The first South African Racing Pigeon Market was held at the Benoni Homing Society on 15 October.
Although it’s a well-known concept in Europe, this market was a first for SA and it attracted visitors from across the country.
Highlights of the 20 exhibitors included:
- The Out of Africa Loft: This loft is owned by Egbert O’Kelly, a distinguished SA Champion breeder and racer and importer of world-class racing pigeon stock.
- Benoni Homing Society: Displayed state-of-the-art pigeon equipment.
- The Moreland Racing Pigeon Stud: Owned by Durban fancier, Mark Raubenheimer, who’s been racing pigeons since the age of 10 and is now only 58 years young.
- The Willy Young Exhibition: Willy is a five-time Federation Champion from Durban. He brought 23 pigeons, all of which were sold.
- The Joe Strydom Exhibition: Joe is a renowned champion in Gauteng and founder of the Pigeon Institute of SA and the Elite Breeding Station.
- The Reinhold Brichta Exhibition: Reinhold exhibited 60 top racing pigeons.
- The Kitchenbrand Lofts: Owned by Mark Kitchenbrand, who’s known for buying the German Ace Pigeon Birdy for R800 000.
- • The Out of Africa Loft: This loft is owned by Egbert O’Kelly, a distinguished SA Champion breeder and racer and importer of world-class racing pigeon stock.
- He exhibited the finest lines of Andre Carelsens, Tom Locks, Marcel Aelbrechts and De Raw Sablon pigeons money can buy.
- The super breeders and racers are bought and mated to each other to produce further super breeders and racers.
- Benoni Homing Society: Displayed state-of-the-art pigeon equipment, such as perches, grit bowls and nest boxes, as well as top pigeons donated by members of the club.
- The Moreland Racing Pigeon Stud: Owned by Durban fancier, Mark Raubenheimer, who’s been racing pigeons since the age of 10 and is now only 58 years young.
- He brought 48 pigeons to the exhibition, all from imported stock from the Van Loon, Janssens and De Klak lines.
- The Willy Young Exhibition: Willy is a five-time Federation Champion from Durban. He brought 23 pigeons, all of which were sold.
- Willy doesn’t follow strains, but focuses on quality pigeons instead. He owns five different families emanating from Toppie Jansens, Spritzy, Catrysse and Tom Lock pigeons. In 2010, he won the KwaZulu-Natal Combine with more than 3 000 points.
- The Joe Strydom Exhibition: Joe is a renowned champion in Gauteng and founder of the Pigeon Institute of SA and the Elite Breeding Station.
- He’s also an importer of quality pigeons from abroad. He had 20 pigeons on display as well as 18 pigeon medication from his range of products. He owns the greatest collection of pigeons from the Gommaire Verbruggen strain in Belgium and pigeons from Jos (De Klak) van Limpt in the Netherlands.
- The Reinhold Brichta Exhibition: Reinhold exhibited 60 top racing pigeons.
- Born in Germany, Reinhold came to South Africa in 1972. At the time he brought 12 top pigeons from Germany, of which the Oscar De Vriendt strain was the most successful.
- Highlights in Reinhold’s pigeon racing career includes winning the car race and SANPO Gold Medal Award in 2006. He was also crowned Long Distance Champion in the TRPF.
- At the same time, his pigeon flock has produced countless champion pigeons for other fanciers.
- Reinhold is now retired and breed chicks for the racing pigeon fraternity. He maintains that his pigeons don’t need extensive road work to motivate them to perform.
- • The Kitchenbrand Lofts: Owned by Mark Kitchenbrand, who’s known for buying the German Ace Pigeon Birdy for R800 000. He also had health food and medication on display.
