Jan Hooymans (l) and Christian v.d. Wetering (r)

The national race from Chateaudun for sector 3 and 4 took place in the weekend of 20th and 21st of July, welcoming more than 13,000 pigeons. The bad weather on Saturday kept the pigeons inside for another day; they were eventually released on Sunday in great conditions. Team Hooymans NL (the racing loft of Christian v.d. Wetering in Wijk en Aalburg, in collaboration with Jan Hooymans from Kerkdriel) had 34 pigeons in the race, and they were quite dominant that day, winning a 1st, 2nd and 7th to begin with:

Chateaudun NPO     491 km 2,796 p.: 1-2-7-21-23-46-47-60-85-97-98-etc. (29/34)
Chateaudun Nat. S3 491 km 8,435 p.: 1-2-12-31-36-80-81-123-186-210-213-etc. (29/34)

They had a marvellous result from Chateaudun, but the team was in fact outstanding across all the one day long distance races. They basketed 173 pigeons for the five races of the one day long distance, and 126 of them claimed a prize of 1:4 (73%). And 91 of them won a prize of 1:10 (53%). They had a total of 37 pigeons basketed for all 19 races of 2019 so far, and 25 of them have won a prize of 1:4 (69%), with as many as 48% taking a prize 1:10. Click here for all the results of this season so far.

NL17-1410612 Brave Harry, 1st National Sector 3 Chateaudun (8,435 p.)

This beautiful cock was basketed as 1st nominated for Chateaudun. He stems from the best ever cock in Christian’s collection, namely Blue Brave. This Blue Brave is now a highly successful breeder, and Christian and Jos paired him to a daughter of Harry x New Stareye. New Stareye comes from Christian’s collection, and she is well on her way to becoming a renowned breeder as well, just like her sister Stareye. New Stareye is currently the dam of three different top 10 NPO winners, as well as the grandmother of several first prize winners, now including a 1st National Chateaudun. Click here for the pedigree of Brave Harry. Brave Harry became 3rd Ace Pigeon sprint and 3rd Ace Pigeon middle distance Region C1 of Prov. 7 in 2018. The team’s palmares of 2019 now includes 14 prizes in 15 races (they missed one prize in a sprint race). Here are their best results:

  1st NPO Chateaudun Prov. 7    2,796 p.
  1st Nat. S3 Chateaudun        8,435 p.
  1st Semi Nat. S3 & 4 Chateaudun 12,946 p. 
  (and the fastest in all 4 sectors in the one day long distance races of 26,333 p.)
  3rd Peronne                   3,093 p.
 14th Peronne                   3,209 p.
 17th NPO Sezanne              11,776 p.
 19th Bierges                   2,224 p.
 23rd NPO Chateauroux.          3,243 p.
 32nd Melun                     6,025 p.
 47th Pont st. Max Prov. 7      5,748 p.
 61st NPO Salbris               5,753 p.
 79th Nat. Issoudun            14,084 p.
129th Niergnies Prov. 7        15,097 p.
157th Lessienes  Prov. 7       19,449 p.

NL18-5002127, 2nd National Sector 3 Chateaudun (8,435 p.)

This blue coloured hen was bred from two racing birds that have each been very successful. The dam is for instance an excellent sister of New Harry – click here for her pedigree. She showed her potential as a young bird, winning for instance a national top 100 prize (her teammate Jane won a 1st National of 14,422 p. that day). She has won several top prizes again this season but the very rainy NPO race from Bourges saw her arrive home one day later than planned. She got a week of rest, followed by two shorter training flights (150km). She was then basketed for Chateaudun, where she did quite well indeed:

2nd NPO Chateaudun Prov. 7        2,796 p.
2nd Nat S3 Chateaudun             8,435 p.
3rd Semi Nat S3 & 4 Chateaudun.  12,946 p. 
(and 3rd fastest across all 4 sectors in the one day long distance of 26,333 p.)

NL16-1663249, 7th NPO Chateaudun Prov. 7 (2,796 p.)

This 249 is a brilliant racing bird in the lofts in Wijk en Aalburg. He already has four teletext prizes (NPO) to his name:

 3rd NPO Sezanne         11,776 p. (2019)
 6th NPO Pont St Maxence  5,658 p. (2018)
 7th NPO Chateaudun       2,796 p. (2019)
10th NPO Melun            7,140 p. (2019)

And he claimed several more top prizes in the sprint, the middle distance and the one day long distance (as many as 16 prizes 1:100), making him a true all-rounder. Last year he was 1st Pigeon Champion Province 7 (NPO), against approximately 750 other pigeon lofts. Click here for the pedigree of this star.

Closing words

This race from Chateaudun highlighted the strength of team Hooymans NL once again. Given the mainly westerly wind, the first arrivals were expected to come more towards the east. And yet, the team from Wijk en Aalburg managed to clock the fastest two birds, which tells us how talented this breed is. The Harry bloodline continues to deliver, along with such renowned birds as Stareye, Strong Trilboy, Blue Brave and many others, often combined with new stars. This pigeon breed has been at the top in The Netherlands for many years now, and it goes without saying that there is still a lot more to come for them.