BE-22-1112894 
1st International Barcelona 15,598 old birds

Distance: 998km
Velocity: 985,66 m/m
 

1st international Barcelona 15,598 p
1st national Barcelona 5,819 p
Winner of the Golden Wing of the Bruges Barcelona Club
1st national Z Narbonne 968 p
5th national Narbonne 4,983 p
15th international Narbonne 12,453 p
69th national Pau 3,368 p
301st international Pau 13,199 p
857th national Agen 6,667 p
317th national Narbonne 6,100 p

15th ace pigeon KBDB Extreme Long Distance 2024
2nd Euro-Diamond Narbonne '24

That is the palmares of the international winner Barcelona from Anthony Pellitteri from Rongy. A 3 year old pigeon, called the “RS 6” (BE22-1112894) that can race such a record of achievements is a super champion. Another term is not appropriate.

The class of the super pigeon

They are very rare, like the white blackbirds, the super cracks. As a yearling this cock already showed that he could do quite a few kilometres with 2 very nice national prizes on Agen and Narbonne. Few yearlings that do this hard work excel again as a two-year-old pigeon. Usually a year's break is sometimes taken, but not with this real crack.

As a two-year-old pigeon he did even better with a 69th national Pau to then score the real top on Narbonne with a 5th national and 15th international.

Anyone who thinks that the battery is finished is wrong in this case. Anthony had a plan in mind to send him to Barcelona. He raised a round of youngsters for the season, was carefully and well trained and only flew the heavy middle distance in preparation. Bourges, etc. ... no further than 500 km, but enough kilometres to have the engine in full running-in. No rush on these flights, sometimes a small prize, but no rush.

Until the hard work came and he could once again show his talents and his great class on a very tough flight from Barcelona. The pigeons were released in warm weather and it was clear that they would have to brave this heat over the entire flight line. A headwind also made the flight even harder. The course of the race says enough about the conditions in which this cracker had to be completed.

Anthony was on the phone with a friend and they were of the opinion that whoever could have a pigeon before 8 o'clock in the morning would fly the real top... until he suddenly (around 6:45) saw a pigeon flying around and he stammered out "I think I have a pigeon...". But it didn't go that smoothly. The "RS 6" as he was called landed on the ridge of the house (something that had never happened before). He did not respond to the lure of his boss and Anthony felt compelled to encourage him to speed up with a few pebbles. And so it happened, he walked over the trap at 6.46 minutes and achieved the unthinkable. With a speed of 985.66 m per minute for a distance of 999 kilometers he was the fastest pigeon of Barcelona.

It was then a few hours of buttocks clenching because Rongy is just on the border with France and so it was still waiting for the furthest distances in the surrounding countries to get confirmation of the victory. Despite an emerging south-westerly wind, this speed was no longer beaten and just before noon everything was in order.

Time to let off some steam and pop the champagne corks!

The lineage of the RS 6 is one that is substantiated by performances of his ancestors. His father is a larger type of pigeon than him but also flew the 11th national from Pau. He is a cross between the pigeons of Robert Van Eycken and Jos Thoné with a hen of the type of F. Frederic x an inbreed to the 1st international Bordeaux that Anthony and his father won in 2005. The mother is a hen of Serge Lejeune with a few drops of Yvon Deneufbourg in her veins and is a granddaughter of the As European.

An ode to the small basket

Anthony, 46 years old, born in pigeon racing (with his father Philippe) is a passionate player and is a force in pigeon racing wider than just his loft. However, he wants to practice his hobby as a hobby and not be a slave to it all. His lofts are built to perfection and the pigeons are cared for down to the last detail. Not the large mass of pigeons, but a very limited colony that is nevertheless bursting with class.

Twelve pairs of breeding pigeons, about 20 racing pigeons (yearlings and old pigeons) and about 50 young pigeons populate these lofts. Everything neatly under control and manageable. The focus is on the long distance and extreme long distance.

The basis of the pigeons comes from d.

The lofts of Team CFTT (Meurchin/France, exchange), Van Eycken Robert (Erps-Kwerps purchase and co-breeding with Joachim Libotte), Vande Walle Yves (Mont-de-l’Enclus co-breeding), Lejeune Serge (Jollain-Merlin), Team BDS (via Piet Blancke and co-breeding), Marbaix Pierre (Ellezelles), Leclercq-Biondo (Estinnes).

The pigeons are raced very classically, receive a medical check by Piet Blancke, and are cared for and used thoughtfully and with respect for recovery and rest.

Against the current trend of ever larger lofts, ever larger colonies that put the content of the classical pigeon sport under heavy pressure, this victory is a victory of the small basket. It is said with a laugh “you only need one pigeon to win the first” and here this cliché has been confirmed once again in a positive sense.

The best is yet to come

… and that may well be. Anthony has not been spared from physical suffering and more specifically severe back problems in recent years. He has to be very careful in his actions and there are few days without pain. This boost will undoubtedly do a lot of good to body and mind.

It is a wonderful victory flown by a super pigeon!

What will now follow is further surfing on the wave of euphoria of this victory. Anthony will enjoy a series of tributes and tributes after the season.

Congratulations from the Herbots team!

Geert Dhaenens