News and Updates
Dec-09-2023
NEXT WEEK'S SHIPPING

The crew made boxes today while yours truly created a ship list that we will use tomorrow morning to sort the birds one last time.  Between checks and PayPal payments, we will have 169 boxes being divided up between Monday and Tuesday next week. 

I create a packet for each breeder when we are in ship mode.  First page is a print out of each breeder's birds which completed the final race, second is a copy of your check or PayPal payment for shipping, lastly your address off of Wincompanion.  Once we get all of the birds mailed out we go through and attach W-9 forms to the top of the packet if we have received same. 

Monday we will ship out 1 Flash Loft through King James, Tuesday will be Kwan Loft through Zion. 

Seems everyone is happy with their returned birds thus far, this is good news to us!

 

Rick & Olga

Dec-07-2023
SHIPPING UPDATE/2024 RACE

We shipped out over 60 boxes Monday and the same Tuesday, also had about 60 pigeons picked up between some of our WA and OR breeders so 400 pigeons combined.  The pigeons that were shipped out this week were ONLY to those breeders who won any amount of prize money this year, simple deduction of shipping fees from winnings and when we start sending out checks next week we will send the remainder.

Next Monday and Tuesday we will ship out all birds to those of you who who have sent checks or paid for shipping via PayPal.  

As mentioned several times in the last few weeks, make 100% sure your Wincompanion address and telephone numbers are correct as this is where we retrieve information for shipping. 

If you won $600 or more we will need a W-9 before we can send you a check. 

After we get all of the birds mailed out next week we will work on sending out checks, then we will update our 2024 rules. 

One of the main changes is we will be charging $350 per bird next year, again only after the Activation Race is when fees are due.  We have charged a $100 perch fee for 8 years straight, with now having 3 employees to pay, inflation over those 8 years, higher tax bracket and us taking all the risk not collecting perch fees up front, we have finally decided it is time to make this change.  

The second big change is the distance of our Activation and Final races.  We are going to use our 115 mile race station as our Activation Race station instead of 15 miles shorter at 100 miles, the final race will be 375 instead of 350.  Races will consist of a 115 mile Activation Race which is not part of Average Speed, then 165, 200, 250, 300, and a 375 mile final.  The course will stay the same and the 375 mile station is on line with our current course, just 25 miles farther.  Our goal is to spread the birds out a bit more on the final and try to get closer to 8 hours on the wing.

Other than that, no huge changes next year for the Apple Cup.  We have not heard a lot of complaints and most we have talked to said they are sending again next year.

On this course your birds will traverse ridgelines, valleys, mountains, fly through the desert, over the forest, across the mightly Columbia River and the windy Columbia Gorge, lastly over Klamath Falls Lake with a typical west side wind.  

It takes a very tough pigeon to win the Apple Cup, do you have the type of pigeon that can perform here!

 

Rick & Olga 

Dec-03-2023
WA/OR BREEDERS MUST READ THIS!

WA/OR breeders who want to pick up your birds, this is mainly for you. 

We originally put out that birds would be available for pick up Mon and Tue between 0900-1100, however after sorting the birds all day we found that we have over 80 pigeons being picked up.  Usually we have far less and can stop what we are doing on shipping days which are Mondays and Tuesdays and sort through the few birds in the cages for WA/OR breeders by looking at band numbers.  With the number of birds we have being picked up this year this just is not feasible because the clock will be in use scanning birds identified to be shipped on Monday and Tuesday mornings.  On Wed, Thur, and Fri we will be able to scan the birds in front of you making sure you get every single bird that completed the series.  

Therefore, we are changing the pick up days to Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 0900-1100 for WA and OR birds.  These three days are the ONLY days to pick up birds.  Mondays and Tuesdays we will be putting birds in boxes to be shipped those days at 1300, we do not keep them in the box overnight and ship the next day.  Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays you can come pick up your birds.  Saturdays and Sundays we are sorting birds for the upcomming shipments, preparing boxes, shipping labels, just not a good time to come.

If you won any amount of money shipping will be deducted and your birds will be shipped out on Monday if your loft name starts with a number, or ends with Jones Family Loft.  On Tuesday we will ship Kalanianaole Loft through Z & R Mandigma Loft.  

The following week we will start shipping back to those of you who sent checks or paid via PayPal, which we have yet to go through yet but will start next week in preparation for the next week's shipments.  

Once we get done shipping birds for the second week in a row we will start to mail out prize money checks, minus shipping.

 

Rick & Olga

 

 

 

 

 

Nov-30-2023
1 DECEMBER LAST DAY TO CLAIM BIRDS

Tomorrow is the last day to claim your birds, please go to our Payments Tab on our Home Page and pay for return shipping for your birds today if you want them back.  This is our ONLY electronic payment option.  Next year we will probably offer Zelle, however we are not yet set up for that now therefore you must use PayPal if you did not already send a check for return shipping.

We have received a lot of requests for combining birds from different breeders this year, as mentioned previously more than once it is in our rules that we do not do this. 

Let me tell you a little story about combining birds, then maybe some may understand why this is not a good practice. 

Last year we had a breeder ask if we could combine his "friend's" birds with his, which we did.  After the birds were sent the "friend" called us upset that his bird went to someome else in another state when he did not authorize it.  Turned out that one guy owed the other guy some money and could not collect it, so instead collected his debt by getting the other guy's bird sent to himself as payment unbeknownst to ourselves. 

We have absolutely no way of confirming that breeders want their birds combined with other breeders.  A email, text, or even a phone call can not achieve this.  This is why the only way we can 100% be sure that birds go back to those who sent them is by returning birds to the address on Wincompanion that is registered as the address under the Loft Name flown. 

We know some of you want to save a few bucks in shipping, but please try to see it from the OLR manager's standpoint. 

When we prepare birds to be shipped we place all of the boxes in the hallway in alphabetical order.  We scan the birds individually at the east end of the loft, then put them in the appropriate boxes.  We have the shipping labels already taped to the top of the boxes and write the bird's band numbers on the bottom of the label and once the bird is inside we put a line through it.  Once all of the birds that are to go in a specific box have a line drawn through their band number those boxes are moved down to the office at the east end, chips are removed and the boxes are zip tied.  If we are to try to combine breeders this really affects this process and leaves room for error. 

This Saturday and Sunday we will sort through over 800 birds.  The birds being mailed out Monday will go in one section, those going out Tuesday in another section, all WA state birds in our cages and are available for pick up Monday-Wednesday 0900-1100.  The birds being mailed out on Monday and Tuesday will be fed and watered at 0700 AM, we will start putting them in boxes at 1000 and will drop them off at the post office at 1300 because they take lunch for one hour 1300-1400 and this is the only time they have to accept the number of boxes we will be dropping off. 

Monday and Tuesday next week, ONLY those birds whose breeder's won $400 or more will have their birds mailed back.  We have 135 boxes which will be divided up and sent over these two days. 

Those who sent checks and paid via PayPal who did not win any money will be mailed the following week. 

We are hoping that it should only take these two weeks to get all of the birds mailed back to those who want their birds.  We want to get this done before the Christmas mail volume increases and makes it more difficult on our post office to process this many birds in one day, not to mention getting the birds to you in a timely manner which is often times affected by holiday mail volume. 

Once we get the birds mailed out we will start writing prize money checks if we have a completed W-9.  We must get all prize money paid out by 31 December for tax purposes, this is why you can not hold prize money over for the next year. 

Prize money checks are sent out separately after birds are sent back, never in the box with the birds. 

So in a nutshell this is what our game plan is.  Mail back birds first week to those who won any amount of money by deducting shipping from prize money, second week to those who sent checks and paid via PayPal, third week send out checks and call those who we need a W-9 from who we have yet to receive one from. 

Lastly, please read Wincompanion updates, if you enter the Apple Cup we cover about 99% of all questions that we get called or texted on.  If there is a question that is not already covered in our updates then by all means send us a text at 254-247-9504. 

If you won money we have already printed out a list of birds that you have left that will be mailed back.  We have already printed your address and phone number that is listed on Wincompanion, this is the address we will use for return shipping.

Everyone have a great weekend!

 

Rick & Olga

Nov-23-2023
PAYPAL LINK IS WORKING FOR RETURN SHIPPING.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to say that Olga has the PayPal link up and running.  There is a third line for birds band numbers, I will have her remove this as it is not needed so leave it blank. 

Please read the rules reference shipping.  In our rules it states that the birds will be mailed back to the person whose Wincompanion account is associated with your loft name.  We are getting many requests for combining birds from different breeders in the same box, this creates a lot of extra work for us and complicates the shipping process.  Again it is in our rules not to do this, please try to understand from our side.

All shipping must be paid for by 1 December, not on the way.  We will sort birds the 2nd and 3rd and start mailing on the 4th.  If you live in WA you can pick your birds up 0900-1100 on the 4th, 5th, or 6th of December.

We will not call breeders asking if they want their birds back.  It is the responsibility of all breeders to read the updates and to follow our shipping instructions, too easy.  

Please read the update posted a few days before this one, it is much more detailed.  

 

Rick & Olga 

 

Nov-20-2023
RETURN SHIPPING STARTS 4 DEC

We will sort birds the 2nd and 3rd of December and start shipping birds Monday 4 December.  This will give us time to identify those birds being returned and those not, it also gives those of you who will be sending checks for shipping time to get your checks here no later than 1 December.

We will ship birds back to the breeders who won prize money first and deduct shipping from winnings, the others will follow.  Our goal is to have all birds returned before Christmas! 

IF SENDING A CHECK FOR SHIPPING, IT MUST BE HERE BY 1 DECEMBER, NO EXCEPTIONS.  THIS MEANS NOT IN THE MAIL, NO PICTURES OF CHECKS SENT, THIS MEANS DELIVERED.  IT IS HIGHLY ADVISABLE IF SENDING THROUGH THE MAIL TO SEND IT WITH TRACKING.  THE PREFERED WAY OF PAYING FOR SHIPPING WOULD BE TO USE PayPal, THAT WAY YOU MAKE SURE WE GET IT AS SOON AS YOU CLICK SEND.   

Birds will be mailed back to the address on Wincompanion that is associated with your account, make sure the address and phone number is 100% correct.  Please do not ask us to ship birds back to multiple individuals within a syndicate, all birds will be mailed back to one individual whose address is listed on Wincompanion under your Loft Name.   

We use brand new 3 bird boxes from Horizon, they have dividers so the birds do not fight on their way home.  Price is $85 per box, if you have more than 3 birds then add on another box for 4-6, another box for 7-9 and so on. 

Olga will activate the PayPal link for shipping in the next day or two.  We held off on having it active so breeders would not pay right after the race when they still have others returning, this happens every year and then we have to get breeders to send another transaction or check.  

If you won money, do not send us shipping fees, shipping fees will be deducted from your winnings.  

We require a new W-9 before any prize money can be issued if you won $600 or more.  

We will not break up prize money, check is issued to one individual and that individual is required to provide a W-9.  

Local birds will not be available for pick up until 4 December.  

1-3 birds $85

4-6 birds $170

7-9 birds $255

10-12 birds $340

Make checks payable to:

 

Apple Cup

PO Box 313

Moxee, WA 98936

 

If you have a question or need clarification please text us at 254-247-9504, identify yourself by loft name. 

Everyone have a great Thanksgiving! 

 

Rick & Olga

 

 

 

Nov-18-2023
CONGRATS TO THE WINNERS!

Congratulations to all of the winners today!  It was supposed to be a day that was filled with sun and patchy clouds, it turned to sun at release, then overcast most of the way home with some sun at the loft which quickly turned to overcast.  Here in the Pacific NW this time of the year weather can change at a moment's notice, it did not fail today!  We were able to get over 400 birds on the day and if you had one on the day, be damn proud of them!

Congratulations to Espo Loft for having the first bird through the trap, great job Frank!

Congrats to our AVG Speed winners as follows:

1st Aziz Loft 40605

2nd Galvan's Loft 2611

3rd Spoiled Sa Amo 11258

4th Evergreen Loft 109

5th Crooked River Challenge 1507

Congrats also to our Silver and Gold winners!

Olga will look over the assigned prizes before they become official!

If you won $600 or more send us a new W-9, make sure you print it and it is legible. 

Thanks everyone for your continued support! 

Stay tuned for return shipping instructions, we need to see how many birds return the next few days before we decide how we are going to tackle that.  We will not be shipping birds next week, we need to have time for late arrivals to recouperate and to sort birds. 

 

Rick & Olga

Nov-15-2023
FINAL RACE FRIDAY

The final race is Friday as long as the weather holds.  If attending show up at 1 PM, bring a comfortable chair, warm clothes, and your appetite!  My brother Jeff is cooking briskit for lunch, lots of fixins to go along with as well as deserts!

Makes no difference if you are in the race or not, if you live in the PNW and are curious about the Apple Cup race then make the trip!

If attending send us a text at 254-247-9504 letting us know how many you are coming with.  Our physical address is as follows:

12074 Mieras Rd

Yakima, WA 98901

Never use the above address for payments or shipping birds, only use the PO Box address listed all over our site.

The birds were trained today, their last trainer for the year.  It is cool and overcast and some birds continue to fly so don't get too terribly excited if your birds trap late today, in fact keep an eye on these birds who continue to fly on the final!  

We will start shipping birds back the following week after Friday, this will give the late arrivals a chance to recouperate before shipping.  Make sure your address on Wincompanion is up to date as well as your phone number, this is the information we use to ship birds back. 

 

Rick & Olga

Nov-11-2023
EXPECTED PAYOUT FOR FINAL RACE

Below is the expected payout on the final race. 

As per our rules, we will payout the top 10% of the birds shipped to the final race.  There are roughly 1,000 birds currently, if some are lost in training leading up to the final race we will make adjustments. 

There were 135 entered in the Silver, 78 in the Gold.  There are currently 62 birds remaining in the Silver, 42 in the Gold.  This means that for now, 6 birds will earn prizes in the Silver and 4 in the Gold.  We will count the remaining birds up before the final and make adjustments if there are less in each category. 

Olga will look this over before it becomes official, however this is what we are looking at based purely upon how many birds are left in the Bronze, Silver, and lastly the Gold.

$13,000 was paid out between the 250 and 300. 

$62,000 will be paid in AVG Speed.

We rounded up to $200,000 in the Bronze which is the final race. 

We rounded up to $29,000 in the Silver, and we rounded up to $17,000 in the Gold. 

FINAL RACE (BRONZE)

1ST 20,000

2ND 18,000

3RD 16,000

4TH 14,000

5TH 12,000

6TH 11,000

7TH 10,000

8TH 9,000

9TH 8,000

10TH 7,000

11-20 2,500 ea

21-50 1,000 ea

51-100 400 ea

 

SILVER

1st 9,000

2nd 6,000

3rd 5,000

4th 4,000

5th 3,000

6th 2,000

 

GOLD

1st 6,000

2nd 5,000

3rd 4,000

4th 2,000

 

Again, this is unofficial until Olga can take a look at it making sure yours truly did not make any mistakes. 

We will continue to train as the weather allows for, looking at the 16th or 17th next race for the final.  We do not have a definite date, it is all up to the weather. 

 

Rick & Olga

 

 

Nov-09-2023
CONGRATS TO WINNERS/NEXT RACE PLANS

FINALLY we got some nice weather to have our 300 mile race!  Congratulations to KT Loft for having the first bird through the trap today. 

There was some ground fog at release with the sun shining through, the rest of the course was blue sky with no clouds and very calm winds.  We are hoping for a few more birds tonight and invariably will get a few in the morning.  

Game plan is to study weather forecasts looking for a nice day for the final race at 350 miles, we will get at least 2 more trainers in before the final.  

If you had birds return today be proud of them, this is a tough course and each and every one of them is a true warrior in my book and I am proud of what they did today!

 

Rick & Olga 

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