ABOUT US Espańol
By Ovi Macias, race director.
The actual and final decision to create the California Grand Pigeon Race took place in the winter of 2007 when I saw the company I was working for, lay off some 3,500 employees in the USA. Some of these employees have been working for this company for up to twenty three years and were looking forward to retiring and enjoying their well earned benefits. Well, imagine how they felt? Especially when they were not even allowed to keep their benefits packages at all.
Witnessing this I new it was a matter of time before I myself got caught in the same net. So that’s when I decided it was time for me to organize the race, something I’ve been wanting to do for quite a while. At the time I was living in Montclair a town about an hour drive east of Los Angeles. There I joined the Bonita Racing Pigeon Club of Glendora, flying under the name (Ovi Ocean Loft) and competing with some of North America’s greatest flyers like Mike Smith (Yucca Loft), John Nemeth (Nemeth Family loft), Tina and Andy Li, Bill Lincoln, Sonny Cangiarella (Fly Sonny) on so many others great flyers of the Southern California East Course Combine.
The first step for me was to find a location where to settle the event. The chosen location was a five acre rural property, in the town of Phelan, two hours drive north east of Los Angeles. I liked the location because of the open land escape around it and the county department policy of no limit in the number of birds I could keep in the property. Just what I was looking for! Other interested factor that I liked about this property is that it has a beautiful view of its surroundings.
Next, Fly Sonny web design was contacted. A deal was arranged and the web page for the race was put into construction. Next I contacted World Vision.Org. I didn’t just want to organize an international pigeon race simply for the financial benefit of it, but also to do good through it. I wanted a charity race that will allow me and all the contestants to help make the difference through our sport by saving children around the globe. “And there are millions of children in desperate need of help as of this moment” The staff at World Vision were very supportive of the idea and that give me an extra bust to go on with the project.
For more information on how this children sponsorship program will work through the California Grand Pigeon Race, and how you can help us help them, check out the window OUR CHILDREN on the home page address.
By now everything was moving smoothly, until I got caught in the same net like my co-workers months before me. My company kept laying off workers, and this time it was my turn to go. It took me almost three months to find an underpaid job, not mentioning the economic strength I had to endure during this time. But that didn’t put a break in the race project, or my enthusiasm to keep working hard to put it together. The loft construction is now scheduled to begin in the early fall of 2008, and it will have the capacity to hold 2000 birds for our first international event.
Some future sponsors and veterinary facilities have been contacted to assist and support our event. So far every one of them had shown great enthusiasm to be part of this well meaningful operation. To see their names and information, check out the window THE SPONSORS on the home page address.
At the California Grand Pigeon Race our goal is to offer an honest and fear event, where every contestant will have an equal chance at winning one or more of the major prizes. We’ll make sure that no one pigeon will be favored over another. We’ll make sure that the birds health and well been placed a top priority in our agenda. If we think that a race date needs to be postponed due to bad weather or any natural abnormality that could treat the life of the birds or the success of the race, you can rest assure that such decision will be taken.
I like to thank you for visiting our web page, and to invite you to be part of our first international event, to take place in the spring of 2010. We’ll be accepting birds from February 1, 2009 through July 30, 2009. We’ll see you soon and God bless you all.
California Grand Pigeon Race
8239 White RD
Phelan, CA 92371- 0000
Race director:
Ovi Macias
8239 White RD
Phelan, CA 92371- 0000
Phone: (760) 244 – 2042
E-mail: californiagrandpigeonrace@yahoo.com