English old Articles
The importance of coincidence is enormous
Every now and then I am asked by fellow fanciers or club committees to grade their birds or select them:
Say which are good and which are bad.
2002 in Western Europe
At the end of the year newspapers and TV stations normally have a review of highlights of the year that passed by. Unfortunately it is always more negative than positive and… unfortunately in pigeon sport it is not much different.
What Dutch and Belgian 'Young bird specialists' have in common and have not
In the Dutch language there is a new term: 'Young bird specialist'. The term saw light in the mid eighties. In those days both in Holland and in Belgium some fanciers began to destroy the young bird races.
Lees meer: What Dutch and Belgian 'Young bird specialists' have in common and have not
How to breed good pigeons?
With the publisher of this paper I was discussing the contents of a pigeon magazine. I write in many of them and I can assure you that that is far from easy as far as foreign countries are concerned.
The doctor de Weerd interview (part two of two)
Also in this edition doctor the Weerd, the Dutch vet, gives his ideas of diseases and problems that pigeon fanciers may have to deal with. In simple wordings he talks about things that should belong to the basic knowledge of every pigeon fancier.
The doctor de Weerd interview (part one of two)
As a child I already had pigeons. This was not that strange. In those days (the 50-ies) nearly everybody raced pigeons, my neighbours left-door, right-door and opposite. My uncles and the workmates of my dad.
The secret of the Champions
When pigeons fail to have good results one need not seek far to find a reason for that. There are two possibilities: Either the birds are no good or they are not in good shape.
Better birds for the common people
People sometimes wonder which things in pigeon sport are the most important to be a successful racer.
Another year passed by
When I was a child my parents used to say 'time goes fast'. I did not take that too serious. For me time could not go fast enough. All these boring days at school. Moreover I wanted to be grown-up. Now I am a father myself and say the same thing to my son.
The methods of the young bird Champions in Holland and Belgium
Pigeonsport in Holland and Belgium is quite different from the sport in Taiwan. We referred to that in a previous article. The big thing in Europe has always been old bird racing and still is.
Lees meer: The methods of the young bird Champions in Holland and Belgium
Historic Pigeons
Fanciers sometimes wonder which were the best pigeons in history. This subject is more than often an item in the pigeon press as well.
I am repeatedly asked the same question but then I do not react. Why not?
The column writer
I think I have been a writer of columns about pigeons and pigeon sport for 25 years or so now. It may also be 24 years, who the heck cares.
A winner need not be the best so buying is an art
In the Dutch press you often see adverts such as the following:
- 'Want to buy 1st prize winners against many birds. Preferably winners from long distance races. Send me photo of the pigeon and pedigree.' Or - 'Want to buy 1st prize winners and Aces. First prizes winners must have other record. Send me photo of the pigeon and pedigree.'
Lees meer: A winner need not be the best so buying is an art
Country Boy in the Big City
The seminar for which I was invited to be guest speaker was in Amsterdam. And if there is one thing in this world that frightens me it is driving in a City like Amsterdam in the night.
Q and A (questions and answers)
Writing in several pigeon-magazines has consequenses. It is not thinking about an article, writing an article, then sending it to the publisher and that's it. Readers suspect you from knowing a lot about pigeons and the sport and they come up with questions.