Brian Donovan Of Australia

[retired]

 

Of the continents Australia is the driest and such conditions are not supportive of pigeons racing the marathon or long distance type of event especially if the wind is a head one.In this piece however our subject is a master of the sport who has cultivated a family of birds made for those type of conditions. His name is Brian Donovan of Virginia, in the south of Australia, and he has won the Alice Springs to Adelaide marathon on two occassions.First was in 1997 and the second was in 2005.In fact this maestro at the marathon events has also scored 2nd and 3rd as well as other positions in the top ten from Alice Springs to Adelaide.One of the toughest marathon flights in the sport of pigeon racing in the world today.

 

Brian entered the sport as a partner to his father in the mid to late 1960's and this was just prior to his doing his stint of military service.He then rejoined the sport in the early years of the 1990's when he raced with the Adeliade Paralowie Club before joining the Salisbury Club.

 

A fancier very conscious of the breeding side of our sport Brian Donovan based his family on the famous Delaines of Australia strain.In fact he bought the complete loft of another pigeoner in order to obtain the very best of this Australian family. He also obtained some very good bloodlines from an Irishman residing and racing in the southern hemisphere called John O'Donnell- stock which provided one of the parents of the marathon winner.( I wonder is this the John O'Donnell who has in recent times returned to his native Donegal in Ireland and who is flying with the Strabane, County Tyrone Club.Of course it is!In fact John himself won this marathon some time before he returned to his native land and the beautiful Ulster county of Donegal.) In addition other bloodlines namely of the Goodger family was brought into the Donovan family.A mealy pigeon of the DiMelia family was also involved in the making of this outstanding loft of Australian maranthoners.

 

The first winner of the marathon for Brian was a black chequer pied hen who won at a very quick pace when she was clocked at 11.35pm on the day of release in 1997.Now bear in mind this is the longest race in Australia and the birds has to cover between 1280 and 1380 kilometres; thus reinforcing the blue blooded nature of the Donovan family.His second winner was a dark smoky blue chequer pied hen- who won in very tough conditions in 2005.Two hens but Brian via his many successes has done equally well with cocks.

 

Management wise the young are trained and raced hard and they fly the line of flight especially when the wind is against them.