South East Ireland
with
Billy Walsh
A visit to Belgium part 2
Some emails from fanciers as to why I went in search of a male line. Was I a geneticist in my spare time? Surprisingly, I am a pigeon fancier in my spare time. Were I not, then I would be in need of a hobby. And my hobby took be too me back to Belgium in April to the village of Lier. The pigeon fair had been several week before and there wasn't a feather to be seen floating above the clock face in the village square. It is a pretty little town. Peaceful, quaint, preserved yet modern, sweet smelling and even at its busiest period, from silent.
Many moons ago when I was still in my teens I read everything pigeon. And everything pigeons at that time came, in one form or other, from the pen of S.W.E.Bishop. A.K.A Old Hand. And one of his books "The Strain Makers" went to some lengths to spell out the benefits of a male line. Why, so far as he had known, only the great Vic Robinson had managed to cultivate, for a sustained period, a female line. The hen Streamline, so far as memory recalls, loomed large in the breeding of Vic's strain, Vic Robinson's blood runs through many of today's distance lines in the UK even today.
Anyway, back to the present and male lines, and without any doubt, the greatest, most influential, most illustrious breeder in the annals of the modern racing pigeon is De Kanibaal of Dirk Van Dyck of Zandhoven in Antwerp. The 1996 1st National Ace could have been sold for an enormous sum, The offers were made. Great deliberations followed. However, the decision not to sell was the best ever taken. Sitting in the sun filled trophy room, the light glinting on cups fit for a King are proof, if any more were needed, the wisdom of patience. Children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have spread all over the world and have been phenomenal. A legend was born! They have made Dirk Van Dyck one of the all time greats. Kanibaal, son of Rambo, brother to Bourges, founded not only a dynasty for Dirk, but, is importantly the sire of Golden Lady who in turn is the mother to Kleine Dirk of Gerrad Koopman who spawned yet another Dynasty. Marijke Vink owes so much to the blood of Kanibaal, it made her a household name. Aladdin, Tips etc. "Harry" of Jan Hooymans is in turn a G Son of Kleine Dirk. Anna of Eddie Janssens is a truly remarkable hen. The blood of Kanibaal is the golden thread that connects so many of today's winning families. Fanciers on the side of the world will be familiar with Agent Starling the hen of Peter Fox's famous Young Couple. She too is a daughter of De Kanibaal. It is truly a remarkable gene pool. Will we see its like again?
Refreshments are brought, Dirk sits in seat opposite with a coke. The Real Thing. I wondered, how do you replace e a legend?
Dirk Van Dyck General Champion Antwerp Provence 2015.
Looking for a replacement for the greatest pigeon in the world is not easy. The search for who would play Scarlet O Hara pales to insignificant trivia by comparison, Amazingly, Dirk pulled it off. And done it without ever seeing the bird in question. Purely on breeding and performance. At the clearance sale of the Heremen Ceuster dynasty In 2007 came Di Caprio. His mark was immediate, siring Olympic Neils in his first year. Niels, incidentally, is the G-Sire to "Friendship" 1st National Chateauroux for Rik Hermans in 2015. On the other side of her pedigree is Harry once again a descendant of Kanibaal. Dirk bought DiCaprio at auction on the phone and regards him as easily the best pigeon he has ever bought, Not only was he a g-son of Olympiade 003,, another modern breeding legend, he also contained the blood of Dirk's own Kanibaal family. This was the main reason. Within a few years Dirk had made DiCaprio the most famous pigeon in the world.
Roll on a few years and Dirk Van Dyck is again at the pinnacle of pigeon racing in Belgium. In 2014 ?Natalia" a g-daughter of Di Caprio scored 1st National Bourges for Dirk setting to tone for what would be a remarkable 2015. Dirk was crowned General Provincial champion of all Antwerp for the fourth time in five seasons. He won 1st National Ace pigeon KBDB short middle distance with "Queen and 3rd National Ace Pigeon KBDB short middle distance yearlings with Little Queen. Throw in yet another 1st Provincial and an additional 50 x 1st prizes Dirk Van Dyck will pass into history with the greats.
It is not a coincidence that the three pigeons photographed are hens. 2013 Dirk, followed the advice of good friend Gaston Van De Wouwer and Bart Geerinckx and began racing hens. Today, it would be impossible to imagine Dirk without a strong team of hens. If he has regret, it is that he did not do it many years previously. Their recovery from the middle distance races is so much quicker they are always ready to be raced. Though Dirk says they go to the Nationals only every 2 weeks, the other week either private training or the speed races to keep them fit. 35 hens are raced. They are coupled 1st March and trained to the nest. When the young are 15 days old the cock is removed and the hens allowed finish rearing a single youngster. On the Noyon at end of April the hens get their first race and upon return the young bird has been removed and the cock is waiting. They are now on widowhood.
The hens have 2 lofts, the resting loft where they stay on perches all week and their breeding loft where they return to on race days. The cock is never shown before the race.
The widowhood cocks are raced classic widowhood with the hen always at home. Dirk rears a large team of young birds but given the number of races and distances he competes in regards it as essential. Pigeons, and pigeon racing is a family affair with all hands on deck during the racing season.
The breeding lofts house approx 40 pair of breeders, Dirk will never part with his champions and so a box will always be available for the truly great pigeons being produced once their racing career is at an end. Current pride of place in the breeding lofts are of course Olympic Niels,, Zoon de Caprio the sire of Natalia, Karolina, 2nd National Chateauroux. Queem 1st National Ace. . Little Queen 3rd National Ace. Kleine Jan, Blauwe Kanibaal Junior winner 2 x 1st Provincial. Sven, a winner of 7 x 1st prizes from Noyon. Donkere Kanibaal Junior the super sprinter and son of the Goede Yaarling who Dirk purchased from Stickers Donckers for 14,000 euro. I have seen and handled them all many times now and it is easy to appreciate why Dirk Van Dyck has a gleam in his eye as bright as any of sunlit gold cups that surround us. Here is a man both relaxed and determined, unfazed by fame and acclaim he knows there can be no let up in the pursuit of success. It is always the same recipe for success at this level of competition. . Hard work, Great pigeons. It is a pleasure to be in his company. As eager as a young groom he lives for today and plans for tomorrow. 2016 had only just begun when I visited and already the victories were coming in with a great victory from Noyon only the previous Saturday and the man who never went away, is doing better than ever.
Prometheus.
