Devo1956 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2024 8:43 am
Reading above, yes there are some OLR that do have big losses. Do you really think there is no clashing involved in training or races. There are more birds in Europe, no matter where you go. all doing the same thing, racing and training. no matter what day of the week. Health is paramount in any loft, even more so in OLR. With the number of birds in the loft, and yes they do have vets on call. More and more OLR have become to pop up in different countries. I was told 10 years ago, it was the way forward in pigeon racing. And the number of OLR have grown. And true it's not every one's cup of tea. but it is a choice for some.
I'd say "all" as opposed to "some" OLR have big losses
There's 2 big problems
1. The volume of pigeons being managed
2. The number of different sources where the birds come from (Let alone the dubious quality of many)
If I were setting up a OLR I'd limit it to say 150 YB and I'd raise the entry fee
Even then, if you had 1 Yb from 150 different lofts surely you can only think you're gonna introduce health issues into the loft
Mike, the overall cost of running a OLR. Can only be met with good sponsorship, and very good staff helping out. The daily tasks have to be done, while observing the birds at all times. People have tried and failed over the years, and made a bad name for the sport. Yes i agree birds coming from different lofts, is going to be a major problem. But that goes on in the sport, birds being mixed with others going racing. This can be the downfall of someones racing season, because of someone just sending their birds knowing they have health problems. Now we know this goes on in the sport.
A OLR with a number of birds, of 150 birds just would not work. Overheads of the daily running costs, you would have to charge a large entry fee. Which would soon reduce over the running of the OLR. Its all about the volume of birds, to make it work. And also making a profit for some.
Some losses less birds to feed and look after, but the chance will always be taken. In this growing sport.
30 years ago I thought I would be out of pigeons in ten years, because the story then was pigeon racing will be finished in ten years. And here I am still racing, and as enthusiastic as ever. This is answering NeilA post, not the above.
Devo1956 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2024 9:28 am
Mike, the overall cost of running a OLR. Can only be met with good sponsorship, and very good staff helping out. The daily tasks have to be done, while observing the birds at all times. People have tried and failed over the years, and made a bad name for the sport. Yes i agree birds coming from different lofts, is going to be a major problem. But that goes on in the sport, birds being mixed with others going racing. This can be the downfall of someones racing season, because of someone just sending their birds knowing they have health problems. Now we know this goes on in the sport.
A OLR with a number of birds, of 150 birds just would not work. Overheads of the daily running costs, you would have to charge a large entry fee. Which would soon reduce over the running of the OLR. Its all about the volume of birds, to make it work. And also making a profit for some.
Some losses less birds to feed and look after, but the chance will always be taken. In this growing sport.
I haven't and didn't do the Maths - I just plucked a number out of thin air that "me", "I" could manage effectively as a sole person
What I should've said was that I'd strictly limit the numbers of entries in a bid to host a successful OLR
This is what AfrikaPro introduced
Then again, for some the definition of a successful OLR is how many you get entered and activated as opposed to how many are left
1. AFRIKAPRO, A UNIQUE CONCEPT IN THE WORLD OF OLR’S
Afrikapro focuses on quality rather than quantity. We created a unique platform where top pigeon fanciers across the globe will be recognized for the quality pigeons they enter, rather than quantity.
Afrikapro would like to treat these well-bred quality pigeons as royalty, not allowing overcrowding that could result in unnecessary losses.
Afrikapro is not a typical OLR. It is a new concept that sets a level playfield for all fanciers. This concept will revolutionise the OLR arena - the best fanciers will be ranked according to their consistent performance over a racing season.
More than one million pigeon fanciers worldwide deserve a Major event similar to that of other mainstream sports. Afrikapro is a Grand Slam event for the world’s best pigeon fanciers. Afrikapro offers the best odds to win big prize money: there are 144 total prizes for a maximum of only 300 entrants with 6 major prizes over US$100 000!
Afrikapro is situated in the heart of the Waterberg in South Africa, a beautiful end-destination but also comfortably situated close to an international airport and central to many fantastic travel destinations.
Every fancier will be limited to one team of 10 pigeons per breeding loft. Overseas fanciers will send 15 birds to their local shipper, and Southern Africans will send 12 birds to the Afrikapro Loft.
After quarantine, each overseas fancier will identify 12 pigeons to enter the Afrikapro Loft.
After the activation race of 160km, all participants will select 10 pigeons to compete in a series of 10 races on consecutive weekends.
The race series will start on 16 July 2022 at 240km and increase weekly, with the final race around 600km on 17 September 2022.
The combined time of each participant’s first 2 pigeons will be calculated after each consecutive race. The fancier with the shortest accumulated time will be crowned the Champion Fancier of the Year and will receive the prized Black Jacket together with US$500 000.
All pigeons in the race will participate in the Ace Pigeon competition. The winner will be determined after ten weeks of consecutive racing.
Afrikapro has five major Competitions:
Champion Fancier: 85 Champion Fancier Prizes; 1st Place Champion Fancier will receive US$500,000.00 & a Black Jacket
Ace Pigeon: 20 Ace Pigeon prizes; 1st Ace Pigeon of the 10-week long season receives US$150,000.00 & a Golden Jersey
Final Race: 30 plus Final Race Prizes; Final Race Winner receives US$170,000.00
Fancier of the Week: 9 Weekly prizes for the best fancier of the week
Country Cup: Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa will hand over the Country Cup to the best-performing country in the Series
The cost of entering a team will be US$15K or US$1500 per pigeon.
The payment schedule is as follows – 12 months to pay in full:
The entrance fee covers all five competitions – we will charge no additional costs.
US$3000 Reservation fee is payable on delivery of the pigeons to the shipping agent.
US$6000 Entry fee payable after the completion of the South African quarantine period when birds are taken into the Afrikapro loft.
US$6000 Activation fee payable after the 160km toss and before the first race. (End of June 2022)
It is important to understand the following points:
All participants compete against the world’s best fanciers on a level playing field in a Grand Slam event with top prize money. Bring your ten best pigeons against their ten best pigeons!!
Participants will compete for some of the biggest prizes in the sport at ridiculously good odds: 144 prizes for only 300 participants – close to 1 prize for every 2 participants, and 6 major prizes of over US$100 000!
We encourage the formation of syndicates. Only one fancier of a syndicate needs to receive an invite or qualify via the Afrikapro selection criteria.
Albert wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2024 9:31 am
30 years ago I thought I would be out of pigeons in ten years, because the story then was pigeon racing will be finished in ten years. And here I am still racing, and as enthusiastic as ever. This is answering NeilA post, not the above.
Look around your fed Albert
How many over 70 how many under 50 then add 10 years to the 70 year olds
Or just look at tne decline in rora members wasn’t it 50,000 a few years ago now I believe under 20,000 most or a large number oap’s and time will take its natural toll on them
I did try SAMDPR a few years ago, since then i did try other OLR. I would say this one looks good on paper, but you dont know until you have tried. This is why i dont understand when some people, make comments about OLR when they have not tried themselves. Just my thoughts.
This is answering NeilA post, not the above.