Jos Vercammen, Belgian’s money maker
Jos Vercammen who races under the name of ‘Hok Vercammen’ since his son Lars also has become a fanatic pigeon man, is considered to be the fancier that makes most money in the races in Belgium.
Jos, who could afford to quit working at the age of 42, likes to pool and no wonder.
His results are so good that he gets a real high interest of the money he ‘lays out’.
He is the ‘Mr Lai from Belgium’.
Nobody makes as much money in the races as he does.
The fact that he has created a type of pigeon that performs as a young bird and as old bird, regardless the distance and weather conditions makes pooling less risky.
NO WONDER
Neither the weather nor the distance is relevant for the Vercammen birds, as it seems.
Racing old birds, yearlings or young birds?
Racing from 100 kilometres or 600?
Racing in bad weather, in hard weather or under easy circumstances?
Racing hens or cocks?
It does not make any difference to him or rather his birds. He is always the man to be beaten.
- He became 1st champion long distance in the province of Antwerp with old birds, yearlings AND youngsters (450 to 750 kilometres) in 2004.
- He became 1st Champion Middle Distance in 2004.
- He became 2nd National Champion BDS youngsters at Middle Distance and had 4th National Ace KBDB in 2004 (B-03-6287006 ‘Porto’).
- In previous years he won the National ‘Golden Duif’ competition before stars such as Deleus and Vandenabeele.
- He became 2nd National Champion old birds plus 2nd and 3rd National champion yearlings KBDB.
- He had the 4th and 5th National Ace Middle Distance (KBDB).
- In 2002, 2003 and 2004 he won no less than 75 first prizes amongst which 10 on Provincial level.
- And so on!
REFERENCES
Also in other lofts the Vercammen birds have proven their superior quality.
Take the Houben family. The mother from their illustrious ‘Pinocchio’ is a hen from Vercammen (daughter ‘Tiffany’ B-96-3121904).
‘Pinocchio’ won two 1sts Interprovincial from Argenton (9,864 birds and 4,740 birds). Houben birds such as Goldwing, Fausto, Dandy, Samos, Locarno, Sylvester, Cupido descend from Vercammen as well.
In 2004 M van Gastel won 1st NPO race from Tours (16,154 birds, 5 minutes ahead) with a bird that was nearly pure Vercammen.
Since it had won a lot more it was purchased by Ludo Claessens.
‘Tiger’ a sensational bird in Belgium in recent years raced by young Eric Berckmoes was also bred from a Vercammen cock (a half brother from ‘Martina’ and a grandson of ‘Panter’ 86-6056506, see later) and another descendant of ‘Panter’ won 2nd prize in a OLR in Nanjing China (920 birds).
Furthermore Vercammen birds are responsible for the following National, Semi-National or Provincial victories at others:
Moeskroen 12,752 p – 1st
Creil 14,467 p – 1 st
Tours 10,666 p – 1 st
Orleans 10,173 p – 1st
La Souterraine 9,864 p – 1 st
Argenton 9,591 p – 1 st
Tours 6,752 p – 1 st
Tours 4,779 p – 1st
Orleans 4,448 p – 1st
No wonder big shots such as Houben and Claessens wanted to improve their family by crossing their birds with Vercammen’s.
FAMILY
Vercammen started his career with Stoces birds that carried a lot of Janssenblood.
In 1979 he successfully imported 2 grandchildren of Janssens’ 019 through Geerts.
Famous ‘Ýasmine’ (90-6244831 that won 8 firsts) descends from one of those Janssen hens.
‘Yasmine’s sister became dam of ‘Petra’ (95-6300210) that won six firsts, she is grandmother of famous ‘Martina’ that won 8 firsts.
Also from Geerts Vercammen got the Meulemans strain. ‘Shamrock’ that became 5th National Ace KBDB and ‘Mannequin’, 4th National Ace KBDB are of this family.
Furthermore he got 4 v d Hoek pigeons from V d Pas, all of them were good.
But Vercammen’s hunger for super birds is great.
In 1987 Slaets from Lint, a little town nearby, was the only one who was able to beat Vercammen in a hard race with a bird called ‘Panter’ (B-86-6056506).
It was a grandson from ‘Panter’ from Theo Gilbert from Zulte, a flying miracle in those days and bought by Raoul Verstraete who bought all the best birds in the past.
This ‘Panter’ was said to be a Desmet Matthijsbird.
What did Vercammen do?
Buy the only bird that could beat his.
It was one of the best things he ever did. Most dark checked super birds that he races nowadays are the offspring of ‘Panter’.
Finally he successfully imported two birds from Vandenabeele and birds that originated from Grondelaers, Louis van Hove and Lou Wouters through others.
Famous ‘Olieman’ from Jos van der Veken originates from Louis van Hove, Lou Wouters is the man from whom Roodhooft got many good birds.
BREATH TAKING
A mix of the birds mentioned above are the to-day’s Vercammen birds that seem to get better year after year.
Some facts that are a proof you how many good birds this man has.
For a race from Dourdan (in 2004) he had entered 66 birds and no less than 58 of them won a prize, 43 of them in the first 10 percent.
This was not on local or regional level but in Union Antwerp, the combine that is known for its strong competition.
From Semi National Chateauroux he won 7 prizes from 8 birds entered and from other races he managed to win 38 prizes from 49 birds, 16 prizes from 18 birds, 56 prizes from 66 birds and so on.
So it is clear that Jos and Lars do not depend on just a few good birds, they have a basket full of them, therefore we just have to restrict ourselves introducing them.
PRESENT DAY STARS
B-03-6287006 ‘Porto”
‘Porto’ won in 2004:
Toury 1,233 p – 2nd
Dourdan 712 p – 2nd
Dourdan 502 p – 3rd
Dourdan 1,475 p – 4th
S-National Bourges 5,708 p – 7th
National Bourges 14,207 p – 21st
Dourdan 3,075 p – 8th
Toury 807 p – 5th
And more!
With these results it became 4th National Ace KBDB in 2004, 1st National Ace ‘Ave Regina’ and 3rd National Ace BDS Middle Distance.
‘Porto’ is a son of ‘Deco’ and a grandson of ‘Iron Lady’. It has Van Hove and Grondelaers blood in its veins.
B-99-6448145 ‘Martina’
Sensational ‘Martina’ is a hen that won 8 firsts regional and also:
1st Provincial Vierzon 475 kilometres
3rd Semi-National Vierzon
5th Provincial Bourges.
6th Provincial Tours.
‘Martina’ is a daughter from ‘Panter’ (1986-6056506) the Golden Breeder.
Her mother is ‘Caroline’ that is again a descendant of ‘Panter’.
Mother of ‘Caroline’ is ‘Yasmine’ that was entered in 31 races and won 31 prizes, amongst which 8 x 1st, 5 x 2nd and 10 x 3rd.
‘Martina’ is a half sister of ‘Ace’ (03-6287102) that was entered in 21 races and won 21 prizes, 16 of them in first 10 percent.
With these results it became 1st Ace in Union Antwerp which explains its name.
B-98-6350130 ‘Vanessa’
‘Vanessa’ is another ‘once in a lifetime hen’ in the Vercammen loft. Especially at long distance she performed unbelievably.
She won:
1st Provincial Tours, 504 kilometres.
2nd Limoges (640 kms) 406 birds.
2nd Chateauroux (528 kms) 176 birds.
2nd Argenton (555 kms) 125 birds
11th Limoges 3,069 birds (19th 8,256 birds).
4th Dourdan 967 birds.
Father of ‘Vanessa’ is again a grandson of ‘Panter (86-506) her mother is a granddaughter of ‘Yasmine’.
‘Vanessa’ is dam to ‘Melissa’ (01-6387199) that won 9 first prizes and two firsts provincial Chateauroux (2,795 and 1,795 birds).
‘Vanessa’ is also dam to ‘Barco’ (01-6387350).
‘Barco’ is father of the bird that won 2nd in the OLR in Nanjing China and of sensational ‘Bosko’.
‘Vercammen birds, a family of winners’ I once read about them. This was not exaggerated indeed.
B-03-6287052 ‘Bosko’
Vercammen himself does not know how much money his ‘Bosko’ has won for him, also on National level, but it should be a lot.
It won:
6th S-National Bourges 5,708 p.
9th S-National Chateauroux 4,395 p.
20th National Bourges 14,246 p.
8th Vierzon 206 p.
6th Provincial Chateauroux 690 p.
2nd Bourges 367 p.
As mentioned before a brother won 2nd prize in a One Loft Race in Nanjing china in 2004. No wonder when ‘Barco’ is the father and ‘Vanessa’ the grandmother.
B-98-6350065 ‘Agassi’
‘Agassi’ won:
1st Chateauroux 528 kms.
3rd Chateauroux 339 p
4th Bourges 640 p
4th Dourdan 391 p – 6th
La Souterraine 368 p (592 kms)
9th Chateauroux 1,671 p.
Father of ‘Agassi’ is ‘Robin’ (97-6145011) one of the very best Vercammen breeders.
‘Robin’ is also father of ‘Mitu’ (02-6058048) that won 1st prize from Brive (706 kms) and 2nd prize Provincial (757 birds).
‘Mitu’ is father of ‘Tessa’ (03-6287249) that won 2nd prize Dourdan (1,152 birds) and 11th prize Semi National Argenton (555 kms, 1,331 birds).
And ‘Robin’ is father of ‘Falco’ (03-6287034) that won 6th prize Provincial Blois (462 kms, 1,519 birds), 28th Provincial Vierzon (3,240 birds) and so on.
‘Robin’ is again a grandson of ‘Panter’ and a brother to ‘Petra’ (6 x 1st , 7 x 2nd and 30 prizes in the first 10). The mother of ‘Robin’ is a sister of ‘Yasmine’.
B-03-6287157 ‘Petacchi’
‘Petacchi’ won:
1st Dourdan 3,075 p.
1st Dourdan 1,554 p.
1st Dourdan 1,475 p.
2nd Dourdan 2,669 p.
Father of ‘Petachi’ (02-309) is again a descendant of ‘Panter’ but now crossed with a Vandenabeele hen (line Wittenbuik’ and ‘Bijter’).
B-02-6058088 ‘Aruna’
‘Aruna’ won:
1st Dourdan 1,198 p.
1st Dourdan 904 p.
1st Dourdan 640 p
2nd Dourdan 1,937 p and so on.
‘Aruna’ is a son of ‘Etim’ (91-6425011) that won 11th National Bourges of no less than 51,950 birds and in its pedigree we again see the names of ‘Panter’, ‘Petra’ and ‘Yasmine’.
B-03-6287010 ‘Lotus’
‘Lotus’ won:
1st Argenton regional. 555 kms.
3rd S National Argenton 1,331 p.
4th Toury regional.
4th National Argenton 1,340 p.
6th La Souterraine regional, 593 kms.
10th Blois 582 p (462 kms).
3rd Provincial Argenton 501 p.
16th National Argenton 3,994 p.
The father is a grandson of ‘Panter’ (86-6056506), its mother (00-420) is a daughter of ‘Petra’ who is in turn a granddaughter of ‘Panter’ (86-6056506).
‘Lotus’ herself is a half sister of ‘Aruna’ (same mother 00-6249420).
IN CONCLUSION
Finally it is important to realise that Vercammen races in the province of Antwerp, which is often referred to as the strongest in International pigeon racing.
Let’s finish publishing 2 sensational results that stunned the nation.
- Dourdan (366 kms) 2003 Union Antwerp: entry 1,152 youngsters, hard weather, and 1,100 mpm only.
Jos and Lars had entered 59 youngsters and won no less than 50 prizes to start with:
1, 2, 5, 7, 11, 16, 24, 25, 34 and so on.
- Dourdan 2004 Union Antwerp: entry 1,554 old birds.
66 Birds were entered, 58 of them won a prize, 43 in first 10 percent to start with:
1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 15, 21, 23, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 38, 42, 44, 47, 47, 50, 58, 59, 61, 63 and so on.
Results such as these there are many and the question rises who else in Belgium can show results such as Vercammen’s.