Bacău: Chelm – The First Long-Distance Race of the Season Won by Gheorghe Pavel

The first long-distance race organized this season by the Bacău County Pigeon Racing Association took place on 24 May, with the birds being released from Chelm, Poland. Although the leading pigeons recorded high velocities, the race was far from easy. By the time the competition officially closed, only 69% of the entered pigeons had returned home, a clear indication that the route proved demanding for the competing birds.

A total of 120 fanciers participated in the event, entering 5,812 pigeons. For most competitors, the race distance was around 600 kilometres, while for some lofts it was even greater. The pigeons were liberated at 05:57 a.m., and the first arrivals began clocking in at their lofts after approximately seven hours of flight.

The First Major Result of the Season for the Pavel Family

Competing under the racing name "Familia Pavel" (Pavel Family), fancier Gheorghe Pavel, from Blăgești and a member of the Buhuși Pigeon Club, achieved his first outstanding performance of the season in this opening long-distance event. He secured 1st Open in the pigeon classification as well as 1st Open in the loft classification, marking the first major success of the year.

After competing within the Neamț County Association in recent years, Gheorghe Pavel returned to the Bacău Association this season and continues to race seriously in all categories. For the Chelm race, he entered 47 pigeons to compete over a distance of 563 kilometres.

An Experienced Cock Became the Race Winner

The first pigeon to arrive at the Pavel Family loft was the cock RO-21-1353265, an experienced racer with an impressive record of performances. He was clocked at 12:33:37 p.m., achieving a velocity of 1,421.72 metres per minute, the highest speed recorded in the race, which earned him 1st Open and the title of race winner in the Chelm event. As this cock was also part of the team entered for the loft classification, he laid the foundation for another important result. Gheorghe Pavel did not have to wait long to confirm it. Just a few minutes later, at 12:38:10 p.m., the second cock from the team arrived and was ranked 12th Open. As a result, Gheorghe Pavel recorded the best two-bird team performance of the race, claiming 1st place in the loft classification with a penalty coefficient of 2.23 points.

Out of the 47 pigeons entered, the fancier from Blăgești managed to place 18 pigeons in the result sheet.

"I Did Not Prepare Specifically for This Race"

Speaking about the two cocks that secured this victory, Gheorghe Pavel explained that both are seasoned pigeons that have already proven themselves in demanding competitions.

"Both cocks have extensive racing experience. The cock that won the race has achieved notable results as a two- and three-year-old in the Long Distance and Long Distance Ace categories, with several top ten county rankings to his name. He also won two races from Łosice during the period when I competed in Neamț. The second cock has numerous important results as well. I cannot say that I prepared specifically for this race. I keep my pigeons approximately ten kilometres away from my home, and I have no more than an hour to an hour and a half each day to devote to them. For this race, they were competed on the natural system, sitting on small youngsters. I am a fancier who participates in every race of the programme. I have around 60 pigeons in the racing team and approximately 40 breeding pigeons, covering all racing categories. For sprint races, I have relied for many years on Janssen pigeons, and currently I have four breeding pairs originating from the Netherlands and from Petre Izdrea. For the other categories, I use several bloodlines that are proving themselves in today's competitions," said Gheorghe Pavel.