# The Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon One Loft Race



## white flight (Oct 19, 2008)

Hi All!

Anyone entered the South African one loft SCMDPR this year? January 2009.

It is very exciting especially for us South Africans, as we are very competitive and I just love to see the Dave Clausings, The Hay Lofts (USA), the Philip Normans (Belgium), Koopmans (NL), Sudhof + Beers (Germany), etc, etc... showing us how to race pigeons in our own country.

Why? Because I believe most fanciers in this country fly "out-of-the bottle" - i.e. they medicate to much and the class of the naturally trained and very well-bred established families from all around the world just annihilate us on natural ability and breeding.

During this race pigeons are on the wing for 8-10 hours with extreme heat, head-winds on the nose, you name it, they experience it over the 500 miles they cover to the "one loft" - completely different perhaps to the conditions in Belguim, Germany, USA and elsewhere!

South Africans then scoop-up these pigeons at the auctions after the competition BUT what do we do again, NOT ALL oF US - some, put them "on the bottle" - win a race or two and then find excuses for their non-performance!!!

Just my thoughts - shoot me if you like?

white flight ZA


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Is it not illegal to "put them on the bottle"? What sort of things do they give the birds? 
We had visitors a few years ago from SA and they spent the week end with us and never mentioned any of this. He has TONS of pigeons and races them.


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## Pegasus (Feb 6, 2007)

*Hmmmm*

White Flight; Do you mean anything about your post ? I think you wanted to say is, the birds from SA is way better than other countries because of the experience they have for everyday, correct me if I'm wrong...


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

white flight said:


> Hi All!
> 
> Anyone entered the South African one loft SCMDPR this year? January 2009.
> 
> ...


I don't get it...are you saying they are "on the bottle" becasue they can't compete with well trained well bred birds....I dunno, I do not race so I just don't understand what your trying to say.


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

I think what they are saying is that there is tremendous pressure to heavily medicate/drug the race birds in South Africa to get better performance. I don't think they are supporting the practice. 

This is why I, for one, feel like the birds entered in these races should remain the property of the breeders, not auctioned off at the end of the race. These birds should be shipped back to the breeders without additional cost other than the shipping. They are just using these auctions to make more money. By all rights, those birds should go home to those that paid the entry fee and bred the bird.

Dan


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## white flight (Oct 19, 2008)

Dear Hmmm!

Exactly the opposite! Pigeons from outside SA, to my mind, are far superior!

white flight ZA


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## white flight (Oct 19, 2008)

Hi Lovebirds!

What I mean is that SA fanciers "over-medicate" and don't medicate appropriately! Why medicate healthy pigeons, performing or winning pigeons?

It is perhaps because our laws for purchasing certain drugs are not as stringent as elsewhere in the world? Let a vet decide when you should medicate!

Regards!

white flight ZA


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## white flight (Oct 19, 2008)

Dea Spirit Wings,

SA fanciers, in general, luv using drugs to enhance performance, not as preventative drugs!

Regards.

white flight ZA


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

I guess it all comes down to human nature. We tend to search for the quick and easy answer. We take mediocre birds and try to make them champions by pumping them full of all kinds of medications. At best we are masking their mediocrity and at worst we are creating an unhealthy, unsafe prescedent that will lead us to public scrutiny and litigation for all of us, regardless of weather we dope our birds or not. It is a bad practice that will only shed pigeon racing in a more negative light in the eyes of the public.

Dan


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## Pegasus (Feb 6, 2007)

white flight said:


> Dear Hmmm!
> 
> Exactly the opposite! Pigeons from outside SA, to my mind, are far superior!
> 
> white flight ZA


I'm not trying to compair the US birds from other countries but do you know here in the US (I'm not sure about other countries), we do have a place for all of the greatest ever racer (pigeon/s) that end up in the bird of Hall of Fame...I'm not saying the birds in other countries are way better than the one here in the US, all I know is once the particular bird got its place in the HOF, then I do have to believe that bird is "one heck of a racer"...This is an international sport, about pigeon race, I'm not saying if the bird don't make it to the HOF means they are not any good or like you said superior, what I want to say is there is some birds who have been winning the race but never make it to the top...I apologize to some of you, if my opinion is offensive, I'm only stating what I think I like to say...Freedom of speech...nly in America, baby...


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Pegasus said:


> I'm not trying to compair the US birds from other countries but do you know here in the US (I'm not sure about other countries), we do have a place for all of the greatest ever racer (pigeon/s) that end up in the bird of Hall of Fame...I'm not saying the birds in other countries are way better than the one here in the US, all I know is once the particular bird got its place in the HOF, then I do have to believe that bird is "one heck of a racer"...This is an international sport, about pigeon race, I'm not saying if the bird don't make it to the HOF means they are not any good or like you said superior, what I want to say is there is some birds who have been winning the race but never make it to the top...I apologize to some of you, if my opinion is offensive, I'm only stating what I think I like to say...Freedom of speech...nly in America, baby...


There's probably a lot of birds out there that COULD be in the HOF or have other awards if the owners would apply for the award. There's lots of fanciers that don't even bother. I know that the people we race with never applied for any award before we came here and started racing. Our second year racing, we applied for IF Champion........that was the first time that anyone we raced with had even thought about awards. Since that time, we've got one member who applied for and got IF Champion awards for 3 birds in one year. They now pay more attention to what their birds are doing and Everett and I fill out the paperwork for any birds that are eligible.


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## white flight (Oct 19, 2008)

Hi All!

In hindsight, once all the the pigeons have setled in at Sun City for the big race on the 29 Jan 2009, they all receive the same treatment. They are all given the same preventative treatments, food and training flights.

So my logical conclusion is unmistakebly still so that the birds from "outside" SA are better and superior pigeons! They are again dominating the "Hot Spot" races prior to the "big one."

Anyhow, Good to luck to all! May the best bred win!

white flight ZA


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## irishsyndicate (Sep 19, 2008)

SA should have the BEST gene pool in the world. There are MANY great pigeons that are left there that are not sold in the main auction (top 100), that can be snapped up dirt cheap.

I have been to the MDPR the last 3 races and talk to many South Africans. Too much MEDPET? Not enough quality grains? Too much inbreeding? Tough weather condtions to
keep healthy pigeons?

I had planned to be there in 09 if I was in the top 3 at the World Ace Challenge to fund my trip.


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

I don't know whether those medication enhances performance. I think it just prevent birds from being unhealthy and not do their best. Obviously it doesn't help their immune system and probably encourages resistant bugs to proliferate more.

Hopefully they are not medicating using some form of steroids. That would not be right because that steroids might enhance performance.

I don't know which is race is tougher. Taiwan racing or that South African race. In Taiwan racing where birds are released from a boat, those that don't make it drowns in the ocean. They can't land to drink. They drown instead.


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## white flight (Oct 19, 2008)

*Scmdpr*

Hi!

Don't forget the Euro/SA Rand exchange rate! The SCMDPR operates in Euro currency!

white flight ZA


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## white flight (Oct 19, 2008)

Hi there,

"On the bottle" means using drugs as performance enhancers and not as cures. 

I will only use drugs, such as Baytril, for example (out of "the bottle") for medicating for a particular disease which is identified when at least 5-10% of my team show any symptoms. 

I will use antimicrobials as a precautionary or preventative medication measure as I do not know what "bad bugs" they may have picked up in the race pannier! This is usually done on the Sunday - Tuesday after the race! Therafter it's vitamins and pro-biotics.

Regards. Merry Christmas.

white flight ZA


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