BARCELONA AS TWO YEAR OLDS
by Dave Padfield
Firstly I would like to thank Jim Emerton for his comments on Elimar regarding the Padfield Family and congratulate him on his choice of stock to enhance his already well established distance family.
Jim used the term ‘like minded fanciers’ and I agree that our goals are almost identical. (In search of perfection at the extreme distance.) As a means of generating some further discussion I would like to offer an opinion re sending birds to Barcelona International as two year olds to fly in excess of 700 miles, as Jim suggests is his goal.
Having had the experience of trying to clock in the first 10 in the BICC Barcelona International year after year, my view has changed in terms of the preparation and the age they should be sent to the ultimate test - Barcelona. In our case our young birds must fly the channel and go between 160 and 190 miles. As yearlings they have three channel races up to Tours 350 miles. As two year olds they go to 350 miles with the same programme as the yearlings. They are then jumped to 600 miles Pau or Tarbes and we have found this first time at 600 miles two year olds perform exceptionally well.
As two year olds I would prefer to send them with a UK liberation only organisation, be it NFC or CSCFC/WSRN. I think they are better for this as I would prefer them not to go in with the International birds at 600 miles until they have a little more experience. My view is then as three year olds these birds would have one or two International races at 600 miles with the BICC and then these birds would go to Barcelona 748 miles as 4 year olds.
I think the above approach gives the bird a chance to develop its homing skills and physical characteristics for the ultimate test. In reality a Barcelona pigeon into England and Wales is one of a team of 400 to 500 pigeons that have to break away from 28,000 pigeons going in a different direction.
The above is just my view. I think Barcelona International at over 700 miles for a two year old is too big an ask, especially into the West Country or Wales.
Jim Emerton replies: The preparation for the epic Barcelona International is a matter of preferance, practice and experience and the individual pigeon. My first racing encounter ocurred 19 years ago in 95 on recording a 2yr old cock at 879 miles - a distance yet to be beaten in the BICC Barcelona. Nick and I find that some of our 2yr olds, having been conditioned on a 500 plus race over 500 miles as yearlings, will be capable of the journey. I accept the severity of the concept, yet we pursue this objective with relish, and would fly beyond Barcelona if we could. We aim high and enjoy the process, and some of our birds can sprint too e.g Musgrove Addiction featured on Elimar. Let the debate stimulus continue as it raises the profile of the Barce International as the mecca of pure marathon racing.
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Elimar - January 2014
