The 2007 racing season delivered a series of fast-paced events for Gauteng fanciers, due to prevailing tailwinds. Fanciers not racing from south to north are having slower races, which are a true test of a pigeon’s “guts”. Rain in the Western Cape has also created unfriendly race conditions and liberation times sometimes have to be rescheduled to allow the fog and rain to clear.
The short-distance series The 12 race events that were part of the short-distance series of the Transvaal Pigeon Federation began on 9 June and were completed on 14 July 2007. The shortest race was from Winburg (278km) and the longest (399km) was hosted from Dewetsdorp. Some of the more interesting results are given below. Races from Winburg (278km) 9 June: NJ Grobbelaar and son from the Sandton Racing Pigeon Club scored the following positions: second, third, fourth, sixth, 25th, 27th, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 54th, 55th, 58th and 85th – an above-average achievement that deserves congratulations. The race was won by C Kerekes of the Racing Pigeon Club at 1 423m per minute (m/min). 16 June (race 2): Members of the Boksburg Pigeon made a combined assault on this race, scoring eight of the top 10 positions. The race was won by A Morey from Randburg Racing Pigeon Club at 1 439m/min. • 16 June (race 3): RA Parsons and son from the Randburg Racing Pigeon Club clinched the 278km race at a velocity of 1 499m/min. Clubmate J Viljoen came second and third, with NJ Grobbelaar and son in fifth position. Races from Dewetsdorp (399km) 23 June: The pace of this race was moderate. M Kitchenbrand from the Alberton won at a velocity of 1 261m/min, followed by clubmate and head trainer of the Sun City Million-dollar Race, Naudé.
Third was K Kitchenbrand from the Boksburg Racing Pigeon Club. The Homing Society scored five of the top six positions. 23 June (race 2): Partners Pedro and Bouwer came first at a moderate 1 246m/ min and Naudé took third position. Notable in this race was the achievement of the Kitchenbrands, who scored 13 positions within the top 100. 7 July (race 3): The winner at 1 411m/min was Little Lesley’s Loft from South Rand Pigeon Club. JJ de Beer from Randburg came second and fifth.• 7 July (race 4): First was Morey from at 1 419m/min, with Naudé third. Races from Bloemfontein (370km) 16 June: This was won by J Lemos from South Western Homing Society at a speed of 1 573m/min.
The Kitchenbrand family race from different loft locations on the East Rand and, as well as taking second and third places, the names M Kitchenbrand, WP Kitchenbrand and KN Kitchenbrand appeared at least seven times on the scoreboard within the first 100 positions. 14 July: First and second places went to CA Cherry of South Western at 1 491m/min. G Louw from Alberton scored three positions within the top 10. Races from Ladybrand (380km) 30 June: Naudé came first at 1 526m/min with B van der Walt in second position. Among the top 10 positions the Kitchenbrands scored fourth, fifth and ninth. 30 June (race 2): First at 1 526m/min was D Proudfoot of the Southern Suburbs Homing Society. – Thomas Smit ([email protected] or call (011) 680 4778). |fw
