The success story of Leo & Gerry Dockx started about 12 years ago, when they got in touch with Gaston Van de Wouwer. Gaston not only provided good advice, there was also a transfer of pigeons from the world famous Kaasboer bloodline from Berlaar to Koningshooikt. A second breakthrough came in 2013 with the introduction of Gaby Vandenabeele birds from Rik Cools. One year later, Leo & Gerry win a title of 1st National Ace Pigeon longer middle distance KBDB with Tarzan, a 100% Rik Cools bird.
The crossing of Van de Wouwer pigeons with Rik Cools bloodlines clearly worked out well. It is thanks to this combination that the team from Koningshooikt has had such a strong season: they had pigeons in the national top 100 in Chateauroux, Argenton and Issoudun, besides an impressive 13 first prizes at club level, after just five weeks of racing in 2020. Impressive!
It shows that the racing team is in excellent fitness. The first highlight of the season came in the national race from La Souterraine last weekend, where the yearlings proved particularly strong:
La Souterraine National 15,939 yearlings:
3-8-11-52-70-85-87-256-381-487-586-618-1077-1216-1283-1385-1395-1949-2385-2738
or a total of 20 prizes with 26 basketed birds, including 7 in the national top 100 and 17 pigeons per 10.
3rd National La Souterraine with first nominated
A national top result is something to be proud of, especially if it comes from your first nominated, which is usually your favourite pigeon or the strongest bird at the moment. Leo & Gerry claimed a national bronze medal with their number one racing hen today: the '721'. She had already won a national top 100 from Issoudun the week before. As a young bird, she was 6th best pigeon of Belgium across 2 national races from Chateauroux. She is quite a special bird indeed. This is her palmares:
-721-duivin BE19-6098721
3. Nat. La Souterraine 15,939 YLs ’20
100 Nat Issoudun 18,176 YLs ’20 – 41. Nat Zone 6,271 YLs
31. Nat Chateauroux 19,529 p. ’19
139 Nat Chateauroux 22,476 p. ’19
46. Prov Blois 2,752 p.
6. Best young bird of Belgium across two races Chateauroux 2019 – PIPA ranking
Sire: Grandson Kaasboer BE13-6304765
A fantastic breeder from the lines of Barbara, Maria and New Kim. He was bred from Swakke BE11-6341425 (son of Barbara: 1st Prov. Vierzon and 1st Prov. Montluçon) x Griet BE08-6177699, a super class breeding hen (daughter of invaluable stock breeder Kaasboer x Zus Mirthe).
Dam: Kenny-duivin BE18-6135760
A Kenny Hollanders, from the line of a 1st Ace Pigeon 2015 Mechelen region.
Exactly two minutes and 18 seconds after the arrival of the 721, racing hen 878 came home in second place, claiming an 8th national La Souterraine.
-878-duivin BE19-6098878
8th Nat La Souterraine 15,939 YLs ’20
79th Nat Chateauroux 19,259 p.
178 Prov Blois 2,752 p.
This hen was bred from a cock of Kenny Hollanders (BE18-6135763) paired to a hen from the stock bloodlines of Leo & Gerry Dockx: Daughter Tarzan BE15-6286858 (which comes from 1st Nat. Ace Pigeon longer middle distance Tarzan x Blue Power, a daughter of Broer Mirthe - Van de Wouwer).
The team's third pigeon arrived home about four and a half minutes after the 721, finishing in 11th place national. This racing bird was 689-duivin (BE19-6098689). Her sire BE16-6262844 is a 100% Rik Cools, bred from Beauty Gaby (a direct son of the iconic breeder Rudy) paired to Sister Tarzan. Her dam is a daughter Tarzan BE18-6135322, and she was bred from 1st Nat. Ace Pigeon longer middle distance KBDB Tarzan, paired to a crossing of the Tia bloodline of Van de Wouwer and Nestsister Tarzan.
12 x top 100 National in three weeks' time
Leo & Gerry had seven pigeons in the national top 100 in La Souterraine alone. And the Docks racing birds claimed several more national top results in the past three weeks. Here is a brief overview:
-BE18-6135123: winner of a 5th Nat. Zone Chateauroux 5,507 p. and a 50th Nat. 20,800 p. This excellent racing hen had also won a 4th Prov. Argenton 2,579 p., 40th Prov. Issoudun 2,147 p. She originates from a crossing of the Stekpender De Belser bloodline x a hen of Wim Spinnoy.
-BE17-6121221: 8th Nat. Zone Chateauroux 5,507 p. and 68th Nat. 20,800 pigeons. She was bred from two Rik Cools pigeons. She is a granddaughter of a full brother of Gloria (2nd Nat. Ace Pigeon long distance KBDB) paired to the line of Ijzeren As (3rd National Ace Pigeon long distance KBDB) of Antoine Van Landuyt. Her dam is a granddaughter of the invaluable Marieke (1st Nat. Zone Gueret of 5,166 p. and 1st Prov. Ace Pigeon KBDB).
-BE19-6098684: 6th Nat. Argenton 26,085 YLs, 8th Melun 1,161 p., 143rd Nat. Chateauroux 19,259 p. Her sire is a Son Mirthe BE09-6347282 (a direct Gaston Vd Wouwer) x a Kenny Hollanders hen BE18-6135758.
-BE19-6098882: 25th Nat. Issoudun 18,176 YLs. This pigeon comes from the very best of Gaston Vd Wouwer: Broer Kim BE13-6304768 (Kim has won a 1st Nat. Gueret) x Half sister Tarzan BE17-6121292
-BE19-6098765: 52nd Nat La Souterraine 15,939 YLs, 325th Nat. Chateauroux 19,529 p. etc. He comes from a crossing of Rik Cools x Gaston Vd Wouwer from his father's side: BE18-6135170 (related to such renowned names like Rudy, Schone Bliksem, Tarzan, Serena, Blue Power) was paired to BE17-6121196, a 100% Vd Wouwer hen. She is in turn a half sister of 721-duivin (3rd Nat. La Souterraine) bred from grandson Barbara x Daughter Nelson (Nelson is a grandson of Kaasboer).
-BE19-6098753: 70th Nat. La Souterraine 15,939 YLs. This racing cock is related to Kaasboer no less than five times. He is a genuine Vd Wouwer descendant.
-BE19-6098606: 85th Nat. La Souterraine 15,939 YLs, 297th Nat. Chateauroux 19,529 p., 1881st Nat. Chateauroux 22,476 p. He is a full brother of Tarzan, 1st Nat. Ace Pigeon longer middle distance YBs KBDB 2014
-BE19-6098905: 87th Nat. La Souterraine 15,939 YLs, 21st Melun 790 p., 113th Prov. Blois 2,752 p., 129th Pont 1,409 p. etc. She was bred from BE18-6135766 of Kenny Hollanders x BE16-6047158 (from grandson Kaasboer 13-774 x Zus Tarzan 15-852).
National top results do not come overnight. The conditions have to be in your favour of course and your pigeons have to be in great form as well. You also need a group of top class pigeons, and that is probably the most important thing of all. It is safe to say that the pigeon lofts of Leo & Gerry Dockx are packed with top quality bloodlines, coming from Gaston Van de Wouwer, Kenny Hollanders and Rik Cools. These are the bloodlines of national winners, national champions and ace pigeons, and it is thanks to these strains that the team in turn managed to become highly successful at national level. We are eager to see what the Docks pigeons have in store in the coming few weeks, given their current form!
