2010 One Loft Race Summary 

Updated - April 20, 2011

Here are the races that I entered in 2010 and how I did (or am doing) in each of them.  As I often say, I try to only show results with money attached to them and not reference any training tosses.  I only show pedigrees on birds that have won money.

  • Plymouth Peak Challenge (Updated 10-18-10 - Final Update)
    • On the 200 miler - I had two birds in the money: 19th - AU 10 NRPL 0008  & 21st - AU 10 NRPL 0013.  If you click on their band you can see what pairs they are out of.  Also, very nice to note that all 5 of my birds did well as my birds were 19th, 21st, 27th, 28th & 45th.  What a super grouping for my birds!  Let's hope they can do it - and even a bit better - when the big money is on the line!
    • Also, nice to note that NRPL 0013 is presently sitting in 5th Overall Average Speed after 4 races (I probably just jinxed him by saying this).  NRPL 0013's family typically gets stronger the farther the races get so I am actually very optimistic as to how he might do.  Still a long way to go in this series so I am not counting anything yet -- 5 more races with the toughest part of the schedule still ahead of us!
    • The first 300 was a total smash with only 6 day birds and only 65 birds home after 3 days.  I had two birds come after the race had closed so I am out of average speed, but still have a couple opportunities to win prize money.  Very disappointed in how this race turned out.  To be clear, I am not disappointed in Brad - just disappointed as it turned into a survival contest and not a "race."
      • Rory Smith - I would like to mention that Rory Smith was 3rd Place on this tough race.  The mother to this bird was UCA 1500 - who is out of 75% my pigeons and Rory purchased from our club iPigeon Auction last year.  Here is the pedigree of UCA 1500.  Rory called me that evening to share his excitement with me -- I was also very excited for him.  As I always say - I get ALMOST as much excitement watching others win with pigeons down from my birds as I get in winning myself.
      • Funny story - I got a call on Monday from a pigeon flyer in Boise that NRPL 0206 was at his house.  That is almost 300 miles west of where the pigeon should have arrived at Brad's loft.  He said the bird was tired and down, but otherwise in good shape.  He put it in a box for me and shipped it back to Brad and now it is "back in the race."  How amazing if that bird does something in the final two money races!!  Hey, we can all hope!
    • Went to the race, but my one remaining bird didn't make it home in race time!  Congrats to my good friends Richard Banzon (RMC Loft) and Geert Kolvenbag & Mike Ennis for a fantastic showing in the race as they took 1st and 2nd Overall Average Speed respectively and each of them won one of the 300m races.  I should note that RMC Loft has had an unbelievable year in one loft races...1st Overall & 10th in the American Grand National - 1st Overall 300m Plymouth Peak - 1st Overall Average Speed Plymouth Peak and many more money winning pigeons.  Again, congrats to Richard!!!  Also, congrats to Rory Smith for his bird being there again on the tough 300 miler!!

     

  • World Trade Center Memorial Band Race (updated 10-26-10 - Final Update)
    • Frank Esposito called me and asked me to enter some birds in the WTC Memorial Band Race in his loft....glad he did!
    • 12th Place overall - IF 10 WTCM 1153
      • Here is a copy of the first page of the World Trade Center Memorial Band Race Results.  154 Lofts 1,294 Birds.  Look at how tough of day it was.  Very proud of 1153 to break away from the group on such a tough day!  Every one of those leading birds deserves everything they earned on the day!!

 

  • Sierra Ranch Classic (updated 10-11-10 - Final Update!)
    • On the 350 mile "Main Event" race - I had a good race and was:
      • 13th Overall - AU 10 NRPL 0061
        • This bird was also 8th Overall Average Speed.
      • Although outside the average speed money, I think it deserves to be noted that AU 10 NRPL 0047 ended up 21st Overall Average Speed.  Out of 540+ birds that started the race I had two birds do well in the overall averages.  Pretty happy with that -- I still think Average Speed Results tell you the best birds that give you the most consistent results and will make your best breeders.
    • On the 225 miler - I had two birds in the money - 18th (=1st) AU 10 NRPL 0047 & 25th - AU 10 NRPL 0061.  Nice to have a couple birds score in the money on the first money race!

 

  • American Grand National (updated 10-11-10 - Final Update!)
    • Well, my AGN winning streak is officially over!  Darn, I will have to start a new one next year!  It was a very tough race this year with the birds being very broken up upon returning.  Nevertheless, I did have a bird that scored in the Overall Average Speed Hot Spot Awards:
      • AU 10 NRPL 0062 was 12th Overall in the Average Speed competition.  This bird is the nest mate to NRPL 0061 that did very well in the Sierra Ranch Classic (see above).  NRPL 0062 is a full sibling to NRPL 0008 who was doing very well in the Plymouth Peak race (see above) until it was lost on the smash 300 miler.  Will probably keep this pair together next year!
    • On 235 miler - I put a bird in the money at 56th (last bird on 1st Drop) - AU 10 NRPL 0019.  The other birds also came pretty good so I am optimistic about doing OK on the big money 330 mile race.  We will see!!

 

  • ESPO's East Coast Challenge (Updated 10-6-10 - Final Update!)
    • I struck out in winning money in ESPO's race this year.
      • 200 Mile Race - was 51st, 81st & 100th
      • 300 Mile Race - was 21st, 41st & 64th
      • 400 Mile Race - SMASH - 7 birds on the day & 19 in race time - no NRPL birds home.

 

  • Hall of Fame Race (Updated 10-18-10 - Final Update!)
    • Merl Emerson - yes, Merl "The Legend" Emerson put together a super one loft race at his new home in South Carolina this year.  If most of you don't know Merl -- you need to as he is one of the "Father's" of the One Loft Pigeon game in he started and ran one of the first and most successful one loft races in Florida prior to moving to South Carolina.
    • On the final race - 250 miles - I was fortunate to have a bird come in 4th Place - AU 10 NRPL 0029.  It was a very tough day with the birds coming in singles and small drops.  Definately nice to get a good check out of another race!
    • In case you haven't noticed, this is the 4th bird to win money in one loft races for me out of The Inbred Moorsel x Miss Beautiful in 2010!  This win takes their winnings over $10,000 for the year.  Amazing pair of pigeons!  Yes, they will be back together in 2011!

 

  • Southwest Special 330 (Updated 11-19-10 - Final Update!)
    • They had the 155 Mile Race on 10-16-10 and one of the birds I sent to the race was on the 1st Drop - AU 10 NRPL 0126.  This is a very small race with only a few birds in the race so I am not wanting to overemphasize the birds efforts, but I also don't want to minimize NRPL 0126's result either.
    • They had the 300 Mile Race on 11-6-2010 (they skipped the 200 miler due to weather) and it was a SMASH!  They didn't get a day bird and only 5 birds came home.  Unfortunately, NRPL 0126 was not one of them.  Congrats to the winners!

 

  • Vegas Classic (Updated 11-19-10 - Final Update!)
    • I will only say congtrats to the winners.  Seriously, nothing more to say here.  My birds were all lost after the 1st few training tosses.

 

  • Texas Gusher (Updated 11-19-10 - Final Update!)
    • They had the 200 mile Race on 11-9-10
      • I did nothing in this race to write home about.  All birds present and accounted for, but too fast for my tastes.  I just can't seem to do well on those fast TX/OK races!!!
    • They had the 250 mile Race on 11-14-10
      • They had 36 birds on the 1st Drop and one of them was one of mine (27th Place).  I guess I should say =1st - right???  This is one of those races where =1st means nothing especially because the bird didn't win any money (they paid 20 places).  Tons of birds on the drop and lots of birds right behind.  Oh sure, I am glad my bird was there, but I am not going to be overstating the result.
    • The 300 mile Race is scheduled for 11-21-10 -- STAY TUNED!!!

 

  • Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race  (Updated 11-19-10)

 

  • AU Convention Race (Updated 11-19-10 - Final Update!)
    • No, I did not enter the AU Convention Race personally, but my good friend Geert Kolvenbag asked me to send a couple birds down there for him so I was "indirectly" in the race. 
    • AU 10 CENT 67222 was 20th to Richard Henry's Loft so that was nice to see.
      • CENT 67222 is out of one of my grandson's of Van Dyke's Kannibaal and Dutch Girl who is a hen from Kolvenbag & Ennis.  This hen is a full sister to the Utah Valley Invitational Club 1st Champion Bird flown by Wayne Whiteley - NRPL 216.  Yea, that pair will be back together in 2011!  This pair is one of the "Whiteley Pairs" in that Wayne and I have a close friendship and Wayne takes 3 or 4 pairs of NRPL birds every year and we split the youngsters and send some to One Loft Races under our partnership.

 

  • Beaver Spring Break - (Updated 4/20/11 - Final Update)
    • Wow...what a tough year the Beaver Spring Break boys had this year.  Started with 540+ birds and ended up with only 116 birds going to the Final Race.  They had a super group of pigeons from the top lofts in the country this year and it was sure tough to see Mother Nature (the weather) create so much havoc for them.
    • AU 10 NRPL 120 was on the 2nd drop (about a minute behind the winning pigeon that came alone) and ended up being the last bird to trap on the drop and ended up 14th.
      • I need to put a pedigree up for NRPL 120, but in the mean time NRPL 120 is out of Super Kleine Lichte x The Aarden Hen (Yes, my #1 Pair and parents to "Alfie" my SCMDPR 32nd place winner)
    • AU 10 NRPL 110 was 22nd in the race and also in the money.  Not that it won money, but NRPL 110 was also 1st bird through the trap on the 100 mile race.

 
 
  Site Map