Mostly suprises (08-12-22)
Mostly surprises (08-12-22)
I got an app from a happy Carlos. An 'A S pigeon' from him had won the 4th prize against more than 34,000 pigeons. He also wrote down which parents it came from. I looked it up.
The father was from 'the 914', that's what my bookkeeping taught me. I had to look it up because I rarely look at the pedigrees of my own pigeons. For me, pedigrees are less sacred than for many sportsmen. Because even the very best pigeons may produce junk. At least here.
And didn't I have direct children of iconic breeders such as 'Olympiade 003' and 'Kaasboer?' Past tense and this must have a reason. Moreover, there is the experience that when you breed a super, it is often from parents that you did not expect.
KLAK
I wrote the following before, but some things you can't say often enough. Most fanciers have their own preferences in their own lofts. Klak however, a legend in pigeon sport, was much more down-to-earth.
The best pigeon he had in the autumn of his life was ‘613’, a pigeon that I often clocked when I went there to help him on racing days.
Understandably there was a lot of demand for his children. But how surprised buyers were to hear Klak say that they were as expensive as the others. Due to the high demand, you only had to wait a little longer for that.
Jos Klak: 'Why should I make children of 613 more expensive? You don't know where the good ones come from, do you? For me, these are surprises every year.”
When the weather permits it, the author is outside.
VERKERK
Verkerk is a contemporary icon. He is known to change the matings of his breeders every year. Sometimes several times in a year.
'Because you very rarely see a couple who gave a super ever do that again,' says Bas. Indeed, the parents of the 613 gave only one 613. His brothers and sisters may have the same genes, but they couldn't match him. I must admit, he let the parents a pair, but that was to serve people who asked for the babies, says the Reusel star.
The loft of Verkerk. He started racing pigeons as a young boy in a small modest loft behind a modest house in a busy street. The birds paid for this fancy loft he owns today.
CARLOS
Back to ‘de 914’ of which a descendant had performed so well. The ring looked vaguely familiar at first. Till a bell began to ring. Mr. St St from Denmark has been getting a round of eggs here for about six years after the season. When I once asked him which ones he had the most successes with, two things struck me:
-They certainly didn't descend from my (in theory!!!) best pigeons.
-The very best were the descendants of 914, a pigeon that I myself had obtained from the misunderstood and much too modest champion E. 'Not well known enough', found some who got youngsters here and that is why they did not take those of that fantastic breeder. "Not well known enough?"
How insiders will laugh at such a cry. The man, Mr. E, performs much better than several big names who are known in all corners of the world where pigeons are raced.
And now the best part: Of this 914 I also had the nest sister. 'Had' because it did not give even one pigeon that was worth anything. Now people may understand why I find pedigrees interesting, but they don't fascinate me that much.
WILLIAM
About ten years ago we played long distance races in Belgium a few times. That went very well, although supposedly I only know that, I think. Our problem (hmm, problem?) was that we played with less than a handful of pigeons, sometimes even just two.
And then you can still play so well, people don't notice you. I remember a phone call to W de Bruijn from those days. We had a hen from him and wondered if we would enter it on a long distance race. But could it handle the long distance?
Although we had a pedigree, we obviously didn't know the species as well as he, the breeder. So Willem we called and explained the situation.
De Bruijn's reaction: 'Whether it can handle the long distance? How can I know? Race it and then you will find out automatically.'
W de Bruijn and Bas Verkerk plus father.