Passionate about canaries, today he also takes care of pigeons.

Andrea Atzeni, 57, a retired Army non-commissioned officer, for years master-director of the historic band of the Sassari Brigade, is cultivating his new hobby: recently, one of his Colombian women took part in the prestigious "Volare in Terra Sarda" event with stops in Is Arutas, Pozzomaggiore, Capo Caccia and Stintino.

The Colombina of Atzeni, a "bigia" of excellent genealogy, distinguished herself in all the stages, finishing sixth in the final race in Stintino, flying 214 km in 4 hours and 6 minutes and finishing in first place among the Sardinian pigeons and in seventh place in the ranking.

Always successful breeder of canaries, reared at home in Sinnai, Andrea Atzeni, now also proposes himself with traveling pigeons. And it always does great results. "Not everyone knows that racing pigeons also exist in Sardinia", says Atzeni.

"Between September and October I participated in several races, even of hundreds of kilometers, organized by the dovecote Volare in Sardinia which is located in Flumini di Quartu, managed by the expert pigeon-lover Mario Albertazzi. In May the newly weaned pigeons, over 100, coming from all over Italy, they were conveyed to the Sardinian dovecote. For a few months, we trained them. This year I started competing with my pigeons. I am part of the Colombi Viaggiatori Sardegna association ".

"I raise about thirty new babies a year in my little dovecote at home, in Sinnai", continues Atzeni. "They have an extraordinary sense of orientation, perhaps following the electromagnetic waves, on their sense of smell, on sight. They fly and promptly return home ".

Andrea Atzeni is almost moved. He, who was the master director of the band of the Sassari Brigade, spends his free time, as a retiree, like this. In his house, near the Town Hall, the canaries sing and the traveling pigeons grow up. And every day there is something to learn from them too.

© Riproduzione riservata