The most successful breed in recent years
Belgium is home to a select group of invaluable pigeon breeds that have dominated the national competition in Belgium in recent years and decades. The last in a long list of illustrious pigeon families and perhaps the most successful of all, is that of Dirk Van Den Bulck. Since 2013 different fanciers have managed to win a national ace pigeon title with pigeons that originate from the Van Den Bulck pigeon breed. This pigeon breed has won countless top 10 prizes, as well as four 1st National Ace Pigeon titles since 2013, and two 2nd National Ace Pigeon titles. Click here for an overview of all the successful racing birds of the Van Den Bulck breed in the last 4 years.
Bruno Vandenbrande and Yannick Deridder; they know their business
The year 2016: five national ace pigeons and two Belgian national titles
With the impressive palmares of the Dirk Van Den Bulck pigeon breed in mind, Yannick Deridder and Bruno Vandenbrande of Flanders Collection got in touch with Dirk. They obtained most of Dirk's stock breeders, which started to produce results already in 2015. Last year the Van Den Bulck descendants dominated the competition with an impressive 5 national ace pigeons and two national titles for different fanciers. It seemed almost impossible to do even better in 2016 but the Van Den Bulck pigeons continued their winning streak this season:
1st Nat. Ace Pigeon 2016 Olds Sprint (from grandchild Goede Rode x Golden Lady 999) - S. Boeckmans
This ace pigeon stems from the Vale As dynasty.
3rd Nat. Champ. Longer Middle Distance 2016 (kleinkind Golden Lady II) - Leo Heremans
The 440/16 played a role in this title having won a 33rd Nat. Bourges 28,078 p.
Golden Lady II is a full sister of Golden Lady 871, stock breeder for Van Den Bulck.
8th Nat. Ace Pigeon 2016 Olds Sprint (grandchild of Golden Lady II) - Leo Heremans
Golden Lady II is a full sister of Golden Lady 871, stock breeder for Van Den Bulck.
This ace pigeon is also 1st Prov. Ace Pigeon.
10th Nat. Champ. Sprint Olds 2016 (Blauwe Leo line) - Jos Cools
11th Nat. Ace Pigeon 2016 YBs Sprint (from grandchild Goede Rode x Golden Lady 999) - S. Boeckmans
This Ace Pigeon stems from the Vale As dynasty and it was also 1st Prov. Ace Pigeon and
1st Substitute Pigeon Olympiad 2017 Cat. D.
12th Nat. Ace Pigeon 2016 Olds Sprint (Blauwe Leo line) - Jos Cools
16th Nat. Ace Pigeon 2016 Yearlings Sprint (Blauwe Leo line) - Jos Cools
Besides these impressive championship titles the Van den Bulck pigeons have won several other top prizes for other lofts as well. Racing bird Super 006 for instance is 4th Substitute Pigeon 2017 Cat. D for the Olympiad in Dirk Van Den Bulck's own loft. Super 006 is a grandchild of both Kittel and Broer Goede Rode. Click here for the best references of the Van Den Bulck pigeons in 2016, including the results that we just mentioned.
Several national titles in Portugal as well
It is no secret that Flanders Collection has been working together with the Portuguese fancier Paulo Campos since 2014, as Team Flanders-Campos. This collaboration proved a great success for both parties, with a national title and two provincial titles in the general championships in Portugal already in 2015. They continued to do well in the summer of 2016, winning the following titles:
1st Nat. Champion Middle Distance 2016 1st Nat. Champion Sprint 2016 1st Nat. Ace Pigeon Middle distance 2016 (New Olympic Girl) 2nd Nat. Ace Pigeon Sprint 2016 (Lady Rossi) 2nd Nat. Ace Pigeon Middle Distance 2016 (Miss Jansens) 5th Nat. Ace Pigeon Sprint 2016 (Saffyra II) 6th Nat. Ace Pigeon Middle Distance 2016 (Reggina) 13th Nat. Ace Pigeon Sprint 2016 (Reggina) 16th Nat. Ace Pigeon Sprint (Splendid Saffyr)
Yannick, Bruno and Paul have won no less than nine (!) Portuguese national titles last season. Dominating the race, winning top prizes and moving on to the next race, that was the order of the day for the pigeons of the Flanders Collection for weeks on end. Their palmares after just two seasons has been so good that Yannick and Bruno are planning to set up more of these satellite lofts abroad in the future.
Paulo and his father Rui Campos, the two partners of the Flanders Collection in Portugal
Key to success
Flanders Collection is now home to Goede Rode, Golden Lady 999, Golden Lady II, Kittel, Broer Goede Rode and youngsters of Blauwe Leo, and these are the stock breeds that enabled the Van Den Bulck pigeon family to dominate shorter distance racing in Belgium for years. These pigeons are also at the basis of several national titles that were won by the Van Den Bulck breed in 2016. Add to that the numerous achievements of the other breeds of the Flanders Collection (including Heremans) outside of Belgium, and we can only include that Yannick and Bruno have an extensive collection of talented and versatile racing birds. This team will continue to bring great results in future seasons, both at home and abroad.