"I don't know...I don't think I'm going to participate in the Million Dollar Race this time.", said Mark Dingemans earlier this year, when it was time to bring the birds for shipment to Sun City. Seeing that his friend was hestitating, Jimmy Brands proposed: "Why don't you send a pigeon along in my team? We'll act like a syndicate." Mark finally allowed Jimmy to persuade him and sent along "Hoshi". Six months later "Hoshi" is on track to become this year's Acepigeon in the Million Dollar Race. The bird's record is truly impressive: a 36th (Training 3), an 11th (Training 4), a 125th (Training 4a), a 56th (Hot Spot 1) and a 3rd (Training 4b). No wonder, "Hoshi" also leads by several lenghts in the Belgian Superstar Competition. And on Saturday, 26 November, this pigeon decided to top it all by winning the 2nd Hot Spot outright as well. The glory, a 1000 USD, a car and strenghtened positions in the Acepigeon and Superstar rankings: all in a days work. For Jimmy Brands and Mark Dingemans (who races together with his father Guillaume and brother Bert) nothing can ruin this year's Million Dollar Race. Everything that comes now is a cherry on the cake.

Coincidence? I don't think so. Let's have a look at "Hoshi"'s pedigree. The father is a pure Van der Wegen, bought at the auction of Christ van de Lindeloof and out of the lines of Turbo and Beer. The mother was bred by Marc himself. She's a sister of the 500th National Barcelona (against some 13.000 pigeons that is) and a granddaughter of Pros Roosen's Primus Inter Pares (for those who don't know, that's the best performing pigeon on Barcelona 5 years in a row). Hoshi's grandfather (the son of the Primus Inter Pares) won himself a 199th Perpignan in 2001. Hoshi's grandmother on the other hand is a daughter of Sarina (1st International Barcelona 1999 Hens and 3rd International overall, 58th National Barcelona in 1998 and 39th Barcelona in 1997) mated to a halfbrother of Sonja (1st International Perpignan 1996, 18th National San Sebastian 1995 and 35th National Marseille 1994). The mother of this halfbrother was Lucinda, 6th National Barcelona 1994. In other words, a most impressive pedigree. By the way, Hoshi's nestbrother won this year an 83rd Bordeaux against 2728 pigeons. That's right, folks! Cream does float on top. Oh, and I'm looking forward to hearing the comments of those fanciers that have always said: "I'm not sending my pigeons to Sun City. They are long distance racers and those don't have a chance." Hoshi (which aptly means "star" in Japanese) is the best proof that everybody has a chance of winning, providing you send good birds to the race.

Needless to say, Jimmy and the Dingemans family are now looking forward to see the rest of the story as the training races progress towards the grand finale in February next year. Eagerly looking forward I may say: when I made an appointment to meet Jimmy and Mark at the Belgian National Days in Ostend that same Saturday, Mark told me he simply had been too nervous to drive over there himself; the shock of winning the Hot Spot was still getting to him. My nerves on the other hand are still intact, but I'm just as keen to see what's going to happen next. Best of luck to Jimmy and Guillaume, Mark & Bert!

Text & picture(s): Frank Daelemans