There have been less hectic years for the ‘Liverpool champion’, famous for amazing results and top quality pigeons … now ready to storm the Dutch top.
Ambition has always been the motor that keeps John Gerard going … however leaving hometown England and moving to ‘the Mecca’ of pigeon racing The Netherlands to compete for the highest honor in April 2010, is a whole new adventure. John: “me and my buddy Tommy were late in planning for the young birds season 2010, but I did not want to lose another season! So in 4 days I took around from my breeders in the UK and our good friends the Herbots bros from Belguim let us have some super birds from there direct stock … also our good friend Heine Manderlarze from Belgium supplied us with some good birds … together with our own Bosuas, ‘Figo’s and Hartogs base, we started to play.” John also likes to emphasize that his club in Bingelrade (around 18 members) have made him very welcome and helped in every way to settle in the top!
And the start of John Gerard was amazing:
1st young bird race 15.-16.-17.-18.-19.-20.-22.-and so on 2nd young birds race 1.-8.-9.-10.-12.-17.-20. against 286 birds in club & 41 combine prizes 3rd young birds race 3.-5.-8.-9.-10.-12.-13.-16.-21.-22. against 311 birds in club & 51 combine prizes 4th young birds race 1.-3.-5.-8.-12.-13.-16.-18.-20.-21.-22.-23. against 354 birds in club 4.-10.-14.-24.-36.-39.-44. combine against 1,265 birds 5th young birds race 1.-5.-9.-10.-13.-17.-19.-22.-23.-28.-29.-30.-31.-32.- 33.-34.-35.-36. 232 birds in club 3. combine 2,567birds plus 26 other combine positions 6th young birds race 1.-2.-3.-4.-6.-7.-9.-10.-11.-12.-13.-14.-16.-19.-20.- 21.-22.-23. against 204 birds in combine 1.-3.-4.-5.-7.-8.-12.-13.-14.-15.-16.-17.-19. against 685 birds 7th young birds race 1.-6.-15.-16.-17.-18.-19.-22.-23.-24.-25. against 214 birds in club in combine 13. and 23 other combine positions from 2,843 birds 8th young birds race Orleans National 9.-11. combine 544 birds 447 km 9th young birds race 6.-7.-14.-17.-20. against 204 birds in combine 62. prize plus 23 other combine prizes from 2,543 birds 10th young birds race 1.-2.-3.-5.-6.-7.-9.-10.-11.-12. against 144birds in club in combine 5th plus 16 other combine prizes from 1,260 birds 11th (final)young birds race 2.-4.-5.-9.-11.-14.-17.-18.-22.-23. in club 247 birds plus 6. combine and 16 other combine prizes from691 birds
What a amazing first season in Holland for John Gerard
Very important fro John: Four (4!) National or Classic wins have been reported to him with the bloodlines of his colony as base of the success … that even excluded amongst them his good friend John Hall from Northern Ireland, winning 1. one loft race and a bonus of £10.000 pounds … “it has been a good year for us,” is Johns understatement.
John Gerard
Pigeon history of John Gerard goes back to 1967, when he caught is stray young bird and pigeons captured an important place in his heart. First pigeons through local champion Albert Tarleton lifted him and his brother to a high level, but it was co-incidence that gave the most important impulse in his pigeon life. A red German young bird - bred from original youngsters - was given to them and bred them many toppers. Reason for John to visit the breeder, now close friend Joseph Winkens from Geilenkirchen … on this visit pigeons returned from a race and Jozef won 1. prize with a pigeon bred from a Theo Hartog cockbird … John saw the father and had to visit Hartog in Brunssum. He took 4 pigeons and they made him one of British biggest champions ever … Hartogs was one of Hollands biggest champs ever, a/o winning National Orleans twice. The start of a close friendship … and many successes! By now offspring to John Gerards Hartogs colony have won 27x 1. National and won 17 cards!! The breeding stud responsible for all these successes in runned by John and his close friend Tommy Cuddy, together with Tommies two sons Tom and Jay. Next to Hartog pigeons, they have purchased many National winners and super pigeons through good friend Kees Bosua, in total around 300. But also from Gerard Koopman from all his best. In 2010 they made a big investment and bought 8x1. National winners!!
1. prize Thailand
Winner of the 1. world champion no. 1 Thailand one loft race from 1,545 birds against 518 km also winning the world famous Kings Cup is ‘Hartog Queen’ … on the presentation night Tommie and John purchased her back for a record price of about 90,000 … ‘Hartog Queen’ is bred by BELG09-4286113, sent to the same race in 2009 were he finished 36. from 1200 birds and bred by the top lofts of Koen and Oscar Brackenier (from ‘Snelle Witpen’ x daughter ‘Den Barcelona). Mother of ‘Hartog Queen’ was 7. in the same race in 2009 from 1,200 birds and a local bird; as Tommie believes local x European blood does the job in this one loft race! On the same day Gino Clicque won the shorter race with 500 birds covering 400km … it brought him the Queens Cup; both parents to this winner were sold to Hartog International Team.
John Gerard and Tommy Cuddy only have top quality in mind … that is the way they want to even improve their star status from their new location in The Netherlands. The start is extremely promising … will the British rule the International waves again? For now, it seems there are no hold barred.
