Eddy Claes (Kortenaken, BE): 1st national ace pigeon KBDB SMD Old birds

It is no surprise that the name Davy Tournelle will be seen multiple times in this report. Eddy says it like this: “I can always count on Davy, when we talk about pigeons and for advice. He was the one who recommended me to darken my old pigeons in this corona-year. My racing team - 16 cocks and 20 hens on complete widowhood and 60 youngsters - achieved at least one first place every weekend: 42 in total, inclusive doubles. My old birds got 78,5% prices of the time, while the yearlings got 72,5% prices and the youngsters 54%. The father of the national ace pigeons is a real Tournelle.”

The highlight of this season was achieved with getting the title of 1st national Ace pigeon KBDB Short Middle Distance Old birds with “Ella” (BE18-2142643). This magnificent pigeon flew 18 prices as a yearling with 7x per twenty and 3 x per ten. She also finished first on Etampes against 728 other pigeons.

This as a yearling: 10 prices in 10 races, of which 4 x per hundred and 3 times first price on Sermaises (356 km) against 313, 271 and 870 pigeons respectively. The father of “Ella”, “Poudy” (BE17-2058196), was a gift from Davy Tournelle. “Poudy” himself is a son of “Mystery Ben” (BE12-2067236) and “Torres Star” (BE14-2340905). The mother of “Ella” is “De 66 Duivin” (BE15-2020666, Walter Devos).

“Den 171”

“Poudy” of Davy Tournelle is also grandfather of another prize winning pigeon in the loft of Eddy Claes: “Den 171”. In 2019, “Den 171” became 2nd Ace Pigeon Small Half Fond Youngsters in Oplinter. In this year he won 12 prizes in 13 races, of which 2x per twenty and 4x per ten. “Den 171” became All-round Ace pigeon 2020 in the ‘Ware Vrienden Oplinter.

History

In his younger years, Eddy could often be found in the pigeon loft of his father Eduard. Eduard was a successful breeder of fast short distance pigeons, but his son Eddy started flying on his own after his marriage with Diane in 1984. Three years later, Eddy started a collaboration with Walter Devos and Freddy Claes, which led to his success. In 2005, they sold his pigeons publically, but the career of Eddy Claes in the pigeon sport was far from over. On the contrary, he began a new chapter in the pigeon sport in 2018 with pigeons of Davy Tournelle, Rummen, Walter Devos, Kortenaken (pigeons of Rudi Serré and Sabrina Brugmans), Lambrechts-Lismont, Kortenaken; Kumpen-Schepers, Kortenaken; en Frank Monette, Webbekom. Last year was an outstanding first year with widowers and hens on total widowhood: 3rd General Champion in the ‘Brabantse Unie’, the 3rd Ace pigeon Small Middle Distance Young birds Vlaams-Brabant, a pigeon of Geert Beken of Scherperheuvel, and 32 first places (inclusive doubles). Also since this new start, Eddy’s brother Freddy has played an important role. Walter Devos, a close friend, takes care of the breeders and was the supplier of the mother of “Ella”. The season of 2020 was a great one. As seen in the beginning of this report: the title of 1st National Ace Pigeon KBDB SMD Old 2020 was a stunning victory. Eddy started the season with 16 cocks and 20 hens on total widowhood. They were darkened from March 21st till May 5th. Training sessions were held once a day in the late afternoon and they flew for one or one and an half hours.

The 60 young pigeons from the first and second round were darkened from March 8th till June 22nd between 17:00 and 07:00 o’clock. Extra light was used between 18:00 and 22:00 and from 7 o’clock in the morning from June 22nd till the end of the season. Since Soissons they were played on the system of the sliding door.

Some top pigeons

Alongside “Ella” and “Den 171” a lot of great pigeons are present in the lofts of Eddy Claes. We will introduce you to two more. Meet “Veulemans-duivin” and “Ina”.

“Veulemans-duivin”

The “Veulemans-Duivin” (B18/2139895) originates from eggs from Veulemans-Perilleux that Eddy Claes received via a voucher. Meanwhile, she flew 1st Bourges (118 pigeons), 1st Salbris (180 pigeons), 1st Soissans (49 pigeons), 2nd Sermaises (298 pigeons) and became 2nd Ace pigeon GHF ‘Ware Vrienden Oplinter’. This “Veulemans-duivin” won 9 prices on the Great Middle Distance on the National level.

“Ina” (BE19-2083185) won 3 x per twenty and 2 x per ten when she was a young bird. She became 5th Ace Pigeon Speed France Young pigeons at the ‘Ware Vrienden Oplinter’ in 2019. As a yearling, she flew 11 out of 12, of which 8 x per twenty and 7 times first (exclusive doubles). She won 1st Melun 364 old & yearlings, 1st Sermaises (455 pigeons) old & yearlings, 1st Sermaises 186 old & yearlings, 1st Sermaises (101 pigeons) yearlings and 1st Sermaises (398 pigeons) old & yearlings. She also became 1st Ace Pigeon SMD Yearlings ‘W.V. Oplinter’ 2020.

“Ina” is a daughter of “Brugmans” (BE15-2089061) coupled to the “66 Duivin” (BE15-2020666) of Walter Devos, mother of “Ella”, 1st National Ace pigeon KBDB Small Middle Distance Old birds. This leads us back to “Ella”, who was the first reason for this report...