Only 200 champion SA racing pigeon fanciers were invited to enter the annual South African Prestige Invitational Race (SAPIR). The entrance fee was R10 000/team. This year five pigeons per team were allowed, of which three were selected to enter the Hot Spots. One of these was then chosen to compete in the final race, which was held on 25 September at 6.30am. The liberation site was at Colesberg, 574km from the SAPIR loft in Alberton.
A total of 143 super-fit racing pigeons were released. Conditions were tough, with an unexpected headwind, but the pigeons were well-trained and a more than satisfactory return rate was documented. Hein 1, entered by Hein Beneke, won with a time of nine hours, five minutes, 16 seconds. It was bred by Kitchenbrand Loft, which owns the largest collection of top-scoring pigeons bought at the SA Million Dollar Pigeon Race.
Hein 1’s sire is GB 05-N-13829 from the renowned Houben strain acquired by Billy Kitchenbrand. A Hot Spot SA Million Dollar Pigeon Race car winner, this is a proven stud sire of numerous winners and breeders of winners. Hein 1’s dam is
ZA THU-08-06291, bred by Mark Kitchenbrand from the German Cock 618 and German Hen 116 ‘click pair’, predominantly of the Verbruggen/Louis Wouters & Janssens bloodline. Among its other
