Entry fee R10 000 per team of 5 pigeons, 2 entered and 3 reserve pigeons. Intake from 1 March 2023 until 1 August 2023, any pigeons not in the lofts on 1 August 2023 will go to the winter race in 2024. Entrance fees for international entrants will be US$600 or €600 per team of 5 pigeons, 2 entries and 3 reserve pigeons per team, any additional reserve pigeons more than the 3 allowed per team will be charged an additional perch fee of R1500each or $100 / €100each. Pigeons must be rung with 2023 rings only. 

Only entered pigeons compete for any prize money. All remaining reserve pigeon must be activated at a cost of R5000 per remaining reserve pigeon after the activation training flight which will be from Kroonstad (150km’s). The activation fee for the reserve pigeons for international fanciers will be US$300 each or €300each for European fanciers.

Hot Spots:

The pigeons need the correct training and preparation in order to complete a distance of at least 500km’s in the final race. This will include 4 training flights or “hot spots” ranging between 200km and 400km in distance.

Race Program (Training will start September 2023)

All training and race dates and distances is at the sole discretion of the loft management and can/will be adjusted in the best interest of the pigeons.

Pigeons will partake in at least four races before the final race that will count as hot spots, these 5 races will be the official races that counts for the ace bird competition:

Ventersburg Area (200 km)
Winburg (250 km)
Verkeerdevlei (300 km)
Bloemfontein (360 km)
Colesberg area (at least 530km’s) Main race

After the final race the pigeons will be sold on auction; breeders get 50% of the net selling price. If a pigeon is sold for less than R601 all will be offset against costs with no kickback to the breeder. Every entrant must supply a pedigree of his pigeons on auction in order to be entitled to this kickback.

Anything not covered herein will be published on our website and/or announced by subsequent short messages notice or emails. Kindly pay due attention to these as they will become part of the rules of entry.

Table 1: Prize money for the 2024 Summer Challenge based on 800 paid entries before hot spot 1.

 Ace pigeons – (Ace pigeon will be determined on the shortest flying time of the combined distances of the 5 official races.)

(Grand averages will be the shortest flying time over all trainers further than 101km’s)

If more than 800 pigeons are paid before Hot Spot 1 the prize money on the final will be increased. Should less than 800 pigeons be entered the prize money will be adjusted downward accordingly as well.