JOHN CLEMENTS

1st Greater Distance Single Bird Nomination from NFC Tarbes

John writes: One of the most prestigous awards in the UK pigeon sport is the annual Greater Distance Single Bird Nomination in the NFC Tarbes race. Only one pigeon - only one loft - only one to pin your hopes on. This award and the cup presented by Mark Gilbert really does tell us what extreme distance pigeon racing can be all about for it selects the best fanciers and the best single pigeon to represent them. It’s a do or die black and white success or failure type award where the fancier and his skill in selection also plays a part in the race. The pigeon has to do it of course but sticking your chest out before the event is always much better than after.

Attached is a photo of the award citation plaque for my Tarbes pigeon, the 2013 award winner. Although this plaque is intended to have a certain amount of humour, in reality it underlines more convincingly the effort involved than the traditional formal citiation signed by officials that usually goes with awards of this kind. This cartoon plaque for my single bird award was a breath of fresh air that should be celebrated for the imagination of those who thought of a different style certificate - this not only benefits the winner of such an award but also the organisation that presented it. In the dull dumb downed world of modern pigeon racing imagination of any kind is a welcome change. Imagination by officialdom is rare in pigeons!

Some of the past illustrious names that have won the Greater Distance NFC Tarbes Single Bird Nomination.

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Elimar - March 2014