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The base

If you make sure it is right at the base the rest will follow automatically as people say.

Americans refer to the family, that should be the base of society.
For football it is the defense.

And defenders should look like defenders. A defender with an angel face does not work out well. In Holland they found that soccer had to be attractive and the defense was neglected the last few years. The result is that right now Netherlands have become a giant with feet of clay. Hopefully things will be better in Brazil.

PIGEONS

In pigeon sport the base is the breeding loft.

The good things come from it and the bad things as well.

Breeders that lack quality will never produce good off spring.

Breeders that lack natural health are bound to produce weak offspring.

Many breeding lofts lack quality and the consequences stand to reason.

Parents will never give what they do not have themselves.

The challenge is to fill the stock loft with birds that have the potency to produce winners. And it is here that we face a problem.

What birds would that be?

I always say that no one on this earth can say for sure if a pigeon is any good. That applies to both racers and breeders.
Because the qualities we desire from a good flyer (win) or a good breeder (produce winners) are not externally visible.
When fanciers were handling birds at Gust Janssens he used to say.
"You can handle this bird for hours but what you are looking for you will not find because you cannot see it."

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ?
Is there nothing at all that tells us if a bird is a good breeder or not?

- Eye sign for example?
- Or the so called breeding plumes that Pipa refers to?
- Or something else?
In my opinion there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING indeed that provides security.
Although it has often surprised me, and also others, that you find many good breeders among the pigeons with a so-called wart along the nose.
But scientifically this is based on nothing, nor are the so called breeding feathers that  Pipa refers to.  

And lets be realistic: We should praise the Lord there is nothing that will tell us for sure if pigeons are good breeders or not. If there were such a thing that would be the end of pigeon sport, since people with money would strangle the others.  
And if you finally have bred that super bird?

Have you then found that breeding pair that we all want so much?

Unfortunately you have not.

Even if a pair has given a superbird there is NO guarantee at all that the same thing will happen again.

EXAMPLE

The late Klak had his "613 ", one of his best racers ever.  

He let the parents together all their lives but never again did they produce a pigeon that could compare with "613".

And there are numerous examples like this. I have known many "supers" throughout the years. But I have never known a super that had a handful of brothers or sisters that were as good as the super itself.

That"s why I have my doubts (or compassion) when people pay a fortune for a birds just because the brother is good.
   
NOT ALL LUCK

But there is good news, since in my opinion, it is not all luck.

You can increase your chances to breed good birds for sure.

If you have good racers that are closely related chances are great those birds are also good breeders.
A super that has not any good brother or sister is a poor breeder in most cases.  

THE 05
The best bird I have ever known was the "05" of Vermeulen.

The bird had four brothers that were all four good racers.
So, according to my understanding, they would be good breeders and so they were.

Who at the time bought birds from Vermeulen of that bloodline became a champion soon. Dirk van Dijck had his "Bourges", "Rambo" and "Kannibaal". Fantastic racers that were closely related. Their breeding value is known all over the world by now.  

OWN LOFT

About 10 years ago a long report about my results was published in the leading pigeon magazine "De Duif".

In it there photos and pedigrees of "145" (Ace Four) and his nest sister "144".

The birds were 1st and 2nd Ace provincial. In the races was an average entry of 11,000 birds. "Unprecedented " the magazine said. "Never happened before."
One year later the parents produced "95-230" ( 6th ace in the Fed after 5 loft mates) and half of Holland knows by now what unbelievable breeders those pigeons would be.

The following birds descend from the illustrious "145" (Ace Four), "144" and "230".

- Best cock of the Netherlands ( Verbree ).

- Best hen of the Netherlands ( Verbree ).

- A flying miracle from Belgian Andre Roodhooft.

- NATIONAL winners for Rubens, Michel Vanlint, Bart van Oeckel en Knaven.

- "Fleur" Jespers van der Wegen, decribed as the best breeding hen in Belgium.

- "Ad " from Marcel Wouters (NATIONAL Ace  2012 and 1st Olympiad bird).

- Two National Aces for Pieper.

- World famous "Sprint"" and "Bubbels" Verkerk.

- Semi National winners for P v d Merwe.

- Even Bolt, the bird of 310,000 euros, from Leo Heremans descends from Ace Four. And many many more. 


Home Alone, a famous son of Ace Four 


THE OPPOSITE

The opposite is also true

Long way back there was a real wonder bird in the town of Bergen op Zoom.

It was so sensational that it was rumored that the owner had committed fraud.
I went there because I never had seen a cheater closely, but the man looked like a nice guy. I could not imagine this man was not ok.

The bird looked good, I wanted to buy it since the price was reasonable but after the owner had told his story I went home with an empty basket.

His story was that it had 7 brothers and sisters and none of them was any good.

Later on it was sold to C v d P.

"Hopefully I am wrong, but I cannot imagine this bird is a good breeder", I said.

Unfortunately was not wrong. He bred 4 years from it and it had only given rubbish. Later on it was sold to China.

 

IN CONCLUSION

What I want to say is this:

Do you have birds that are closely related that are winners? Chances are optimal that they are good breeders as well.