In the BPRC an average of 20 members compete at club level, 30 at section level and 75 at federation level. Around 750 pigeons compete every weekend at club level and about 2 400 at federation level.
Johan was introduced to pigeon racing in 1978. He participates under the name “Inkwe Loft 1”, while Celia participates as “Celia Hokke”. Inkwe Loft 1 enters an unlimited amount of birds in the weekly race events, while Celia Hokke enters 15.Celia does the administrative work for the pigeon business, and clocks in her own birds back from the races. She also attends most of the basketing evenings.
At the time of writing, Celia Hokke is ranked second in the club and section performance echelon and leads the champion point’s league averages in the NEFSF in the limitation category of 15 pigeons per race. She’s also ranked third overall. It’s the first time in the federation’s history that a woman has scored so highly.
Inkwe Loft 1 currently leads the club and section level and is ranked fifth overall in the federation. When he competed with a team of late-bred youngsters in 2008, Johan’s electronic timing system failed to register his pigeons’ arrival four times, but he still managed top results. At completion of the middle-distance he was ranked seventh in the champion points league of the club and section, and 14th in the federation points league.
He ranked first and second in the club and section champion points leagues in 2009, and third and seventh overall in the federation. Johan’s other successes include Young Bird Champion at club and federation level, Middle-Distance Champion at club and federation level and owning the best short-distance champion pigeon in the club and section.
The couple’s foundation pigeons are carefully selected from the Croxford/Slimme lines of veteran SA champion, the late Tom Lock, with focus on the offspring of the R100 000 super pair. Further lines are bred around the Oscar Sierens and Pieters family strains and pigeons from Europe, such as the Van Loons from Hans Eijerkamp and Zonen’s Beach Boy and Silver Shadow. A family of red Janssens from Belgium are also a mainstay in the lofts.
Wisdom to share
Johan and Celia road train their young birds up to 300km until two weeks before the start of the season. Thereafter it’s 50km road training a day with 200km on Fridays for the pigeons not entered into the Saturday race. They mix their pigeon feed themselves, according to the distance flown.Their advice to beginners? “Do your homework and buy from leading fanciers around the country in their federation or union. Make friends with leading fanciers, and buy the best you can afford,” says Johan. “Improve your stock loft yearly. Stick to a proven programme and fly as naturally as possible. And treat your birds like Olympic athletes!”
