Marlbank One Loft Race Ventersburg Belongs to Lions Loft as 'GI Joe' Wins the Final Funny Money Race

Race Overview

The Marlbank One Loft Race completed its two-race Funny Money pre-season series on 12 June 2026 with the Ventersburg race over 164 kilometres — the final outing before Hotspot 1 gets underway. With prize money on the line and 1414 pigeons basketed at 07:45 SAST this was a serious pre-season statement race. First place paid R7500, second R5000, third R2500, fourth through tenth R1000 each and a special R1000 prize for 81st place.

Liberation and Conditions

Ventersburg greeted the birds at liberation with temperatures of just 5°C to 6°C on a sharp Free State winter morning. Early morning haze restricted long-distance visibility slightly during the opening hour of flight. The birds tracked north-easterly toward Heron Banks Golf Course in Sasolburg with a north-westerly crosswind blowing across the flight path at 11 to 24 kilometres per hour throughout. By arrival time skies had cleared to mostly sunny conditions and temperatures had climbed to a comfortable 16°C in Sasolburg.

First Across the Line

Lions Loft took the victory flowers and the R7500 first prize, clocking 1409.4049 metres per minute with 'GI Joe' to arrive at 09:41:21. Into a crosswind over 164 kilometres on a cold winter morning 'GI Joe' produced the fastest time of the race and announced Lions Loft as a serious contender heading into the Hotspot season.

Podium and Prize Positions

Wilnic claimed the R5000 second place prize arriving just 0.400 seconds behind 'GI Joe'. Nagel Hokke took the R2500 third place prize at 1409.1526mpm. The international entry of KDK Racing and Joe Gomes flying under the United States flag claimed fourth and R1000. Jagger Lofts fifth, RMG Racing sixth, OOA and RVV and Kobus seventh with 'Grijze Reus', Gavin Dargie eighth, Splendidior ninth and Scholtz Broers tenth — all collecting R1000 each. The special 81st place R1000 prize went to Smit Racing Lofts. The entire top ten arrived within 5.190 seconds of the race winner.

Top 100 Depth Analysis

Beyond the prize positions the real story of this race lies in the top 100. This is where team quality separates the serious contenders from the rest heading into the Hotspot season.

Loft Einkamerer led every loft in the field with five pigeons inside the top 100 — 'Diaz Black Apple 431-209' at 53rd, 'Kazro 172' at 67th, 'Scarlet 52-83' at 74th, 'Lad Black Ball 24-213' at 82nd and 'Black Loner 338-208' at 83rd. Five pigeons. Five different names. One loft with unmistakable depth.

Hans de Noon placed four pigeons in the top 100 with the strongest individual performance of any multi-entry loft — best placed at 17th alongside 23rd, 65th and 86th.

Skypilots placed four pigeons with 'Liesl' at 20th, 'Die Kromme' at 24th, 'IVA' at 44th and 'Klare' at 85th.

Ronnie Huebsch placed four pigeons at 31st, 36th, 57th and 71st. Exclusive Pigeon Paradise placed four pigeons at 27th, 39th, 47th and 80th. Burgers and Muller placed four pigeons at 29th, 30th, 50th and 91st.

Frik and Herman produced the tightest double placement of the race with ZA-25-MEMEL-894 and ZA-25-MEMEL-806 arriving back to back at 15th and 16th separated by just 0.100 seconds. That is a loft in serious form heading into Hotspot 1.

R.A.M Annandale placed twice in the top 100 at 54th and 69th, continuing a strong 2026 season across multiple racing formats.

Andre Greyling placed twice with 'Frikkie Vir N Rukkie' at 14th and 'Bennie Borskas' at 72nd. Gavin Rous placed twice with 'Ophelia' at 32nd and 'Midnight Velvet' at 34th. Sam and Judels placed at 18th with 'Verstappen'. BJ Jansen Van Rensburg placed twice with 'Landini' at 35th. Jordaan and Bornman placed at 60th with 'Blue Angel'. Corrie and Danie Hokke placed at 64th with 'Charlie'. Hardy Kruger and Oberholster Loft placed 25th with 'Drum 93' — the strongest international performance of the race. Pigeon Power Lofts placed at 93rd with 'Boney Blue Case'. Meintjes and Muller placed twice at 88th and 100th with 'Judith' and 'Ragner'.

Looking Ahead

'GI Joe' and Lions Loft take the R7500 and the momentum heading into the Hotspot season. Loft Einkamerer has made the most compelling team statement of the Funny Money series. The Marlbank Funny Money pre-season is complete. Hotspot 1 is next and the competition is ready.