Winning pigeon races is all about having a top quality breed that is in great form. You cannot expect to be winning many prizes without these two ingredients. This has always been the mindset of Roger Debusschere as a pigeon fancier; he has never been afraid to invest in expensive top class pigeons. They provided the basis for a highly successful team of racing birds, and as a result numerous other fanciers have strengthened their breed with pigeons of Roger's Royal Collection.
Top class bloodlines are worth an investment
Roger Debusschere is a perfect example. He is always looking for the best pigeons that are currently on the market, often coming from some of the greatest champions of our country. After all, he knows that prize winners breed prize winners. The biggest challenge is to try and obtain these bloodlines and to successfully merge them into your existing breed through crossings or family breeding. Roger Debusschere is always looking to invest in top quality bloodlines, as an investment in the future.
Roger has an eye for talent, and this enabled him to become a highly successful fancier with an international reputation. The following prizes have been won in his own loft in Lokeren and in the loft of his partner Damien Baert in Ere (as Baert-Debusschere):
- 1st Nat. Tulle 5,976 p. in 2014 for Baert-Debusschere
- 1st Nat. Zone A2 Argenton 6,487 p. in 2014 for Baert-Debusschere
- 1st Interprov. Bourges 1,590 young birds in 2014 for Baert-Debusschere
- 1st Brivevrienden 2015 for Roger Debusschere
- 1st Provincial Champion Longer Middle distance KBDB 2015 SPE Henegouwen/Waals-Brabant for Baert-Debusschere
- 2st-3rd-4th Prov. Ace Pigeon KBDB 2015 SPE Henegouwen/Vlaams-Brabant for Baert-Debusschere
- 1st Ace Pigeon Long Distance old birds 2015 Fondclub Lokeren for Roger Debusschere
This is the impressive palmares of a high quality pigeon family.
Roger has always been both a thinker and a doer, just like he was in his professional career. He is always trying to set a higher bar, and he will never stop looking for ways to improve his breed. For instance, he recently obtained Smart Louie, winner of a 1st Nat. Bourges 30,180 young birds, as well as his parents, which belonged to Louis Van Paesschen. He also purchased a collection of Gaby Vandenabeele pigeons (youngsters of Rudy, Returned Bliksem, Rambo II, etc.), top class breeder Maurice (a direct Vandenabeele of Rik Cools) and youngsters of Geert Vanrenterghem's best pairs (Tsaby x Kim and Orlando x Nicofelia).
In addition, he obtained pigeons of national long distance champion Chris Hebberecht (Champion and Ike bloodline), long distance star Patrick Houfflijn (Geronimo bloodline) and international extreme long distance champion Hugo Batenburg-Van de Merwe (New Laureaat, New Witbuik, Diamantje bloodline). Other introductions include the line of Chipo of Benny Steveninck, and pigeons of Gaston Van de Wouwer, Bart Geerinckx, and Hugo Vlaeminck.
Roger Debusschere (and team Baert-Debusschere) has developed into one of Belgium's most renowned pigeon lofts, with the help of some of the strongest bloodlines currently available. His national win from Tulle and his provincial first prizes and ace pigeon titles illustrate the value of his pigeon breed, just like the countless references from fanciers that did really well with pigeons of Roger Debusschere.
Impressive references
Numerous other fanciers have been very successful with descendants of the breeding loft in Lokeren. The following prizes were won in 2016:
- 1st Prov. La Souterraine 4,390 p. in 2016 for Hugo Vlaeminck (uit Dochter Maurice, rechtstreeks Roger Debusschere). Die jonge duif wint verder 10. Prov. Blois 4.406 d. en 16. Prov. Chateauroux 3.788 d.
- 1st Prov. Argenton 1,907 YL in 2016, 11th Nat. Argenton 12,449 p., and 45th Nat. Chateauroux 29,591 p. ’16 for Patrick Staelens (the dam is a direct Roger Debusschere from Grandson Chipo x Molleke 17).
- 1st Prov. Chateaudun 2.083 YL in 2016 for Messiaen-Van Hauwaert (with a direct Roger Debusschere, from a pairing of Chris Hebberecht x Gaby Vandenabeele)
- 2nd Prov. Orleans 3.578 d. in 2016 (behind loft mate) for Geert Vanrenterghem (the dam is a daughter of 1st Nat. Bourges-winner Smart Louie, a direct Roger Debusschere)
- 1st Club against 1,570 and 3rd against 34,000 p. in 2016 in a 550 km-race in Morocco for Mohamed Zohra (the dam comes from Roger Debusschere, an original Gaby Vandenabeele)
- 15th Nat. Perpignan 4,191 p. in 2016, 44th Nat. Agen 2,767 p. ’15 and 175th Nat. St.-Vincent 2,562 p. ‘16, a top class pigeon of Geert and Koen Couvreur (an original Roger Debusschere)
- The Crack 123/15 of Adelin De Dobbeleer wins 4 x 1st prize Noyon in 2016 (the sire is a direct R. Debusschere, a pairing Chihaut 089 Steveninck x Paola Vandenabeele)
A top quality pigeon finds its way home very quickly. Roger Debusschere introduced numerous renowned prize winners and their direct descendants in his breeding loft, and he is now reaping the benefits. Roger has been investing quite a lot, and the results are evident. He knows that this is the most effective way of creating a successful team.
