GOZO (MALTA) CALLING
by Tony Harte
It is now “full summer” in Malta, with the hottest months normally being July and August. The weather this year has been hotter than usual, with even the locals complaining about the prolonged days of heat. I took my wife shopping in Birkirkara, Malta and when we returned to our parked car, the temperature was showing as 46 Centigrade, then after parking in an underground car park for two hours the temperature was still recorded as 35 C. I try to clean the pigeons out early in the morning, but even at 7.30am the temperature in the loft is around 30 C with the humidity at around 90. I have started to use an electric fan when cleaning out and am amazed that the pigeons, far from being afraid, fight over this new perch and enjoy sitting on the top. We last had rain in or around early May and do not expect any until early September. So for many people the months of July and August are for relaxation and to put off any jobs until some cooler weather returns.
Inside the loft of Tony Harte: pigeons sharing the fan whilst the loft is being scraped out!
The pigeons seem to cope with the heat, provided there is always fresh water available and I am sure that it can help with a faster moult. Maltese fanciers breed a lot more youngsters, in comparison to other countries, to offset the high number of losses experienced. In turn, this can cause a problem with overcrowding, conditions for increased stress and sickness. I am hearing of a lot of fanciers who are or have had a lot of problems associated with young bird sickness, salmonella, respiratory problems, etc. I am still trying to find out how best to reduce the high levels of humidity, as one cannot just increase the heat when the temperature is at around 30 C. Personally, this year I am trying to use as many natural products as possible and to try to increase the levels of immunity with the use of probotics, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, etc. I am as guilty as my fellow fanciers with my loft having too many pigeons and I will try to have some natural selection as soon as I start training. I do not have as many birds as last year and have made the decision that next year I will decide how many young birds I will need and then choose which birds I want to breed that number from and put a strict limit on the numbers that I breed. That is the plan, anyway.
Malta joined the European Union in 2004 and in complying with EU rules this has put a number of restrictions on shooting and trapping. I feel that this has had a positive effect on some birdlife as I was having a coffee in the square at Ghanseilem, Gozo and was surprised to see a number of collared doves resident and breeding there. I know that Eddie Newcombe, Mellieha, Malta also has a number of collared doves that come to share the pigeon pellets that he feeds his pigeons. I was also talking this week to someone who for the last two years has had some swallows/martins nesting in his garage. So I think that the bird population in Malta will slowly increase over time.
Having lived all my life in Cardiff, which allegedly has the largest population of seagulls in any city within Europe, I laugh to myself when I get pleased to see a seagull or two at the fish farms between Gozo and Malta. I have also seen them close to land at Marsalforn, but they do not come inland, as over the years they know that it is not safe to do so. I find this incredible, as only across the Med, in Pozzallo, Sicily there are plenty of seagulls on the beachfront. One would think that young seagulls would not know any better and fly inland, but this is not the case. Maybe we underestimate the intelligence of our feathered friends and recent research has shown that pigeons can identify people by their faces, irrespective of wearing different clothes !
So while in the UK the young bird racing season is now underway, here in Malta we are trying to give all our birds, old and young, a good moult as we will start to train them from September ready for the start of the new season starting in November. At this time of the year, the clubs hold their presentation nights and so it was with my local club Rabat Pigeon Society, Gozo, which held its annual presentation night on Friday 3th August. The event took place at “The Countryside Terrace” just outside Ghanseilem with beautiful views as it overlooks Imgar Harbour with the Gozo Ferries going back and forth Malta, as well as the lights of Malta in view from some 2 miles across the channel. The meal was a buffet lunch, with a traditional Maltese choice of various pasta, then a platter of chicken, pork and salmon, as a main course, followed by ice cream. The food was excellently prepared and very enjoyable. Membership of the club is excellent with a total of 60 flying members and the total number of people who attended was around 125. Another brilliant thing about life in Malta is that the children are included in most activities, none more so than presentation nights. Imagine being given the opportunity as a young child of sharing in the glory of a family member's success at pigeon racing and how it might inspire you to become a fancier, in your own right, later in life. I am glad to say that in Malta there are plenty of young members within the sport and perhaps this is part of the reason.
Rabat RPC, Gozo committee members together with the trophies to be presented season 2011- 2012
In Malta one races for the glory of winning and not for financial gain and the rewards are a trophy for the first 8 places in each race within the Rabat club. Members, as in the whole of Malta, are only allowed to send a maximum of ten birds per race and in our club that frequently results in over 400 pigeons per race. As explained previously with a club of 60 members there are trophies for the first 8 places and points awarded for the Best Fancier Short Distance/Long Distance/Best Fancier Overall and Best Bird Short Distance/Long Distance Overall Distance. The number of points awarded in my club are 20% of the number of pigeons entered, so with 400 club pigeons there were 80 places. First place had 287 points, 2nd 284 points, 5th 270 points, 36th 163 points and 81st 3 points. I hope that this illustrates how the team performance is rewarded. It also makes for more enjoyable racing because it is still exciting to wait for your later arrivals if the places are still open.
The results for the season 2001/2012 were:
Best Fancier Short Distance, Loft 43 Tony Harte, 10,036 points, in 2nd place, Loft 17, Mercieca Bros, 8333 points, 3rd place, Loft 50, Jeffrey Muscat, 6924 points, 4th place, Loft 4, John Bajada, 6711 points, 5th place, Loft 18, Joe Vella, 6617 points and in 6th place, Loft 6, Josette Stellini & Joe Axiaq, 6476 points.
Tony & Ardanette Harte, Best Fancier Short Distance & Best Fancier Overall Distance, together with "The Maltese Mentors", Vince & Charles Farrugia - the results of their coaching!
The winner of the gold ring for Best Bird Short Distance was John Bajada, Ring Number Malta – 18 – 00492 – 10, 2276 points. In 2nd and winner of a silver ring were Mercieca Bros, Ring No 18 – 01735 – 09, 1879 points. In 3rd , 4th & 5th, was Tony Harte, with Ring Nos, 18 – 04336 – 10, 1555 points, 14 – 2588 – 10, 1419 points & 15 – 00290 – 10, 1331 points respectively. In 6th place were Josette Stellini & Joe Axiaq with Ring No 18 – 01989 – 10 with 1211 points.
Mercieca Bros, 2nd Best Fancier Short Distance and 2nd Best Bird Short Distance, 4th Best Fancier Overall Distance.
The Best Fancier Long Distance was won by Loft 55, Marc Cilia, 5161 points. Marc has been the Best Fancier Long Distance in our club nearly every year. In 2nd was Loft 56, Paul Aquilina, 3862 points, in only his first season back in racing, 3rd was Loft 19, Demis Bajada, 3121 points. Demis only sends a few pigeons but had 3 first prizes from 7 long distance races, a remarkable performance. In 4th place was Loft 50, Jeffrey Muscat, 2958 points, 5th was Loft 31, James Cardona, 2738 points and in 6th was Loft 41, Manuel Grech, 2697 points.
Marc Cilia, Best Fancier Long Distance
The Best Bird Award Long Distance and winner of a gold pigeon ring was, Paul Aquilina, Ring Number 02 – 04797 – 11, 1628 points. In 2nd, winning a silver ring was Mark Cilia, Ring No 18 – 04494 – 10, 3rd Joe Attard, Ring No 05 – 04129 – 10, 1335 points, 4th Demis Bajada, Ring No 18 – 01914 – 11, 1197 points, 5th Frans Sultana, Ring No 18 – 03505 – 10, 1087 points and in 6th Joe Buttigieg, Ring No 14 – 03038 – 10, 1016 points.
Paul Aquilina & proud parents, Best Bird Long Distance Gold Ring winner.
The Champion Loft Overall Distance was won by Loft 43, Tony Harte, 10114 points, 2nd was Loft 50, Jeffrey Muscat, 9883 points, 3rd Loft 55, Marc Cilia, 9371 points, 4th Loft 17, Mercieca Bros, 9343 points, 5th Loft 5, John Bajada, 7120 points and in 6th was Loft 25, Tony Grech, 6814 points. I must give thanks to the help, support & advice given to me by Vet Dr Wim Peters and Alexander MacDonald, Supermac, who races in Tasmania, another very difficult place to race pigeons, having to cross some 200 miles of sea, super pigeons, super advice, SuperMac.
Jeffrey Muscat & children. 3rd place Best Fancier Short Distance, 4th place Best Fancier Long Distance & 2nd Place Best Fancier Overall Distance.
The Best Bird Overall Distance and winner of a gold ring was won by John Bajada, Club President, ring number 18 – 00492 - 10 with 2276 points. In second and winner of a silver ring was Mercieca Bros, with ring number 18 – 01735 – 09, with 2276 points, in third was Paul Aquilina, with ring number 02 – 04797 – 11, with 1866 points, in fourth, Tony Harte, with ring number 18 – 04336 – 10, with 1555 points, in fifth place Marc Cilia, with ring number 18 – 04494 – 10, with 1496 points and in sixth place was Tony Harte, with ring number 14 – 02588 – 10, with 1419 points.
John Bajada, winner of 2 gold rings, Best Bird Short Distance and Best Bird Overall Distance.
In the UK there are around 10 races per season for old birds and maybe about the same number for young birds. One might expect that each race bird might have about 6 races per season. In Taiwan, where the racing is in extreme, each young pigeon has to take part in 5 very hard races, if they survive that long! In Malta there are 27 races in a season and as there is no distinction between old birds or young birds, then theoretically a pigeon could take part in 27 races. I was very pleased with my “Festival Brian” (Eddie Newcombe x Brian Leadbetter) which was 3rd Best Bird Short Distance and 4th Place Best Bird Overall Distance. To achieve this it had 11 races, 23rd Place Belvedere, 7th club Messina, 5th club Messina, homed on 2nd day from Catanzaro, 3rd club Messina, homed from Belvedere, 6th club Messina, 6th club Belvedere, homed Messina, 23rd club Messina and homed from Belvedere.
Marlon Curmi & loft manager/daughter Lisa, winner of Gold Ring, pigeon flown more than 2000km and placed in every short distance race.
So if we look at the performances of the Best Bird Short Distance & Best Bird Overall Distance, owned and raced by club President John Bajada, it is quite amazing. The pigeon ring number, Malta – 18 – 00492 – 10, on 27th November 2011, was 49th from Belvedere, 90 miles, from 433 club pigeons. On 4th December was 5th from 440 pigeons from Belvedere, on 11th December was 15th club from 415 pigeons from Messina, 180 miles, on 30th December was 28th club Messina from 430 birds. On 5th January 2012 was 1st club 474 pigeons from Belvedere, on 23rd January was 5th club Messina from 435 pigeons, again on 28th January was 12th club Belvedere from 476 pigeons, on 14th February was 62nd place from 416 pigeons Belvedere, on 4th March was 34th club Messina from 407 pigeons, on 13th March was 38th Belvedere from 440 pigeons, on 25th March was 45th Belvedere from 444 pigeons, on 1st April was 2nd club Messina from 400 pigeons, on 9th April was 9th Belvedere from 430 pigeons and finally on 22nd April was 9th Messina from 361 pigeons. So the pigeon, now named “Argente”, was raced & placed 14 times during the season 2011 – 2012 and the birdage was very competitive considering members have a ten bird maximum, in our 60 member club (same as Federation rules).
Josette & Frenc Pace, together with loft trainers!
The popular Sammy Cauchi, winner of the raffle.
So readers, please give some thought and credit for the Maltese racing pigeons. Malta is only a very small island, with some 1200 fanciers. Every race entails a 60 mile sea crossing, so each and every pigeon is a channel pigeon, having survived its baptismal first race crossing the sea, having been jumped from its longest overland training toss of some 25 miles directly into a channel race of 90 miles from Belvedere. The island of Malta may be small but the hearts of its people and certainly of its racing pigeons are big, to say the least!
Tony Harte
Gozo, Malta
