When driving along the expressway from Antwerp to Knokke in the direction of the sea, passing the city of Eeklo, you will notice the big chimney of a nearby waste incineration plant, as well as a windmill farm. The family Schoors lives right in between the chimney and the windmills, in the town of Adegem, in the northern part of the Meetjesland region.
The Schoors pet store is well known across the region, particularly among bird keepers, pigeon fanciers and small pet owners. It offers a wide range of feeds, supplements, and basically everything else you can think of. The name of Schoors-De Waele has an excellent reputation in pigeon fancying as well, thanks to a number of important victories, including a national win from Argenton yearlings in ’97, and of course their title of General Champion of Belgium KBDB 2003. They were second national champion of Belgium KBDB in 2010, while finishing in third in 2009. This goes to show that this is quite a successful pigeon family! They claimed a provincial first prize in 2013, as well as three wins in zone A1 from Chateauroux 4,288 old birds (1 June), Chateauroux 3,380 young birds and Gueret 1,913 young birds. Two of these prizes were won with one and the same pigeon.
A well deserved win
Father Odiel and mother Agele were both running the pet store as well as the pigeon loft, and that was the environment their son Alex grew up in as well. He took over the business when his parents went on retirement, but they both continued to be actively involved in the loft. Maurice De Waele worked in the store as well, besides being the main caretaker in the loft. It now appears that Odiel and Agele’s granddaughter Carmen has a love of pigeons as well, which means the team of Schoors-De Waele consists of three different generations of pigeon fanciers.
It was a hard blow for family and friends to see both Odiel and Angele pass away in just two years’ time. Last year, Angele was alive and well when she celebrated the provincial win from Marseille, which was just one week before she passed after a short but aggressive illness. It left a huge impact and it stirred the emotions of family and friends. Their absence is still felt by everybody who visits their store regularly. Let this national win from Montluçon be a tribute to Odiel and Angele, and we hope it will give courage to the family. It might be a moment of relief.
The amazing National Derby claims national win
The fanciers from Adegem calculated that they would have to clock their first pigeon between 13:59 and 14:00 if they wanted to have a chance against the pigeons that had already been clocked that day. The PIPA website reported that the first pigeons belonged to Gino Clique and Roger Mylle from West Flanders, whose pigeons had both achieved a velocity of 1252m/min. The team of Schoors-De Waele had been very successful in last week's race from Poitiers, and so they had high hopes of winning another top prize. Their pigeons were obviously in excellent shape and the fanciers had great confidence, especially because they had basketed their best pigeon for Montluçon, which performs particularly well in races with good weather conditions and a strong headwind.
They were very surprised to see their first pigeon from Montluçon arrive at 13:54’50”. Alex was filled with excitement, especially because the first pigeon was none other than National Derby, his first nominated and an outstanding racing bird! He was clocked as first in the club, and he held a solid first place at national level as well. He was eventually announced as the national winner, as the fastest of a total of no less than 33,528 pigeons, reaching a velocity of 1266.952m/min over a distance of 544.578km.
Their second pigeon from Montluçon arrived home 10 minutes later. This one year old would eventually win a first prize in the province, as well as an 8th national prize. The national winner National Derby had a comfortable 10 minute lead over the second pigeon of this loft, which makes his achievement even more impressive.
-National Derby BE11-4087835
’14 Montluçon Nat 14,230 p. 1 (fastest of 33,528 p.)
’13 Chateauroux Zone 4,288 p. 1
Nat 22,254 p. 114
’13 Montluçon Zone 2,644 p. 2
’13 Bourges Club 281 p. 5 (12 July)
Prov 1,791 p. 50
’13 Bourges Zone 981 p. 89 (27 July)
Nat 9,639 p. 598
’12 Montluçon Club 319 p. 5
Prov 5,335 p. 157
’12 Argenton Club 419 p. 14
Prov 5,548 p. 110
Nat 22,384 p. 414
’12 Chateauroux Club 308 p. 16
Prov 4.019 p. 259
’14 Fontenay sur Eure 523 p. 37 etc.
Sire: Super Derby BE05-4121343
He was without doubt one of the best racing pigeons in the loft in his days, winning a 1st Prov. Tours, 7th Prov. Tours, 51st Nat. Limoges '06. He was also First Ace Pigeon Long Distance Meetjesland in 2006. He developed an invaluable breeding pigeon later on as well, and became one of the loft's stock sires. He originates from the old breeding pair Vincke 207 BE01-4200207 x Geschelpt Van Loon 492 BE99-6552492 (an exceptional breeding hen and a direct Louis Van Loon).
Dam: BE09-3088757 Laatste Dochter 57
One of the last daughters of stock sire Blauwen Van Loon BE99-6552488 (excellent breeder and stock sire of Schoors-De Waele, a direct Louis Van Loon) x Eijerkampduivin NL05-2103058 (a combination of the best Van Loon bloodlines of Eijerkamp, the line of Silver Shadox, Louis Enrique, Platini etc.)
Click here for the full pedigree
You can find his list of achievements of 2012-2013 here
The two pigeons of Louis Van Loon have given an amazing number of top quality descendants in the breeding loft of Schoors-De Waele. Blauwen Van Loon and Geschelpt Van Loon 492 have proven to be two exceptional breeders, and about 75% of the pigeon collection in Adegem is related to these two pigeons, including the yearling that claimed the provincial win from Montluçon last weekend.
-Provincial Bleske BE13-4161362
Montluçon Prov 4.134 p. 1
Nat 19,298 p. 8
Chateauroux Club 767 p. 79
He is a full brother of the winner of a 29th Nat. La Souterraine 11,236 yearlings in 2013.
Sire: Bleske Derby BE06-4130375
He is winner of a 1st Interprov. and a 27th Nat. Argenton in 2009. This pigeon is also a frull brother of Super Derby (sire of 1st Nat. Montluçon 2014), and so he is also a son of stock pair Vincke 207 x Geschelpt Van Loon 492.
Dam: Dochter Terminator BE09-4111367
A full sister of National Terminator, winner of a 12th Nat. Chateauroux, and a 19th Nat. Argenton. She is a daughter of top quality breeder Terminator II BE05-4121336 x Superke Van Loon BE05-4121239, winner of a 5th Nat. Gueret and the dam of the 1st Ace Pigeon Middle Distance Meetjesland in 2007 (and a daughter of stock sire Blauwen Van Loon 488/99 x As 2000 978/00).
You can find his full pedigree here
The national races, and the old birds’ races in particular are the main objective for the Schoors-De Waele combination. They compete in the extreme middle distance, as well as the long distance and the extreme long distance, for which they have a team of about 60 widowers. In addition, they raise a small team of young birds every season, to be able to compete in the national young birds’ races as well. About 40 pairs breed approximately 200 youngsters every season. Most young cocks are trained for the middle distance only, because they do not want to put their future careers at stake. The racing birds have their first major test as a yearling, because that is when they are expected to bring good results for the first time.
Almost every pigeon fancier dreams of winning a national first prize one day, and claiming a national win with your most favourite racing pigeon is even more rewarding. That explains why Alex would like to keep his national winner in his loft at all cost; National Derby will never be sold. He will be given a comfortable place in the breeding loft, because he is expected to become the successor of his father, stock sire Super Derby. It appears that this loft has a promising future ahead, thanks to this talented new breeder. Congratulations to Alex, Maurice, Carmen, and Christa. This was a well deserved victory!
