Ping's Pigeons

     Weeks before I even thought of joining the Genetix Bird Show held at PHA Headquarters, I was checking out my pigeons in my breeding loft, Madilim sa breeding area ko kaya minsan di ko masyado napapansin yung ibang kalapati. Pichon pa lang yung saddle ko nung nilagay ko sya dun, Madalang ako humipo ng kalapati kaya nung nakita ko na matured na pala sya na curious ako na hawakan, I thought ang ganda na pala nito, I went up my flying loft kasi usually dun ko sila kinukunan ng pictures, habang nag pi-pic ako bigla na lang sya lumipad tapos shoot sa butas ng trapdoor. Paglabas nya ng trapdoor diredirecho sya nag ligid. While I was watching my saddle fly sabi ko patay na, medyo kulob yung breeding area ko wala sya idea sa environment nya mawawala na to for sure. After ilang ikot nya nawala na sya sa paningin ko. I texted my friends baka mahuli nila kako kasi wala naman pupuntahan. After ilang minutes nakita ko ulit nagliligid. Siguro dahil na rin nakakulong lang di nama...

      Last year I tried for the very first time to join a bird show at the Pigeon Expo. I knew nothing back then. I went home without even a consolation prize. It was heartbreaking, I kept asking myself "ako lang pala nagagandahan sa kalapati ko ha ha". But during the competition itself, nag observe talaga ako, ano ba hinahanap nila? I realized a couple of things. Its not just about the color, kasali din hipo, how they stand, most importantly, yung condition specially the feathers. Ah sabi ko next year try ko ulit, apply ko yung mga observations ko.      I chose 3 of my warriors to compete, i had no expectations. Sabi ko enjoy ko na lang kasi last year nag expect ako. Competition day came, I was overwhelmed. Pano ko mananalo dito ang dami sumali. Sabi ko pa sa kausap ko Opal pa nalaban ko pinakamadami sumali sa Opal Category, including Benito Go Que who everyone knew had the best Opal around. Pag sinabi mong Opal you think of him.Habang nag iikot na ...

   Somebody asked "Mahusay daw ba yung kalapati kung umuwi lang yung kalapati sa malayo pero di nanalo?" I answered NO, but I didn't give any explanation. The question garnered quite a few reactions, one comment goes something like this "para sakin magaling na sya kasi newbie ako masaya na ko sa ginawa ng kalapati ko". Exactly! Newbie ka, dumaaan din ako sa pagka newbie. Dati makauwi lang training kalapati ko sobrang saya ko na, Makatuntong lang sa derby sobrang saya ko na. Makapag clock lang sobrang saya na, bakit? hanggang dun ka na lang ba? Question ko naman, Pano mo nasabi mahusay kalapati mo? Ano proof mo? Kasi umuwi ng malayo? How will you grow? Pano ka mag i-improve? Dapat di tayo kuntento sa ok na kasi naka uwi, I remember nung first time ko ma-encounter ang Tacloban race I was so scared kasi wala ako experience sa ganun kalayong race, I went around asking for tips, I wrote them down, tinapon ko yung tingin ko di maganda but i kept the helpful one. Di...

     Just an insight on why i'm expecting Bebe to clock her races. Back in 2012 she clocked Sta Ana. 30 minutes before cut off. In 2014, the same thing happened. This year, BFRC released the birds at 6:30 a.m. she came home at past 4 p.m., my cut off was around 4:30 p.m.      Two of my friends were with me waiting for Bebe for Sta Ana 2, which  happens to be the last lap of the race.  Ferdie asked me kung nag e expect ako na uuwi si Bebe. Sabi ko based on history i'm expecting her to come home at around 4:30 kasi cut off ko 4:58 yata, pero konti lang lumipad na kalapati so baka kako medyo ma late, she clocked at 4:47. Is it instinct on my part? I don't know.

     For the 3rd time, Bebe did it again! When she flew as a young bird back in 2012, she placed 12th Overall in GWRPA North Race. In 2014, I flew her again as an old bird warrior sa Summer Race ng BFRC kasi wala akong panlaban. Kakagaling lang nya sa breeding plus the fact na 2 years na sya nakakulong lang. Nung umpisa ng training parang nawalan ako kumpyansa sa kanya kasi super hingal sya saka pagod pag umuuwi, kungbaga wala sya in fighting form, per habang lumalayo napansin ko bumabalik na lakas nya. On the last lap which is Sta. Ana Cagayan umitlog sya nung loading day, kaya di na rin ako nag expect na kakayanin nya umuwi. But she did! This time she placed 14th Overall.       Summer Race of 2017 came, as usual wala ako panlaban ng summer. While talking to my friends sabi ko ilaban ko kaya ulit si Bebe, which I did. I started with 3 old birds. First lap butata agad yung dalawa, pareho pang injured. Bebe again?! This time 5 laps na summer race...

2006 - 1st Overall Champion 2007 - 5th Overall 2008 - 2nd Overall, 12th Overall, 10th Overall, 3rd Overall, 5th Overall, 11th Overall, 13th Overall,   8th Overall 2009 - 6th Overall 2010 - 10th Overall 2011 - 21st Overall (30 live birds) 2012 - 12th Overall 2013 - 12th Overall, 5th Placer Mcarthur 2014 - 1st Overall, 14th Overall, 81st Placer Mcarthur 2015 - 15th Overall 2016 - 9th Overall, 12th Overall 2017 - ?

     Every year I come across incidents of cheating sa pigeon clubs, but the most common incident pano sila nahuhuli kasi sobrang napa-aga pag clock nila. Dala na siguro ng nerbyos o sobrang excitement kaya wala sa loob nila na smash race, basta iniisip nila ganitong oras datingan kaya sinisigurado na nila. So, how do you really get away with it?      First of all, make sure namagaling ka mag forecast ng panahon.  This is the hardest to do, kasi hindi porke maganda panahon sa location mo maganda rin panahon sa dadaanan ng mga kalapati. Matuto ka mag research, andyan ang google weather, even your phone gives weather update na rin, sometimes our own kalapatids would post weather updates on facebook, so be updated. Its your duty as a cheater, mandadaya ka na lang di mo pa pagbubutihin.      Second, DO NOT and I couldn't emphasize this more, DO NOT rely on forecast received from clubs. Hindi kasama dun ang bad weather sa pag com...