One of Australia’s most competitive and successful One Loft competitors, Phillip Gorman, is winding down his involvement in pigeon racing due to illhealth
The West Australian businessman has rewritten the record books in One Loft Pigeon Races in three States, grabbing a big share of the prizemoney along the way
(Phil Gorman with a different type of trophy to Pigeon Racing – the West Coast Eagles 2018 Premiership Cup – the Club approached Phil asking him to make a base for the trophy)
Gorman’s breeding pigeons are being sold following several cases of sickness bought on by a serious allergy to his birds.. but his current one loft teams will race out 2024
He has raced with success in Australia’s three biggest One Loft Competitions, the Gold Coast 50 thousand, the Meadow One Loft (Victoria) and the Adelaide Pigeon Club
Three of Gorman’s top breeding birds headlined news of his sale this week
They were Honey Bee, 1st Place in the Gold Coast 50 thousand final race of 2021, and 9th best Ace Pigeon. (Bred by Jason Hudson and bought by Gorman last year)
Ellerslie 2nd place in the 2021 Gold Coast 50 thousand, and 3rd best ace (also bred by Jason Hudson and bought by Gorman last year)
AND Dart, 6th Ace Bird in the Meadow One Loft the Mt Hope Final in 2022, and 9th Ace Bird
One Loft administrators Steve Zander, Steve Gazzola, and Brian Fretter are full of praise for Phillip Gorman and his efforts in their competitions.
The Gold coast 50 thousand is no longer held, but Zander says during its 11 years of operation Gorman was one of the more competitive flyers, with top birds bred specially for One Loft competition , and winning a lot of prizes – including 20 prizecards in one year.
Steve Gazzola from the Meadow One Loft says Gorman has also had his share of success in the Victorian event, both under Phillip Gorman, and G.T Lofts.
That success also rubbed off on other flyers
The Buzzo Boys Syndicate bought one pair of his Gold Coast race pigeons, and flew their youngsters, finishing second in the Meadow One Loft and winning 27 thousand dollars.
The Adelaide Pigeon club has been running 22 years, and although Gorman didn’t compete every year he certainly made his presence felt winning twice
His fist race win came in 2010 when he won the Twins and the first prize of 10 thousand dollars
He repeated the effort in 2015 when he won Hawker with flying partner David Van Aalst
Gorman’s performances in the Gold Coast 50 thousand include 4th in 2014, 5th and 7th in 2015, fifth in 2018 and 4th in 2019 with a cockbird timing in the dark at 4.26
He had 3 birds in the top ten in one race …And he’s had birds beaten in One Loft Races by seconds after they landed with the winners but didn’t go in quick enough
These two stud cocks have left a big mark in the Gorman Loft with 2 x 1st APC,and a second and 34 cards in the Gold Coast Loft The Blue Bar is a Gabby and the Blue Chequer is a Gabby x Ganus x Florian Hendriks
It hasn’t been an overnight success for Gorman, he got his first pigeons when he was 22, and raced against his Parents in Law, Alex Maureen and Terry Joy.
He finished fifth in his first race, the Riverton 100 … BUT won his first club race with two birds on the drop.
He’s been in and out of pigeon racing over the years due to business commitments and shifted house several times
Getting to the top in One Loft racing hasn’t been easy or cheap … after well being bitten by the bug following a second placing in the Adelaide Pigeon Club in 2008
Gorman estimates he’s spent more than a quarter of a million dollars getting the best possible birds, including investing in two shipments of pigeons from Europe … and sourcing other key birds including Gaby Vandenableele’s and Mike Ganus stock
In 2009 he imported 7 Florian Hendriks birds from PIPA through Neil Jarvis, with that blood running through many of his pigeons.
Four years ago he he followed up with the purchase of some direct Jan Hooyman’s adding even more potency and achieving further success.
But having pigeons at home has increasingly affected his health in the past few years , with his serious allergy forcing him to sell off 30 stockbirds last year, and now all the few remaining birds on his property
A couple of the key birds have already found new homes, with Gorman also gifting some to close friends.
The birds he bred for current one loft races will go round again but his future One loft outings look like being as a member of a syndicate
Meantime his mate Terry Tobey will race birds for him in a partnership in a local West Australian club – but Terry will be doing all the work for the One Loft Champion who’s now disappointingly allergic to his pigeons