The organising ‘Cureghem Centre’ had no less than 8.622 old birds for national Cahors, an increase of 1.277 compared to the previous edition 2009. Through the adverse weather picture on Saturday in the middle of Paris, stretching out all over the east line of our country … the organizers took the correct and wise decision to postpone liberating until the Sunday, despite the extremely good weather there! On Sunday the entire racing line looked favourable… so that at around 6h50 they could be liberated in ideal weather with a slight north to north-easterly wind. It was to stay calm for the rest of the day over the entire racing line, with a barely visible to very weak NE-Wind. The club ‘De Arend’ in Rekkem was also celebrating from Cahors. After the national victory from Chateauroux by the old birds (with Sierens-Vandenbroecke) and yearlings (with Chris Lefevre)… it was the East-Flemish Patrick & Dimitri Houffllijn from Wortegem-Petegem, bordering on West-Flanders, who made the party in Rekkem complete. They clocked their winning pigeon at 17h23’59” from a distance of 723,085 Km, which immediately gave the highest velocity of 1140,54 m/min ! Another 3 East-Flemish pigeons followed in their footsteps… those of ‘long distance master’ Chris Hebberecht from Evergem with 1137,10 m/min in 2nd place… and the small, but very strong colony of Geert Couvreur from Bassevelde who had 2 pigeons arrive at the trap at the same time (2 full brothers no less) with 1136,76 and 1136,68 m/min in places 3 and 4 nationally… the first West-Fleming stands classified 5° nationally, namely Ignace Viaenefrom Loppem with 1134,51 m. The race was characterized by the very smooth arrivals, whereby locally the prizes had been allocated in one and a half hours. Quite quick for a race averaging 750 Km with slight head wind and an extra night in the basket… or so as someone in the club observed… it keeps getting quicker year after year!
Patrick & Dimitri Houfflijn no strangers to winning!
Patrick has been involved with the pigeons since he was a child. The pigeons have been raced from the current location since the 90’s… and Patrick found support in one of his three children, namely son Dimitri with whom a duo was formed. Their joint aim was… building up a colony of pigeons that could fight with the best in the long distance races. For this aim they sought reinforcements by top champions in the area so as the late Robert Willequet (Kluisbergen), Gaby Vandenabeele (Dentergem) and for the last few years they also house the sort of the 'Gullit' van Desmet - Mathijs (Nokere) . By the way, the 'Gullit' stems from the old sort from Patrick Houfflijn. Yet we can say that the Houfflijn pigeons were generally formed with the pigeons from Gaby Vandenabeele… as a result of which the performance curve rapidly shot upwards! They discovered 2 super breeding couples amongst the Vandenabeele pigeons… nowadays their ‘Fideel-line’ is more of less World famous! The 2 super couples have the following pedigree:
The cock is a ‘Son Blauwe Fideel’ B96-3314584 (father of the Blauwe Fideel, Grote Fideel, Kleine Fideel, Fideel 100, Cipollini, As Fideel…)… and son of the 1° Nat Brive 1995 by Gaby Vandenabeele, the ‘Blauwe Fideel 068/93 x ‘Sister Cinderella 110/93’ (daughter of the World famous ‘Wittenbuik 112/88’ x ‘Moriska 648/85’). The hen is the ‘Ronkertje’ B97-4185012… daughter of the Limoges 871/86 (1° Prov + 7° Nat Limoges… old stock Houfflijn) x ‘Daughter Ronker 380/96’ (Daughter of the1° Nat Limoges ’95 and Prov Ace pigeon long distance ‘94: the ‘Ronker’ by Gaby Vandenabeele).
These pigeons lay at the basis of the super season 2006 wherein the Houfflijn colony came into the national spotlights, and a.o. shined in the national days KBDB in Oostende with titles so as:
2° General Champion of Belgium KBDB ‘06
2° Nat. Champion Long Distance KBDB ‘06
4° Nat Ace pigeon Long Distance KBDB ‘06
In addition they were also 1° General Champion Cureghem Centre 2006…in short, a great year!
Famous pigeons from that period which repeatedly caused a spectacle were the ‘As Fideel 522/04’ (4° Nat Ace pigeon Long Distance KBDB), the ‘Cipollini 676/01’, the ‘Super Fideel 003/02’, the ‘Nieuwe Favoriet 673/04’, the ‘Kleine AS 578/04’… and of course wonderboy ‘Geronimo 486/00’!
The circa 50-head widowers team (including yearlings) are divided over 7 compartments, wherefrom the majority stem from previously mentioned breeding couple or above mentioned pigeons… they have never sold their ‘Ace pigeons’, but always kept them for their own breeding loft! A transaction that hasn’t done them any harm… and lies at the basis of their national victory from Cahors 2010!
‘SOON EENSLAG’ B06-4142749
This clapper signed for the national victory from Cahors. He is a son of the ‘Eénslager’ B03-4238044… coming self out ‘Son Blauwe Limoges’ B99-4250019, a pure Vandenabeele (out the ‘Blauwe Limoges 230/96’ x ‘Daughter Bordeauxtje 086/93) x ‘Charlyne 924/97’ (a daughter of ‘Charel Jr’ 340/94’ Vandenabeele x the ‘Argentonske 280/94’, self 1° Argenton and mother of a heap of top racers). On mother’s side we come across the stock couple with the ‘Fideelke 538’ B00-4282538… daughter of ‘Son Blauwe Fideel 584/96, direct Vandenabeele (out the 1° Nat Brive 1995: ‘Blauwe Fideel 068/93’ x ‘Sister Cinderella 110/93’) x ‘Daughter Ronker 2’ 380/96, direct Vandenabeele (out the 1° Prov Ace pigeon Long Distance ’94 and 1° Nat Limoges ’95: the ‘Ronker 052/91’ x ‘Rosa 070/88').
This ‘Son Eénslag’ B06-4142749 was basketted as 2° nominated for Cahors, he had already performed the following (main prizes):
’07 Argenton 407 p. 33
I.Prov 5.134 p. 367
’08 Chateauroux 236 p. 7
I.Prov 3.709 p. 59
’08 Limoges 172 p. 6
Prov 2.454 p. 107
’08 Limoges 207 p. 11
Zone A 5.549 p. 198
Nat 11.995 p. 396
Derby 109 p. 6
Zone A 3.166 p. 122
Nat 6.016 p. 220
’08 Souillac N 7.315 p. 1291
’09 Brive Nat 17.456 p. 1639
’09 Montauban 167 p. 21
Zone 2.583 p. 200
Nat 7.203 p. 425
’09 Souillac 308 p. 18
Zone 3.290 p. 169
Nat 7.597 p. 361
’09 Tulle Nat 5.676 p. 1332
’10 Brive 552 p. 10
’10 Cahors 182 p. 1
Nat 8.622 p. 1
The Houfflijn family also achieve a nice series during this Cahors weekend with:
Cahors 182 old birds 1-11-25-30 (5) (with in following order 2-1-4-3° nominated)
Chateauroux 175 old birds 13-44 (with 2+1st nom from 3 p.)
Chateauroux 351 yearlings 3 (1st nom) -12-24-28-34-58-67-80-81 (16)
This national victory and nice performance is simply a logical sequel to the marvellous start of the season which they have signed for there in Wortegem-Petegem with:
13/5 Chateauroux 252 p. 4-10-12-14-15-19-20-39-68-71 (10/16)
20/5 Bourges 205 YL 17-18-30 (3)
20/5 Poitiers 137 p. 2-3-8-11-27-37 (6)
27/5 Brive 552 p. 2-4-7-8-10-14-123-154 (12)
Magnificent performances, which have now resulted in ‘national victory’ from Cahors. It was purveyor Gaby Vandenabeele who was the first to congratulate sport friends Patrick & Dimitri on their national victory… a few hours after he had achieved a ‘brilliant performance’ from Chateauroux! Sportsmanship of the highest level… that’s how it should be! For Patrick & Dimitri it is a crowning for their marvellous performances over the last few seasons… and more than anything a piece of revenge for their previous sport season 2009… when they saw a part of their season go up in smoke when their racing team had to deal with a ‘smallpox plague’! Our congratulations on this beautiful victory… it clearly tastes of more!
