Long- distance and marathon racing has progressed since the origins of the sport of pigeon racing in Europe and although there are many who are quite content to fly the sprints and middle - distances, nevertheless there is something wonderful, something special about welcoming home one's entrant or entrants in races which sap their strength and willpower. We know that there may be no day arrivals and we may have to wait long hours or days in all sorts of weather conditions, but we cannot deny that there is something mystical about the whole experience. And when we do time in - what joy! In fact position or prize is secondary and, to many, irrelevant compared to the excitement of seeing a return after hundreds of soul destroying miles littered with many obstacles both alive and inanimate. What other sport can compare with this? None!
AN INTRODUCTION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The pigeon or to be more accurate the dove has in various human cultures been associated with the divine or supernatural or in other words beyond the normal. There is the return of the dove in the story of Noah's Ark, a powerful symbol in the memory of the human species especially of the Jewish/Christian tradition. But it extends beyond that tradition and as a symbol is prevalent in other cultures. Within my own cultural tradition the dove has become associated with one of the three national patrons i.e. St. Colmcille (or Columba) who is known as 'the Dove of the Church'. In Irish terms the conveyor of 'good news' just like the dove's return to the Ark as narrated within the Bible.
However this is not a study of spiritual or cultural images. Its subject is the racing pigeon or more specifically the modern descendent of the Rock Dove which has become the athlete of the skies through special breeding. Our subject is not the common pigeon which we see wandering our streets in search of nourishment, our subject is a real existing thoroughbred which has evolved through special breeding and under the influence of modern genetic science. Of course the general public have different views about the sport of pigeon racing which ranges at times from the bizarre to the ridiculous. Aspects of the latter could not be more further from the truth for the modern racing pigeon in its essence is a thoroughbred in the truest sense of the term. A
pedigree trained bird as equal to the thoroughbred status of the competitors at any race track.
What I have written is not for the general public but I ask that public to read for only through sincerely expressed knowledge allied with a sincere openness can prejudices be removed if any exists. Hopefully resulting in a wider understanding of this great sport which continues to bring much joy and indeed monetary rewards to many amongst the pigeon racing fraternity. Now to the pigeon fancier, the contents deals mostly with that aspect of our sport which refers to the long and marathon races as distinct from the short or middle distances.
(1) Distance And The Racing Pigeon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One thousand, seven hundred and sixty yards is a distance, and this distance is traditionally referred too as a mile. So distance can be defined as a measured length between two points. Or within the sport of pigeon racing the measurement in miles or metres between the pigeons point of release and their home lofts.
Distance traditionally within the sport has been broken down into three strands namely short, middle and long distance. Of course as the distance was extended the word 'marathon' became more and more a part of pigeon racing parlance.
There is no universal agreement what miles or metres constitutes the three or indeed the additional fourth strand. But it could be in the miles category as follows:
Short Distance: 0 to 200 miles.
Middle Distance: 201- 400 miles.
Long Distance : 401 - 600 miles.
Marathon Distance: 601 plus.
In normal flying conditions the latter definitions are acceptable as long as we acknowledge that weather for example can intervene and turn a middle distance race into something akin to a marathon. We need however a workable definition and I believe the above are fair as long as we consider the many factors that can effect the velocity of the racing birds. So the contents refers to the distance between 401 and 601 miles plus.
(2) Requirements Of The Long And Marathon Distance Racer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When reading about fanciers who have excelled at the distances beyond the short and middle strands there will be references to families or strains that claim winners at all distances but just as there are good and not so good or bad in all strains perhaps what is required when we approach this belief is that there are individual differences to the norm. There is no doubt that there have been in the history of the sport outstanding all rounders but whether there exists or has existed an all round strain is questionable.
Speed is a necessary ingredient in the short and middle distance races but it is also necessary in the long and marathon distances allied with an abundance of will power and endurance. In negative or bad weather conditions the most important requirements is that of will power and endurance but speed could come into play when the pigeon enters its home ground and makes that extra effort to reach its loft.
I am of the opinion that intensive breeding over the last 100 years but especially during the last 40 to 50 years has produced a racing pigeon of a high degree of animal intelligence. Mental capabilities are of more importance than the physical. Even if a pigeon was superb physically, if it lacked the right mental capabilities i.e. a clear grasp of homeward direction and the strongestof desires to get home it would be useless as confirmed by the well built strays which litter our racing and training routes.
Yes, a high degree of homing ability, super sight, a strong will, and a strong endurance against the background of a high degree of animal intelligence is what is required. In fact that is what champions are made of ! And it is to be found in the right pedigree, one in which the racing and breeding achievements of the immediate ancestry are recorded as good. For the chances of repeating the referred to successes amongst the latest generation are high in those circumstances.
(3) Training For The Ultimate endurance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Youngsters of the type required for this form of racing must be healthy and from early as possible receive training that will, as well as enlarging their hearts and enhancing the development of muscles, etc., will help to imprint in their minds the areas into which they will have to fly. In other words they must learn the experience of their physical neighbourhoods . The latter will grow from their first take off through the daily flights around the loft area and by increasing training tosses along the line of flight. After about twenty miles they canbe taken from the line of flight and tossed from the other three areas of the compass. Thus ensuring if effected by the weather and put off course they can arrive safely through the nurtured imprint of their home territory. Twenty miles in the other three directions are sufficient for our purposes but it is not required
to toss them the same number of times that they were along the line of flight. The latter being approximately six tosses if the youngsters have been flying well and roaming around their own territory. In this matter some recommend that for the first half a dozen tosses along the line of flight 2 or 3 experienced non youngsters should accompany them to show what is expected of them. They then should be tossed by stages upto 75 miles as the latter amount of training is sufficient. An important aspect of young bird training is regularity- once you start keep them at it.
Some like to ensure that the youngsters receive race experience although there have
been outstanding birds who were never raced as youngsters. If one races young birds one our two races is sufficient then they should be left to develop. As yearlings the tosses should be single up along the line of flight until about 75 miles. The experience will stick to them when they ultimately have to fly with only the flap of their wings as a companion. As for yearling racing the latter should be no more than 250 miles for in reality they are no more than overgrown babies. In fact look at the strays and one will find that the yearling numbers are in the majority. Yes there are always exceptions to the rule but to nurture long distance and marathon pigeons one has to be careful in their handling otherwise a youngster or a yearling of tremendous potential could spend its life in the company of feral pigeons on some street because of down right bad
management.
As for two year olds the latter will not put up with high powered training. More so if it is dished out early in the year. Better to give this category a few 50 mile tosses in late May and June and then lift them into the race which they have been selected for.Bring them in after 200 miles but then stop them at 350. As for the three year old- plus a few tosses of 50/70 miles prior too and then into the chosen event. For pedigreed racing pigeons of three plus years experience of the latter system should be capable of covering the ultra distances.