Articles English 2017
The Huyskens van Riel Story (part 1)
Union Antwerp happily lets everyone call it the “High School” of the International pigeon sport. The fanciers in the Union don’t mind one bit. After all, who wouldn’t mind having people think that the area in which they fly, has the best and toughest competition?
The Huyskens van Riel Story (part 2)
FRANS HUYSKENS
Huyskens made his living working hard on the docks in Antwerp. He was gentle and quiet by nature and didn’t have too much to say, in that respect he was like van Riel. Van Riel also had a very calm and quiet personality. Huyskens began racing pigeons in 1929.
The Huyskens van Riel Story (part 3)
Another important pigeon brought in by Huyskens van Riel was ‘De Witzwinger van 1936’, acquired from Louis Michielsen. He was mated to ‘het Boerinneke’ and out of this pairing ‘de Steek’ was produced who in turn became the father of ‘de Zot.’
The Huyskens van Riel Story (part 4)
MARISSEN
If earlier no one was able to compete with Huyskens van Riel, even somewhat, 1949 was a year apart. The large coarsely built, loud talking Jan Marrisen and his rheumatic brother flew their pigeons from Oelegem. Oelegem is not really the right word. The brothers lived in the jungle, far from civilization, only 100 metres from the purple moor.
The Huyskens van Riel story (part 5, the end)
THE GAME (METHODS)
There was absolutely no attention paid to the young bird races by Huyskens van Riel. And when they did fly their youngsters they attached no importance to the results.
The Meulemans Story (part 1 of 2 ) 31 dec
- 'Why is the name of Meulemans so popular?' - 'Why are his birds so expensive?'
- 'I thought he was a seller and not a racer, what's the truth?'
- 'What is the origine of his birds?'
The Meulemans story part 2 (31 dec)
‘Meulemans saw the light’
Pigeonfanciers, especially from the USA and Taiwan like to talk about ‘strains’ and ‘families’ when pigeons are the subject. I am also often asked what ‘family of birds’ I own when people are interested in my pigeons or see my results. And I always think this is kind of funny.
One more time (dec 23)
ONE MORE TIME
Earlier I wrote that “Duifke Lacht” is a thoughtful newspaper, publishing informative articles, some written by people who are themselves good pigeon fanciers. Sometimes some positive criticism. Jaak Nouwen, Andre Roodhooft, Patrick Philippens and Co Verbree are people with a message.
Vouchers (dec 18)
To-day pigeons of real good fanciers are (often) (very) (too) expensive. But in winter there is a chance to get birds real cheaply. Then most clubs sell on line vouchers of good fanciers. For the voucher you can have a 2018 bird, the money is for the club. I explained American Elton Dinga and John Wheatcroft and Adam Thomas, both from the UK, how it worked. They managed to get birds for a fraction of the normal price.
Since some hours ago (till January 14th) an auction of vouchers of my club is on. I also donated one and I will give the buyer TWO birds, since they were always so high priced. Maybe this year you can have the voucher at a reasonable price.
See:
www.doevepeet.nl > Klick ‘Bekijk hier de lopende veiling.’
Name of the club: P V De Valk Baarle Nassau
Monuments (15 dec)
Writers in pigeon magazines face two problems other writers do not have.
- Their articles are read by all kinds of people: uneducated folks and scientists, novices in the sport and great champions.
- The second problem is that people have different interests.
I make myself clear.
Humour
Again and again I am surprised about that craze about names and strains abroad, especially in the Far East and the USA. It would be humour if it was not so sad.
There was this Japanese fancier long way back.
Good luck and much luck (part 2 of 2. Nov 28)
To-day mainly Chinese give much money for especially record birds.
That is why you sometimes hear fancier say:
Good luck and much luck (nov 11)
Breeding pigeons is something else than grow pigs, chickens, or, say, flowers or whatever. We do not breed with the intention to get the pens full, we do not want to breed a certain colour or other appearance characteristic, our goal is to breed good pigeons.
The best Middle Distance birds (nov 3rd)
Once more about a subject that I mentioned before.
Where can I find the best Middle Distance birds, foreigners sometimes ask me. I can understand. Those people become unsure due to all the propaganda they read in the papers and even more on the internet. This is what I think and not only me: You do not find them in the lofts of Middle Distance champions in the middle of the Netherlands, or in the south, not in the Belgian province of Antwerp nor elsewhere in the country. Most probably the best Middle Distance birds are in the lofts of Antwerp Short Distance racers who never race Middle Distance. In the Berlaar area live many of such fanciers. One of them told me: If I have an Ace at the Noyon races (220 kms) I do not even think of racing it further. And there are many of those. Take Leo Heremans for arguments’ sake. Everybody knows how many of the offspring of his birds perform at Middle Distance.
Heremans himself raced the ancestors from Quievrain only (125 kms). Even the ‘Olympiad 003’ raced short distance only. I brought up this subject with Dirk van Dijck. ‘The short distance champion in the Berlaar area’ is right he said. ‘If the best short distance racers there would enter their best birds at Middle Distance from now that would create a revolution in pigeon sport. New names would become famous!
EXAMPLES
Gaston v d Wouwer and Willy Daniels are two of such short distance champions from the past. With the same family of birds they switched over to Middle Distance and the result we know. Even the late Luc Geerinckx and Andre Roodhooft were renowned short distance champions in their younger years ! Then they were not famous yet, the made a name when they switched over to Middle Distance and even little long distance with… THE SAME FAMILY OF BIRDS.
Competition (oct 29)
When I realized how long it had been, I was kind of shocked. I shook myself like a dog does when getting out of the water. What was so long ago? My trip to the Olympiad in Japan. Then I was as old as my son now. How time flies.