Last year he managed to win 10 victories, while winning 11 first prizes in 2014.
It is often said that it is easier to reach the top than it is to keep on racing at the same level once you have reached the top. That is absolutely right but it can only be fully understood by fanciers that have actually reached the top. Martial had been fascinated with racing pigeons since his childhood and he promised himself he would make it to the very top sooner or later. It has been seven years since he decided to return to pigeon racing and it seems he already reached his goal, judging by his excellent results. His best results have been won by his two cracks ‘Olympic Nino’ and ‘Olympic Canonball’, his most iconic pigeon. The French fancier managed to reach the top with a steady pace, which is of course only possible if you choose the right pigeons to work with. We think Martial has made the right choices indeed. He leaves nothing to chance and he immediately invested in some top quality bloodlines from Belgium and The Netherlands. These enabled him to have three different pigeons in the latest Olympiad in Budapest in 2015. This was only five years after his fresh start, which is quite exceptional.
The 2016 season
It was probably the most complicated season since his new start in 2010. The weather conditions prevented most pigeons from reaching peak form and those that did manage to get in good shape would often lose fitness in many of the difficult races this season. Still, Martial can look back on a successful racing season. He closed the 2016 campaign with 11 victories in the most important combine of his district called 'Groupement du Calvados'. His palmares was better than in 2015, when he booked 10 victories. He claimed 11 first prizes in 2014. These results shows that he has been able to maintain his levle of performance. We take a look back on his season, keeping in mind the championship prizes will be published in the coming few weeks:
11 victories in the 'Groupement du Calvados' (40 victories in four years) 1st Interprovincial Champion (3rd Region) 1st Interprovincial Champion Yearlings (3rd Region) 1st Provincial Champion Yearlings 3rd General Champion Provincial 3rd Provincial Champion Youngsters 4th Provincial Champion Long Distance 5th General Champion Interprovincial (3rd Region)Now, let's have a look at the best pigeon from the actual racing team:
- 'Olympic Nico' (FR12-105008)
4th National Ace Pigeon -500km '13 1st Pré Olympic Pigeon France Cat A (Brno 2014) 1st Olympic Pigeon France Cat A (Budapest 2015) - 20th Worldwide 1st Provincial Ace Pigeon '14 1. Vivonne 791 p. '15 (303 km) 1. Poitiers 728 p. '13 (286 km) 2. Poitiers 1.589 p. '13 2. Poitiers 1.072 p. '13 2. Fontenay 652 p. '13 (295 km) 2. Poitiers 618 p. '13 3. Cognac 1.084 p. '14 (380 km) 3. St Yriex 446 p. '14 (416 km) 4. Langon 1.960 p. '15 (508 km) 4. Poitiers 849 p. '13 5. Vivonne 1.278 p. '16 6. Bergerac 1.825 p. '15 (478 km) 6. Ruffec 1.274 p. '13 (345 km) 7. Ste Maure 1.380 p. '16 (235 km) 7. Jarnac 1.342 p. '13 (380 km) 8. Niort 1.540 p. '13 (309 km) 9. Niort 2.447 p. '16 10. St Yriex 1.575 p. '16 10. Poitiers 512 p. '12 13. Ste Maure 1.508 p. '15
After being selected for the Budapest Olympiad in 2015, this exceptional pigeon is well on his way to being selected for the upcoming Olympiad in Brussels as well. More on that in the coming weeks!
Click here to check his pedigree.
- 'Huracan' (FR15-431)
1. Provincial Ace General 1. Ace Yearling Provincial 2. Provincial Ace Sprint 1. Ste Maure 1.196 p. '16 1. Marmande 482 p. '16 6. Roullet 452 p. '16 10. Ste Maure 1.380 p. '16 14. Vivonne 1.278 p. '16
Click here to check his pedigree.
He is the new discovery of the racing loft. We are confident that Martial will turn 'Huracan' into his new champion, capable of reaching the same level as his previous prize winners 'Olympic Cannonball', 'Olympic Nico' or 'Olympic Juliet', which were all qualified for the Budapest Olympiad of 2015!
Conclusion
We will come back to this loft later to make an update about the various championships. Until then, we would like to congratulate the whole Team Maindrelle for this new successful season.
Best results 2016
24/04 Ste-Maure (235 km) Groupement du Calvados - 1.380 p. :
1 à 16-23-27-32-41-44-49-52-53-56-59-62-70-72-81-87-115-120-130-133, ... (45/52)
01/05 Cholet (229 km) Groupement du Calvados - 1.753 p. :
1 à 6-8-10-11-12-16-21-32-34-38-42-43-47-54-56-86-88-92-97-109-111-113-118-121-126-129-130-133-
134-139-141-143-150 (53/85)
08/05 Niort (309 km) Groupement du Calvados - 2.447 p. :
8-9-10-11-15-39-49-51-53-72-86-89-90-92-93-112-114-115-116-118-135-136-138-152-153-156-170-227-
229-233-234 (42/84)
15/05 St-Yriex (416 km) Groupement du Calvados - 1.575 p. :
1 à 4-8-10-12 à 17-21-30-31-40-41-52-58-65-66-67-70-80-92-93-105-108-109-120-134-137 (49/78)
28/05 Bergerac (478 km) Groupement du Calvados - 1334 p. :
1-12-13-34-44-61-112-115-118 (18/45)
Bergerac Fédéral - 2.955 p. :
1-17-18-46-66-90-174-177-180-225-252 (20/45)
05/06 Roullet (393 km) - Groupement du Calvados - 552 olds :
1-4-5-6-24-26-34-55 (13/19)
05/06 Roullet (393 km) - Groupement du Calvados - 452 yl :
3-6-10-12-13-26-27-28-29-43 (16/36)
19/06 Saumur (193 km) - Groupement du Calvaods- 651 yb :
5-6-7-8-9-10-16 (7/16)
19/06 Nexon (400 km) Groupement du Calvados - 1.197 olds :
23-24-30-31-34-35-60-61-79-81-83 (24/59)
26/06 Vivonne (303 km) Groupement du Calvados - 1.278 olds :
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-13-14-15-17-21-22-25-33-35-36-38-39-51-52-61-63-86-87-94-99-101-102 (42/55)
10/07 Ste-Maure (235 km) Groupement du Calvados - 1.196 olds :
1 à 5-13-27-29 à 34-36-49-50-84-86 (26/36)
16/07 Libourne (469 km) Groupement du Calvados - 426 yl
8-12-13-15-17-22-40 (9/9)
16/07 Roullet (393 km) Fédéral - 469 yb :
1-2-3-4 (4/9)
24/07 Vivonne (303 km) Groupement du Calvados - 882 olds :
1-15-18-20-31-32-47-49-51-56-60-62-64-72-73 (26/36)
24/07 Vivonne (303 km) Groupement du Calvados - 303 yb :
5-7-14-17-18-20-26 (10/14)