Who races better? (3/6)
Who races better than Ad Schaerlaeckens?
As most fanciers will know I race in Belgium. Results have been fantastic every year but 2019 beats all. The percentage of prizes is unique !! It looked as if we only had good birds. Many fanciers say ‘no one else in Belgium did better.’
THE BEGINNING
It was back in 2006 that I decided to race in Belgium. Maegh Bros had a big loft empty which was perfect for me. In another loft they already had a round of babies from a Belgium Champion. They wanted to get rid of these birds but I said ´leave them there, then we can compare´. So it happened. But from the first training races you could not compare any more. My birds were so much better that we got rid of the Belgians after a few races already. Right away we became 1st champion youngsters that yeaer, one year later 1st champion yearlings, one year later 1st champion old birds.
´The star of Ad Schaerlaeckens in Belgium rises like a rocket it said in the papers. Then, in 2011, things went wrong: Paratyphoid. Babies did not grow up nicely, birds came back from the races tired, real good birds got lost.
LATER
How can such a thing happen to Ad Schaerlaeckens people wondered. Well, paratyphoid was the last thing I thought about, because the birds were treated against it every year. Still it was paratyphoid indeed. Now the birds were treated with Baytril and the result was spectacular. Real soon the birds looked better than ever. Though it was hard to make up for the loss of so many good birds sensational results were achieved one year later already. In 2012 we became 1st over all champion in both the big Feds Union Antwerp and ZAV against all the big shots in the province. With 2 or 3 birds we participated in the national long distance races and mostly all birds won prize.
´006´ Even won 1st NATIONAL. Provincial it had a lead of 10 minutes in hard weather and at the greatest distance. Well known long distance racer Andre Roodhooft was 2nd. The father of 006 (08/250) was a son of Extreem x Mother Leeuw Wouters. The mother was a halfsister of Cow Girl Rik Hermans and a granddaughter of famous Di Caprio. From now on one sensation year followed the other. In 2017 people said ´it is impossible to race better, that is also what they said in 2018 and this year as well.
SOME SPECIALS
This year, 2019, ALL birds perform real well as you will see below. I really cannot say which is the best. Therefore I will give some examples of birds that stand out for special reasons.
-Of course that is the national winner Argenton, 006, that also won 1st prizes from middle and long distance. Moreover he is a fantastic breeder.
-14-976 was a sensational winner as well and became Ace 2 years in a row. It won: 747 p – 1st, 235 p – 1st, 541 p – 1st, 1.235 p – 2nd, 1.130 p – 2nd, 799 p – 2nd, 811 p – 2nd, 811 p – 3rd, 762 p – 3rd, 1.832 p – 4th, 1.844 p - 5th and so on. It was a crossing: My old bloodline and a bit Leo Heremans and Boeckx. With Boeck I practised co breeding. A bird he bred from a cock of mine became 3rd National Ace KBDB sprint..
- 08-682 was a real special hen as well. It won as a baby alone: 952 p – 2nd, 1.023 p – 3rd, 911 p – 4th and 1.092 p – 11th. According to ´Superduif´ it was 3rd best youngster of Belgium. Unfortunately it got lost in a race with nice weather and till today I wonder if paratyphoid was to blame. Its nestsister, 09/683 was to become mother of ´Ad´ the 1st NATIONAL Ace KBDB and 1st Olympiad bird. Raced by Marcel Wouters. She was a descendant of Ace Four.
-And what to think about 17-749? I have better birds but her performances in three weeks time were unique. 17-749 won: 958 p – 1st , 1.004 p – 3rd, 632 p – 3rd, 862 p – 6th. Maybe there were better birds in Belgium but no pigeons that got such results in 4 succeeding races. The 1st prize was won with a speed of 2,200 mpm. The 3rd prize with strong headwinds.
SIMPEL
The only special thing that is worth mentioning are the results. The pigeons do not get any medicine, nor supplements. The only exception is electrolytes when the weather is hot. While others were always looking for better medicine or better vets all their lives I was looking for better birds. If I was successful will be shown by results below. No one will be able to show such results.
Results 2019
April 22nd
18 Yearlings entered, 13 prizes. 28 Old birds entered 21 prizes.
April 29th
No race
May 5th
Noyon short distance: 513 yearlings: 1st, 2nd, 12th, 13th, 16th, 21st and so on. 10 birds entered, 9 prizes !!! 928 Old birds 2nd, 3rd and so on. 10 pigeons entered, 9 prizes.
Chevrainvilliers, a middle distance race on the same day: 6 Yearlings raced, 4 prizes.
16 Old birds raced, 12 prizes to start with 10th from 1.154 birds.
May 12th:
16 yearlings entered, 14 prizes to start with 3rd from 830 birds.
1622 Old birds: 5th, 6th and so on. 26 birds entered and no less than 23 prizes. Same race Interprovincial: Against 3.414 birds we won 7th, 9th and so on. 26 birds entered, 23 prizes.
May 18th:
975 yearlings: 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 10th, 26th, 27th, 32nd and so on. 13 Birds were raced, 11 prizes were won. There were 325 prizes to be won. Our 11th bird won 136th prize.
1.651 old birds: 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 12th and so on. 22 pigeons were entered, 19 prizes were won! Again only one old bird did not win a prize. The 19th bird won 218th prize. Total 551 prizes were to be won. Interprovincial 3,348 pigeons: 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and so on. When I have 4 birds no one else has four birds. Not even those fanciers that entered 80 or more pigeons.
May 25th:
Our loft is at the East side of the Federation. This day there was an Eastern wind, so the location was real bad. We were the only one who lives East in the Fed that performed well. I even daresay super:
732 yearlings: 14 pigeons entered, 11 prizes to start with 9th and 10th.
1.250 old bird. Again we were the first to have 4 pigeons. 4th bird won 17th prize.
And again 19 prizes from 22 birds. After our 19th bird still 160 prizes were to be won interprovincial. ALL eight birds won a prize.
June 1st
Again the wind was against us, but again a super result: 12 Yearlings entered, 12 prizes were won !!!!!!!
20 old birds entered, 17 prizes were won. Again by far the best, despite bad location.
PERCENTAGE
A well known auction site published the prize percentage from an internationally well known great champion. He won 21 prizes from 39 birds, 17 prizes from 52 birds, 31 from 50 and so on. With all respect, but if this is ´real good´ what should I say?
And what is important? So have a look at them. These were not my best results of the year but ALL results so far. With other words: EVERY RACE THE BIRDS PERFORMED SUPER !!
KIND OF PIGEONS
I do not have a family. Inbred pigeons are good for business. I like pigeons that can win and good birds are crossings in most cases. For me it is my own old bloodlines mixed with imports. I tried out many imports, only from the best racers of Belgium from their best birds of course, and found not more than 10% was any good. The imports with which I was happy I got from M Wouters, v d Wouwer, Hermans, Scheele, van Mechelen, de Bruijn, Leo Heremans. Off spring of ´Ad´ (the National Ace) is very good.
SECRET
If results are so sensational fanciers have questions of course. Others gossip.
Secrets? Hmm. We race both sexes, the hens are darkened but the real secret is selection. In 2018 we got rid of birds that won over 30 prizes. And birds that won 8 prizes from 8 races as a baby, birds such as others do not have, were not good enough for me and could leave. All according to my mantra: ´Eliminate your bad birds, sell your good birds and keep your supers´.
SUMMARY 2019
YEARLINGS
Date. Number of birds entered. Number of prizes that were won.
22/4 18 13
5/5 10 9 Sprint race
5/5 16 12 Middle Distance race
12/5 16 14
19/5 13 11
25/5 14 11
1/6 12 12
8-6 13 11
15/6 12 8
Who in Belgium or Holland or Belgium did better?
OLD BIRDS
Date. Number of birds entered. Number of prizes that were won.
22/4 28 21
5-5 16 14
12/5 26 23
19/5 22 19
25/5 22 19
1/6 20 17 Who in Belgium or Holland did better?
8/6 22 19
15/6 20 14