Introduction
Martial (45) has been a pigeon fancier for more than 20 years. He built a pigeon loft for the first time at his parents house (who were not pigeon fanciers) and went a few times to Belgium to obtain pigeons from fanciers who were achieving some great results. For example, pigeons from the late Robert Petillon (Wasmes, previous national winner from Bourges in 1992) or those of the late Jan Grondelaers via the loft of Savelkoul father & son from Liège. As he is today, back then, Martial was already full of ambition. This is how he managed to win a dozen first prizes in his area, which gave him the opportunity to represent his country during the Olympiad of Blackpool in 1999, thanks to his 321/95. A performance which is still one of the best pigeon moments in the career of our friend. However, as he began to study medicine, Martial had to quit his favourite hobby so that he could focus on his schooling. It then came as a total surprise for him to see his father becoming a pigeon fancier at that time (he is still the president of the Groupement Colombophile du Calvados).
Martial with his father
After having bought his house in 2002, Martial immediately built a pigeon loft in his garden and he raced there from 2002 until 2005, only with the youngsters and the yearlings due to lack of time. It wasn't a problem for him as he won the 3rd place at the national championship yearlings (same as a national championship KBDB in Belgium). From 2005 until 2009, he did not race as he had some busy times with his work, but he came back again in 2009. Martial discovered the auctions organized by PIPA and that's how he decided to purchase what he liked the most. A lot of European top class pigeons moved to Calvados, like pigeons from Drapa (line of the Blitz), Rens Van der Zijde, Kees Bosua (line of the Peper), Steven Van Bremen, etc. But his best discovery was made during the total auction of Michel Debecker from Pellenberg (BE) from which he bought the parents of two of the best pigeons from Debecker, like the Zwarte Najonge, father of Dreamgirl Chocolate, who classified herself twice into the national top 50 in addition to a 2nd national zone in the loft of Michel Debecker. Coupled together, this pair is now the leading basis of the loft, that's why Martial often calls them the Super Couple. With such breeding material in his lofts, the results just had to be great and this is what happened with the youngsters bred since 2010! Martial classified himself 5th General Champion Young birds Calvados and 6th Federal Champion Young Birds (same as a provincial).
In 2011, Martial made some new acquisitions, again on PIPA, with the arrival of the pigeons from Gérard Koopman (David's son x Cow Girl), a Jan Buis hen, another one from Edwin Hoogland, a cock from Lex Udo (son of Avanti) and finally two Rens Van der Zijde (line Late Lange Vos & Evita, the top of his loft), pigeons that he particulary likes. The next year, it was a pigeon from Pieter Veenstra (Turbo Magic x Primo, two NPO winners) as well as a direct grandson of the worldfamous Limoges from De Rauw-Sablon (via le PEC) who came to strenghten the loft.
- Cosmic Boy (FR11-014283)
Until this day, he is the best pigeon of the loft as he classified himself 6th National Ace Pigeon Young Birds in 2011! Cosmic Boy is a product of two foreign pigeons now living in Calvados as his father is a direct Rens Van der Zijde while his mother is a Drapa hen!
Some of Martials's best results in 2012:
Niort old birds & yearlings 13/5/12 (309 km): 12/20 = 60.00%: 7, 10, 69, 97, 124, 132, 143, 175, 178, 255, 294, 296 / 1464p Poitiers old birds 27/5/2012 (286 km): 14/16 = 87.50%: 14, 15, 18, 19, 33, 90, 97, 114, 115, 195, 200, 210, 250, 263 / 1120p Jarnac 1/7/12 (380 km) 13/22 = 59.09%: 37, 39, 60, 93, 96, 102, 111, 115, 153, 154, 158, 289, 296 / 1349p Poitiers old birds 15/7/12 (286 km) 11/24 = 45.83%: 1, 2, 34, 45, 59, 85, 92, 94, 113, 159, 162 / 910p Poitiers youngsters 29/7/12 (286 km) 19/24 = 79.17%: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 26, 30, 32, 42, 45, 46, 71, 72, 73 / 512p
We can't conclude this report without talking of the Super Couple we talked about above! This couple is formed by the Zwarte Najonge and the Lemmens 529. Before they gave their best in the loft of the Maindrelle colony, they had both already bred excellent racers at their ex-owner's place. In their new loft, they just confirmed all the good things we thought about them!
The Zwarte Najonge (crossing Ludo Claessens Voske 53 x Oliviers-Devos) is father of Dreamgirl Chocolate, a superb hen who flew :
- 2nd Bourges Nat Zone 6,226 p. - 35th Argenton National 6,444 p. - 48th La Souterraine Nat 21,258 p.
The Lemmens 529 is the mother of :
- Argenton 064/07 : 5th Argenton Nat 5,043 p. - 001/07 : 90th Guéret Nat 12,586 p. - 002/07 : 54th Argenton Nat 20,844 p.
Now coupled together in France, everything went well for them:
- Charlotte 103/10 : St Maure /8/873 p. Poitiers 10/466 p.
Niort 18/884 p, Poitiers 15/1,120 p. Poitiers 55/1,118 p.
- Noire Désir 017/10 : Poitiers 4/466 p, Niort 10/1,464 p.
Poitiers 34/910 p. Roullet 53/1,147 p.
- Dreamgirl 305/11 : St Maure 4/1,179 p. Angers 9/1,562 p. Poitiers 18/814 p.
Marsac 26/736 p. Jarnac 37/1,349 p.
- Rapido 282/11 : Poitiers 1/910 p. Poitiers 5/467 p. Niort 7/1,464 p.
St Maure 8/1,179 p. Poitiers 14/1,120 p. Poitiers 59/1,920 p.
- 003/12 : Poitiers 8/512 p. Marmande 8/554 p, Marmande 10/1,010 p.
Martial, congratulations and good luck for the future of your career!
