Andre & Piet Kuypers of Neer

One from the archives...

ANDRE & PIET KUYPERS OF NEER

by Les Parkinson

The first loft that I visited in Holland was that of Kuyper Bros, where the owners don’t even bother to clock their birds at the shorter races. They are only concerned with the distance events that their country has to offer. It is not the National races that they are interested in but the more prestigous internationals where they can compete against the best in Europe, and they nearly always manage to get amongst the prize-winners.

From what I have seen from these lofts, you can be sure that over the next few years they will become an even bigger name in pigeon racing into Holland. If they did clock in a little more from the shorter races who knows what heights they might have already reached on the National and International front.

The brothers were our first stop after arriving at Masstricht. It was rather a long journey to the lofts across some very flat countryside before arriving at the household where our hosts were waiting to show us their champion racers and breeders.

Andre and Piet Kuppers are bachelors and it is well known locally that when a great performance is put up, which is very often, a good time is had by all with many of the local community joining in by turning out to celebrate. At one time a bus was even laid on to go out and enjoy themselves, all by courtesy of the brothers. I would have liked to have spent more time with these lads but it was hard enough getting what little info I have. Perhaps if I could have had a crash course in Dutch I would have found out exactly why the partnership do not bother with these shorter races. Still I once again have Willy Beacon to thank for the information that I do have, as he was the interpreter who has an extremely hard job of asking and answering.

On entering the house a well wanted cup of coffee was made for all while Willy interpreted the conversations where possible. The trophies in the room were plentiful and of various sizes plus of course many mounted photos of the champion pigeons that the majority of fanciers can only dream about. Since 72 the partnership have been around the top of the list of the Barcelona race with very few fanciers beating them in either Holland or Belgium and at that they are one of the furthest flyers. It is believed in this part of the country that the Dutch fanciers are far better racers when it comes to the distances than their Belgium counter parts. A point that is shown in the many results that was at hand. We were very fortunate in the fact that we had the privilege of handling the bros 1981 winner of the 1st International hens and 2nd international overall from Pau 1002km against 2553 pigeons plus winning five thousand guilders. This 78-bred hen has a very good eye and is not a very big pigeon at all but I can tell you she is an extremely impressive pigeon in the hand. This pigeon has won in the type of competition that the bros like, from the distance.

On the wall in the living room were several pictures of very good pigeons including a chequer cock winner of 3rd Nat 17th International, 1976 then in 1977 he returned injured, 1978 34th Nat 168th International 1979 13th Nat 26th International and remember these are all from Barcelona 1135km. The eye in this cock and in all these cocks is very rich with plenty of depth and in the hand is first class with a strong body. The cocks that we handled were all the same with good rich eyes that had plenty of depth and when one handles these pigeons one can understand what a family being like peas in a pod means. After seeing the great performances that these pigeons have put up I cannot understand why there pigeons have not hit this country like so many others of the continental strain have these last few years. No doubt the way these pigeons are flying it will not be very long before they will be winning from the distances into the British Isles.

The pigeons for both the natural systems and widowhood the cocks are all paired in March with the stock birds being paired in January. With the teams that amounts to around 130 which rear in the region of 70 y/bs. The cocks raced are all on the widowhood system with the natural hens being prepared for the extreme distance races where they excel when they are sitting a five day old squeaker. Then as soon as racing has finished all birds are given the open hole where they are allowed to go back and forth to the fields all day long. The y/bs are not really taken a great deal of notice as they are sent to around 200 miles with the intention of keeping them for the National and International races in future years. As I say the bros are known for not clocking in those early races which are not taken into account in the long run and perhaps is why are not known a little more in this county. Other fanciers have flown well to win with these pigeons and include a 1st Nat St Vincent 9000 birds, which was bred from a brother at the great 113. 1st St Nat Dax with a pigeon of the old original stock against 6980 plus birds.

For the great stock pair that is responsible for the best winners that the bros have been approached about this pair and many fanciers have been interested in them. But they have always been worth far more to stay in the loft where they have bred pigeons as good as any at the distances, wherever one may go. The family have been cultivated over the last 10 years with paring mother to son and cousins together etc which has given this family such a good likeness in both looks and when handling with the balance of these pigeons altering very slightly and I mean slightly As expected with the continentals these days this partnership have a fine set up for their pigeons and when one has seen the set up one can appreciate how much room the pigeons are given. There are three lofts in all two of which can be seen from the photos. The third loft is a wooden construction built between the two brick lofts next to which there is a pen where a rather large dog is kept. Everywhere is so clean throughout both inside and outside the lofts. Even though the partnership have a floor covering that is made up of lava from Italy which is riddled regularly and changed every 6 months, this method is used because it helps the lofts so dry. I have seen and heard of all sorts of floor covering but this is my first experience of seeing larva on a loft floor and I am surprised how effective it is.

To give you an idea on how good these pigeons are at the distance here are a few details of winners housed at these first class lofts, information supplied by my friend Willy Beacon, chequer hen 73 1364113 1975 Barcelona Nat 3rd 1032 International 16th 8301, 1976 Barcelona Nat 1st 1748 International 4th 11016 two bros together were together two fastest pigeons International. Chequer hen 72 577053, all races from Barcelona 1974 21st 10500 International 134 10273 birds. 1975 Nat 2nd1032 birds. 13th International 8301 birds. 1976 Nat 116th 1748 birds. 1st International at 922nd 11016 birds. 1977 44th 1988 International 268th 10502 birds, 1978 Nat 95th 2058 birds. International 330th 11131 birds. Chequer Hen 73 1364192 November late bred again Barcelona positions 1976 Nat 3rd 1748 birds. International 17th 11016 birds. 1977 Nat 477th 1988 birds. International 2208th 10502 birds came home with broken breast bone 1978 Nat 54th 2058 birds. International 168th 11131 birds. 1979 Nat 13th International 26th returned hurt which he was put in the stock loft. Pau Douffer 1973 Nat 3rd 21st International 1416 birds. 1974 Nat 2nd 281 birds International 9th 1082 birds. 1981 saw the bros again fly a great pigeon out of Pau when they were 2nd International 1st International hens, 1st Nat hens this very nice chequer hen was there to be handled and we did not hesitate to have a good look at this game pigeon.

As well as the above winning pigeons at Barcelona and Pau the bros have also had many good wins from such race points as St Vincent Dax and Bergerac plus many more We had the honour of handling the above pigeons which made the visit so worth while. All the pigeons handled were of the same breeding something that did show throughout the loft achieved through careful selection when it comes to pigeons that are put in the stock loft. Looking at the pedigrees for these pigeons I did see that the Jan Arden family were there once again I say again because I have seen this family mentioned well in the Kempeneers studbook. I also believe that this line are in the pigeons of the Dutch champion Marcel Braakhuis who has had many pigeons going back to the great Jan Arden base hen 113 who is believed to be one of the best hens in the world when it comes to breeding after she was a proven racer. With the p/ship winning so well at distance races I would have liked to have spent more time in order to get as much information as possible but once again the lingo had me a little stumped. So with a bit of luck I shall be going over to this part of the country again in the not too distance future to spend a holiday at which time I can gather a lot more information for you lucky readers. It is always nice to visit winning lofts where they may be but to visit lofts like this is not that often as the opportunity does not arise on many occasions.

So Elizabeth and yours truly are going to see about staying in this part of the country and compiling as much information as possible so that the gazette can keep on bringing as much information and winning lofts that is possible to its many readers. I shall finish by thanking Bruce McAllister for the invitation that took us to one of the leading European lofts. Thank you also to Willy Beacon who spent his day with us also to Paul Smith for taking the photos last but not least Piet and Andre Kuypers who allowed us the honour of handling there many International winners and more important the pigeons that bred them. Thank you one and all.