| The
Vereecke Strain
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 Belgium
has produced many outstanding fanciers
and strains at all distances but there
is one family who is not perhaps as well
known as it should be and that is the
Vereeckes. A father (Jerome) and a son
(Roger) partnership who has achieved outstanding
results at both racing and breeding and
whose bloodlines lie at the base of many
fine families at the distance especially
within their home continent. As the Belgian
pigeon historian Jules Gallez wrote about
the Vereeckes- 'For years they belong
to the Belgian crack lofts and lots of
people owes their results to the VEREECKE
breed'.
As
far back as 1969 the Vereeckes were masters
at the races from Brive, Cahors, Bordeaux
and Barcelona. Around this period they
had great results from San Sebastian and
Barcelona. For example they won the Marathon
Championship, the General Championship
of the Belgian Union as well as being
the General Champions West Flanders Union
and the Inter Provincial Union in 1970,
the first time ever for one Belgian loft
to win the three Championships. An outstanding
achievement when one considers Belgium's
pigeon racing history and the great masters
of the fancy. The Marathon Championship
involved races from Montauban, Barcelona
and San Sebastian amounting to approximately
3,000 km whereas the Belgian National
Championship involved results from six
National races at the distance. The Championship
of West Flanders and the Inter Provincial
Championship involved the results from
6 young bird races between 400 to 500
km and 14 old bird races between 550 to
950 km.
The
father and son partnership grew up in
the sport building their strain from four
National winners namely De Figaro, 1st
National Bordeaux 1960; De 90, 1st National
Angouleme 1960; De Ijeren, 1st National
Libourne 1960; and De Roste Tanghe, 1st
National Angouleme 1962. The Libourne
winner Ijeren was of the Stichelbaut strain
and was made famous by the Vereeckes although
bred and raced by M Deschamps- Van Hasten
who was a Stichelbaut specialist.
From
the above base numerous champions at breeding
and racing were born. One of their great
breeders being the Cattrysse 90 who sired
both the Schonen and the Witpenneke who
helped to win the above 3 Championships.
Both were timed within 40 seconds to score
23th and 24th Brive National winning 87,010
B Francs. The same pair was timed from
San Sebastian within 22 minutes of each
other to take 20th and 36th positions
in the International. Another of their
favourites was the Bonten who scored 54th
in the International from Barcelona. The
above named Witpenneke also scored 90th
position in the Bordeaux International.
Since
the death of Vereecke senior Roger Vereecke
continued on the strain's winning ways
not only for himself but for numerous
fanciers elsewhere. One aspect of his
strategy was the purchase of outstanding
bloodlines for example birds from Joseph
Vandenbroucke and the careful blending
of the latter with his own family. Thus
ensuring outstanding representatives of
the distance and marathon type of racing
pigeons which has also ensured Vereeckes
position of being at the top for over
30 years. Including in recent years many
awards such as 1st Champion of Aces which
included 6 National races in which 1st
and 2nd selection count for the winning
points. Here Vereeckes selection was clocked
in every race of the 5 International races
and 10 of 12 races in the National/International
category. Such results reflecting an astute
racing pigeon manager and strategist.
As
I began the Vereecke strain may not be
as well known as others on our journey
but to remain at the top of Belgian pigeon
racing for so long stamps it as being
one of the most outstanding.
by: Liam O Comain
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