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De Klak auction 2004

Jos De Klak, in between Louis & Charel Janssen... (c) Peter Van Raamsdonk.
Jos on his loft. (c) Peter Van Raamsdonk.
Jos De Klak (c) Peter Van Raamsdonk.
The famous 613 from De Klak. Still alive, but not fertilizing, so was not sold on the auction, but is still in the loft of the loft manager.
From Left to Right : Ad Schaerlaeckens, David Lin, Nikolaas Gyselbrecht, Peter Van Raamsdonk...
They are studying hard...What should we buy? What should we buy...Taiwanese pigeon brokers!
Mr Harm Vredeveld, english pigeon racers, Sjoerd Fennema,...and both daughters of Harm ! In the Vreveld Family all family members are into pigeons, isnt that wonderful?
Here you can see on the right, Mr Harm Vredeveld : Elite of National Ace Birds, the king of 1st prizes, master of National Topresults...Superlatives run short for Harm Vredeveld. Over the last 10 years his star rose up to enormous highs, because of his breathtaking results. The name Vredeveld is mentioned in one breath with all legends in pigeonsport.
Before the auction...
Enjoying the good weather...
Lovely weather...we are sitting outside, waiting in excitement for the auction of the century !
The place to be. The cultural centre De Kei of Reusel, the hometown of Jos De Klak.
Before the auction...
Second most expensive pigeon...before the auction, after being handled a hundred times ! ...
Mr Chic Brooks from California, USA. He bought some pigeons, and one of them was sale number 7, the most expensive pigeon ! Next to him Mr Gert Huyghe, who guided and translated for the man from USA...
Monsieur Lin from Brussels. A Taiwanese broker that lives in Brussels. He also bought one pigeon.
The legendary Ad Schaerlaeckens, next to Mrs. Maggie Ku, the editor of the Racing Pigeon Sports Magazine in Taiwan, owned by Mr David Lin. Both fans of pigeonparadise !
Jan Hermans at the start of the auction. He did the auction in an excellent way, also with a lot of respect for the family of Jos Klak...
Jan Hermans explaining something to a possible buyer...
Before the auction started, there was shown a short video film where you could see an interview between Jos De Klak & Jan Hermans, in the last months of his life. Jos insisted already long before his death that De Duif and Jan Hermans would organize the sale when Jos would ever pass away. Very emotional moments...this video, especially for the family and close friends...
2 very good friends ; on the left Mr Fons Van Ophuizen, the famous pigeon story / article writer, and on the right, Mr Heinz Seegmuller. The man who doesnt need introduction any more. He won so many national and international victories, that he is famous from Belgium to Japan ! He also bought the legendary KLEINE DIDI from Etienne Devos for a huge amount. Also Mr Seegmuller bought a pigeon from DE KLAK.
Table of the family & close friends of De Klak, on the left, in the light blue sweater, you can see the widow of Jos, Marie. It must be both a feeling of proud & enormous sadness to be present during the auction of the man you have known for so long... Proud, because it is something to be proud of what Jos De Klak reached during his life...Fantastic, and of course also sadness...because he is not there anymore. A lot of strenght to Mrs. De Klak & the relatives.
Loft Manager of De Klak.
Probably one of the few pigeons that left to Belgium, bought by the president of Sans Peur, the club from Herent, Brabant. Next to Wim, on the left, you can see Mr. VAN HORENBEECK Leo from WIJGMAAL. He and his son Christophe won the National Race of Vichy in 2003 ! Very nice people !
Studying which pigeons exactly they bought and for how much money...;-)
The main part of the pigeons probably left to China & Taiwan, thanks to the Asian pigeon brokers on the picture.
The widow of Jos De Klak...Marie. She received very beautiful flowers from the organizers the DUIF as a little reminder of this day and for everything she did during her life for Jos & the pigeon sport.
Author: 
13/04/2004 - Nikolaas G
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