Swart is again Riverpark’s club champion

RIVERPARK Pigeon Club, a member of the Gauteng Pigeon Union, held its prize-giving function for the 2016 race season at Kelvin Estate Clubhouse, with a wild west theme for the evening on November 26.

Because the second last race from Colesburg was the final middle distance race, the middle distance champions for both the old birds and young birds, were only announced at the prize-giving – along with the long distance champs for the old bird races.

Young bird middle distance

Best bird; single bird: 1. Gawie Botha (Dove’s Nest Guest House). 2. Pieter van den Broeck. 3. Johan Taljaard (Tallie’s Loft).

Best bird; all bird: 1. Gawie Botha (Doves Nest Guest House). 2. Pieter van den Broeck. 3. Johan Taljaard (Tallie’s Loft).

Old birds middle distance

Best bird; single bird: 1. Blackie Swart. 2. Riaan Holtzhausen (Holtzhausen Hokke). 3. Dove’s Nest Guest House.

Best bird; all bird 1. Blackie Swart. 2. Dove’s Nest Guest House. 3. Holtzhausen Hokke.

Old birds long distance

Best bird; single bird: 1. Holtzhauzen Hokke. 2. Blackie Swart. 3. Pine Pienaar.

Best bird; all bird: 1. Albert Neilson. 2. Reinholdt Brichta and Holtzhausen Hokke. 3. Doves Nest Guest House.

Every member who won a young bird race, was awarded a medal and below is a breakdown of the young bird season:

Hilton Pitout: Winburg One and Bloemfontein Three.

Flip van Staden: Winburg Three.

Pine Pienaar: Bloemfontein One.

G & E Lofts (Graham Cheary and Elaine Russell): Edenburg and Rietrivier.

Dove’s Nest Guest House: Smithfield and Trompsburg.

Pieter van den Broeck: Aliwal North and Colesburg One .

Tallie’s Loft: Yearling National and Hanover Derby.

The best yearling went to a Blue Bar Cock with ring number GPU 8981, from Dove’s Nest Guest House.

The young bird all bird champion and young bird single bird champion is Dove’s Nest Guest House, which makes Gawie Botha the young bird champion for the 2016 season.

With the old birds, every race winner was given a trophy and the breakdown of the winners was:

Fred van Rensburg: Winburg Four and Colesburg Six.

Pine Pienaar: Bloemfontein Four and Cradock One Union Challenge.

Albert Neilson: Rietrivier Sprint Special and Springfontein Two.

Knoesen Lofts (Attie Knoesen): Trompsburg.

Hilton Pitout: Aliwal North.

Reinhold Brichta: Cradock Two, Middleburg and Colesburg Four.

Sky Lofts (Corrie Moller): Richmond One.

Tallie’s Loft: Richmond Two (Old Bird National).

Nollie de Villiers: Colesburg Five and Beaufort West.

The old bird all bird champ and old bird single bird champ, Blackie Swart, won eight races in the season. Those were: the Winburg Two, Bloemfontein Two, Edenburg, Smithfield Two, Colesburg Two, Noupoort, Colesburg Three and Three Sisters. He’s the club champion for the second year in a row.

The best old bird award went to a Blue Bar Pied Hen with ring number TRPF 2014 18447, who flies out of Reinhold Brichta’s loft. Brichta was also the only member to get an award for The Only Bird On The Day for the Cradock race, with a Blue Bar Hen, TRPF 2013 1637.

Connie Coertse was awarded the sportsman of the year trophy. Pieter van den Broeck got the “Policeman” trophy for his diligence at the baskets, on basketing night. Flip van Staden received an appreciation award from the club secretary, for stepping in to help without being asked. Elaine Russell received an award of excellence for time, effort and dedication to the club. Danalien Snyman was thanked for her assistance and willingness to learn the CAN system; and Marretje Coertse was thanked for doing the club’s financial reporting and bookkeeping.