I still remember (10-03-22)
I Still remember
"Now that all that corona misery is over, I want to get out," Silviu said. Here's another one, I reacted. And so a short time later we were on the doorstep of Luc Vervoort from Hallaar.
LUC VERVOORT
The man is top in speed. You can say that when you score the 1st , 2nd and 4th Ace Pigeon Noyon in the Diamantverbond. What distinguishes him (and does not underestimate the role of his wife) is his mini loft. The 60-year-old is a pleasant talker and talking pigeons with him is certainly not a punishment. Of course, pigeons also had to be viewed.
One of them I dared to reject. Not with words, but the casual way in which I immediately gave them back apparently spoke enough. Luc: 'Ha, same taste as Willem?' He meant W de Bruijn. Me: 'Same taste? Often yes, sometimes not.'
Luc: 'Then I'll tell you why I asked that.' 'The pigeon that you don't like, he also rejected. With the same careless gesture. How long would he have looked at it? Not at all to the eyes. Think barely two seconds. When I said that this bird gave my best racer, he shrugged. Look at the ring too,I continued. A Dutch ring? Indeed. In fact. It was a pigeon of his own.' I got it from him. So again: What do we know about pigeons?
Mrs Vervoort
FREQUENTLY DISCUSSED
Vervoort lives in an area that is much discussed in pigeon sport. 'On a handkerchief' live stars in the sprint races, winners of National Ace pigeons Middle Distance and outstanding players in the Nationals. The competitions in the regional 'Diamond Association' take place at a fast pace. The key question for many: Because of better pigeons or better location? I am always inclined to put quality first. But in this case? Whether one has a kind of pigeons here that is superior to others?
Many who sought reinforcements in the area will think otherwise. They spent much money on shit birds. Some were good, but also a lot of junk. Like everywhere?
In 'a past life' I often visited the Houbens, Maurice Voets and Theo IJskout, unfortunately all deceased. Now other stars are shining. I will give some impressions that have remained, so very personal.
IMPRESSIONS
Gebr. vd Brande and Gert Heylen.
What struck me there was a sight in the breeding loft. Pigeons in all sizes and colors. Black, blue, red, variegated, checkered, gray, pale: you name it. Like that other superman from the same street: Gert Heylen. Marcel (all pigeon): 'There is nothing more beautiful than watching the training widowers on summer evenings. That is really enjoyable.' Furthermore, I am often reminded of them by the performance in my loft of a young of their Diamant.
Gaston vd Wouwer
Words you often hear these days are 'money depreciation' and 'investing'. It was already in 2008 (again, time flies) that Gaston had some leftover youngsters. If I didn't want to take some with me. '125 euros each was not money.'
Isn’t it unbelievable? Which investment would have yielded a higher return? Gaston only went to the pigeons in the evenings, he preferred to cycle. He only raced hens that he motivated through ingenious breeding boxes. His youngsters were in a loft that was much too large, according to 'connoisseurs'. Yet they were tame. It typifies the professional.
Willy Daniels
Was Willy the nation's best at the Nationals this century? In any case, he is proof that you don't have to have a mass of pigeons to become famous. Like vd Wouwer, he also only plays hens that are locked up during the day in outdoor lofts made by himself. Another craftsman who, if he is looking for reinforcements, stays in his own region. He prefers to leave the buying of name pigeons or pedigree birds to the competitors. No Chinese would want his pigeons, just based on the pedigrees. Those supers that excelled in the heaviest long distance races contain Gert Heylen and De Meyer strains. Both locals and specialists in… the pure speed. Races from barely 100 km there.
Willy Daniels
Cyriel Lambrechts
While we were chatting, pigeons regularly arrived. 'Is someone going to toss them? I asked. None of it. They were youngsters that came back exhausted from spontaneous training at home. At the aforementioned Gebr. vd Brande I once saw the same thing. Babies on nest training like this? How do they do it?
Stefaan Lambrechts
Another Lambrechts with good pigeons is Stefaan. He lived in Berlaar and played in the Diamond Association. So past time. His dream was to become a professional, and so he became, and then it comes in handy when you sometimes have a National Ace pigeon. But you didn't even have a chance for that with a pigeon that won the 1st every week if that was in the Diamond Association. 'Belgium's strongest alliance', many say. Because of too few pigeons in competition. Stefaan moved, could now race against more pigeons and score National Ace pigeons. Or again proof that the best pigeons do not automatically become National Ace pigeons and the National Ace pigeons are not necessarily the best pigeons.
Roger and Nick Thijs
That includes a lady: Wife and Mother Godelieve. Roger, an example of modesty, became a star against his will. I was there on a sweltering hot day when Godelieve apologised. The sun was so scorching that she started to cover the sputniks. Talking about care.
Cyriel Lambrechts and sons. All three successful at short distance.
Frans Maris
Frans and son Dirk can show you Quievrain results that are almost alien. 'Old results' because like Willy Daniels, Gaston vd Wouwer and so many others, they also made a successful transition to the long distance.
And fanciers who know how to excel in a different discipline than usual, those are the real ones. 'Big pigeons are good for sprint and you need small hens for the further distances', people sometimes say. Those people should see their 'Maxi'. A very big hen, but nevertheless winner of a 1st prize National and mother of several supers.
There has not been a cure for trichomonas in 15 years. I was not shocked. Canker was once a nightmare for many, now you hardly hear about it. I have not yet heard a satisfactory explanation.
Jelle Roziers
Jelle has something Dutch about him. Say it like it is. He knew from a very young age that he would earn his daily bread with pigeons. Like Bas Verkerk. Confidence in one's own abilities is one thing, making it happen is another story.