The Barcelona Miracle

[retired]

A silver mealy cock pigeon known as 'The Barcelona Miracle' (rung 2106367/58) which was owned by A. Demaret from Ottignies, Belgium stunned the pigeon racing fraternity when it won the world's most prestigious pigeon race twice.

 

And since then although there have been a couple of close calls this outstanding athletic feat has yet to be emulated. In fact it is hard to imagine the extent of this thoroughbred's accomplishments when he faced the elements, the terrain and the distance in the 1960s. I am in no doubt however that his owner must have been walking on cloud 9 after his first success at the Grand Prix of the sport, which must have doubled to cloud 18 on the second occassion. For there are those who jump for joy when they win an ordinary pigeon race but even a lifetime of ordinary wins I would gladly give away to have succeeded like Demaret in the last century.Even for only one win.

 

This creme de la creme of our thoroughbred athletes and partly (according to one good source) of Bricoux bloodlines won his first Barcelona in 1962 beating 3,300 of the cream of Europes lofts while in 1963 he beat 3,599 of a convoy. Prior to his Barcelona successes the silver mealy's flying record starting with results from 1960 were as follows: 43rd, 97th, 24th,18th and 23rd in very short encounters of between 80 and 130 miles.The following year (1961) his successes were120th, 4th, 130th, 64th, 1st, 3rd and 10th with an increase in mileage including Marseille.Then in 1962 the year of his first Barcelona triumph his races and positions scored were : Corbeil 111th, Dourdan 24th, Orls 27th and the Barcelona International 1st. In 1963 the race points and positions were: Dourdan 24th, Orls 49th, Limoges 23rd, with Barcelona International 1st.

 

With such a bird and the fact that its successes were from the Everest of pigeon racing there were wealthy pigeoners who were in pursuit of the champion. Demaret had not long to wait for he was approached later in the year of its second success and after being offered a fortune by Daniel Devos 'The Barcelona Miracle' took residence in the stock loft of the latter at Dikkebus, Belgium. There he was put to stud and by November 1965 there existed approximately 33 sons and daughters.In fact in that year the Barcelona Miracle changed hands for the second time for he was bought by a rich Japanese pigeoner and taken to the land of the Rising Sun. Prior to this departure Devos had mated the silver mealy to some of the best bloodlines in Europe such as Cattrysse, Huyskens van Riel and Desmet, etc,.Being placed in a special breeding pen and after sitting on eggs for about 10 days the silver mealy was mated to another hen with feeders carrying out the work of the natural parents.Thus about 10 hens or more were mated using this method to the '...Miracle'.And yet inspite of those going ons Daniel Devos sold everything- lock,stock, and barrel- via a clearance sale in November of that year.

 

Well such is pigeon racing or is it human nature? Whatever our human whims and commercial happenings what stands out a mile in this piece however is the fabulous silver mealy known as 'The Barcelona Miracle'. And to use the terms often used before- will we ever see his like again? Yes the marathon of all marathons and he won it twice- two years in succession! Words are useless when we encounter such greatness.