Tar Heel Classic One Loft Race

06/08/2026

FINAL COUNTDOWN: $300,000 Prize Pool! 🏆

Ready to test your best against the elite? The Tar Heel Classic One Loft Race is loading up for a massive finish! Take advantage of our special "Buy 5, Get 2 Free" promotion while there’s still time. We are accepting birds through June 30th—let’s see if your team has what it takes to hit the leaderboard!
Visit tarheelclassicrace.com for full details today.
En Español:
CUENTA REGRESIVA FINAL: ¡Bolsa de premios de $300,000! 🏆
¿Listo para probar a tus mejores aves contra la élite? ¡El Tar Heel Classic One Loft Race se está preparando para un final espectacular! Aprovecha nuestra promoción especial "Compra 5, obtén 2 gratis" mientras aún estás a tiempo. Estamos aceptando aves hasta el 30 de junio. ¡Veamos si tu equipo tiene lo necesario para llegar a la cima!
Visita tarheelclassicrace.com para obtener todos los detalles hoy mismo.

05/25/2026

🇺🇸 HONORING THE BRAVE THIS MEMORIAL DAY 🇺🇸
Today, the Tar Heel Classic One Loft Race family pauses to remember and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

As a proud military dad with a son serving in the U.S. Army, this day carries a deeply personal meaning for my family. But it also hits home for so many within our incredible racing pigeon community. Our sport has a long, historic bond with the military—from the heroic messenger pigeons that saved thousands of lives on the front lines, to the countless veterans and active-duty service members who are dedicated fanciers today.

To all the families who have lost a loved one in uniform, we stand with you in gratitude and remembrance. Our freedom to enjoy our lives, our families, and our birds is bought and paid for by their courage.

May we never forget their sacrifice. God bless our fallen heroes, and God bless the United States of America. 🕊️❤️🤍💙

05/25/2026

🏆 OLD BIRD CHAMPION & A FRESH 16-BIRD YOUNG BIRD TEAM FOR HUAN LOFT! 🚀

It was an absolute pleasure meeting up with James Huan (Huan Loft) today! We had a lot to celebrate, starting with the phenomenal performance his birds put on at our recent Old Bird Grand Finale.

When that lead pack hit the sky, it was an adrenaline-pumping 4-bird drop to the loft. While Joe Zack hit the clock first, James absolutely dominated the top of the sheet by clocking the next TWO birds back-to-back for 2nd and 3rd Place! Because they came home in that tight lead group, they are all Equal 1st money winners! Dropping two birds together at the very top of a grueling 450-mile final proves the elite caliber of James’ genetics.

But we weren't just looking back today—we are looking forward! James officially handed over his powerhouse team of 16 Young Birds to compete in the 2026 Tar Heel Classic One Loft Race this fall. If their older siblings' performance is any indication, the competition better get ready!

Swipe through to see me, James, and Linda welcoming the new Huan Loft team to their perches! 📸👇

🚨 ATTENTION EAST COAST BREEDERS! 🚨 Don't forget, I am heading out this coming Sunday, May 31st, for a personal bird pickup in New Jersey.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL! On my way back down, I am willing to stop anywhere along I-95 South. If you are located in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, or anywhere right off the highway on my route home, we can easily meet up along I-95 and pick your birds up too!

Get your 2026 Young Birds into the race without the shipping hassle. Space is filling up fast—call or text me directly right now to set up your drop-off spot! 732 (732) 522-0542

05/24/2026

🚚 BIRD PICKUP: ATTENTION TRISTATE AREA BREEDERS! 🚚

Heading up to New Jersey and offering a personal bird pickup for anyone looking to get their entries into the Tar Heel Classic One Loft Race Also if anyone along the I95 Delaware, Maryland, Virginia on way home we can meet up.

If you want to save on shipping and hand your future champions over directly, let’s meet up!

📍 Where: QuickChek in Allentown, NJ (Right off I-195 / NJ Turnpike area)
📅 When: Sunday morning, May 31st at 9:00 AM

⚠️ CRITICAL NOTE: I will only be stopping if I have confirmed pickups scheduled. You must contact me ahead of time to lock in your spot.

📱 To coordinate: Call or text me directly at 732-522-0542 to let me know you're coming and how many birds you're bringing.
The shipping window is open until June 30, 2026, but this is a perfect chance to get them safely to the loft without the hassle of the mail!

05/23/2026

🏆 Old Bird Series 450-Mile Grand Finale Champion Visits the Loft!
​We had the absolute pleasure of welcoming last week's Old Bird Series 450-Mile Grand Finale Champion to the loft today!
​Joe Zarachowicz stopped by with Joe Gagliano to drop off their team of 8 exciting prospects for the upcoming 2026 Young Bird Tar Heel Classic One Loft Race
​Joe's bird was the first one to trap in a 4-bird drop from 450 miles. Huge congratulations again to Joe on a spectacular win last week, and a massive welcome to the Two Joe's Loft young bird entries for the Tar Heel Classic One Loft Race!
​

05/22/2026

The energy at the Tar Heel Classic One Loft Race is through the roof! Bird intake is going absolutely great, and the loft is starting to fill up with some world-class talent.

If you haven't shipped your future champions out to Enfield yet, this is your official reminder: there are just over 5 weeks left to get your birds in the game!

🚨 Final Intake Deadline: June 30th, 2026 🚨

We still have plenty of room in our state-of-the-art facilities to settle and train your birds safely, but the clock is ticking. Don't miss your shot at a slice of that massive $300,000 prize purse!

👉 Got a shipment coming? Drop us a message, text, or give us a call to coordinate arrival.

Let's make this season legendary. See you at the top!

🔗 Visit tarheelclassicrace.com for full details, forms, and instructions.
John & Linda Ward

05/09/2026

Liberation Report: Hotspot #5
​Old Bird Series — "The Grand Finale Tune-Up

​This race serves as the definitive primer before our 450-mile Grand Finale. The birds have been kept in a tight rhythm with consistent road work to ensure they are peaked and ready. Following a recovery period after the tough 250-mile station, they’ve been back in the groove with multiple training tosses throughout this week, resting only when the weather dictated.
​Today’s 127-mile release is designed to give them a good stretch and sharpen their orientation. We are doing our due diligence to ensure they are conditioned and confident heading into the ultimate test. Looking ahead, we are closely monitoring the forecast to lock in the best possible weather window for the Grand Finale next week, with a tentative eye on Wednesday.
​Race Details | Detalles de la Carrera
​Release Point: Lumberton
​Distance: 127 Miles (204 km)
​Release Time: 7:00 AM
​Weather Conditions: Partly Cloudy | Parcialmente Nublado
​Current Conditions (Lumberton) | Condiciones Actuales
​Temperature: 53°F (11.7°C)
​Wind: 3-4 mph (4.8-6.4 km/h) from the SSW | Viento: desde el sur-suroeste
​Humidity: 86%
​Barometric Pressure: 29.96 in (1014.5 mb)
​Visibility: 10 miles (16.1 km) | Visibilidad: Despejada
​Geomagnetic Data | Datos Geomagnéticos
​KP Index: 1.33 (Quiet) | Índice KP: 1.33 (Tranquilo)
​Impact: Perfectly stable magnetic conditions; an ideal environment for the birds' homing precision. | Condiciones magnéticas perfectamente estables; un entorno ideal para la precisión de regreso de las aves.
​How to Follow | Cómo Seguirnos
​Live Timing: Follow the live scoring and clocking in real-time on Benzing. | Siga el cronometraje y la puntuación en vivo en tiempo real en Benzing.
​Video: The release video will be posted to YouTube as soon as the upload is complete. | El video de la liberación se publicará en YouTube tan pronto como se complete la carga.
​Spanish Summary | Resumen en Español
​Esta carrera es el preparativo final antes de nuestra Gran Final de 450 millas. Las aves se han mantenido en excelente ritmo con entrenamientos constantes esta semana para asegurar que estén en su punto máximo. Hoy, el vuelo de 127 millas desde Lumberton les servirá para estirar las alas y agudizar su enfoque. Estamos monitoreando el clima para elegir el mejor día para la Gran Final la próxima semana, posiblemente el miércoles. ¡Buena suerte a todos los participantes del Tar Heel Classic one loft race!
​Note: We are committed to the safety of the birds and the integrity of the race.

04/27/2026

History in the making at the Tar Heel Classic one loft race! 🕊️
​Last week was officially our biggest intake week ever, and we are feeling incredibly blessed. Seeing the loft fill up with these world-class athletes is what it’s all about.
​A huge thank you to every breeder who has trusted us with their birds. We’re working hard to get everyone settled in and ready for a legendary season. Keep them coming—we love the support!
​

04/27/2026

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/international-criminal-networks-are-stealing-high-priced-pigeons-60-minutes-transcript/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRcY0lleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeUOm6gGk-3HDlgvYQX90C330pz-Kt4Xdky0dG1XHZ-pwHhRaWBd9Wma-Q_Sc_aem_MRsvOIctyr2p3509YxkSFA

They look like ordinary pigeons. But within the world of pigeon racing, some are worth more than luxury cars. Now, these feathered Ferraris are being targeted by international criminal networks.