For quite a few years I have now mainly supported Victoria Falls One Loft Race. I have achieved the unbelievable to do very well in 2025. Accompanied by my loving wife , we visited the 2025 final. Actually the last race held at Victoria Falls, where the loft made name with the Falls being just 5km away. What a highlight of my life. Having your wife with you when you achieve the best results ever at the race.
83rd Super Ace with a pigeon called Jackpot
131st Final race with Jackpot
2nd Super Ace with a pigeon called Swift
9th Final race with Swift
29th HS2 with Swift
6th Grand Average with Swift
4th Elite
We enjoyed our stay and went to the Falls. What fun we had also crossing the border to go for a Royal Spa treatment and High Tea. We walked everywhere. Fantasic 2025 Holiday is what we made of it. We eventually went back to the loft, not putting the race first, but just to be there and live the moment where you see all the winners jump and shout of joy when they win. Win, no, I had no intention to be so windbag to even sit in the front. We placed ourselves a few chairs back and the hope was boiling in my blood for a bird back at least.
The first 5 birds were already in when we came to sit. I unfortunately showed to much emotion when a next bird landed only to be told by Desica my wife to behave. Well sort of spitefullness, i turned my chair away from the landing pad and mumbled something like how should i not be exited it could be my pigeon.
Anyway looking away, I heard my name being shouted out by a few that knew me. Thinking they joke i sort of just said yea yea whatever. But it was on that live computer screen fully visible 9th place Anton Schonken.
I went crazy with joy. I hugged and kissed so many people and neary crunched my wife’s lungs with a hug of a lifetime. She was there to witness, that meant the most to me of any race ever.
This year 2026, I have sent 28 birds, 26 made it past quarantine. So far so good and we are approaching Race 2 186km on 21-04-2026. I still have pigeons so I am happy.
To my wife, thank you for the very special 2025 trip. Hope you can and will bring me luck again.