Article By NM September – The Black Cock
Article Published 28 October 2007


Sampie started racing pigeons in 1997 in the Goodwood Club which was affiliated to the NRHU. He raced against the likes of AJ Uys, Dicky Pretorious, Joop Knoop, the Klue bros. to mention but a few. He pleasantly recalls scoring 3 places in the top 10 in the Victoria West Yearling Fed in 1997 & topping the long distance averages(NRHU) in 1998. For two years he raced in the NRHU and then moved to Kuils River where he joined the BDHU in 2002. The first 2 years in the BDHU he dominated the competition ending 1st Union both years. In 2005 his birds again showed their strength on the distance and accumulated enough points to end 3rd overall Federated Board champion.

This year Sampie had phenomenal success on the distance races and scored 1st Union, 2nd Kroonstad Board (+/- 1100 km)& 2nd Union, 3rd Colesburg YBS Board(+/- 700 km). On the Kroonstad race there was only one bird through on the day, belonging to Steyl Hokke in Strand (Article to follow soon) and when Sampie went to his lofts the following morning at 06h40 he found his bird sitting in the loft clocking her at 06h42. This beautiful blue hen scored numerous times for Sampie and just topped her season off with this brilliant performance.

1st Fed, 2nd Kroonstad Board - SA FB 02 - 4074

2nd Fed, 3rd Colesburg Board –ZA FB 2006- 469

The Birds that are currently producing the goods for Sampie is Hansenne’s via AJ Uys / Natie Ferreira, Old Maritz Goosens, Payne Jansen via Bok van der Westhuisen and De Norre’s bought on Dr. Brummer’s auction.

Sampie donot follow any set program, but treats for respiratory ailments once monthly using Dovabiotic or Doxybiotic and rotates his canker treatments using the following products, Tricoplus, Flagyl, Emtryl and Cankerex. He is a firm believer in herbal mixtures and Wilde-als, Wynryt and Boegoe are used on a regular basis. He also mixes 2 Sampie specials called “Swart water” & “Groen water” both herbal mixtures which is given to his birds to improve conditions of the respiratory tract. I can assure the readers that both these mixtures are totally safe for the birds as he made me drink some and I survived to write this article. He believes that nothing is mixed into the water if he can’t drink it himself. Sampie feeds his birds an imported mixture as well as a local racing mixture and varies the ratio between the two depending on the distance flown.

When asked the question – What advise he could give to any young or struggling fanciers- this is what he had to say.

1. Loft hygiene is of utmost importance – when he is not happy with his birds droppings-He puts them on the necessary treatment, but scrapes the droppings of the floor up to 5 times a day, sanitizes his loft utensils (scraper & broom) daily until the droppings improves.

2. Food must always be of a good quality

3. The birds must be kept healthy all year, not just the racing season

4. A well constructed and dry loft

5. Good birds, Good birds & more Good birds

I would like to end this article with a warning to the fanciers in the BDHU- Sampie only started racing this year on race 5. The performances this year was with an incomplete loft.( a few perches, no partitions, etc) & Sampie recently retired – More time for the birds.

I think 2008 will be even tougher in the BDHU and we will all have to lift our standards even higher and search our souls even deeper, because BDHU is FIERCE COMPETITION.

Article by NM September-“The Black Cock”