JEEZ YOU BLOKES HAVE ALL THE LUCK!!!!

You may think it’s luck when something goes right, but nine times out of ten it’s a result of either experience, proper planning and/or simply just hard work. Sure from time to time luck can play some part, especially in the lotto’s etc., but if you take the time to step back and look at the good fortunes that visit yourself and others you will see, upon reflection, that it is the result of actions by either yourself or someone else. There is an old saying “you make your own luck” and if you ask me it pretty well states the obvious.

“What’s this got to do with pigeon racing?” you may ask, well over the past two years and more specifically the last twelve months, we at the Mallee Classic, have heard it countless times. More often than not it has been said in the form of praise or admiration for what has been taking place, but it is also used by those that trade in snide remarks behind our backs, as the only logical reason for the continued improvement in the profile and the professionalism of the Mallee Classic.

This article isn’t written in order to deride or criticise any person or group. More importantly, I’m writing to thank all those people, both admirers and knockers who have taken the time to notice the advancements that the Classic has made for not only itself but also pigeon racing in general. Compliments come in many forms and although normally received in comments of admiration and recommendation, those that criticise provide compliments in the form of their obvious envy.

THANKYOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS WHO, THROUGH YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION, HAVE ENABLED THE RACE TO SELL OUT PRIOR TO JANUARY AND THANK YOU TO THE OTHERS WHO THROUGH THEIR COMMENTS, NOT ONLY KEEP US ON OUR TOES, BUT ALSO KEEP OUR PROFILE FLYING ALONG.

Anyway, back to luck, sure a bit of good fortune doesn’t go astray, but unless you have the ability and vision to realise and capitalise on those situations as they present, then you will never have that so called “LUCK”

Sure we’ve been LUCKY to get a major sponsor in JV MARINE WORLD, and I would like to thank them for their valuable support. It was recently remarked to me from a well known South Australian flyer that he “didn’t realise they were so big until I was reading a book and saw the size of the place” Well just for the record JV Marine World is the biggest showroom and sales centre of it type in the southern hemisphere. Go to the direct link on the Classic web page and have a look for yourself.

We’ve also been LUCKY in the support we have received form the BEST WESTERN GROUP of motels. Thankyou Best Western for your support. They gave us approximately $4000.00 worth of awards to be passed on to participants in the 2004 Classic. Again, if you go to the direct link on the web site, you may be able to understand the enormity of this organisation; after all they are the BIGGEST MOTEL CHAIN IN THE WORLD.

Again our luck held out when we were able to convince SEN Sports Radio that we were newsworthy enough to be included in a one-off segment on their WEEKEND LEAVE PASS program with Russell Gilbert and Mark Fine. That one-off segment went for forty minutes. We were successful because we took pigeons to the public and didn’t waste our time to stroking the egos of the pigeon fraternity. This resulted in our continued regular participation on the show for the past ten months. SEN has had such tremendous success and out rated beyond every ones wildest dreams. As a result of their success they have ventured to where no man dares…South Australia, and are experiencing immediate success. Alas, however, with success comes change and as such the WEEKEND LEAVE PASS, program will be dropped for a less generic show that will go to both states. For the knockers don’t pat yourself on the back yet, because guess what…we’ve been LUCKY again. SEN has agreed to our continued participation over a variety of shows through a number of time slots thus allowing the Classic to reach an even wider demographic. Jeez how LUCKY can you get?

Oh, silly me I almost forgot. We have got LUCKY again with a little organisation known as THE SHANE WARNE FOUNDATION. The foundation raises funds for charities that work and assist the less fortunate and disadvantaged children within our community. If you wish to know more about the foundation, go to our web site and click on the direct link.

This year 2005, the Mallee Classic with the assistance of a major sponsor will conduct the SHANE WARNE SWEEPSTAKES, in conjunction with the main race on September 18^th. A full list of prizes and conditions will be published on the web within the very near future, but for those of you that can’t wait, only three hundred entries will take part in the race and prizes will be paid for the first ten birds home, odds of one in thirty to get a prize. The first three positions will carry substantial cash and sponsors awards, the remaining seven will carry sponsors awards that are way in excess of the $100.00 entry for the race. This race should provide over $20,000.00 for The Shane Warne Foundation to distribute among the charities they support. I suppose you might say that those less fortunate and disadvantaged children just got LUCKY too!!!

All of the aforementioned organisations are large and extremely high profile, they place a high regard on their reputations and image and don’t become involved with LUCKY organisations, such as the Mallee Classic, without due consideration and prudence.

At the beginning of this article I used the words EXPERIENCE, PLANNING and HARD WORK. Well for the record Barry Trewin the race founder and manager has an extensive list of experience and qualifications. Barry has participated in many and varied training and business courses, more in fact, than I care to mention. He has a financial background both through his work with the Banks and his own Finance Organisation. He has worked both in the printed media as well as running retail enterprises. Barry was one of only three hundred people selected Australia-wide to attend the Delegation for Reconciliation in the ACT.

As for myself, well, I’ve also got a mixed and varied background. A former policeman, I’ve also worked extensively within the hospitality industry and held a variety of management positions. I’ve worked as a match day Ground Manager for one of the Victorian AFL clubs, being in charge of in excess of one hundred staff as well as all the cash and the entire running of the day. I, also, have attended many courses, tertiary and otherwise, mainly directed at marketing and sales. I’ve, learnt techniques, planning and management skills, and how to use them.

Two years ago Barry and I had a vision for the Mallee Classic. We sat down and over a period of time and developed a plan. We then set about working hard and long to achieve that plan, and although we’re moving forwards we still haven’t achieved the desired end result. Sure it will take time and probably many more discussions, sometimes heated, between Barry and myself but we realise that if we are to complete our plan we must put aside our sometimes different opinions and work together for the benefit of the race. LUCK IT’S NOT…A VISION, A PLAN AND A LOT OF HARD WORK IT IS.

So, next time you see the bloke down the road who had the vision to buy a couple of houses when they were cheap and has now made a killing on the real estate market or the workmate who has just come back from an overseas holiday, or even a pigeon race that is working hard to make a go of it, don’t sit back and say “Jeez he’s a lucky bastard” spare a thought for the vision, planning and hard work that went into achieving that aim.

Oh, and by the way, we’ve had fine weather for the past three races; let’s hope our LUCK holds for 2005.

Duncan MacGregor

Event Promotions.