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Jean-Pierre
Gevaert
Carine Van
Schoorisse
and Jean-Pierre
A view of
the lofts
Two of the
widowers' lofts
Youngbird
lofts
Another
widowers' loft
Widower at rest
Inside the
widowers' loft
Gevaert's
choice of
supplements
Inside youngbird
loft
2006 youngbirds
Some late bred
birds in the loft
Dark places
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Ronse:
I still remember the e-mail from an American fancier who asked me, "Who
is the best fancier in Belgium at the short- and middle distance?" This
is a question which is very hard to answer. Belgium has about 38,000
fanciers, and as you know, about 70% to 75% of them are specialized
for these distances. Of course, you can understand why I cannot immediately
mention a name. There are so many clubs, and each club has its own top
loft. Therefore, it is up to us to make a selection, to compare the
different results and then to point out the champion among the champions.
How can we do that? Well, one criterion can be that the racing results
of that champion have to become better from year to year.
Do you understand what I mean? Let's say that the quality of the results
has to go up, to include winning a lot of top- and first-prizes, and
this of course would be against a strong group of competitors. That
last criterion--the quality of the competitors--is of course also very
important. In Belgium, we say, "Tell me the names of the competitors
and I will tell you which quality birds you have in your loft." After
making the necessary analyses, I can mention one name--namely the husband
- wife combination of Jean-Pierre Gevaert and Carine Van Schoorisse.
Not a "one-day-flight" but a colony which has already accelerated for14
years and puts results on paper of the type that a lot of fanciers can
only dream of. The races between 100 and 500 kilometers are their favourite
game, and I can tell you this: never say that you have won the first
prize if the clock times of Gevaert-Van Schoorisse are not yet known.
Winning first prizes is the reason that we're all basketing pigeons.
We may even make a bad result, but if our name is listed as the first
place, then we're always satisfied. The disadvantage is that there's
only one first prize, and I think that I don't have to explain how difficult
it is to obtain one. The quality of the pigeons, the quality of the
fancier, the loft-- everything plays a role. But we can say that the
quality of the pigeons is the most important one. And that there are
quality birds in the lofts of Gevaert-Van Schoorisse is something we're
sure of, because if we look at the results of that loft we can say one
word. Impressive!
To give you an idea, here is a list of the first prizes they have won:
1994 (44 x 1st) - 1995 (42 x 1st) - 1996 (46 x 1st) - 1997 (36 x 1st)
- 1998 (49 x 1st) - 1999 (39 x 1st) - 2000 (35 x 1st) - 2001 (35 x 1st)
- 2002 (22 x 1st) - 2003 (25 x 1st) - 2004 (22 x 1st) - 2005 (38 x 1st)
and then in 2006 (through the middle of June) they had already won 34
first prizes, won by 15 different birds. And then we're only halfway
through the season. Will the record of 49 x 1st prizes in one season
be broken? We will see!
And, it's important to know is that not only the first prize is won,
but a lot of other top prizes are clocked weekly. Just look at the results
at the end of this report.
THE BASE
Jean-Pierre has been a pigeon fancier his whole life. But in the mid-nineties,
he had the intention to stop racing pigeons. On a certain day, he said
to his wife, "I have selected my pigeons very hard and one cock has
survived the selection." That cock is the "Zwarte Ketelair" (B96-4109737
- strain Achiel Leus X Medard Baute) and was bred by a friend in the
sport, Lieven Deketelair. Of course, Jean-Pierre could not go further
with just that one cock, and therefore he was prepared to invest once
more in pigeons. He went to Rumbeke to the world famous champion Andre
Dierickx. To buy some youngbirds was not possible at that time, but
eggs from the breeders were still possible. The deal was done. This
purchase seemed to be a golden one, because suddenly from a bad fancier
our friends became top fanciers. It's no wonder that during the following
years a lot of Dierickx pigeons went to Ronse.
DE ZWARTE KETELAIR
It would be a shame if we didn't mention in this report the qualities
of super breeder "De Zwarte Ketelair." With different hens he produced
1st prize winners, but also in the second, third and fourth generations,
we find the name of this black cock back in the pedigrees. Some of his
most important children are:
"De Favoriet" 4193214/93: won 8 X 1st and classified himself in the
difficult ace-pigeon competition (category Middle Distance) of East
Flanders as 13th and 27th ace-bird.
"Bol 410" 4065410/92: won 7 X 1st prize and by the provincial ace-birds
middle distance he classified himself as 9th (1994) - 14th (1996) and
24th (1993) ace-bird. But also his daughter classified herself as 14th
provincial ace-bird.
"Blauwe Bol" 4356198/94 - won 6 x 1st prize and his son "Super Bol"
(4087360/96) won 18 times first prize.
"Plekke" 4194174/93 won 7 x 1st with as top result 1st interprovincial
Chateauroux against 5,862 birds (also the highest velocity against 12,257b.)
His son "Soute Plekke" 4159154/99 won 8 x 1st whereby 8th national La
Souterraine against 9,028 birds. Also another son "Zwarte Plekke" (477/00)
won a 14th national Guerret.
And so we can continue this way for some time, because we also saw the
results of a "Witte Neus" (080/92 - 6 X 1st) - "De Kleinen" (221/93
- 2 x 1st) - "De Kleinen II" (406/92 - 2 x 1st) and his son "Nero" (6
x 1st) - "De Roste Zot" (1st Argenton), "Het Souterraineke" (1st La
Souterraine), "Witstekje" (2 x 1st and her son "Fijn Sproetje" with
5 x 1st).
WITKOP
Again a superb breeder. Directly from Andre Dierickx (Rumbeke). Comes
out of "Geschelpte Kleinzoon Crack" (284/84) X "Granddaughter Sultan"
(518/88). The "Crack" and the "Sultan" were superb birds in Rumbeke.
The "Sultan" (379/83) won in his career 11 x 1st and was five times
classified by the provincial ace-pigeons whereby two times 1st. But
let's go back to the "Witkop." By Gevaert-Van Schoorisse the "Witkop"
became father of "Rambo" (090/92 - 4 X 1st), "Rambo 2" (231/95), and
"Late Rambo." But also in the second generation the power of the "Witkop"
line is there. A daughter of the "Witkop," namely "T Vuil" (4323719/91)
was mostly coupled to the "Zwarte Ketelair," and so she became mother
of a lot of top birds. It's interesting to know that the "Witkop" was
mostly coupled with "Kleintje" (4354472/90). This superb hen comes from
the coupling "Crayonnι Crack" (172/87) X "Berteloot" (797/87).
KLARE SULTAN
Again, this is a direct Andre Dierickx cock who had a lot of influence
in the success of the Gevaert-Van Schoorisse loft. He became father
of "Slimme Sultan" (4158526/97 - won 10 x 1st prize), "Schone Sultan"
and "Zwarte Sultan." "Klare Sultan" is born out of the coupling "Sultan"
(379/83) X "Blauw Vermeulen" (798/91).
SYSTEM
Not a little group, but 65 widowers looked in my direction when I opened
the door of the widowers' loft. A nice group, but that's is necessary
when you want to basket weekly for the short, middle and great middle
distance. And then maybe the strongest fact is that half of the birds
on the widower team has won at least a first prize in his career.
The pigeon sport is done here with the motivation needed. All birds
are fed individually, and all lofts are cleaned several times a day.
Jean-Pierre is such a fanatic "cleaner" that on the day of our visit
he had just visited the doctor because he had an injury at his wrist.
"I know," laughed Jean-Pierre. "Every time I come into the loft I clean
everything quickly."
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"Black Sultan"
"Grote Bol"
"Jonge Salto"
"Raket"
"Ramses"
"Sproete Schonen"
"Sproete Solo"
"Zwarte Parel"
Jean-Pierre with
trophies
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Concerning feeding
and supplements, our champions have complete trust in the products from
Colombine and Versele-Laga. Twice a week during the racing season, Jean-Pierre
gives Colombine Form-Oil in 1 (a mix of 10 different oils) and Colombine
Form-Mix ( a mix of vitamins and amino acids). Also Creathlon (Oropharma)
is put on the mixture. But the most frequently given supplement is certainly
Colombine Tea. Almost every day this well known tea is made and every
time it's enriched with honey. When the boiled tea reaches a certain
temperature, Carine puts the honey in the tea. On the medical scene,
everything is followed very closely. The specialized vet is visited
several times a year, and if necessary the birds are treated.
Every year around 100 youngsters are bred for their own use. These youngsters
are bred in three rounds. When the youngsters from the second round
train very well, they come together with the first round, and then the
group will be reserved for the youngbird races. The third round is seen
as a kind of reserve round. They're trained well enough (as a result
of a few short distance races) and if there are too many losses, then
Jean-Pierre can count on his third round. Of course, the young birds
are darkened, or otherwise it is impossible to make some nice results
at the end of the season. The youngsters are raced either on the nest
position or on the open door system. It all depends on what happens
during the season. One thing is certain: the youngsters are selected
according to their results. Very beautiful but stupid birds have no
place in Ronse.
ALSO IN OTHER LOFTS
"The fact that other fanciers have a lot of success with my birds makes
me a happy man," Jean-Pierre says. Every year the list of "happy fanciers"
becomes larger. One of the best Gevaert-Van Schoorisse pigeons which
performs very well in another loft is the "Sliime Witoog" from Bertrand
De Keyser. That superb sprint cock has as father "4533990/95," a direct
son of the previously mentioned "Witkop," and the mother is a direct
daughter of the "Zwarte Ketelair." "Slimme Witoog" was two years in
a row the best sprint pigeon old birds from East-Flanders (a province
with 11,000 fanciers) and won 14 times the 1st prize.
SOME IMPRESSIVE RESULTS
2005:
04/03 Noyon 276 b.: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-10-11-12-16
04/03 Noyon 306 b.: 1-3-5-7-11
04/23 Noyon 641 b.: 1-3-4-5-7-11
04/23 Noyon 595 b.: 1-2-5-10
05/08 Ecouen 404 b.: 1-4-5-6-8-13-15
05/15 Ecouen 526 b.: 1-11-15
05/15 Ecouen 321 b.: 1-4-6-7-8
05/22 Ecouen 263 b.: 1-2-6-9-10
05/28 Dourdan 301 b.: 1-4-8
05/28 Dourdan 426 b.: 1-10
06/05 Pont 104 b.: 1-2-10
06/19 Ecouen 404 b.: 1-2-5-8-11-14
06/26 Noyon 1170 b .: 1-36-37-39
07/03 Noyon 175 b.: 1-3
07/03 Epehy 189 b.: 1-3-7-8
07/10 Noyon 291 b.: 1-2-9-11
07/10 Epehy 298 b.: 1-2-3-4-5-6-8-10
07/16 Dourdan 119 b.: 1-2-11
07/17 Ecouen 352 b.: 1-2-3-4-6-8-10
07/17 Epehy 197 b.: 1-2-4-5-6-9
07/23 Chateauroux 153 b.: 1-10..
07/24 Epehy 103 b.: 1-2-3-6-8
07/30 Bourges 1686 b.: 1-9-11-15
07/31 Ecouen 343 b.: 1-3-5
08/27 La Souterraine 254 b.: 1-2-3
2006:
04/15
Quievrain 204 b:1-2-4-4-7-8-9-12-14-15-16-16..
Quievrain 123 b.: 1-3-4-5-6-6-8-9-10-10
04/22
Bouillon 331 b.: 1-15-15
Bouillon 214 b.: 1-8-8-
04/29
Bouillon 293 b: 1-17
Bouillon 203 b.: 1-4-8
Quievrain 144 b.: 1-3-3-5-7-8-10
05/06
Bouillon 417 b. 1-5-8-9
Bouillon 253 b.: 1-4-5-6-7-8-9
Bouillon 229 b.: 1-3-5-8
Bouillon 110 b.: 1-2-3-5-9
Quievrain 106 b.: 1-7-9
05/21
Ecouen 520 b.: 1-4-8
Ecouen 423 b.: 1-4-6
Ecouen 272 b.: 1-2-5-8
Ecouen 207 b.: 1-2-5-8
Ecouen 418 b.: 1-6
Ecouen 176 b.: 1-2
05/28
Ecouen 161 b.: 1-4
Creil 300 b.: 1-6-7-9
Creil 246 b.: 1-3-4-5
Epehy 110 b.: 1
06/04
Nanteuil 203 b.: 1-2-4-5
06/10
Dourdan 334 b.: 1-2-4-5-8
06/17
Dourdan 302 b.: 1-4
Dourdan 191 b.: 1-2-
Dourdan 317 b: 1-4-
Dourdan 247 b.: 1-5-8
And as I've already said, the 2006 season is only half way done!
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