Our sport is well structured in Portugal and all due to the good work the local clubs are doing. People can find almost 400 clubs all over the territory and being superintended by the 14 associations that makes the Portuguese Federation. We have read some years ago statistics that classified our sport in second place in the number of filliate members in a Federation. That means that after football, racing pigeons is the sport with more fanciers practising it !.....Using a bit of humour I can say that: not to mention the 4 millions of banded birds Portugal has on the 20.000 portuguese lofts !!!....Otherwise we would have beaten the football a long time ago!
O'Porto Association is the biggest one. There are more than 3500 fanciers and more than 100 clubs. We are talking about one of the world associations who release the biggest number of birds per week...yes, in all speed and middle distances races, O'Porto Association releases 90.000 birds altogether and in what concern distance races we are talking about more than 30.000 birds.
Depending of the district/association, usually portuguese fanciers can count with 18 races/year (6 from speed; 6 from middle distances; 6 from long distance) making part of the Association Calendary Schedule. Some associations have Schedules with 20 or 21 races.
There are also a couple of Facultative races (especially long distance ones) and usually they are organized by the Federation and are considered National races and where the fanciers of many countries are competing against eachother. All races between 200 till 300 Kms are considered speed ones; between 300 till 500 are middle distance races; between 500 and 800 distance ones and more than 800 kms are long distance races.
To find the best fancier in one club, we should find the most regular fancier in all distances. That means that the best overall fancier is the one who have been the best in the summary of the 3 categories (speed, middle and long distance). One can be the best fancier on speed or so, but can't win the overall - of course it happens that there are championship for each category but what counts is the overall results. Same thing happens with Pigeons Championship.
Some Associations are developing new schemes by adding some more races during racing season...O'Porto is pioneer on the subject and last year O'Porto fanciers have had 6 more speed and middle distances races. They weren't part of the official Calendar but have given another opportunities to the fanciers.
Personally, I think that the biggest lackness we have here is not having any YB's races. That's what make me feel sorry.
One Loft Races are a reality here. Everybody heard about Mira - the place where Portugal has one of the biggest one loft area and where every years "Gran Prix Vila Nova" and other International races are held. Fanciers and teams from all over the word compete here.
Speaking about portuguese innovations on Pigeon Sport field, I think I must underline the easy way of "census" we have. All our "Property Titles" have a kind of "Code Bars" and are read by a "Code Bars Reading device". When someone suggested to add our innovation to normal bands, the dual purpose band (number and E-chip) becomes more systematically fururistic. I am confident to say that it gives us window to do things online with our Federation and our Association.
I guess this is enough for the first look we are having about our sport in Portugal. I hope to meet all dear readers on O'Porto during 2005 Olympiades.
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Our sport is well structured in Portugal and all due to the good work the local clubs are doing. People can find almost 400 clubs all over the territory and being superintended by the 14 associations that makes the Portuguese Federation. We have read some years ago statistics that classified our sport in second place in the number of filliate members in a Federation. That means that after football, racing pigeons is the sport with more fanciers practising it !.....Using a bit of humour I can say that: not to mention the 4 millions of banded birds Portugal has on the 20.000 portuguese lofts !!!....Otherwise we would have beaten the football a long time ago!