Can privately owned One Loft Races revive pigeon racing in SA?

In this article, part one of a three-part series on pigeon racing, Thomas Smit looks at the sport's decline in South Africa, and whether One Loft Races, with their attractive cash prizes, can revive it.

- Thomas Smit

Unless assisted by a mentor and driven by a special interest in racing pigeons, beginners find the cost and other challenges of conventional pigeon racing near impossible to overcome. The South African National Pigeon Organisation (SANPO) has roughly 4200 active pigeon fanciers on record, with an estimated majority over the age of 50. Sadly, the South African pigeon racing scene has changed and the sport is running on empty. The question is whether privately owned One Loft Races, some with millions up for grabs, can provide some relief to keep the sport's flame alive in South Africa.

NO LONGER THE POOR MAN'S RACEHORSES

In the old days, pigeon passion and love for the sport of pigeon racing contributed to the collective sentiment at a social, people-friendly clubhouse. Racing pigeons, or homers as they were called, were referred to as the 'poor man's racehorses'.

In 1968, when my own interest in pigeon racing began, I remember that, with a few exceptions, fellow fanciers were from the lower- to average-income group, working at the mine or post office and other offices of administration. Our local barber was a pigeon fancier, and the club champion worked at the post office, while the runner-up club champion worked at the railways.

To practise pigeon racing from a garden loft in your backyard was always known to be reasonably expensive. However, one could save up and manage to meet the financial demands of pigeon racing without hurting your budget.