An interview with Honored Master of pigeon sport, Mr. VASILIU MIHAI - part 1

10:43, Joi, 27.08.2009

 

AN INTERVIEW

with Honored Master of pigeon sport, Mr. VASILIU MIHAI,

from Catamarasti Vale, Botosani county

 

 

PART 1

 

 

1. First of all, tell us a few things about you: your age, when did you first get involved with pigeons, obstacles you had to overcome, satisfactions you achieved over the years etc.

 

            I am 76 years old, my father raised fancy pigeons and therefore I’m in love with pigeons ever since my childhood.

            I bought my first racing pigeons around 1952-1953. Their bloodline was Bricoux and I purchased them from various fanciers across the country. Starting with 1968, I began purchasing pigeons on my own from countries such as Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Belgium and Holland.   

 

Pigeon sport Master Mihai Vasiliu holding one of his most precious trophies

 

 

            I had lots of great satisfaction over the years thanks to my results in competitions and to my pigeons that were sold to Romanian and overseas fanciers, pigeons that did very well in competitions and produced fine youngsters too. For instance, as long as Mr. Florin Moldovan was president of U.F.C.R., there were held 3 national races from Gdansk – Poland. Mr. Iavorinciuc Vasile won Gdansk II competition with a hen bred by 2 of my pigeons. Mr. Bacalu Danut won Gdansk III with a hen also bred by 2 of my pigeons (sire – J. Rijckaert, dam – M. Demeyere). The same combination J. Rijckaert x M. Demeyere paid off to Mr. Ghica Paul.

            Disappointments – more than enough! For instance: in 1985, the Paramyxovirus destroyed my entire racing team. In 1991, during a race from Gdinya – Poland, the truck has been broken into in Ukraine and my best racing pigeons have been stolen. A few years ago, some thieves stole all my pigeons from the breeding section. So I’m soaking up trouble like rain in the dirt and, besides that, I caught a severe illness 7-8 years ago.     

 

 

Next to his family, in front of the loft

 

 

2. Could you please tell us a few things about your loft (how many pigeons do you have, how many youngsters do you breed each year, the structure of your loft, the bloodlines of your pigeons, how do you take care of them)?

 

            I own 52 pigeons as we’re speaking (this is the number of pigeons I have own for many years), that is my racing and breeding pigeons, and my youngsters too (12 birds). I have 10 breeding couples and I breed 3 couples of youngsters from each one of them, thus resulting almost 60 birds. 30 – 40 of them are being sold, while the rest stays with me.

 

 

Receiving his prize during an important festivity

 

 

            I further introduce you the bloodlines that offered me the biggest satisfaction:

- in 1968 I brought in from Czechoslovakia, from Hanak Josef in Brno, a Fabry couple;  

- in 1969 I purchased from Belgium a Hector Desmet (Horemans) cock that proved to be the supreme breeder in my entire pigeon sport career;

- in 1990 I bought againg from Czechoslovakia a Delbar – Sion hen from Henak, and 2 cocks from Dr. Kasper in Brno. One cock was van Bruaene, the other one was v.d. Espt.

Mixing the Fabry pigeons with the H. Desmet and v.d. Espt cocks I got a very good strain. With these birds I achieved very good results when flying long-distance races from Budapest, Bratislava, Brno, Kolin and Teplice. 

 

            For instance, the couple `Belg. 69` (H. Desmet) x 595099/70 (Fabry) gave me more than 14 sons and grandsons that I have flown with top results in long-distance competitions. I still have nowadays pigeons from this couple that clock in prizes during long-distance races (especially the tough ones).

            In 1980, I bought 4 pigeons from Belgium:  2 Stichelbout birds (ringnumber B-3316165–80 and B-3316226- 80) and 2 Cattrysse birds, from the sort of `45`, A. Lietaer, `Zemer` x `Limoges` bloodlines, ringnumber B-3316163–80 and B-3316164–80.

 

 

One special pigeon, BE-4661130-82, from the sort of `Crayone` - J. Rijckaert

 

  

            Starting with 1977, I decided to import 4 pigeons from Jules Rijckaert from Belgium, after I had carefully studied his pigeons, his methods and his results in long-distance competitions. I had also taken a close look to the results of several fanciers who bought pigeons from him. In 1982, I took this step and I brought in the following birds: B-4661126–82, B-4661130–82, B-4612676–82 and B-4661136–82. To make myself more convincing, I attached you their import documents.   

            1982 was also the year when I brought in from Belgium 6 birds – 3 Janssen pigeons (whom I gave up afterwards), a J. Rijckaert hen, ringnumber B-3361683–82 (that proved to be a tremendous breeder), and 2 Norbert Norman birds from the sort of `Jules 54`, a strain from Cattrysse’s famous `45`.

            The above mentioned pigeons, as well as the J. Rijckaert birds, achieved top results in competitions (and they still do). Each year, the Rijckaert pigeons are placed on top positions when talking about the national championship. See the appendix.     

 

 

Top results of some of the pigeons owned by Mr. Vasiliu

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every now and then, (when necessary) I used to bring in few pigeons, but only those kind of birds whose parents did well in extreme long-distance competitions (Barcelona, in particular). Therefore, in 1990, I bought from overseas 5 pigeons, as follows: 3 birds from M. Demeyere (an outstanding long-distance player; he was competing only for long and extreme long-distance races), that is: B-3290744–90, B-3290976–90 and 3290978–90. These 3 pigeons inbred me top quality strain. For instance:

  

            Cock 95 – 91 played for long-distance races:

 1992 – Warsaw, 650 km, 92^nd place

                                                                   Gdinya, 930 km, 51^st place

 

                                                        1993 – Warsaw, 650 km, 185^th place

                                                                    Warsaw II, 650 km, 35^th place

                                                                    Torun I, 821 km, 66^th place

                                                                    Torun II, 821 km, 39^th place

 

                                                         1994 – Warsaw I, 650 km, 63^rd place

                                                                     Warsaw II, 650 km, 1^st place

                                                                     Torun I, 821 km, 57^th place

                                                                     Torun II, 821 km, 10^th place

           

            The above mentioned bird also competed for long-distance races in 1995.

            These pigeons, mixed with my J. Rijckaert birds, produced several fine offspring that did very well in long and extreme long-distance competitions (raced by me or by various fanciers across the country).

            1990 was the year when I purchased 2 pigeons from a great Belgium breeder – A. Roowers. Their ringnumbers were B-2512708–90 and B-2482915–90. They gave me priceless youngsters. As time went by, I brought in several pigeons, but we are running out of space to be mentioned.

            I still breed J. Rijckaert pigeons (both inbred and mixed), adding 1 Jos Thone bird, 2 Stichelbaut birds, 1 W. Muller bird, 1 J.Aarden, 1 G. Imbrecht bird, 1 van Loon bird, 2 S. Toye birds, 2 R. Florizoone birds and some E. Devos bloodline.

 

 

An import document of J. Rijckaert pigeons owned by Mr. Vasiliu

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