36th Pigeon Olympiad in Poznan

24 pigeons were nominated by the German Racing Pigeon Association for the 36th OLYMPICS in POZNAN (January 25 – 27, 2019) in the sports category. Three of them are part of the the RÖHNFRIED RACING TEAM! Another Röhnfried Loft was nominated by the Belgian Racing Pigeon Association for the Olympics. 👍🏻

The pigeons of our Röhnfried Racing Teams are all placed in the sports class. The sports class consists of eight categories from A to H. Each category requires different distances and a given number of price flights, and the 3 best pigeons of each country are determined. Therefore, the results of the last two years are evaluated. Accordingly, an Olympiad takes place only once every two years.

To reckon the performance of a single pigeon, a so-called coefficient is used. This is the price won by the pigeon on a price flight, in proportion to the total number of pigeons that participated in the price flight. In comparison, there is an Ace Points System in Germany where the total number of pigeons per price flight is less decisive.

So, if you want to place yourself here, you have to have a pigeon that has flown outstandingly for two years and possibly against a high number of pigeons, since the coefficient is used. About 18 countries will show their 3 best pigeons per category at the Pigeon Olympiad in Poznan and they will be placed in ascending order according to their coefficient

Four Röhnfried Racing Team lofts are represented at the 36th Olympics

1. Albert Derwa-Luxem | Belgium

Albert Derwa is considered a superstar in his country. With his outstanding breeding pigeon “Paulien” he became famous in the international breeder scene. A class that he has been acknowledging year after year. In Poznan, Albert will even be there with two pigeons:

“Already in 2017, it became clear that MON AMIE (BE16-20160047 W) could become a serious candidate for the Olympics. Born in 2016, the female pigeon looks back on a great track and we are very proud of her second place in the category D (Allround, 100-400 km, 300-600 km and> 500 km, 11 prizes). Third placed in this category is ZORINA (BE16-2060093 W). Another 2016er hen from our loft. Zorina has started in the slipstream of Mon Amie and Izaura and made it to the top. Although she has not been in the limelight from the beginning, her success is not surprising. After all, Zorina is a granddaughter of the famous De Zoon. Our first Olympic pigeon, with which we finished third in category D in 2013 in Nitra (Slovakia). My wife Francine and I are very satisfied with the achieved ranking and we are happy to represent our country 🇧🇪 in Poznan.“

>

2. SG Krouss-Grotzsch | Germany

Stephan Grotzsch and Günter Krouss became “1st RV Verbandmeister” in 2017. This year, they represent Germany at the Olympics in Poznan. And not for the first time:

“For every breeder it is an absolute success to participate in an Olympiad. Simply because only very few racing pigeons from Germany are eligible for an Olympiad. I am breeding racing pigeons since 2004 and since 2010 I have a loft with my partner Günter Krouss in the Partnership Krouss-Grotzsch. During this time I already had the honor to participate in an Olympiad twice:
The 1st time in 2009 in Dortmund in the standard class with OLYMPIC HORUS. He won in his category and become an Olympic champion!!! In his class, the beauty was in the foreground, but the pigeons also had to achieve a certain performance in their flights. In fact, Olympic Horus was somehow a god of heaven (Note: Horus was a main god in ancient Egypt). A real eye-catcher”.
The 2nd time in 2015 in Budapest. Our pigeon 03387-11-275 “OLYMPIC STAR” was nominated in the sports class, short distance (category A, 10 prices from 100 to 400 km). In the end, he finished 38th out of 57 in 21 participating nations and achieved a very good result.
And now in Poznan our hen 03387-15-1207 W “OLYMPIC LUISA” is nominated. In Germany she has achieved a fantastic 2nd place in the category A (100 – 400 km, 10 prizes). A great achievement, especially if one considers that the pigeons must have achieved superior flying results in the last 2 years in order to even make it up in the ranking.
I’m really looking forward to the event because the best breeders in the world are there.“

>

3. Robert Maaß | Germany

For Robert Maaß from Waldhufen in Saxony the racing season 2018 was a great success. Not only did he win the 1st Saxon championship, but he also participates in an Olympiad for the first time:

“CECILE travelles widely!” says Robert Maaß about his showcase hen. “Cecile (DV 09024-16-9) , the heavenly lily (lat. Coeli lilia), was born in 2016. I was looking for a nice name that also starts with C, like Chanel, her mother’s name. Over the past two years, Cecile has proven to be a true sky-stormer, and I am incredibly proud to have won the first place in category C “Prizes over 500km”. Especially because in this category only 6 races in two years take place and 6 flights have to be included in the rating. That means a string result is not possible.
On the first weekend of January, Cecile was already celebrated at the DBA in Dortmund, and now Cecile will compete in Poland with other athletes in her category. I do not expect to have a real chance internationally, but I am incredibly proud to represent our country there. After more than 25 years in pigeon racing, Cecile is the 1st Olympic pigeon I’ve ever bred and that’s just an indescribable feeling and the absolute highlight of my career as a pigeon fancier.”

>

4. SG Fuchs and Wolf | Germany

3. German yearling Champion and “1. Hesse Champion”  – for the SG Fuchs and Wolf 2018 was just a fabulous year. Oliver Fuchs about the Olympia qualification:

“The pigeons take part in the regular races as soon as they are 1 year old. That means, depending on the region, up to 12-14 competition flights. Our region denies the south-west direction with the last and longest race from Chateauroux (about 620 km). The pigeons are released each weekend from May to the end of July with increasing distances along this route and thus participate in competition flights. The shortest race for us is the one from Überherrn (about 150 km).

After a great racing season two of our hens were touted as potential Olympic candidates: 9623-17-3057W and 9623-15-1357W. Hen 3057 became Best Pigeon of Hesse with 10 prizes and 982.23 As points. The 1357 – BELLA – became first best hen of Hesse with 10 prizes and 976.12 As points .

BELLA starts in category D “Allround” and takes 3rd place. Therefore a total of 11 competition flights from different distances were evaluated. Up to date for us it is the greatest success we have achieved in pigeon racing. In my opinion, this is the highest award a single racing pigeon can achieve. As I said before, a top performance over 2 years must be shown and that against a high number of pigeons. We will participate in an Olympiad for the first time and we are very proud to represent our country. Even if it is unlikely to achieve a top ranking in international comparison – it’s already a sensational thing to be among the nominees.“

>

We congratulate all nominated breeders and teams, particularly our Röhnfried Racing Team members, who we are certainly very proud of!