There can be no hiding or denying that Thurso proved to be a challenging one this year with a two-day holdover from the Saturday to the Monday, the birds were liberated at 7:30 in a North West wind. However, the challenges did not stop Rafal Barutowicz from taking a fantastic first open position. Rafals pigeon logged a time of 10 hours 20 minutes on the wing and a velocity of 1135.2274 to firmly secure the title of NRCC Thurso pigeon 2024 and it was with great pleasure that I managed to catch up with Rafal via video link following his win to find out all about his methods, preparation and motivation. Rafal didn’t move to the UK until 2005 however, his move to the UK wasn’t when he first took up the sport, his interest in pigeons started in 1986 when just a youngster at the age of eight. Rafals grandad kept pigeons as a hobbyist and another family member, Andrzej Kowalik, raced pigeons and was also a show judge. In addition to this, Stanisław Bernacki, Rafals secondary school teacher, was also a very big influence in his decision to start racing. Having won 2 x second open positions in category ‘C’ himself, his passion for the sport rubbed off on Rafal and the rest, as they say, is history! The racing in Poland is set out differently to that of the UK with four categories. ‘A’ – short distance of 200 – 350 kms, ‘B’ – middle distance of 350 – 500 kms, ‘C’ long distance of 450 kms – 750 kms and ‘E’ marathon distance of 700 kms and above. In 2000 Rafal gained a 15th open in category ‘A’ and had a good number of top fed positions with his name on them however, the highlight so far, is without a doubt, this NRCC Thurso win and the smile on Rafals face could not be bigger. I must add here though that Rafals success is shared amongst the whole family and he tells me that everyone helps out and plays a part in looking after the birds and without his wife Dorota (Doti) and their children giving their time it wouldn’t be possible. Rafal belongs to the East Leak FC and races in the Warwickshire fed. Originally a South Road club the members voted to change to North Road racing which resulted in Rafal joining the NRCC, the main attraction and motivation being the level of competition it offered. Racing semi-widowhood with both hens and cocks, the hens are kept in an aviary from February to supress the desire to pair to each other, they are let out morning and afternoon on rotation for their daily hour or so exercise. They are fed communally in their separate sections with the feed being measured out and adjusted accordingly to suit the race program. The pigeons are trained in a straight-line North of the loft up to a distance of 35 miles until the 4th or 5th race depending on their returning performance with a glucose supplement in their water upon return from a race. In addition to this, they are given an antifungal and improver (pigeon vitality) to support good health.
Rafal informs me that the winner has been a consistent pigeon to the loft, bred down from a Marcel Wouters dam x a Sire from his own line, that originates from Poland, he has winning blood throughout his pedigree and has certainly earned his place in the loft. Rafal pairs his stock up on, or around, Valentines Day and although initially favoured darkness, he now does the natural system with a training regime taking place around three weeks prior to the start of racing starting at the six-mile mark and working his way up to a distance of 30 miles. They are only moved on when coming well and with a mixture of training points which vary from left to right rather than just a straight line of flight. On a final note, Rafal would like to thank Neil Inger, a fellow club member and mentor, his father for all of his help when he visits and to his family, especially to his wife Dorota (Doti) for all of their help and support. I would like to say an additional thank you to Rafals son Filip for his patience and help in supporting me with this article and translating on the interview. It is greatly appreciated.
Section B winner – Paul West: Congratulations to the winner of this tough Thurso race, Section winners and those who timed in on the day. The bird that won 1st Section for me is a Grandson of Ayton Marshalls famous pigeon The Machine. I have a son of The Machine loaned to me by my good friend Hubert Walker, who is no stranger to the winner’s enclosure. The Dam is a Frans Van Wildemeersch, a family which I have had for 30 years which have produced numerous club and Fed winners. The Section winner is a lovely medium to small cock bird. On the day of the race, it started drizzling at around 3.00pm at Dry Doddington, which is 5 miles south east of Newark where I live and at 6.06 when the bird arrived it was raining steadily. The bird had pink wattles and was wet had obviously put a good shift in! I only sent 3 to Thurso and clocked another on the day and 1 next day so I’m well pleased with 100% returns. I only race a small team of 12 cocks on widowhood and at the end of the season I have 8 left. The team have flown well all season and in the previous NRCC race from Lerwick where we duplicate back to the Nottingham and District North Road Federation. I was 1st Fed, also taking a good position in the section and open. I am a member of the Grantham United Flying Club and what a pleasure it is, they are a great bunch, we have a good craic every weekend and are true Sportsmen. Yours in Sport. Paul West.
Section C winner – Terry Winterton: My section winner is a dark chequer 2-year-old cock. He was only raced twice as a baby but as a yearling he was raced right the way through to Berwick. This year he has raced with the NRCC from both Dunbar and Perth and was sent to three fed races leading up to Thurso. I have been racing pigeons since 1956 and many of my birds go back to a pigeon called Pure Pleasure that which can be traced back to the lofts of Dave Brackenbury. This cock was paired with a hen I named Lady Margaret after my wife and which won 2nd, 6th, 16th, 27th open from Lerwick. I sent six and got two home on the day, 40 minutes apart.
Section E winner – Brian Manning: Brian has been flying pigeons for 50 years plus of his 75-year life and is still breeding his own pigeons. He prefers longer races but does win from shorter distances occasionally.
Section F winner – Andy Woods & Batch Loft 2: The winning pigeon was a McFadden x Busschaert. My second pigeon was a Mark Bulled pigeon. Both were on the widowhood system. This is one of my greatest achievements since I have started long distance racing too have the only two birds’ home in my section and in the fed.
Section H winner – Stephen Williams: GB20B07440 bred for me by mark Bulled of Harlow from his legacy line. He has been to every fed race and combine since his 1st young bird race. He has always been on my mind as the best pigeon that I’ve got and I always thought he had something about him. I raced him on widowhood until Perth where I sent him driving. I then left him paired until he goes to Thurso, flying him out every day morning and night, I also give him 3 x 20 mile tosses out of Reed on the A10 with is a good line for me in the fed. I pair all the birds in his section even them that don’t go to the combine so if I need to, I can Foster any eggs that I want as late-breds. I feed in galley pots so birds get what I want to feed them. I’ve bred a pair 8 birds from this cock 7 hens and 1 cock. The pair of late-breds that hatched last year after Thurso produced a cock and hen. The cock took a box as a young cock so I raced him as a baby he had 6 races then I stopped him for next year, I still have all 7 hens which have all had all young bird races and young bird combines and has just had a late-bred pair hatch out. (This pigeon was also nominated through to the London North Road combine taking the top spot and also secured one of the most coveted trophies to have your name on, the Tommy Long trophy. Well done, Steve)
Section I winner – Alan Scarborough: My winning bird was bred by Russ and Denise Skinner of Boston. In fact, my first 3 birds all contain their bloodline. The bird was flown on widowhood and already a previous winner. I started the season with 14 cocks and sent 11 to Thurso having 7 on winning day. (I would like to add that Alan has had a really good season achieving 1st Perth and 2nd Berwick in the LNR Combines along with multiple positions in the top 50. Well Done Alan a great OB season) As always, I would like to say well done to everyone in the results. It was a difficult race with not many pigeons’ home on the day. It is brilliant to see the support for the NRCC growing and the membership is growing and pigeon numbers increasing
Thank you to everyone for sending me all of the information and photos to be able to put this article together. It is greatly appreciated and always an absolute pleasure to read. Thank you for sharing. Christina lincolnshirelondoner@gmail.com