Schaerlaeckens birds Unbelievable again (21-03-23)
‘Comb Maegh – A. S’. Again ‘King’ in Combine.
2022 was also another great year for Ad Schaerlaeckens and his manager Roger. Shining in the Middle Distance with a limited number of pigeons was again their trademark, especially with headwinds. With impressive and unique prize percentages again.
RESULTS 2022
- On the introductory races from Quievrainvluchten 18/29 en 17/28. This means 18 prizes from 29 birds entered, 17 prizes from 28 birds entered and them:
- l May Noyon 1.790 old:
4, 11, 13, 67, 68, 76, 79, 105, 130, 138, 140, 167, 170, 177, 178 etc. (23/27). So 23 prizes from 27 birds entered.
- 14 May Sermaises: 2.403 old:
3, 10, 15, 18, 22, 39, 44, 48, 50, 52, 54,73, 81, 93 etc. (17/24)
- 21 May Toury: 1.277 old:
4, 11, 12, 60, 69, 73, 78, 79 etc. (15/18)
677 jrl: 2, 7, 8 etc. (6/8).
- 28 May Melun: 1.160 old:
11, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 29 etc. (17/18).
670 yrl: 15, 16, 17, 18 etc. (8/9).
- 4 June Melun 1,022 old:
2, 3, 8, 10, 15, 46, 69, 83 etc. (14/18).
- 11 juni Auxerre 1.203 old:
A very hard 400 km race. 12 old birds entered, they won ALL 12 on top. 6 Yearlings entered, the 6th bird won 747 birds 25th prize.
- So 1.203 old: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 16, 19, 28, 36, 48, 78, 119. (12/12).
747 yrl: 1, 4, 9, 11, 19, 25 (6/6)
Ad S and his loft manager
- 25 June Melun 409 old:
1, 2, 4, 12, 33, 39, 43, 67 (8/10).
563 young: 2, 6, 20, 34, 44 etc. (8/14)
2022 was not exceptional. Years before were just as sensational. 2 Years before;
- Sermaise 2.274 p. in combine: 4, 5, 6, 8, 23, 25, 54, 58, 132, 183 etc. (20/26). 504 yrl: 2, 3, 4, 13 etc. (7/11).
- Sermaise 718 old: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 18, 19, 23 etc. (17/24).
1.743 birds in combine: 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 16, 17, 25, 31, 32, 46 etc. (17/24)
Sermaise 669 yrl: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 40 (7/7). All birds in the first 10%.
A result never seen before in the Combine, from Sermaise, is the following:
841 old: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 13, 17, 37, 60, 73 (14/16) 13 x 1:10.
In Combine 2.061 birds; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 22, 26, 36, 107, 162, 200 etc. (14/16). The winner (17-721) was 12 minutes ahead against 841 birds and 8 minutes ahead in the Combine against 2.061 birds.
ACE PIGEONS 2022
Ad S had in 2022 with the 20-6143190 the 1st Ace pigeon old birds, the 21-6124319 and the nest mate the 318 were 1st and 2nd Ace pigeon yearlings. With the youngsters the 1st, 3rd and 5th Ace Pigeons.
THE COMBINATION
The successful combination consisted of the bachelor brothers Victor and Willy Maegh, brother-in-law Roger de Vrij and Ad Schaerlaeckens. 'Existed' because unfortunately Victor passed away on February 14th 2023. Roger is the master caretaker, Ad takes care of good pigeons, advises, selects, directs and couples.
Before 2006, Maegh and Co. also raced pigeons, but real bad. With A S on board everything would change: No more medication, but other pigeons and method A. S.
When Ad delivered the first babies, the brothers were so confident that they wanted to get rid of all the youngsters that were there, but Ad insisted on playing them too. Matter of comparison. From the first training flight it was clear what was previously wrong with the 'Maegh pigeons'. Quality! It hailed pigeons on 'the loft of the Dutch birds' before they had seen a feather in the other lofts.
MOVED
A number of things had preceded the memorable year 2006. A.S.'s performances in the Netherlands, week after week, year after year were no less than sensational.
Ad showed a newspaper clipping of a Provincial Champions parade in the 1990s. Again he was 1st champion, both with youngsters and old, against 1,000 fanciers or more? At least a mass. Chairman F Marinus then: 'Never before had someone dominated an entire province like Ad Schaerlaeckens.' His nickname was already 'Mr Orleans'.
VICTIM
But the coin also had a downside. Ad became a victim of his own successes. At the end of the last century he got one disappointment after another. On a bad Saturday, he had destroyed a race again, an emergency meeting was held in full season: Subject Schaerlaeckens.A day later there was a letter in the mailbox with the fanciers inviting them to go pooling again because Ad had decided 'in good mutual consultation' that his pigeons would fly for nothing from now on.He would not pool any more.
A daily newspaper from 1979: 'Already in those years Faboulous results.'
But the sensational results remained, now also with non-pooled pigeons. So much so that he could no longer play with youngsters. It was at the time when new combines had to be formed, but nowhere did they want Ad's club. After all, with him fellow fanciers would not dare to pool any more. After several meetings a solution was found:
Another slam in the face around the turn of the century. Ad's wife turned out to be allergic to pigeons. The lofts closest to home had to be evacuated, coincidentally the young pigeon lofts on which could no longer be raced.
BASIC PIGEONS
His first top pigeons came from, who else at that time, Janssen Bros. Among them is a son of Jonge Merckx who immediately won a 1st National (zone) Orleans. Hofkens had twice asked to auction some pigeons. Gust was not concerned with pedigree cards (who was then?) and money was not allowed to be spent on advertisements.Both sales flopped and some bought themselves champions for little money.
Ad was so embarrassed that he didn't want to hold a commission and that was solved with a couple of eggs.They produced 2 beautiful cocks, but there was one thing wrong with them: they couldn't win a decent prize.
As 'punishment', that's how it was then, they were entered for Ruffec, over 700 kms. They won the 1st and 3rd prize. It is true, only against barely 100 pigeons, but Ad knew enough. Two rounds of youngsters were bought from Voets, including an excellent breeding pair and also a great breeding hen from Leo
Broeckx.
Leo had 4 brothers at the time, all 4 blue white heads, who flew so well that Ad wanted to know more.
He made a report about it and in return he was allowed to choose a hen. To Leo's surprise, he chose the best of all.Ad: 'Knowledge? No. Wasn't that difficult: It was the only blue hen with a 'white head’.
Creilman, a super in the old days off Mattens x Sissi
ALSO HUGE
- He was also very successful with a hen from H v d Veeke. He had, according to Ad, the best breeding couple he has ever known. Illustrious 'Ace Four' still stems from it.
- Later, around the turn of the century, a dark cock from Boeckx became National Ace Pigeon KBDB Sprint. When it turned out that a full brother was 4th National Ace Pigeon, Ad went to buy from the same old birds.“Won't go,” Charel said, “but I want to trade.” Charel got a grandchild of 'Ace Four', from whom he would breed a provincial Ace pigeon. Son Daniel brought Ad two brothers of both Ace Pigeons as agreed, but 'he added a blue hen. A matter of having more chance.' And, you guessed it, not the brothers of the national Ace pigeons turned out to be an asset, but that blue hen paired with Home Alone from Ace Four. Jespers v d Wegen would have another youngster, 'Fleur'. At the time, because of the many prizes of her youngsters in the top 10 nationally, this grandchild Ace Four from Ad she was described as 'the best breeding hen in Belgium'.
BUILDING OF THE FAMILY AFTER 2006
Ad did play in combination with Maegh, but you shouldn't be called Schaerlaeckens to stop the search for quality. In random order:
M Wouters:
Marcel Wouters caused a sensation at the time with his 'Extreem' and 'Leeuw' and in the same year that Vercammen bought that kind, Ad did the same. Apart from each other. Two youngsters from Extreme, two from Leeuw and two half-brothers from Leeuw turned out to be reinforcements.
In the meantime, Marcel had in turn understood what quality Ad had. He asked to borrow a hen and paired with Leeuw it gave 'Den Ad', the best pigeon in Belgium at Middle Distance and 1st Olympiad pigeon.
It was such a success that Marcel suggested co-breeding. His Olympiad pigeon 'den Ad' paired with hens from Ad S and share the youngsters. It resulted in some sensational breeders for Ad, the best being the 13-264.
One of the basic breeders of modern imes: 006 !!
Hermans:
When Jan Hermans owed Ad, Ad said: “Never mind Jan, give me something of your best.” Jan: “Okay, then I will send Miel v d Brande with a couple of youngsters.” Just when Ad started to think that Jan had forgotten him, Miel came with a basket containing not two young birds but one. The disappointment was short-lived.
When Ad looked at the pigeon, closely related to famous Cow Girl, he was glad that Miel hadn't brought two. Miel must have seen the bemused face and said, "They're not pretty indeed, but the origin is of Jan’s best."
Paired with the 08-250 (‘Son Extreem x dam Leeuw’) she gave the 13-006 that would win the 1st National zone at one of the greatest distances from Argenton with headwinds. Provincial (Antwerp) with all the Belgian big shots it won 10 minutes ahead.
This 006 would become father and grandfather of numerous flyers that won 1st in big competition flying minutes ahead.
17-721 one of the spectacuular racers these days.
Brothers vd Brande:
From Bros. v d Brande Ad had heard, but when he heard that they had the fastest pigeons in Belgium around 2004, he thought 'were those birds that good? how could I have missed them?' But maybe it wasn't too late and he went to Berlaar.
The brothers and Ad got along very well and Ad went home with a brother and a sister of 'Diamant' (Ace pigeon).
The breeding was disappointing at first, but now Ad wasn't too strict for once. After all, you don't just become Ace Pigeon in the Diamantverbond, that is supposed to be the strongest club in Belgium. The v d Brande birds were allowed to stay and both cock and hen would give Ace pigeons and winners in combine called ZAV (South Antwerp Fed).
Gaston v d Wouwer:
If you are in Berlaar anyway, it is best to continue to v d Wouwer. Ad bought an expensive son of basic pigeon 'de Kaasboer', but Gaston still had some youngsters. 'You get them for a cheap price, please take them with you', he said.
Ad thought five was enough. Among them the 08-037, granddaughterof ther famous breeder called 'Kaasboer' and he rarely had better ones, the other four were removed after a year. ‘Too fast’, Ad realized later.
William de Bruyn
Ad got six youngsters from Willem in 2011. The pedigrees were promising and Willem had also added one from 'just like that' yearlings. And you guessed it, precisely that one became a sensational flyer, one of the best, if not the best of Holland, which unfortunately could only show its tricks for a year.
Luk van Mechelen.
One of the hens that was coupled for joint breeding with 'Den Ad' was one from Luc van Mechelen. Around 2015 Luc was considered as one of the best in Belgium.
1st National Ace 'Den Ad' mated with the hen of Luc became the parents of super breeding hen 13-264.
Brothers Scheele
From Jaap Scheele came a cock for services rendered. It is the story of Rik and Willem's hens; apparently nothing special, but that was ‘apparently’ so. This Scheele cock almost only gave good ones.
A result never happened before.
Roger Engelen and Falco Ebben
Cocks from Roger Engelen and Falco Ebben (son 'Indy', in turn a pigeon from A S) also produced real super racers. 'Indy' herself, won 6 x first in big competition!
Gust Jansen
Numerous youngsters were bought from Gust. One of them, 'the 067', was named 'New Sissi' and that will tell insiders enough. Of course not everything that glittered was gold, but Ad never got the idea that he had been treated badly. There are so few good ones.
METHOD
The 12 racing couples are raced on total widowhood. A matter of getting as much return as possible from a minimal number of pigeons. Ad had raced few birds only all his life.The hens do perform remarkably better than the cocks.
In recent years they do not raise young before the season, but lay eggs twice. If they're healthy, it doesn't really matter.
Early in the morning the hens are released first, then the cocks, then the youngsters. Even late in the afternoon everything has to fly.
The hens are darkened and locked up after a few weeks of racing, the cocks are loose.
The lofts are old and airy, you can look out through the tiles, but they don't dare to change anything.
Feeding could hardly be simpler, always the same mixture, supplemented with barley during the quiet season.
The selection is strict, perhaps too strict Ad sometimes thinks. A lot of good flyers were removed, which he later regretted. On the other hand, he believes that these unprecedentedly high prize percentages are due to that strict selection.
Pigeons that miss twice in a row will be held home afterwards. If they miss the next flight again, they have lost their place and will move. The idea behind this is that a good bird does not miss its prize three times in a row.
In hot weather the pigeons stay at home. “They prefer to lose a few trophies to a good pigeon”.
17-732 Third best yearling of ALL Belgium.
MEDICAL
Medication use is very limited. Before the racing season a five-day cure against trichomoniase, during the season the popular yellow drops. A cure against paratyphus every five years (no vaccination) and that's about it.
No vet was ever visited apart from last winter. Apart from a mineral mixture and the mineral powder from Dr. Marien, no additional products (supplements) are given. As with Verkerk and de Bruijn, there is little that has not been tried concerning supplements, but no improvement in health or performance has ever been noticed. 'But,' says Ad, 'those who are successful with supplements should certainly continue to give them'.
YOUNGSTERS
The sexes are separated after a few weeks of play. Ad was a specialist wit young birds. Previously , youngsters that had never missed were eliminated, but now youngsters may stay that had performed moderately in the races.
Ad: 'Roger is getting older, youngsters are hardly trained before the season anymore and thus do not get a fair chance. For example, 21-318 and the nest mate 319 were average flyers in their year of birth. I did not get rid of them and in 2022, as yearlings, they became 1st and 2nd Ace Pigeon.
THE BEST'
Which are currently the best flyers? Ad and Roger shrug. They wouldn't know. A few years ago, Carl v d Brande said 'what a luxury if more than half of your racers are Ace pigeons.'
A selection:
-20-6143190, hen, 1st Ace old 2022. 18th best of Belgium according KBDB. Bred from Scheele 493 x 18-849 out of son Ad x 13-264:
Sermaise 322-1 503-2 1.057-2
Nantueil 248-1 403-1 822-1
Auxerre 1.203-1
Noyon 1.527-2
Quievrain 662-2 662-5
Sermaise 177-2 323-2 601-3 Prov. 2779-12
Sermaise 910-7 1.556-10 2.637-31 etcetara.
In 2022:
Sermaise 2.403-3
Melun 1,022-3
Melun 409-4 908-13. And also
Noyon 1.790-13, Melun 1.160-17, Melun 1.330-30, Quievrain 775-32
Noyon 1.883-43 etc.
1st Ace old birds 2022. 9 prizes in first 10%.
2021-190: 1st Ace old birds 2023.
-B-17-6200721. Halfsister of 18-732 (3rd National Ace KBDB). From 13-006 x 13-264. From Sermaine, 400 kms, it won 1st from 841 pigeons with a lead of 12 minutes. Against 2.072 pigeons it won 1st with a lead of 8 minutes.
Melun 642-1
Melun 425-1 908-13
Sermaise 841-1 2.071-1
Chevrainvilliers 238-1 566-1
Quievrain 662-1
Sermaises 503-1 1.057-1
Chevrainvilliers 563-5 1.270-7
Sermaises 628-7 1.226-7
Quievrain 775-27
Noyon 1.883-4
Melun 1.622-5 3.414-7
Sermaise 593-9 1.743-16
Melun 718-9 1.469-35
Sermaise 367-11 949-26
Chevrain 687-11 1.071-31
Noyon 1.275-11
Ecouen 2.072-11
Melun 616-12 1.670-56 2.897-77
Toury 1.003-12 1.914-35 1.277-78
Melun 750-13
Quievrain 1.281-13
Chevrainvilliers 1.250-14 2.331-30. En verder:
Chevrainvilliers 372-15 (908-28), Sermaise 1.338-20 (3.125-32), Gien 218-21,
Ecouen 851-29, Melun 778-32 (2.630-87), Noyon 1.548-48, Quievrain2.382-48, Chevrainvilliers 1.651-58 (3.348-144) et cetera.
-19-6226549: Hen, 1st Ace yrl in 2021. From 028 Ebben x 15-616 out of 13-264.
Melun 504-2 718-3 1.743-6
Melun 441-2 1.093-2
Sermaise 408-3 593-3 2.403-29
Orleans 298-3 419-4 1.127-4
Melun 817-5 1.647-5
Sermaise 669-5 841-11 2.071-22
Chevrain 581-8 986-8
Sermaise 1.556-8
Noyon 798-13
Sermaise 822-11 1.338-19
Melun 800-15 1.515-33
Melun 1.022-15
Melun 1.160-20 2.454-20 4.041-41. Also:
Melun 1.670-26, Quievrain 1.382-48, Quievrain 1.392-53 et cetera.
- 2021-6124319: ‘Twindoffer’. 319 and nestsister 318 became 1st and 2nd Ace. Bred from 128 (off 264) x 727 (Scheele 493 x sister Diamond 596).
21-319 won in 2022 alone:
Melun 249-1 409-1
Toury 677-2 1.277-4
Melun 430-4 725-5
Auxerre 747-9 1.203-16
Sermaise 1.290-10 2.403-22
Melun 670-15 1.160-19
Melun 513-16 718-26 etc.
1st Ace yrl Middle Distance. 10 prizes is first 10%.
-2021-6124318, ‘Twinduivin’, nestmate. 2nd Ace. 18th National Ace KBDB.
Nanteuil 297-1 451-1
Auxerre 747-1 1.203-2
Faye 289-3 435-4
Toury 677-8 1.277-12
Melun 430-15 725-20
Melun 670-16 1.160-21
Sermaise 1.240-22 2.403-48 etc.
You may have noticed that all those sensational record birds, mentioned above, descend from miracle breeder 13-264.
- 17-6200724 Hen from Scheele 493 x v d Brande 596 won:
Melun 718-1 1.743-1
Melun 687-1
Chevrain 238-2 566-4
Chevrain 447-3
Chevrain 640-4
Melun 814-11 1.813-13
Quievrain 775-12
Chevrain 687-12
Chevrain 563-12 1.670-16
Toury 734-13 1.398-18. (then lost)
-18-6243727 Sister ‘724’. 5th Ace and in 2019 1st Ace. Mother of 318 and 319!!!
Chevrain 158-1 238-3 566-6
Chevrain 289-2 372-4 908-4
Chevrain 454-3
Melun 718-4 1.743-7
Sermaise 1.052-4 2.274-4
Sermaise 1.338-5 3.125-9
Quievrain 662-4
Quievrain 775-5
Chevrain 975-6 1.651-6 3.348-10
Sermaise 367-7 949-17
Orleans 189-9 306-16 738-25
Sermaise 593-10
Chevrain 732-10 1.250-17 2.331-35
Noyon 1.883-12
Melun 830-15 1.622-22 3.414-32
Melun 452-16 (1.154-26), Melun 650-25, Toury 574-23 (1.003-48) etc.
08-683, mother of 'AD' , the best Middle Distance bird of ALL Belgium and 1st Olympiad bird. 'AD' is father of sensational racers and breeders
- 17-6200709: ‘Ace 709’: Hen. Was 2nd and 1st Ace. Off vd Brande 595 x 10-636.
Sermaise 1.613-3 2.678-3
Melun 425-6 642-8
Chevrain 563-6 721-16
Sermaise 841-7 2.071-9
Sermaise 1.052-8 2.274-8
Sermaise 593-11
Chevrain 1.071-11 1.654-16
Gien 218-13
Quievrain 662-13 And also:
Chevrain 232-17, Melun 373-18, Noyon 1.083-22, Sermaise 503-22 (1.057-34), Noyon 1.360-27, Chevrain 456-29 (751-58) Toury 574-33 (734-56) Melun 424-38 (814-48) Noyon (1.548-60) etc.
-18-6243730 From Fondman x daughter Rossi Eyerkamp
Melun 323-2 1.508-14
Noyon 256-3 420-3
Quievrain 845-3
Sermaise 841-4 2.071-4
Chevrain 1,651-4 3.348-8
Melun 718-10 1.743-17
Noyon 1.155-14, Pont 957-15, Noyon 928-32, Noyon 937-35. Etc
-16-625755 ‘Double Ace’. 3rd and 7th Ace in ‘17 and ‘19. Off 235 (Den Ad x hen Gust):
Souppes 430-1 1.818-18
Chevrain 372-1 908-1
Chevrain 563-2 818-18
Melun 814-3
Melun 561-6 713-8
Souppes 1.037-7
Chevrain 519-9 736-11
Chevrain 259-11 1.654-14
Chevrain 974-15
Noyon 670-16, Chevrain 682-16, Toury 734-27, Ecouen 1.077-33,
Pont 1.441-59 etc
-17-6200736 Cock also of superbreeder 235 (off Den Ad) x 08-037 v d Wouwer.
Ecouen 1.069-1 2.072-1
Melun 2.545-3 4.041-4
Toury 734-4 1.398-6
Chevrain 1.270-7
Melun 588-9 1.154-10 etc.
From a daily magazine in 1985. It says 'Ad Schaerlaeckens inimitable'
NOT ALL
A real impressive series for such a small family. In the Naional pigeon magazine De Duif those results were described as the best of ALLE BELGIUM.
And this was not all. For example: Possibly the best, the 14-976 (Super ZAV) remained unmentioned because his breeding results were not real good. It was out of Super Leo 622 x hen Boeckx.
18-732 also remained undiscussed. This daughter 006 won as a yrl. 3 times 1st and was 3rd best National Ace Pigeon yrl Middle Distance of ALL Belgium KBDB.
The 1st, 3rd and 5th Ace pigeon youngsters 2022 are not listed, nor is the 19-874 (Half W de Bruijn) who finished three times in the top 10 Ace pigeons.
Of the listed pigeons, some are lost or dead and the 17-749 has been sold. He won from four consecutive races from Noyon: 958 p – 1, 1,004 p – 3, 622 p – 3, 862 p – 6. Also 654 p – 2 (974-4), 495 p – 4, 424 p – 4. There were not many better birds in the country.
Ad still regrets to have sold it because it was a son of possibly the best breeding hen he ever had: 13-264.
FINALLY
This was an introduction to this successful combination Maegh A S
Ad has played well all his life, now Roger is the loft manager of these valuable birds. Roger: 'Fellow fanciers ask what is the secret. Then I say: It's the pigeons', that's how much I have learned in those years. Before we started racing together in 2006 I raced by myself. Results were poor but then I didn't have the good pigeons. And if you do have the good pigeons, pigeon sport is actually very simple.'
Ad: "At least if they are taken good care of.'
