Tony Harte's News From Malta August 2014

TONY HARTE'S

NEWS FROM MALTA

August 2014

First of all I must apologise, once again, for the delay in sending in the latest results. As I have stated previously, I have had some problems with my computer. It is quite old but I have had it upgraded several times, with increasing the memory capacity, renewing certain parts, etc plus having a computer virus, none of which helps and now I have had to replace the hard disc. Hopefully, I will now have a problem free spell. Let us hope so.

'The Living Legend' Eddie Newcombe, Mellieha, Malta with Scottish Champion fancier Karen Newcombe (left) and Delia Newcombe.

Following on with the remaining results for the Malta season, Belvedere 11, 155Km, 8181 pigeons, the wind was in the favour of the Gozo pigeons and the first ten pigeons in the federation were from Gozo. In the Rabat RPC, it was Noel Grima, 1st club & 1st Fed, Yours truly, Tony Harte, 2nd club, 2nd Fed, with a Bert Hession, Staf Van Reet hen, 3rd club, 3rd Fed was the JJC partnership of Joe Axiaq, Josette & Carmelo Pace, 4th Fed was Peter Paul Debono of Nadur club, 5th Fed, Mario Portelli, Nadur, 6th Fed John Vella & Sons, Nadur, 4th club, 7th Fed was Manuel Grech, 5th club, 8th Fed, was Joe Spiteri, 6th club, 9th Fed was Tony Sacco and 7th club, 10th Fed was Salvo Cauchi. Taking the last trophy in the Rabat club in 8th club was Club President, John Bajada. The next race was Messina, 5 with 7326 pigeons entered for the 280 Km race. First Fed was Victor Bondin, South East Pigeon club, 2nd Nazzarenu Attard, Cottonera Zabbar Pigeon club, 3rd Rebecca Vassallo, Central Velocity club, 4th Fed, Albert & Stefan Spiteri, Central Racing PC, Mosta, 5th, D & V Pace, Cottonera Zabbar, 6th George Attard, Zabbar, 7th Carmel Abela & Son, Central Velocity, 8th Joseph Attard, Zabbar, 9th Gorg Fenech, Zabbar and 10th Fed was Joseph Scembri, Klabb Hamiem. In my club, Rabat RPC, Gozo, club President, John Bajada, was 1st, 2nd was club cashier, Joe Attard, 3rd Mario Grech, 4th, yours truly, Tony Harte, (Tony English) with a chequer cock, a son of my 5 trophies cock, 5th club, Gregory Lofts, 6th James Cardona, 7th Frankie Cauchi and 8th club, Joe Buttigieg. The next race was something of a trial, being from Rome, some 680 Km, as the crow flies, but this would entail almost a direct route across the sea, which would seem most improbable. There were 620 pigeons entered for this race and there was only one bird clocked on the day, belonging to John Vella & Sons, Nadur PC, Gozo, clocked at 19.17pm. The second pigeon was clocked at 08.09am to Joseph Fabri, Cottonera Zabbar, third was Saviour Grech, South East Pigeon Club, at 09.56am, 4th were Glenn & Goodwin Cini, Hamrun PC, timed at 10.17am,  5th was Horace Montebello, SEPC, 12.57pm and in 6th were John Agius & Son also from South East PC, 18.29pm. Sadly these were the only six pigeons returned in race time and fanciers were once again left wondering about the lack of success in long distance racing in Malta. One thing for sure, is the effect that the wind has upon the race birds. Maybe racing to such a small island in the ,middle of the Mediterranean, the pigeons being just one half a degree out of line, means that they will not be coming home and possibly over flying to Libya or Tunisia, landing on a ship, lost at sea, etc. Even when racing inexperienced pigeons in short distance races, if it is a strong South West wind, it means “Curtains” for pigeons not experienced to fly against the wind and end up being pushed out to open sea, never to be seen again. This means that it can be very difficult to judge the quality of your stock, at least for me, as you think that because you do not have any birds left from this pair, they cannot be any good, so they are disposed of. Then maybe you realise that it was the fault of the fancier, (i.e. ME!), as through bad management/judgement, inexperienced pigeons were sent to fail. I read as many books and watch as many DVD`s as I can, to help improve my knowledge of pigeon management, but hands on experience and failure/mistakes can often be the best learning methods. On to the next race which was Belvedere, 11, 155Km, 7587 pigeons competing, 1st National Disma & Lino Attard, Zabbar, 2nd C & M Abela, Cottonera Zabbar, 3rd, Christian Debono, Hamrun PC, 4th Rita Aquilina, Sliema RPC, 5th Bondin Spiru, SEPC, 6th Robert & Elvin Barbara, SEPC, 7th, Mark Abela, Hamrun PC, 8th & 9th Jason Zammit, Klabb Hamiem, in 10th was Stephen & Claudine Agius, Northern Homing District Union. In the Rabat RPC, Gozo it was Noel Grima in 1st & 7th, 2nd was Alfred Hili, 3rd was the JJC partnership, 4th, Josmar Cauchi, 5th was the likeable joker, Salvo Cauchi, 6th was club President John Bajada and in 8th was yours truly, Tony Harte, a black cock, an Etienne Vanhaverbake cross Stichelbaut, having only, it`s third race. On to our next race which was Metaponto (2), 540 Km, with 4063 pigeons competing in the Federation. Vincent Farrugia, Club 5, Ghaqdar Hammiem, topped the federation, second was Joseph Attard, Zabbar club, third was Raymond calleja, Central Velocities Homing Union, fourth was Emmanuel Coleiro, Hamrun PC, fifth were Joe & Martin Gatt, Hamrun PC, in sixth was Delia Euginio, SEPC, seventh were Claudio & Warrne Fenech, Qormi RPC, eigth was Andrew Scicluna, SEPC, in ninth were Jesmond & Kris Farrugia, Hamrun PC and in tenth was Salvina Camilleri, Rabat homing Union, Malta. In the Rabat RPC, Gozo it was Paul Aquilina taking the top spot from 202 club birds. Demis Bajada, “Mr Long Distance” was 2nd, 3rd & 5th club. James Cardona was 4th, Martin Cardona, 6th, Christian Caruana was 7th and Alfred Hili was 8th. Thye next race was back to Belvedere,(12), 155 Km, 7127 Fed birds with Franc & Adrian Grech, Naxxar club, in 1st, Bertram Debono, Central RPC, Mosta,(last seasons Malta champion), was 2nd & 3rd, 4th & 5th were Raymond & Nicholas Gauci, Central RPC, 6th were Josmar Cassar & George Borg, Central RPC, 7th was Dennis Calleja, Naxxar, 8th was Joseph Falzon, Northern District Homing Union  and coming in 9th & 10th was Gorg Fenech, Msida PFC. In the Rabat RPC, Gozo it was bar manager, Jeffrey Mucat, taking the red card from 386 club pigeons, Noel Grima`s pigeons were in great form, taking 2nd, 3rd, 8th & 9th. Yours truly, Tony Harte took the 4th spot, with a Staf Van Reet, Salvu Cauchi was 5th & 6th, with Martin Cardona in 7th. The next race was the last of the short distance races of the Maltese season. Pressure was mounting for the averages for the best fancier awards short distance. As I only have two separate lofts, i.e. a stock loft and a racing loft, the racing loft being raced natural. This year I was breeding earlier and I found that as I was adding more birds to the racing loft, my birds were losing form, so at this stage in the season I was placed in pole position for the best fancier short distance award and nerves were running high. Messina (6), 6205 Fed birds and 350 club pigeons for this 180 mile race, would be the final decider, in my club John Portelli was 1st, Martin Cardona 2nd, Stephen Spiteri, 3rd, yours truly, Tony Harte, was joint 4th, with a chequer cock, a son off my 5 trophies cock, Robert Venus/Eddie Newcombe. Also in joint 4th was Gregory Lofts, 6th was Joe Spiteri, 7th club Secretary, Marlon Curmi and Jeffrey Muscat in 8th. First Federation was Charlo Gerad, Msida PFC, 2nd Gorg Fenech, Msida PFC, 3rd Christian Debono, Hamrun PC, 4th Michael Cardona, Naxxar, 5th   Michael Caruana, ST Julians PC, 6th Disma Attard & Lizio, Zabbar, 7th Charles Farrugia, club 15, 8th John Vella & Sons, Nadur, 9th James Cefai, Southern PC and Joe Rapinet, Hamrun, in 10th Federation. On marking night it was high tension, waiting for the final aggregates to be worked out, but I was overjoyed to learn that I was the best fancier short distance, Rabat RPC, Gozo, for the second time in three years. To put the icing on the cake, my Bert Hession, Staf Van Reet, blue hen, won the gold ring for the best bird short distance, in my club. I have named this hen, “Ambition Achieved”, as this is one award that I have strived to win, since starting racing in Malta. I later found that Bertram Debono, Central Racing Pigeon club, Mosta, had won the best fancier short distance awards, for both his club and also for the whole of Malta.

The last race of the season was from Bari, around 420 miles, with 3130 pigeons entered Nationally and 122 pigeons from my club. This last race would determine all the club & Fed aggregates for the best fancier long distance and best fancier overall awards. On a personal note, I had lost my best long distance pigeons from my team, on a disastrous Metaponto race. However, as I was still leading the aggregates for the best fancier overall award in the club, against my better judgement, I entered three pigeons for this race. Bearing in mind that fanciers have a ten bird limit and the number of kilometres for each race, determines the number of points awarded, i.e. Belvedere, 155Km = 155 points 1st place, BARI, 620 Km = 620 points, 1st place. So I was not at all confident, to say the least and quite honestly, at the start of the season would have settled for winning a gold ring anyway. Cometh the day, there were only 24 day birds. Winning the Bari National was none other than Seychelle Baldasser,(Charles Farrugia), Club 16, Southern Pigeon club, with a nephew of his infamous, “Nanu Charlie”. This family of pigeons have flown tremendously here in Malta, a credit to Charles Farrugia. The pigeons were released at 07.00am with the winning pigeon being clocked at 18.03pm. In second National was Demis Bajada,”Mr long Distance”, Rabat RPC, Gozo, clocked at 18.04pm, third was Rita Aquilina, Sliema RPC , timing in at 18.05, 4th Jesmond Ghirxi, Cottonera Zabbar, 18.06pm, 7th Frans & Elton Degiorgio, 18.13, 8th Henry Pullicino, Central RPC, 9th Joe & Martin Gatt, Hamrun PC and in tenth was Alfred Pisani, Cottonera Zabbar.

Demis Bajada & Son, 1st club Rabat RPC, Gozo, 2nd National, Bari 2014.

Out of 3130 pigeons, there were only 24 day birds and only 93 pigeons in race time. In the Rabat Racing Pigeon Club, Gozo, there were 9 pigeons clocked from 122 sent. Demis Bajada was 1st, 5th & 7th. James Cardona was 2nd, Noel Grima, who has invested heavily into top quality pigeons, was 3rd, Cilia Bros 4th, Frankie Cauchi 5th, Tony Sacco 8th and luckily yours truly, Tony Harte was 9th. I had given up hope of any pigeon returning, with such bad returns overall. I had actually switched off the ETS and put it away and was already on holiday in the UK, when I received a telephone call to say that my little blue pied hen, had made it home and was clocked just in race time for my club. Noel Grima had jumped over me on points, until this hen was clocked and put me back in the lead for the best fancier overall award. Thye hen that returned was bred from a son of Brian Leadbetters, Immortal 48 when paired to another Robert Venus Supercrack, purchased direct from Robert Venus, Belgium. The hen was not raced in it`s year of birth but just one training toss from Pozzallo, Sicily, 90 KM. It had it first race from Belvedere, 155Km, 7th club,452 pigeons, winning a trophy, second race from Belvedere,38th club,436 pigeons, third race Belvedere, 19th club,440 pigeons, fourth race Messina, 280Km, 27th from 363 pigeons, fifth race, Belvedere, 28th from 433 pigeons, sixth race Messina, arrived second day, seventh race, Belvedere, 56th club from 420 pigeons, eight race, Belvedere, homed, ninth race, Belvedere, 77th club from 386 pigeons and tenth and last race, Bari, 620 Km, 9th place from 122 pigeons. To say that I was surprised and elated would be an understatement! Demis Bajada took the best fancier long distance award in the club.  The Federation aggregates for the best fancier long distance Malta was Rita Aquilina, Club 1, Sliema RPC, 2nd was Xuereb, Agostani & Gatt, Club 23, Naxxar, 3rd Andrew Scicluna, Southern Pigeon Club, 4th Alfred Pisani, Cottonera Zabbar, 5th John Vella & Sons, Nadur PC, 6th Seychell Baldasser,(Charles Farrugia), Southern PC, 7th George Attard, Zabbar, 8th Jesmond Ghirxi, Cottonera Zabbar, 9th Demis Bajada, Rabat RPC, Gozo and 10th Joseph Portelli, Nadur PC, Gozo. The best fancier overall awards for Malta Federation were Bertram Debono, Central RPC, winning this for two seasons in succession. George Attard, Zabbar was 2nd, Rita Aquilina, Sliema RPC, 3rd, Frank & Tony Bilecci, Qormi RPC, 5th David Caruana, Central Velocity Homing Union, 6th Josmar Cassar & Gorg Borg, 7th Christian Debono, Hamrun PC, 8th Oliver & Ronald Sciberras, Sliema RPC, 9th Andrew Scicluna, Southern PC and in 10th Mark & Owen Sghendo, Msida PFC.

The long distance racing in Malta is extremely hard with many losses. It would be interesting to hear of any advice, as how to improve our racing. One theory has been put forward, is that pigeons returning late in the evening, might be lost at sea, with them already crossing the sea, as night falls, in April/May. Would returns improve if the birds were released late, having to spend a night out? Other countries can race over much longer distances with better returns. I appreciate that the French, Belgian, Dutch and German pigeons do not have to cross the sea and can go down on land to rest. Whether this is something that the Irish fanciers can advise with I don`t know. 

Philip Carbonaro, Best in Show prizewinner, Malta National Show 2014.

I look back on the season and on a personal basis, am very pleased, winning the best fancier short distance, best fancier overall distance, in a club with some 60 members. My Staf Van Reet hen, won the gold pigeon ring, for the best bird short distance. Next season might be completely different, it is strange how one season can be completely different from the next. Next season I am looking forward to racing some Paul Stobbs, Soontjen based pigeons, so I look forward with anticipation. It was great to share the news of my success with some long term pigeon friends whilst on holiday, Cliff Sanders, Bryan Winston, Eddie Keyte, etc, enjoying a well earned break.

Roy Showell, Bryan Winston, Eddie Keyte and Tony Harte, enjoying a brew, at Hurley, West Midlands.

For the Maltese fanciers it will now be the time for clubs to organise their presentation nights and I have heard a rumour that the Federation presentation night has been pencilled in for 25th October? Something to look forward to.

Enjoy your sport.            

Tony Harte

Gozo, Malta

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