VAN GREMBERGEN & DE RAEDT - INTERNATIONAL BARCELONA WINNERS
by Liam O Comain
Georges van Gremberegen's father was a pigeoner but the younger Georges had no interest in the sport until he entered via his profession as a professor in poultry disease matters. Then after moving to live in a new home at L'Avenue de la Maison de Dieu in Gent, Belgium, the professor decided to enter the sport seriously, basing his loft on Vanderlinden and Vanbruaene bloodlines. He then became friendly with a neighbouring fancier named Jules de Raedt and they decided to form a partnership in which the breeders would remain with Grembergen. This was sabout 1955.
In due time the results were notable such as: 1st National Angouleme 1961; 2nd Barcelona International 1962; 1st Angouleme Old Birds 1963; 1st and 23rd Barcelona International 1964; 1st and 4th Angouleme Young Birds National 1965; 4th Yearling National Argenton 1968 and so on until the active pigeon career came to a conclusion in 1975.
Of course their greatest thrill must have been the International success from Barcelona in 1964 with Le Barcelona, a six year old cock bird. Le Barcelona had finished 2nd International two years prior to the great twice Barcelona International winner of Desmaret of Ottignes when both birds were two hours in front of the nearest arrivals. What must have been the quality and the intensity of the emotions experienced by these pigeoners on such occasions?
Aside for a period: what a magnificent achievement to have won the Barcelona International once! But what must it feel to have won the Barcelona race twice with the same bird as happened for A. Demaret from Ottignies, Belgium in 1962 and 1963. What must have been the quality and the intensity of the emotions experienced by this pigeoner on both occasions. Emotions experienced by the partnership which is our subject and which won in 1962 the 2nd prize in the Barcelona International and in 1964, 1st prize Barcelona International.
Van Grembergen was a professor in Zoology at the State University in Gent who I found to be one of the greatest writers on matters pertaining to our sport. When he joined with De Raedt in partnership it was one of those occasions that was overwhelmingly good for they proved to be outstanding pigeoners and as a combination second to none for they won everything.
As stated the base of this family of pigeons were obtained from C. Van der Linden in the early 1950s with further input from André Vanbruaene of Lauwe in 1955. Then in 1968 and 1969, other crosses came from Mr. Sotre from Dinant. The Oude Vos and Witslagduivin proved to be the base pair which bred Witslagcock which when paired to a hen from Vanbruaene bred the great Barcelona (1958), which won the 2nd prize and then 1st prize International Barcelona. Thus almost equalling the Demaret achievement. In fact their 2nd prize winner was second to the Demaret phenomenon in 1962. Well as you must agree both were phenomenal thoroughbred athletes! Will we ever see their likes again?
21/11/06
