The Verschoot pigeons have clearly drawn inspiration from their marvellous 2017 season, getting some excellent results again this season. Team Verschoot does have plenty of highly talented birds, with Nopri, Armando, his brother Harry, and Contador. These four super class racing birds are among Belgium's finest long distance pigeons, both in 2017 and 2018. On top of that, Joël Verschoot can draw from a group of upcoming two year olds from 2016 and the yearlings from 2017, which means he has a bright future ahead, with plenty of successful seasons.
The results in the national long distance of 2018 do not lie. Claiming (multiple) national top 100 prizes week after week is no mean feat, especially not in this year's racing conditions, which is marked by strong headwinds and temperatures of well over 25 degrees. These are the conditions in which the strongest birds really shine, pigeons that combine not only strength and endurance but also good intelligence and the ability to recover quickly. And the Verschoot pigeons happen to meet all of those requirements.
Armando again 2nd National from Limoges
Supercrack Armando was close to claiming another national victory in the national Limoges II but just like in 2017, he was beaten to the line, having to settle for 2nd National. Team Verschoot had 12 basketed pigeons (7 olds and 5 yearlings), and 6 of them were able to finish in the national top 100. And that is quite a remarkable result indeed:
Limoges II Nat 7,274 olds: 2-37-80-97-285 (5/7) Limoges II Nat 7,236 YLs: 57-98-129-1616 (4/5)
Supercrack Armando did almost the same this season in the national race from Limoges II, also finishing in 2nd place national. Here is an overview of his best results from 2018 and from previous seasons as well:
-Armando BE14-3004610
In 2018:
2nd Nat Limoges II 7,274 p. ’18 30th Nat Limoges I 15,789 p. ’18 565th Nat Cahors 6,356 p. ’18
And his previous top results:
3rd Nat Ace Pigeon Long Distance olds KBDB 2017 Best old long distance pigeon of Belgium 2017 over 2 races – PIPA ranking 2nd Nat Limoges II 9,102 p. ’17 10th Nat Brive 9,126 p. ’17 12th Prov Tours 6,720 p. ’17 85th Nat Limoges I 14,924 p. ’17 9th Clermont 353 p. ’17 48th Nat Jarnac 4,167 p. ’16 18th Prov Tulle 1,306 p. ’15 94th Prov Gueret 1,952 p. ’15 108th Nat Limoges I 14,937 p. ’17 206th Nat Libourne 3,927 p. ’17 Etc.
Click here for Armando's pedigree
1st Prov Libourne with Contador
The team had to settle for second in Limoges but they did claim a first prize provincial from Libourne with Contador, the other star of the team. He also finished in 6th place national in Libourne. A group of 3 old birds and 2 yearlings were basketed for this race, and they did as follows:
Libourne Prov 625 olds: 1-46-55 (3/3)
Nat 3,176 olds: 6-246-272 (3/3)
Libourne Nat 2,893 YLs: 77 (1/2)
Last year, in 2017, Contador had some great results in the national long distance as well. This is what his palmares looks like:
-Contador BE14-3004643
In 2018:
1st Prov Libourne 625 p. ’18 6th Nat Libourne 3,176 p. ’18 33rd Prov Chateauroux 4,532 p. ’18 97th Nat Limoges II 7,274 p. ’18 993rd Nat Limoges I 15,789 p. ’18
He has won the following top results over the years:
15th Nat Limoges II 9,162 p. ’17 32nd Nat Brive 9,126 p. ’17 5th Nat Jarnac 4,167 p. ’16 8th Nat Brive 5,952 p. ’16 12th Prov Gueret 1,952 p. ’15 19th Nat La Souterraine 6,205 p. ’15 49th Prov Tours 2,122 p. ’15 89th Prov Tours 4,939 p. ’16 92nd N.Zone Gueret 2,707 p. ’14 858th Nat Limoges 14,937 p. ’17 Etc.
He also won a 611th Nat Libourne of 3,927 p. and a 1398th Nat Tulle 7,447 p., which means he won a 5 out of 5 in the national long distance races of 2017. Contador comes from super class breeding cock Deprez x Cindy, which makes him a half brother of the dam of Nopri (from the same sire). This is one of Joël Verschoot's most valued bloodlines. Click here for his pedigree.
The Joël Verschoot pigeons performed really well in the previous long distance classics of 2018 as well:
Jarnac Nat 5,371 olds: 14-15-40-59-204-1175 (6/8) (with the 1-4-3-2nd nominated in the national top 59) Jarnac Nat 4,940 YLs: 60-61-79-94-148-436-454-475-691-766-976 (11/20) Brive Nat 9,278 olds: 162-551-749 (3/4) Brive Nat 4,384 YLs: 12-34-141 (3/4) Cahors Nat 6,356 olds: 32-100-104-274-293-522-565-1010-1358 (9/12) Limoges I Nat 15,789 olds: 30-378-459-864-934-993-1668-3152 (8/14)
A strong 2018 long distance season
With such a list of achievements already, this is proving to be a fantastic season. Although the pigeons of Joël Verschoot are still eager to win races in the coming weeks. The race from Tulle has also come to a close (one day later than scheduled), and team Verschoot has won several national top results yet again, with two pigeons finishing in the national top 100 (based on the preliminary results).
Tulle Nat 4,169 olds: 42-59… etc. (preliminary results)
The first pigeon from Tulle to be basketed is the team's supercrack Barry (a full brother of Armando).
-Barry BE13-3003149
In 2018:
42nd Nat Tulle 4,169 p. ’18 (preliminary) 68th Prov Chateauroux 4,532 p. ’18 274th Nat Cahors 6,356 p. ’18 459th Nat Limoges I 15,789 p. ’18
This pigeon already had some top results to his name:
9th Nat Brive 9,126 p. ’17 6th Prov Tours 6,720 p. ’17 18th Nat Limoges II 9,102 p. ’17 22nd N.Zone Bourges 3,461 p. ’14 29th Prov Tours 4,939 p. ’16 29th Prov Tulle 1,053 p. ’15 209th Nat Tulle 7,447 p. ’17 897th Nat Libourne 3,927 p. ’17
Barry originates from top pair Picasso x Luna, just like Armando.
Click here for his pedigree
Nopri is the fourth in line. He had a slightly less demanding schedule initially, and he was prepared for Brive by competing in the national races of the longer middle distance from Bourges and Chateauroux. He already has a 59th Nat Jarnac 5,371 p. and a 551st Nat Brive 9,278 p. to his name his season, and he looks all set to give his best in the closing long distance classic from Angoulême, along with the rest of the team.
It is clear that Joël Verschoot really wants to put in another great effort in the last weekend of long distance racing, especially given the weather forecast. With one race from Angoulême still to come, Joël is currently holding a 2nd place for the national championship long distance old birds (after Tulle) with his 1st and 2nd nominated. Although they say that the last bit is always the most difficult. Anything can happen. Although we reckon Joël will just go for it!
Are we up for another great performance from Ingelmunster? We are keeping an eye on the pigeons of Verschoot, since they are still eager to do well. Would they be able to add another great result to their palmares in the long distance, after already claiming a provincial first prize from Libourne? Just wait and see.