Florentin Oprea – Finta – Romania - Passion and experiment in pigeon sport

16:07, Marti, 26.01.2010

Passion and experiment in pigeon sport

Florentin Oprea – Finta – Romania

My passion for pigeons dates back since my childhood; however, I took up the professional pigeon sport in the year 2000. I had my first birds from an uncle in Bucharest, a very good pigeon breeder at that time.  My pigeons originate in Jan Aarden, Stichelbaut, Rossens, Van Hee strains. The basis of my loft consists in the pigeons of the late professor Ion Sotir, one of the great Romanian champions. These are pigeons with an extraordinary character, will and devotion, exceeding by far the qualities of common pigeons and managing to win races between 100 and 1000 km.  

I own around 300 pigeons, 100 being basketed for old bird races, and 100 are youngsters that participate during their first year of life in all the short and middle distance races and obligatorily, in at least one long distance race. In the past, I used to race my youngsters and the main selection criterion was the result of their performance in a derby contest with youngsters on a distance comprised between 550 and 650 Km. At present I no longer practice this method, because I no longer have enough time to do it, and especially because I developed in my loft a high quality bloodline that no longer needs preliminary tests.  

My favorite distances are comprised between 400 and 1200 Km, contests in which the origin, the character and the preparation of the pigeons matter a great deal, and my results in this sense are eloquent. So, I am not interested in speed contests, though I take part in such contests, which I consider trainings, my pigeons being noticed in such contests, too. I have very many pigeons who took part in 10-11 contests on distances comprised between 150 and 1000 km and won as many prizes: 659160/06 F, first place MARE FOND EXPO UCPR 2009, first place MARE FOND PALMARES; in 2008, 11 participations 11 prizes; in 2009, 11 participations 11 prizes, good sister of 659058/06 M, who, as baby had 7 prizes out of 7 participations, as yearling, had 11 participations with 11 prizes with DEMIFONDURI in Bulgaria and FONDURI in Greece - 3 prizes in FONDURI, and when it was 2 years old had 9 participations with 9 prizes, multiple national champion, in 2009, 10 participations 10 prizes, also multiple national champion. These are just two examples of the representative pigeons of my farm, who have champion blood, being descendents of Jan Aarden pigeons, champions in Belgium in MARE FOND, FOND and MARATHON and the pigeons of professor Ion Sotir, grandsons of the female pigeon 202430/90 super champion, being on the podium for 8 years in a row in national Romanian contests.  

In order to win contests and for performance, beside origin, the pigeons need to have perfect health and high motivation. For this purpose, the best method from my viewpoint, and which, of course, I use, is total singleness (no family, no babies), which I recommend as well for the contests on distances of 100-800km. For marathon, I consider that the pigeons’ motivation to return to their nest, to their babies, is more appropriate. At present I use only the method of total singleness, but in the near future, I plan to motivate the pigeons who take part in the marathon using the method “back to the nest”.  

In order to help them reach their optimal shape for their participation in contests I have my own treatment and feeding program, which I improved in time. In order to create a true lineage I tried to keep my pigeons as far as possible from drugs, and I tried to assure them adequate nutritional input through their food, adapted for each period: contest, outside contest, growth, reproduction, stabulation. From my own experience I noticed that the period of recovery after a contest stage is vital, determining for keeping their optimal shape in order to participate in an entire season of contests. I rely as much as possible on natural products, prepared by me, based on garlic, bee honey, apple vinegar, Plantago, Echinacea, bee glue. 

Usually, in Romania the contests begin by the end of April. So, the trainings start by the end of February or the beginning of March, depending on the climate and on the danger of being attacked by predatory birds, as my farm is surrounded by forests where such attacks are frequent and quite serious, for which reason the pigeons are stabled for a long period of time (from the beginning of August until the end of February the following year). The trainings take place in stages, starting with flights around the farm, for short periods of time, which I increase gradually afterwards, and then I continue with flights on distances from 20  to 50 km, depending on the weather and on the time I have at my disposal. 

In the selection of the pigeons, I start from the origin of the pigeons and, using my feeling, I try to find that specific appearance of a champion and the features that characterize a champion, from eyes to muscles, bones and feathers. I do not keep away from contests the pigeons with very good origins (as if trying to protect them); on the contrary, I get them to participate to contests, because in order to confirm their quality, they need to obtain good, constant results in as many contests as possible. Consequently, I ask of them a maximum effort; because this is the only way they can prove their quality and abilities of champions. To conclude, I can say that the origin has been always confirmed, giving champions out of champions. 

In my farm, a place in the reproductive lot is very hard to get, namely the pigeons need to really confirm their vocation, for this reason flying even for seven years in a row before keeping them from contests for reproduction. Now I will give you a few examples of pigeons who, though they have reached an old age, continue to fly and record performances. So, pigeon 554167/2002/M multiple national champion (in 2009 12 participations 12 prizes), pigeon 532167/2003/M, pigeon 532040/2003/M, father of the champion 659019/2006/F and uncle of the pigeons  659160/2006/F, and 659058/2006/M. This pigeon, 532040/2003/M (9 participations, 9 prizes, 3 FONDURI), like his relative 532106/2003/M (9 participations 9 prizes, 4 FONDURI) have flown including Moscow (1500Km), the first winning Pavlograd 880 km in 2009, both of them having an exceptional racing season.  

In time, my passion and experience in pigeon sport have yielded results that few pigeon breeders have managed to obtain. So, in 2004, I obtained the title of Master of pigeon sport, and, in 2006, I became Master Emeritus of the pigeon sport. Since 2000 until now, I have won numerous trophies in different categories, starting with speed and continuing with DEMIFOND, GENERAL, FOND, MARE FOND and MARATHON. I am the only breeder in UCPR Romania who won the MARATHON FCI several times, which, from my viewpoint, is the most difficult category, as follows: thrice national champion, thrice vice-champion and two times third on the podium, and in 2009 I obtained (659019/2006 and 659160/2006) the first and second places with two cousin females, at a difference of one point, respectively 110 and 111 points, the following on the podium having a double number of points, namely 214 points. These two females won as well the first and second places in MARE FOND PALMARES 2009, with respectively 121 and 122 points, the following on the podium having 262 points. In the year 2009, I had exceptional results, winning over 40 cups, nationally, in the most important categories, which confirmed the value of my pigeons, and my value as a pigeon breeder.  

I have really enjoyed the chance to share some of my passion and experience in pigeon breeding and preparation for contests.

In order to see the most representative pigeons in the farm Florentin Oprea – Finta- Romania you can access the site www.opreaflorin.go.ro

To contact me, you can write to me on my e-mail address: florentinoprea@yahoo.com

Sursa: http://www.pigeon24.com/news.php?action=show&id=138

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