SAHPA (SDC) Penola

August 2, 2020

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Shawn Manuel won the SAHPA Short Distance Club race on Saturday August 1st (2020) with a victory from Penola (301kms)

The Telstra technician did it in style – taking first and second place – with just thirteen seconds separating his two birds.

The race was run in headwinds and Shawn clocked his first at 2.01pm and 33 seconds – with the journey taking just over 5 hours 46 minutes.

Hinkler Lofts from Port Adelaide finished third, with their bird flying an extra 32 kilometres and clocking in just after 2.41pm.

Shawn’s biggest career win came in 2014 when he won the SAHPA, finishing first from Tatura, in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley, in 2014.

Shawn races in the Southern Vales Club, and his Penola winner and runner-up defeated 1001 other birds and 71 owners from across metropolitan and outer Adelaide.

Pigeon racing is in Shawn’s blood his mother Jill was a member of the Noarlunga City Club, Shawn’s Grandfather, Snowy Lloyd flew in the Oaklands Club, and his Uncle, Lou Langsford also had racers.

Shawn started in the Junior at the age of 15, and graduated to the seniors at 17, flying with Southern Districts Club for four years before work stopped him competing.

But he returned to pigeon racing 10 years ago, and following Saturday’s win has his second Association Trophy on the way.

Shawn says his loft blood is a liquorice all sorts, from here and everywhere, but he concentrates his hardline Pryor-Goodger based birds on the east, and the Koopman-Gabys on the North.

He says people must train over the hills to be successful on the Eastline, and he tosses regularly over the ranges with a group of fellow flyers.

Shawn trains his birds to break for his loft, discouraging them from swinging away to the north or south on their way home.

He thought Saturday’s race would take about five and a half hours – and he was pretty well on the money.

His winning hen had one other race, in the first Keith, and comes from a family that has produced ten other winners.

Its sire is a Dangerfield from Brian Hall’s 2014 sale, and the dam is a Pryor-Patterson from Charlie Forbe’s sale.

His Association runner-up is a niece to the winner.

Shawn doesn’t put much faith in eyesign … but his winner’s eye will interest those that do.

Shawn sent 28 pigeons to Saturday’s Penola race and got 26 home.

He feeds peas and wheat and some small seed, and loft flys
about an hour a day when the local birds of prey aren’t on the prowl.

Shawn’s other SAHPA achievements include 2nd Moulamein Open 2014,3rd Temora 2015, 4th Coober Pedy 2015, 2nd Narrandra 2016,and 2nd Young Bird series in 2017 when his pigeon was placed in the top 5 per cent of all birds sent in three races.