With eight easterly route races now completed in the 2026 pigeon racing programme, the often challenging flying conditions and distances appear to have exerted a significant influence.
This is borne out by the bird numbers in the most recent race from Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal.
This, the first of two Newcastle races, has seen the yearling birdage drop from just below 800 pigeons to just over 250 while the any-age birdage, flying only to coastal lofts, has seen a drop from 370 to 130 birds.
An indication of how distance and flying conditions can influence a race outcome is seen in the time it took for the Top-10 birds to be registered in each race.
In the case of the any-age birds, it took just over 20 minutes, while the yearlings required just under 28 minutes, compared to the first race from Willie Jones (Matatiele) where the relevant time periods were 3 and 4 minutes respectively.
In the any-age race, Michael Engelbrecht’s Bullcat Lofts (Northerns), the current overall championship frontrunner, underscored his season’s successes thus far in taking the top two spots at 79.7km/h and 79.2km/h respectively, with the Abbotsford loft of Tienie Jonker taking third place just ahead of another Northern’s flier, Stuart Sanders’ Speedie Lofts.
Despite being released at the same time as the any-age pigeons, the yearlings took just over 10 minutes longer to register the winning birds, which landed at Northerner Dennis Schenk’s loft at 77.5km/h, just under one minute ahead of Engelbrecht’s first yearling arrival.
Third and fourth positions went to Abbotsford’s Russell Smith and Daughters at 76.9km/h and 76.2km/h.
The first inland bird was clocked by Tarkastad’s Glen McEwas at 73.9km/h in 14th position.
The results were:
Border Homing Union, Newcastle 1
Any-age (16 lofts, 131 birds): 1. 2. 5. & 7. Bullcat Lofts (NFC); 3. T Jonker (AFC); 4. & 8. Speedie Lofts (NFC); 6. Journey’s End (AFC); 9. D Schenk (NFC); 10. I & K Lofts (CHS).
Yearlings (19 lofts, 254 birds): 1 & 8. D Schenk (NFC); 2. 5. 6. & 7. Bullcat Lofts (NFC); 3. & 4. RC Smith & Daughters (AFC); 9. T Jonker (AFC); 10. Russells Roost (NFC).
Key: AFC – ABBOTSFORD FLYING CLUB; CHS – EL COMRADES HOMING SOCIETY; NFC- EL NORTHERN FLYING CLUB; QRPC.