SOUTH AFRICAN MILLION DOLLAR PIGEON RACE
Paul Smith
“AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM”
“LAURA IS A BIG WINNER TODAY” AU.2015.GFL.267 a Pencil Blue Hen was the pigeon that was bred by Mike Ganus, “Ganus Family Loft” from the United States Of America which won 1st OPEN in The 20th South African Million Dollar Pigeon Race that was held on Saturday 6th February 2016 from 541km (336 miles) against 2,161 pigeons from 33 different participating countries, she took 8 hours 42 minutes and 35.93 seconds to cover the distance and recorded a winning velocity of 1130ypm (38.52mph) or (17.2535m/s), she won the race by 15 minutes, winning the US$150,000 American Dollars (£107,150 Sterling) 1st Prize, when only 43 pigeons were clocked on the winning day. She has just been sold on the American based Ipigeon auction web site for a staggering US$100,010 American Dollars, (£71,435 Sterling) or ZAR1,603160 Million South African Rand.
This now makes “LAURA IS A BIG WINNER TODAY” the most expensive pigeon ever sold on an American auction web site and also the most expensive pigeon ever sold in the past 20 years of the SCMDPR and the SAMDPR. The previous record was held by another outstanding pigeon named “BIRDY” that sold in 2008 for US$106,213 American Dollars, (£53,730 Sterling) or ZAR800,000 South African Rand (currency exchange rate at that time).
It was great to see that after being listed on the American Ipigeon auction web site for a few weeks this top quality racing pigeon actually had a total of 289 bids and 16,362 viewings before finally being sold back to Mike Ganus, “Ganus Family Loft” where she will spend the rest of her days and of course will now be paired to some of the best pigeons in this internationally famous loft.
You will see by studying the attached photographs that this winning pigeon was bred for the occasion and was full of The Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race and The South African Million Dollar Pigeon Race winning bloodlines, with the sire being named “SUN CITY” which is the father of “RUBELLOS” 1st OPEN SCMDPR 2012 and $200,000 against 3,479 pigeons and now “LAURA IS A BIG WINNER TODAY” 1st OPEN SAMDPR 2016 and $150,000 against 2,161 pigeons. The dam of “LAURA IS A BIG WINNER TODAY” is “MARGO’S TREASURE” a direct daughter of “SAID IN SPUN SILVER” 2nd OPEN SCMDPR 2013 and $120,000 against 2,793 pigeons and also THE KNOCKOUT WINNER and US$25,000 (£16,667) when paired to the fantastic “UNTAMED DESERT” 1st OPEN SCMDPR 2013 and $200,000 against 2,793 pigeons.
These two fantastic SCMDPR and SAMDPR winners “RUBELLOUS” and “LAURA IS A BIG WINNER TODAY” plus the 2nd OPEN SCMDPR winner “SAID IN SPUN SILVER” have won a grand total of US$515,000 (£334,126 on the exchange rates at the time of winning) in Prize Money and they have all cost the “Ganus Family Loft” a tremendous amount of money to purchase. However, the results of the offspring are already bearing fruit with top class winners in major pigeon races all over the world. Once again proving that top class blood and bloodlines will always tell in the long run and also that winners will generally breed winners.
The following pigeon “MIKE HAS A VERY GOOD ONE” is also well worth a special mention because it won over US$100,000 (£67,000) winning during the 2013/14 SAMDPR series, also finishing 53rd OPEN in the Final Race, against 3,478 pigeons being the last pigeon clocked on the day in total darkness. Once again bred by Mike Ganus, “Ganus Family Loft” and also purchased back by him after the Final Race. The sire of this outstanding pigeon was WOLVERINE which is a half-brother to 1st OPEN Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race winner and US$200,000. The dam of “MIKE HAS A VERY GOOD ONE” was a direct daughter of Mike Ganus’s famous producer MONA LISA responsible for literally hundreds of top winners all over the world. Once again showing that top quality blood will always tell in the long run.
Mike Ganus, “Ganus Family Loft” has also purchased the following SCMDPR and SAMDPR prize winners over the past few years:- “SANJAY” 1st OPEN Final Race 2015 and US$150,000, “HALOVER” 1st OPEN Final Race 2014 and US$200,000 against 3,478 pigeons, “SORAIA” 36th OPEN Final Race and won US$25,000 for THE KNOCKOUT COMPETITION, also won 19th HSCR1, 34th HSCR4 and 16th HSCR5, “SUGAR SHACK” 59th OPEN Final Race, also winning 63rd HSCR1, 69th HSCR2, 62nd HSCR3, 29th HSCR4 and 167th HSCR5, “SYLT ORPHEUS” 2nd OPEN Final Race 2012 and US$100,000 beaten by “RUBELLOUS” that won 1st OPEN and US£200,000, “ORNAT” 1st Place Car Average Winner 2012 and 61st HSCR2, 22nd HSCR3, 26th HSCR4, 93rd HSCR5 and then 93rd OPEN Final Race 2012, “ROBIN ISLAND” 2nd OPEN Final Race 2015 and US$100,000, plus also winning 1st OVERALL GRAND AVERAGE, “MARIA-ANNA” which was THE KNOCKOUT WINNER & US$25,000 an also 1st OVERALL GRAND AVERAGE, “AL-JUWAISRI 1” winner of The Zandy Meyer Memorial Car Race Winner worth US$90,000, plus this same pigeon also won a Brand New Motor Car in HSCR1, also 5th OVERALL GRAND AVERAGE and then 13th OPEN Final Race 2015 and now he has purchased “LAURA IS A BIG WINNER TODAY” 1st OPEN Final Race 2016 and US$150,000. Mike has also purchased the 1st OPEN Final Race winners for the races in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. He also has purchased the 2nd OPEN Final Race winners for the races in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Also numerous other top quality winners have also been purchased, for further details please log on to www.ganusfamilyloft.com and see everything that Mike has purchased over the past few years. You can see that only the best will do for this great fancier.
Over the past twenty years I have privileged to have been present at the SCMDPR and SAMDPR lofts for the Final Race and I have seen all these great pigeons arrive home after their epic journeys. Mike Ganus, “Ganus Family Loft” has spent a small fortune purchasing the best pigeons in the world over the past few decades and this has now resulted in him winning the most prestigious pigeon race in the world today. I for one would not be at all surprised to see him win this great international pigeon race again in the near future.
This International Press Release was compiled from emails, information and photographs supplied by Mike and Debra Ganus, “Ganus Family Loft” and has been checked and cleared by them prior to publication. If you require any more information on this outstanding loft go to their web site www.ganusfamilyloft.com
Paul Smith,
United Kingdom Race Team Co-ordinator/Shipper & International Race Co-ordinator for The 1st/21st Sun City and South African Million Dollar Pigeon Races. “Regency Lofts”,
2, Highmead, off Coltsfield, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex. CM24 8LJ. England.
Tel/Fax:- 01279-812005. (Int. Code:- +44-1279-812005). Mob:- 07860-568216.
Email:-
Skype Address:- talbot7944
The South African Million Dollar Pigeon Race Web Site:- www.samdpr.com
