Week after week, the pigeons of Gerard and Bas are showing to be in excellent form, with numerous top results and high prize percentages. As such, their double victory in the one day long distance race from Vierzon was not a complete surprise. We will zoom in on their best racing birds from Vierzon but we start with an overview of some of their best results this season:
NL19-1666439 Solange's Playboy, 1st NPO Vierzon (9,031 p.)
This promising newcomer was already in good form the week before his victory from Vierzon. However, he wasted more than a minute upon his arrival, because he had an eye on a fellow teammate. It did cost him a first spot in the Entente, and it also explains his new nickname: Solange's Playboy. Despite his hesitant arrival, he did finish in second place in Fontenay sur Eure of 2,341 pigeons (and 15th of 17,630 pigeons). The pedigree of Solange's Playboy features quite a few important stock breeders. To begin with, his sire is Duncan, a son of Tinker Bell (1st Prov. Meaux of 32,917 p.). The dam is Expectation (1st NPO Vierzon of 11,506 p.), and she is a daughter of the fantastic Olympic Solange.
NL19-1666746, 2nd NPO Vierzon (9,031 p.)
This one year old cock claimed a 2nd NPO Vierzon. He originates from a pairing of Adora's Gold (C&G Koopman) x Shelly. Shelly is herself a half sister of Olympic Solange, Eye Catcher (1st Prov. Mantes la Jolie of 20,506 p.) and Tinker Bell.
NL19-1666609, 5th NPO Vierzon (9,031 p.)
This one year old hen finished in 5th place. She is a half sister of 1st NPO Vierzon Solange's Playboy, since Duncan is the sire of both of them. Her dam Dedication (1st Prov. Nanteuil of 31,438 p.) is a daughter of Eye Catcher, a top class sister of Olympic Solange.
NL19-1666544, 7th NPO Vierzon (9,031 p.)
This racing hen claimed a 7th spot in the top ten in Vierzon. Her sire is Blue Magic, and he is a half brother of Olympic Solange, Eye Catcher, Houdini, Sola, as well as a full brother of Solar. The dam is Sonja, and she is a daughter of Captain Hook, which is also the sire of Tinker Bell and Lizzie (2nd Nat. Ace Pigeon).
NL18-5166987, 8th NPO Vierzon (9,031 p.)
And the 8th spot in Vierzon went to this two year old hen. She had already shown to be a talented racing hen in earlier races as well; we take a look at her best results so far:
The sire of this 987 is The Universe, and he is a son of top breeder Miss Universe (loft Huijsmans). The dam is Dedication (daughter Eye Catcher). She is also the dam of the 5th NPO Vierzon, which makes the 987 a half sister of the aforementioned NL 19-609.
Based around a super class breeding loft
Almost every race winner of Gerard and Bas Verkerk appears to be related to a number of breeders with a proven record in pigeon races as well as in the breeding loft. And that is why this team is able to deliver so many great overall results and national ace pigeon titles every season. We would not hesitate to call this a unique breeding loft. Which other fancier (besides perhaps a few collectors from the Far East) has a collection of 26 pigeons in his breeding loft with a 1st National Ace Pigeon Title, an Olympiad title and/or a victory NPO to their name? Here is a brief overview of this invaluable collection of birds:
23 of these invaluable birds were raced/bred by themselves. The last two additions are 1st National Ace Pigeon Marathon 2019 (the Allerbeste competition) Calimero (Oude Nijeweme) and 1st National Ace Pigeon middle distance 2019 NPO Al Capone (Noorlander). And this breeding loft is home to several other top ten national ace pigeons and NPO stars.
Successes in numerous lofts
Other fanciers have been reaping the rewards of this breeding loft as well, judging from the many acknowledgements that they receive every single week. For instance, Hans and Evert-Jan Eijerkamp claimed a 1st NPO Fay aux Loges (Orleans) with a youngster of Tanguy, which is in turn a grandson of Olympic Solange. And last weekend, several fanciers claimed a top ten NPO in the one day long distance, including Ariejan van Olderen/Nico Meuwsen. They have a super class racing bird in their collection that has been basketed for 3 NPO races so far, where she claimed a 2nd, 10th and 15th NPO. The dam was bred from Flinstone x Cameron Diaz of Gerard and Bas.
And the Verkerk pigeons are thriving outside of Belgium as well. For instance, Rik Hermans (Pulle, BE) claimed a 12th National Issoudun with a youngster of Frêle Feline last weekend.