When Norbert De Schrijver and his friend Philippe Brantegem participated in the Million Dollar Race for the first time a couple of years ago they got a result they could never have guessed. This doesn't mean both friends didn't have confidence in the pigeons they had sent to the race. On the contrary, Norbert De Schrijver had proven many times on a Belgian National and Provincial level that he possessed a loft able to compete with the best of the best. A National victory on Bourges, the "Barcelona of the middle distance", was the living proof of this, as were a number of other top prizes and outright victories.

---Norbert & Philippe in South Africa

Of course, competing with the top fanciers of more than 30 different countries is another matter altogether. Competing against the world's top birds, whose owners are not afraid to stake their claim by pooling 1000 USD on each of them is not for the fainthearted or the unsure, and - dare we say it? - a challenge many so called Champions with a big "C" are folding for, afraid of seeing their airs of invincibility crumble before reality.

But Norbert and Philippe decided they were indeed up for the challenge and under these circumstances they were able to land 4 of their birds in the prizemoney, three of which secured a position within the top 160. This was not only a feat to make them noticed in South Africa (not to mention the rest of the world), but also the incentive to enter pigeons in some other one loft races. The results were something many fanciers can only dream about: 1st in Las Vegas and 11th in the World East Challenge, where Acepigeons are nominated according to their average result over a series of races. Just a couple of days ago Norbert De Schrijver and Philippe Brantegem were also able to score in China, making them both household names in the world of one loft racing.

Let's return to South Africa. Last year the De Schrijver-Brantegem syndicate was able to place itself in second position in the Belgian Superstar Competition with "Tricky Deal". This year, "Tricky Deal"'s halfbrother (they share the same father) "On Stage" is ready to work himself up to the top regions of the Belgian Superstar by being the first Belgian bird past Wednesday, 5 December, by coming in at the 33rd position (against almost 3400 birds, that's a position in the top 1% folks!). Father of "On Stage" is 4406616/04 out of 2087422/98 who is the father of the 1st National Argenton of Robert Van Eycken, mated to 4112140/02 of Robert Van Eycken, which is the mother of the 1st National Argenton against 15083 pigeons. In other words, "On Stage"'s father is a full brother of the 1st National winner. Examining the pedigree on father's side we also see Gaston & Danny Devooght, Karel Meulemans and Vercauteren.
Mother of "On Stage" is Schalie 4116817/06 whose father won 16th National Bourges against 26737 pigeons, 2nd Bourges Regional against 1092 pigeons and 7th Provincial against 5002 pigeons. She also was 26th and 12th Dourdan. Her mother is "Baby Cerafin", 6th Regional Gueret, 46th Provincial, 76th in Zone B and 224th National against 9277, all from Gueret. Father of "Baby Cerafin" is "Cerafin", 6582710/96, 1st Provincial Argenton against 1351 birds and 5th National Argenton against 19676 pigeons. Both parents of "Baby Cerafin" carry a serious part Verbruggen genes of the famous "Kletskopje". I apologize if I sound monotonous, but once again this pedigree proves cream always floats on top.

Text: August & Frank Daelemans
Picture: Frank Daelemans