M. & M. KRAMER

PASSIE VOOR DUIVEN!

One Loft Racing (OLR)

Pattaya International Pigeon Race: a great experience!

Thursday 9 January 2020 at 5:15 PM we departed with flight KL0875 from Amsterdam Schiphol with destination Bangkok, Thailand. Final goal: Pattaya, Thailand to follow the final of the Pattaya International Pigeon Race. After a successful flight we arrived at the airport in Bangkok around 10 o’clock in the morning. When you got out, the warm, moist air immediately met you. It was sunny and around 30 degrees. After the passport check we visited our travel company. Lex and Ingrid de Jongh (Team GPS / GPS-auctions.com) had arranged the transport to the hotel. Together with Lex, Ingrid, Ype, Anita, Janus and Eveline we were brought to our hotel in Pattaya. With the busy traffic in Pattaya a little less than 2 hours away. After a few hours of rest with a short visit to the beach and the “infinity pool”, a van was ready to take us to the welcome party. On the site where the large loft of the race is located, countless tables and chairs were waiting to welcome the guests. No expense was spared to entertain the guests. Unlimited Thai food, a fireworks show, singers from Thailand got Talent and all kinds of other dance and singing shows were performed. Other Dutch pigeon friends joined us and suddenly you are sitting next to Jan Hooymans talking about pigeons and Gerard Koopman is coming to say hello. In short, a great start to the journey.

The next day, Saturday, we wake up and see that the 1,941 pigeons have been released at 7.15 am. With a distance of 530 km. is my estimation given the wind and the course of another one-loft race in Thailand, that the pigeons can arrive around 3 pm. Around 12 o’clock we leave by bus to go to the race. There are already many participants who want to attend the arrival of the race. Now also unlimited food and drink while waiting. Pressure on the opportunities is speculated beforehand. We all agree that things go better one time than the next. With one-loft races it certainly applies that results in the past say nothing about the future. But because in previous years Dutch pigeons have done very well in Pattaya, we still carefully hope for a good classification for the Dutch pigeons. The initially excellent weather gradually changes into dark clouds above the lofts. Then suddenly at 3:08 pm the buzz rises and we see two pigeons arrive above the lofts. After a few laps the pigeons landed and with a difference of a few seconds they walk inside. Would it?? Unfortunately, on the screens we see that the first pigeon is German and the 2nd pigeon comes from Thailand.

Arrival 1st & 2nd pigeon PIPR 2020 – Final 530 km

Well, don’t worry, the top 10 is still possible. Then it gets dark and it starts raining hard. It then takes another 37 minutes for the next pigeons to arrive. Pigeon number 4 and 5 think it’s great that they are there and then stay outside for hours. Unfortunately, we will never know who has lost his big prize because the other pigeons just enter. But all that comes, not a Dutch pigeon. Only with pigeon 47 we see a Dutch name appear on the screen. Team Koopman clocked the first Dutch pigeon. Bakker & Son. in 57th place. Team Van Oss in 90th place and Comb. van Wanrooij at no. 97. Five pigeons in the first 100 is a poor result.

After the race we go with our tour group in Pattaya for a bite to eat and we end up on the busy Walking Street. We see what Pattaya is famous for (and notoriously) for: everywhere you look (young) prostitutes and the so-called “ladyboys”. The tasty food and drink somewhat mitigates the disappointment and in the hotel we have another drink and we talk about why the Dutch have left it so showy. The only thing we can think of is that Dutch pigeons may be less able to cope with bad weather conditions due to the release policy in the Netherlands. After all, we only release under conditions that are as optimal as possible, while in other countries it is less difficult to deal with rain. The quality cannot be due to the fact that previous races were won by Dutchmen.

The next day – Sunday – the pigeons arrive well and at 8:49 am and place 213 (13th NL pigeon) we clock our first pigeon out of 4 in the final. It is a son of Black Mamba. Then at places 358 and 952 two and therefore 3 out of 4 back. That is something to be satisfied with.

At 6 pm we were expected at the closing gala and the award ceremony. Dress code: formal. So with suit and tie on and Marit in a nice dress, we were directed to our reserved table. The first 10 prize winners of the race and the 5 ace pigeons were lined up in cages in the hall. These pigeons were auctioned during dinner. You could also hold and view the pigeons yourself. The 1st prize winner of the German father and son Haggenmüller was auctioned for 3.5 million Baht, which is approximately 107,000 euros. The pigeon was bought by – how could it be otherwise – a Chinese pigeon fancier. The cups and checks were presented to the winners with a lot of ceremonial display. Many, including the winners, were not present, but there is always a countryman who takes the mega big cups. After the last cup and dessert, the room emptied and we went for a drink in the hotel lobby with the Dutch people who were still present. Some went to a different destination the next day.

Live auction winning pigeon PIPR 2020 – Final 530 km

We continued to enjoy sun, sea, beach and delicious Thai food for two more days. On Tuesday we went to the famous “Floating Market” in Pattaya. A village on stilts in the water, where you can buy all kinds of things. A huge tourist attraction, comparable to the Zaanse Schans in terms of visitor numbers. Then pack things to leave for the Netherlands on Wednesday morning. No we have won nothing, but we have an experience richer. Lex and Ingrid de Jongh, thank you for arranging the transport and your hospitality. We meet again at the Pearls of the Sky.

OLR results

One loft races (OLR) are hot. Such lofts are sprouting up all over the world. And the participation in it is constantly increasing. You can therefore win serious cash prizes with it, of course depending on the stake that is also seriously high. But there are also competitions where you can enter for a reasonable price. Say for yourself, what could be fairer than a one-loft race? All pigeons are cared for under the same conditions, all suffer from the same wind and location. The only unfair thing about it is that there is no limit to the number of pigeons you submit. And a number of people realize that well and they sometimes basket 100 pigeons in one race. Nevertheless, it is a fun pastime. You can follow the (training) flights at home on your computer and if you reach the final (which is often quite difficult), then you can take holidays and fly there to experience the arrivals live.

For us this is the second season that we participate in these OLRs (One Loft Races). The great thing about one-loft races is that you can also experience it together with others. Together with our friend and partner Hsu we started with a few pigeons in China and we immediately reached the 80th place in the final in an OLR with around 10,000 !!!! pigeons started. We also participated with 6 pigeons in Pattaya (Thailand) and there we achieved in the semi-final over 420 km the 6th place. This pigeon, however, came loose ahead, but unfortunately did not run fast enough over the arrival antenna and thereby lost a very nice cash prize. That too is a loft racing.

My colleagues at the Bank of course also know that we have pigeons, and the idea came up to make a pot and then participate in various OLRs. Under the name M. & M. Kramer / The Flying Bankers we participated in two races last year, namely the Ostseeflug Usedom in Germany and the Algarve Great Derby (AGD) in Portugal. In Germany we were able to participate and we took money in the final, which actually went a little too fast. More than 1700 mpm over 500 km. The final of the AGD was very tough and we ended in a nice 57th place. Moreover, we had the 6th Ace pigeon. Pretty handsome with 1894 registered pigeons.

It tasted like more, so the pot was expanded. This year we participate (again) in the Algarve Great Derby and we participate in the heavy Derby Costa del Sol, whose loft is located in Malaga (Spain). Today the confirmation came that our pigeons can come along well in the international violence. In Portugal we play on a 200 km flight. 11-59-61-164-203 against 1935 pigeons (8 along / 8 at home) 50% 1 in 10. In Spain we play in the semi-final over 303 km the 6th prize against the 885 remaining pigeons (3 entered).

We have also formed a team with a few top fanciers from the Zaan region (Kat, Faber, Braspenning, Kuijt and Kramer). We participate in the AGD under the name “Zaanse Boys”. A pigeon from Kat achieved today the 27th place for this team against 1935 pigeons.

To be continued.

Derby Costa del Sol – Halve finale – 303 km – 11th Septembre 2019

6/883: NL19-1549591 – Multiplier – ´High Impact´ x ´Humming Sky´ (Bakker x Verkerk)

Algarve Great Derby – 3rd Race – 200 km – 11th Septembre 2019

11/1935: NL19-1549527 – Algo Trader – ‘Jens’ x ‘Shannon’ (100% Kramer)