Adrie Kors is, with his 71 years young, a universally praised pigeon fancier. Inside and outside the borders of Steenwijkerwold they know this fancier who lives at the top of Overijssel. Logical really as where many talk a great deal, but don’t achieve anything, Adrie doesn’t talk a lot, but achieves a great deal. That much that it makes you silent. This was a reason for me to talk, to talk a lot, but more to learn from him. Because we can definitely learn from this special and great champion.
It was during his early years that Adrie, surrounded by a large family of non-fanciers, came into contact with 'poultry'. Chickens, canaries and show pigeons have passed the revue, but it was the racing pigeons which have allowed Adrie enjoy his life up to present. Adrie is a true fancier, and we can see how happy he is when he talks about his pigeons. The passion, the power and feeling radiates from him. He is a specialist of nice and good pigeons, an expert in performing well year in, year out. He is everything a champion should be, social – compassionate with the sport and a good loser (if this occurs).
No less important is the 2nd person in this report, just like Adrie, she is also a main character. Adrie's wife – help and support - Marie! How they help and support each other to the top can be considered a lesson to everybody. Division of labour in the right proportions and both loving the pigeons and each other.. could our sport be any nicer? Not much nicer than the Kors family in Steenwijkerwold...
It was 54 years ago when Adrie caught the pigeon bug. Over the years he has learned so much over what ‘can’ and ‘cannot’ in our sport. So much that you have to be careful not to miss any ‘handy’ tips. To keep the story credible we would like to support these words with a somewhat concise honours list, only based on the best performances..
- 1st Tours North Netherlands 1983 – 3rd national Munchen 1984 – 1st Champion Fond Union North and Fries Fondclub 1992 – 1st national Bergerac S. 4 in 1994 – 1st national NPO Etampes 1998 (10.000 p.) – 1st national NPO Niergnies 2001(20.000 p.) – 3rd national NPO Houdeng 2001 (11.000 p.) – 1st Keizer general Fries fondclub 2000 – 2nd General nom. en not nom. province Friesland '96 in 2000 – 1st Keizer general 2001 province Friesland ’96 – 1st General Fries fondclub 2001 - 1st national province 11 Morlincourt 2002 – 1st national NPO province 11 Morlincourt 2003 – 1st General nom. en not nom. ACG 6 2003 (no deduction races) - National Munchen 2002, distance 642 km. In the race 2.277 p. 7, 10, 11, 24, 47 and 70 (6/9) - 1st NPO Etampes 2004 – 1st Champion Middle Distance province Friesland ’96 2004 - 1st NPO Chantilly 2005 - 1st Keizer general province Friesland ’96 2007 – 1st 1-day long distance not nominated – 1st 1-day long distance nominated. – 1st and 2nd bird total o.b. – 1st and 2nd bird 1-day long distance Fries fondclub 2007 – 1st General champion ACG 9 2009 - 1st NPO Troyes 2010 – 2nd national Blois 2010
As stated, a ‘concise’ overview whereby you mustn’t forget that there were ‘unforeseen circumstances’ which resulted in Adrie being out of the running for a number of months. When we see that he was the Best Extreme Middle Distance fancier in 2010 from the entire province 11 and in 2011 he was 2nd general champion of his province ( just after the now famous Pieter Veenstra) These are hard facts which demonstrate the class of both Adrie and his pigeons. Both are of high quality, very very high. We have talked about Adrie, now we’ll talk about his pigeons.
As stated, Adrie is a specialist, he looks for a number of points which have to be right otherwise they are removed straight away! If it doesn’t feel right in the hand, it can be a good bird, but you won’t breed anything worthy out of it. You could call it going downhill, and that is something that Adrie doesn’t want!.
* Closed tailpiece.
* Short upper arm.
* Soft, fatty plumage.
* Lively and colourful eye.
* Perfect build and balance.
All his pigeons are checked for these points once a year, and by doing this for years the chance that, qua build, worthless pigeons are bred, is very small. The tailpiece has to be closed and the upper arm as short as possible. These 2 things ensure that a pigeon (if good) can achieve maximum movement with a minimum of effort. The plumage has to be fatty and he prefers not to hear a wing ‘rustle’ when opened. A pigeon has to be one entirety, and the tail certainly shouldn’t go into the air. If all this is good then you are often holding a pigeon which lies like a block in your hand, whilst struggling a bit and showing character traits. Balance has to be good when you concentrate of the races from 400 to 700km like Adrie.
The characteristics above are strictly controlled by pigeons for the breeding loft. Only pigeons which score top in 2 factors are allowed in, a) the build b) performances and/or origin. By breeding pigeons in this manner, Adrie believes that there is a greater chance of breeding less rubbish. Looking at the performances over the last few years he seems to be right. His results distinguish themselves as front racers, a few minutes lead, and then magnificent series with now and then several pigeons at the top. There are new top pigeons every year.. A luxury? Or simply knowing what you’re doing and relying on the strength of your pigeons...I think the latter. Adrie know what he’s doing, and has done for 50 years.
Season 2010:
Signy Signetz 481 km. 1.042 p. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 13, 15, 23, 29 etc. 25/21 Sezanne 484 km. 1.076 p. 1, 5, 6, 18, 21, 25, 31, 41, 47, 52 etc. 25/15 Troyes 521 km. 948 p. 1, 7, 16, 17, 19, 22, 37, 38, 39, 41 etc. 26/18 Sens 548 km. 1.214 p. 4, 5, 8, 11, 13, 18, 19, 21, 22, 28 etc. 30/22 Sens 548 km. 791 p. 1, 7, 20, 25, 39, 40, 46, 52, 60, 61 etc. 20/12 Blois 671 km. 242 p. 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 21, 22, 26, 27 etc. 16/12
1st Extreme Middle Distance nom. and not nom. in ACG 9 Province Friesland’96
1st Extreme Middle Distance Total Fries Fondclub
1st Extreme Middle Distance not nom. and nom. and 1st Keizer Extreme Middle Distance Province Friesland’96
Season 2011
Pithiviers NPO against 7385 pigeons 7-12-37-39-53-70-etc. (582km) Pommeroeul ACG9 against 1732 pigeons 1-2-6-7-8-10-11-12-23-27-33-35-84-etc (308km) = NPO against 15.842 pigeons 2-26-140-147-184-etc. Pommeroeul ACG9 against 1081 pigeons 5-6-8-9-76-etc. ( 308km) = NPO against 10.434 pigeons 15-16-18-19-etc.. St.Quentin ACG9 against 869 pigeons 2-8-13-14-17-21-25-51-57-61-etc. (382km) = NPO against 8672 pigeons 3-12-20-21-33-40-53-98-etc. Hasselt ACG against 2449 pigeons 2-3-4-6-7-9-11-14-15-17-20-24-28-29-40-etc..(213km) = NPO against 22.391 pigeons 11-13-41-43-56-95-etc.. Nijvel ACG9 against 2368 pigeons 4-9-27-36-49-60-75-80 (274km) 1st Champion Middle Distance Province 11 NOT NOM. 1st Champion Middle Distance ACG9 NOT NOM. 1st Champion Middle Distance ACG9 A. 1st Champion Extreme Middle Distance ACG9 NOT NOM. 1st General Champion ACG9 NOT NOM. 1st Acebird Middle Distance ACG9 (09-643) 2nd General Champion ACG9 A. 2nd Champion Extreme Middle Distance Province 11 NOT NOM. 2nd Champion Late races ACG9 NOT NOM. 2nd Champion Extreme Middle Distance ACG9 A. 2nd General Champion Province 11 NOT NOM. 2nd Acebird Extreme Middle Distance ACG9 (09-627) 3rd Champion Youngsters ACG9 NOT NOM. 3rd Acebird o.b. ACG9 (09-428) 4th Champion Middle Distance Province 11 A. 4th Acebird o.b. ACG9 (09-643) 5th Acebird o.b. ACG9 (09-602)
It is a magnificent honours list. Whereby Adrie would like to share one thing with his readers '' People soon think that here everything happens naturally or just with a simple care system. Although the care isn’t very elaborate, we have to make a great many sacrifices for the pigeons! We never have a lie in and get up every morning around 7a.m. We generally keep to a fixed care system and that means sacrifices''. Adrie thinks the most important thing is the fancier, he is captain of his own ship. If you don’t see yourself what is wrong with the pigeons or the loft, or both.. then you will be no more than a one day fly. The races will go well now and again.. but no racing top systematically.
I could write a book about the man Adrie Kors, he has his passion to thank for that. The zest for life jumps off Adrie when he talks about his pigeons. ' I basket for every possible race between the 80 to 700 km program. There is nothing nicer than seeing your pigeons arriving home on time, knowing that you’ve done everything to bring it to a good end.' I’ll take you spiritually to the breeding lofts of Adrie Kors. What we see there is just as magnificent as his performances. Whether it is the super breeder 'Den Jan' his daughter 'Diamond' or granddaughter 'Briljant' ,super breeder the 'Sem' or 'Precious Lady'. All toppers... We would like to introduce you to a few of them.
'Den Jan' is a cock which was bred by (since then) sport friend Jan Duyn from Enschede. He became a ‘stock cock’ by Adrie, producing several top pigeons. He was bred out a son Kannibaal x daughter Rambo (Dirk van Dyck, Zandhoven BE). This classy cock if father of a.o.:
1st National Acehen WHZB 2007 2nd National Acebird 1-day long distance TBOTB 2004 7th National Acebird WHZB 2010 1st NPO Troyes against 7543 pigeons 1st Prov. Arras against 6648 pigeons 1st Prov. Vilvoorde against 1350 pigeons 1st Prov. St.Quentin against 1156 pigeons 1st Prov. Sens against 791 pigeons 2nd NPO Blois against 1112 pigeons 2nd Prov. Pommeroeul against 18.952 pigeons 3rd Arras against 1922 pigeons 3rd Achene against 1749 pigeons 3rd Strombeek against 1308 pigeons 4th Sezanne against 926 pigeons 7th Sens against 791 pigeons 8th Sens against 1214 pigeons 10th Isnes against 12.361 pigeons
This class bird is also grandfather of : 1st Wavre against 3301 pigeons 1st Meer against 2667 pigeons 1st Duffel against 2397 pigeons 1st Hasselt against 2217 pigeons 1st Maaseik against 1613 pigeons 1st Strombeek against 1308 pigeons 1st Morlincourt against 661 pigeons 1st Gennep against 612 pigeons 1st Den Bosch against 594 pigeons
Everything produced from this pigeon seems to be breeding gold. Whether it is daughter 'Diamant' or granddaughter ' Briljant ' ... These are almost all descendants in the breeding and racing!!
Another exponent of the breeding loft by Adrie is 'Sem', which could become the successor to 'Den Jan'. He is already (grand)father of several 1st prize winners, including:
1st Hasselt against 3362 pigeons 1st Ede against 2143 pigeons 1st Sezanne against 1076 pigeons 1st Signy Signetz against 1042 pigeons 1st Nijvel against 604 pigeons 1st Pithiviers against 241 pigeons 1st Acebird 1-day long distance ACG9
Adrie also has a very good friend in Bert Berends. This fancier ( who was reported on last week on PIPA) has super pigeons and together with Adrie they exchange-buy and breed the best/better pigeons. There arose a warm friendship and a marvellous basis of genetic breeding material for both gentlemen. A well-known result of this is the 'Anne-Linde', this hen was 1st National Acebird Youngsters WHZB 2007. Another tyrant whose children sometimes move from loft a) to loft b) is out 'Precious Lady'. This Veenstra hen comes out the best of 'Terminator' X 'Diamond Lady' and is already mother of 13x 1st prize. (more info over these pigeons click hier)
Finally:
Adrie Kors is a magical fancier. When you talk to him you get simple answers, often under the ' yeah, that’s right, isn’t it?'. It is often right, but there are not many with as much ‘good’ experience as Adrie. Adrie uses his knowledge from the last 50 years, and does what a Champion has to do. I hear you thinking what is that then?.. It is above all to remain one! Keep it simple, think and observe the pigeons, then you will learn the most and quickest is the tip from this acclaimed fancier from Steenwijkerwold.
All that remains for us now is to thank our hosts for their positive influence and enthusiasm about our beautiful sport. Adrie Kors a genuinely good man, fancier and above all Champion!