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BELGISCHE DUIVEN DEDEN HET UITSTEKEND IN HARDE 19e MILLION DOLLARRACE IN ZUID AFRIKA.

Thu, 26 Mar 2015 18:22:37 +0100

DOMINIQUE VELGHE EN HOK JOS VER CAMMEN GROTE UITBLINKERS.
tekst en fotos August en Frank Daelemans.
Tijdens een hard betwiste en door een onverwachte stormbui gestoorde eindvlucht van 525 km., deden de Belgische duiven het ronduit schitterend. Dat het resultaat van de Belgen er zat aan te komen, werd reeds herhaalde malen bevestigd tijdens de voorgaande trainingsvluchten,waarin klassementen in de Hot Spot vluchten, de Knock Out kompetitie en de Grand Average, de Belgische duiven op het voorplan zijn gekomen.
Niet minder dan vijf Belgische deelnemers wisten zich in de Hot Spot vluchten te plaatsen. Van Damme-Weyns, Leo Heremans twee maal, Yvan en Willy Baetens, en Cools Syndikaat. In de Grand Average of Asduif kompetitie plaatsten zich Belgische duiven op de 7e, 9, 10e, 28e en 36e plaats en Hok Jos Vercammen werd de winnaar van de internationale Knok Out Kompetitie. Bovendien plaatste een Belgisch team zich tweede in de Memorial Trofee Zandy Meyer waar voor en brandnieuwe Mercedes werd gevlogen.
Grote Belgische uitblinkers tijdens de eindvlucht, die betwist werd met 2453 deelnemers waren de Go For Gold duiven van Dominique Velghe. Met zes duiven in de eindvlucht wist onze landgenoot zich als eerste Belg op de 17e, 28e, 49e, 75e, 333e en 773e te plaatsen, waarbij hij als enige deelnemer alle duiven in de eindvlucht in de uitslag kreeg.
140 deelnemers wisten zich voor de eindvlucht te plaatsen, legden beslag op 9 plaatsen tussen de eerste honderd en 21 Belgische duiven die langs de kassa mochten passeren. Bovendien waren er 69 Belgische duiven van de 140 die aan de ultieme eindvlucht deelnamen zondag kort na de middag thuis, hetgeen met 50 procent als een schitterend resultaat mag bestempeld worden.
Voor zij die van statistieken houden willen wij graag ook de exacte cijfers tonen. Van de 337 Belgische duiven die aan het begin werden ingeschreven bleven er na niet minder dan drie maanden en dertig trainingsvluchten, betwist tussen 50 en 315 km. 140 of 42 procent duiven over die zich voor de eindvlucht plaatsten. Dit lijkt ons een verdiend eindsaluut voor de kwaliteit van de Belgische duiven, vooral dan om dat de Million Dollar Race in Zuid Afrika open huis speelt, waarin alle gegevens open en bloot vrij worden gegeven. Kijken we b.v. naar onze eigen in Belgie gespeelde nationale en internationale wedstrijden als vergelijk. Hier worden wel steeds het aantal ingekorfde duiven vermeld en ook de prijswinnaars, maar waarvan niemand ooit weet hoeveel duiven nooit meer thuiskwamen.
Zoals we vroeger reeds neerschreven, het werd een harde wedstrijd, betwist onder een loodzware en hete temperatuur, waarbij de om zes uur s' morgens geloste duiven reeds na korte tijd 32 graden warmte over de hoofden kregen en iets naar het middaguur een onverwachte storm met zware regen over zich heen kregen, hetgeen ganse de bende uit elkaar sloeg. Dat de grote groep duiven door deze storm volledig werden tegen gehouden bleek uit het feit dat slechts 16 duiven de eerste dag de eindmeet bereikten, maar s' anderdaags vanaf 5 uur s' morgens de duiven vlot begonnen doorkomen en enkele uren later reeds 1300 duiven of meer dan 50 procent van de 2453 duiven thuis was gekomen. Waarbij is gebleken, dat de eerste honderd duiven die de dag nadien publiek werden verkocht in uitstekende conditie verkeerden.
EN DAN DE EINDRANGESCHIKKING VAN ONZE BELGISCHE SUPERSTAR KOMPETITIE. DOMINIQUE VELGHE WINNAAR VOOR DE CLIPPEL-BODAERT.
Dat de Million Dollar Race in Zuid Afrika in alle lagen van de duivensport, zelfs internationaal de top belangstelling haalt, wordt nog maar eens bewezen door de meer dan 33.000 belangstellenden die naar de reportage van de finale op Pipa hebben gekeken. Maar er blijkt ook, welke ongekende belangstelling er internationaal bestaat voor onze eigen Belgische Superstar kompetitie.
Onze Belgische Superstar kompetitie, gelijk lopend met de Asduif kompetitie in Zuid Afrika welke haar traditionele feestviering zal kennen op zaterdag 14 maart in restaurant Tybeert in Lokeren Daknam, met zoals gebruikelijk eerst een fijne receptie en nadien een uitstekend gratis diner, aangeboden aan alle Belgische deelnemers die met ons hun duiven, met Belgische ringen naar Zuid Afrika opstuurden. Dat de vijftien deelnemers die zich in onze eindrangschikking wisten te klasseren, zoals steeds weer langs de schitterende prijzen tafel, ons geschonken door onze sponsors zullen mogen passeren is meer dan een tradititie geworden.
Dominique Velghe, die dit jaar voor de tweede maal deelneemt en die gerust als de internationaal meest opgemerkte deelnemer in de Million Dollar Race mag beschouwd worden, met vier duiven tussen de eerste honderd in de rangschikking, sleept de overwinning in de Belgische Superstar Kompetitie in de wacht maar legt bovendien ook beslag op de derde plaats. Yokohama-Hermans klasseren zich eveneens tweemaal tussen de eerste tien op de zevende en negende plaats, terwijl eveneens verschillende gekende namen de neus aan het venster steken.
De rangschikking kan u zien op onze Million $ Race pagina : klik hier

Louis Janssen passes away at age 100

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:41:12 +0200

On the 16th of April, Louis Janssen passed away. In August he would have celebrated his 101st birthday. His passing marks the end of an era: Louis was the last of the legendary Janssen brothers. For 99 years he remained in the house where he was born, dedicating a major part of his life to the pigeons. Together with his sister Irma and his brothers Vic, Jef, Adriaan and Charel, Louis forged the mixed inheritance of his father into a bloodline unparalleled in the history of pigeon sport.

When they raced, they destroyed the competition. Once I had the good fortune of being shown one of their diaries, detailing the weather, pool money entered and won, birds put in the race, etc. That particular diary showed records from before the second World War: three weeks in a row the Janssen Brothers won the equivalent of a workman's house! But their pigeons did not only race well, they were and still are to this very day outstanding breeders. One has to look very hard for a Champion's pedigree that does not somewhere contain Janssen blood in it. It doesn't matter if those Champions race sprints, middle - or long distance: the Janssen pigeons enriched them all. Sure, the Janssen brothers themselves didn't bother taking their pigeons very far, but Japanese clients of ours reported Janssen offspring winning races up to 1000 km.

With their fantastic pigeons the Janssen Brothers put the small farmer's village of Arendonk on the world map. South Africans, Argentinians, Americans, Russians, Australians, Maltese, ... you name it: fanciers from all corners of the globe came to visit. They might not have known that Brussels is the capitol of Belgium or even that Belgium is situated in Europe, but they sure knew the exact geographical position of Arendonk and especially the position of that simple house in the Schoolstraat.

All of that has now come to an end. Louis Janssen was fortunate to enjoy good health for a very long time indeed, but at last old age caught up with him. In 2012 Louis moved to a home for the elderly and on 13 May 2012 his last remaining stock was sold for the staggering average price of 21390 euro per pigeon. The biggest fans of the Janssen pigeons, the Chinese and the Taiwanese, bought them all. Their strong economies made sure they could outbid all contenders. But make no mistake: despite their ability to be able to spend money like water, the Chinese and Taiwanese are no fools. They know the value of the most unique bloodline in pigeon racing. That's why after the auction they also started to buy every other original Janssen they could lay their hands on. Most fanciers sold their stock. I did not. As it happens I love the Janssen pigeons. They are usually very tame, easy to mate, they almost never fight or make trouble on your loft, they are beautiful and they are simply very, very good pigeons.

On the 22nd of April 2013, Louis Janssen's funeral ceremony was held in the church of Arendonk, the village that he and his brothers have made famous in the pigeon sport world. About 70 people came to pay their last respects. Two Germans, two Japanese, some family and only a handful of friends that loved their birds more than the money that was to be made from them: Marc Geentjens, André Roodhooft, my Dad and myself. Piet Manders unfortunately was unable to attend because he was in Hungary, but Cor, Piet's wife, was there. A few others. The big pigeon marketeers were nowhere in sight: no more money to be made from an old man that spent the last year of his life in a home for the elderly. It doesn't matter: Louis and his brothers can rest assured that there will be people enough that will continue to breed those fantastic quality pigeons that made them famous. The Janssen Brothers themselves are now gone, but their birds will live on as long as someone somewhere in the world is still racing pigeons. Goodbye Louis, and thank you for that legacy.

LUC GEERINCKX PASSES AWAY

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:37:33 +0100

What a lot of his friends feared for some time now has come to pass. Luc Geerinckx, a nice, softspoken gentleman with a great character has lost his battle with the dreadful disease which ailed him for almost a year. Just a week ago, we contacted his wife and his son Bart, who confirmed that Luc was not doing well at all. Nevertheless we hoped, and with us his friends and family, that the tide would turn and Luc would be able to walk the long road towards recovery. It was not to be.

We lose a good friend but above all the pigeon sport community loses one of the greatest fanciers of his generation. Luc made his mark on the National and International scene by winning just about everything a fancier dreams of winning. Luc did not only dominate the sport on a club level, but also made his name on Provincial and National competition and received the International acclaim that is only reserved for the greatest champions. Many fanciers today reached the top thanks to the pigeons they received from the loft of Luc Geerinckx.

We extend our feelings of sympathy towards Luc’s family in these difficult days. If heaven allows pigeon racing, it is certain Luc will be honored there as well as a great pigeon fancier but also as a great human being. Luc, we’ll never forget you!

BENNY STEVENINCK: hard to beat on the middle distance

Sun, 3 Oct 2010 22:56:16 +0200

Some fanciers manage to place themselves outside every conceivable category. We remember the Marissen brothers of Oelegem, who became almost unbeatable at a certain point in time. Another example was Jos Soontjens of Wommelgem, who managed to win all 16 Noyon races (!) that were organised in a certain season by the renowed union Wijnegem-Oelegem-Schilde-Ranst-Wommelgem. Jan Grondelaers of Limburg, Gommaire Verbruggen and Maurice Vandevelde of Brabant and West Flanders’ top fanciers such as Filip Norman (50 victories in one season), Gaby Vandenabeele, Rik Cools, Noël Peiren, Maurice Mattheeuws,... are other examples of Champions written with a big letter C. In its turn, the East Flanders Province also finds among its fanciers one of those exceptional performers: Benny Steveninck.

Benny received a love for the sport with his mother’s milk. At home where he grew up pigeons were always around and so a keen interest in pigeon racing remained with Benny, even though shortly after getting married the sport moved a bit to the background. In 1998 however, having built a house in Hamme, he decided to give racing pigeons another go. In view of the fact that Benny drives a train for a living, finding the right hours and time to take care of the pigeons was not self evident. Fortunately Benny’s wife also has a keen interest in the birds and so has become an indispensible help.

The first pigeons on the new loft came from Willy Vanhoutte in the West Flanders province. By doing so, Benny Steveninck followed the path many beginning fanciers have chosen: starting out on the sprints. Fairly soon however, Benny moved to the middle distance and reinforced his lofts with pigeons from Michel Hautekiet of Ruddervoorde, Silvain Verstraeten of Dendermonde and Eric Brootcoorens. The combination of these birds with his Willy Vanhouttes was an instant success. With 4237419/01 and 4428040/02 Benny possessed a super breeding pair, not only in the first generation with fantastic performers such as ‘Chipo’, ‘Zanini’ and ‘Nationaal’, but also in the second generation with 3 National Ace pigeons, 3 Provincial Acepigeons, 5 1st Provincial winners and a 1st National Gueret!

‘4210994/07’ x ‘4372474/07’ is another top breeding pair on the Steveninck lofts, with children such as 1st National Limoges, 1st Provincial Gueret and 1st Dourdan ‘Nova Star’.

Racing is of course one thing for a pigeon, breeding is another. ‘Chipo’ - fortunately for Benny - can do both: mated to the ‘Hautekiet’, 4328989/03, he sired ‘the Crack’, ‘Chihaut 98’ and ‘Chihaut 100’, to name but a few. Please keep in mind that ‘Chipo’ himself won 5 times 1st Dourdan, 1st Provincial Acepigeon middle distance 2003, 3rd Provincial and 6th National Acepigeon middle distance 2006 and 1st Provincial and 3rd National Acepigeon middle distance in 2007. ‘The Crack’ was 3rd Provincial Acepigeon 2006, 1st Provincial Acepigeon middle distance 2007 and 3rd National Acepigeon middle distance 2007. He got these titles by winning 1st Provincial Bourges, 11th National Bourges against 12898 pigeons, 2 times 1st Dourdan and 3 times 2nd Dourdan. Results most of us can only dream about.

Let’s just have a look at some of Benny Steveninck’s results of the past couple of years and it will be clear to you why he is THE man to beat on the middle distance...

National Championships:

10th Champion Sprint and Middle Distance Young Birds 2004
6th National Champion Acepigeon Short Middle Distance 2005
8th National Champion Short Middle Distance Old Birds 2006
10th National Champion Yearlings 2006
12th National Champion Yearlings 2007
3rd National Champion Acepigeon Short Middle Distance 2007
4th National Champion Short Little Distance Old Birds 2008
3rd National Champion Acepigeon Short Middle Distance 2008

Provincial Championships:

1st Champion Middle Distance Young Birds 2003
8th Champion Middle Distance Old Birds 2005
3rd Champion Middle Distance Old Birds 2006
3rd General Champion 2006
1st Champion Middle Distance Old Birds 2007
2nd Champion Middle Distance Old Birds 2008
4th Champion Middle Distance Old Birds 2009
4th Champion Long Distance Young Birds 2009

Provincial Victories:

1st Provincial Bourges Yearlings 2007
1st Provincial Vierzon Yearlings 2008
1st Provincial Argenton Yearlings 2008
1st Provincial Gueret Young Birds 2008
1st Provincial Limoges Yearlings 2009
1st Provincial Blois Yearlings 2009

National Victories:

1st National Limoges Yearlings 2009

COUNTDOWN TO THE MILLION DOLLAR RACE 2011

Sat, 2 Oct 2010 11:45:57 +0200

Granted, I’ve always known Race Director Zandy Meyer to exude nothing but confidence. Nevertheless I think even Zandy would never have imagined 15 years ago that the idea of a South African one loft race would have evolved into the icon ‘the Million’ is today. But here we are, 15 years down the road, and the Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race is not only the most famous one loft race in the world, it is the standard by which all other one loft races are judged.

Evolving into such a standard is not an easy thing. Many years of hard work by committed coordinators worldwide, backed by a devoted and competent organisational staff in South Africa, a true pigeon loving team at the lofts and let’s not forget financial support by visionary investors in Switzerland have gradually increased the number of participating countries and pigeons to what it is today. A mindblowing 6594 pigeons from 37 different countries appear at the starting line of the 2010/2011 season. Of course, the bulk comes from the Big Seven: Australia, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. These are the countries that were involved almost right from the beginning and always have supported the race. Nevertheless countries such as Canada (169 pigeons) Denmark (129 birds) and Kuweit (234) show increasing numbers each year as well. Winning the race always helps coordinators of that country to gather a fair amount of pigeons: 111 birds from the Czech Republic are proof of this (and another 93 of their ‘ex-countrymen Slovakia to boot). Even countries which most fanciers would not expect turn up for the event: what to think of Iraq, Puerto Rico or Trinidad for example? Looking at all these figures we also have to keep in mind that some countries would dearly like to send more pigeons but are hampered by veterinary restrictions: China is the most important case, having only 9 pigeons participating. Overall, looking at the number of pigeons and of participating countries, it is more than clear why the Million Dollar Race is sometimes called ‘the unofficial World Championship’. The top attraction of the event, apart from the roughly 1,3 million US dollar in prizemoney, is indeed the chance it offers fanciers worldwide to compete against the best of the best in a true international race.

With a long pre-training stage around the loft and on short road trips behind them, the pigeons have now, on the 27th of October, completed their first official Training Race. As in the previous years, fanciers from all over the globe will be glued to their computer screens at least twice a week, studying the Million Dollar Race’s state of the art website(s) to trace the performances of their champions as they race towards fame and glory. Several competitions ‘on the side’, such as the five Car Races (previously called Hot Spots), the Grand Averages, the Nomination Races, etc. will keep everybody entertained until the thrilling finale on the 22nd of January 2011. Who will be in the world’s spotlight on that day? If you are a participant: who knows? It might be you! And if you’re not participating, check out the organisation’s superb website www.scmdpr.com or take a look at the proceedings in the Belgian Superstar Competition on this website to get a feel of the thrill that keeps fanciers happy all winter (for us Northern Hemispherers anyway) long and be sure to send your best for the next edition. We’re all looking forward to competing against you!