Peter Theunis
Contrary to what the name suggests, Team Embregts-Theunis is not a combination. The name comes from the time when he was racing together with his father-in-law but he has been racing on his own since 2007, using the same name. Many fanciers are familiar with Peter's achievements over the years; he has won quite a few championship titles, and he has been particularly successful in the national championships as well. 2016 was another great season for him, with many top results in the sprint, the middle distance and the young birds' races. We take a look at some of his best results:
Quievrain 142 km 1,983 p.: 1-2-4-12-21-36-56-76-90-136-151-163-etc. (19/38)
St.-Quentin 212 km 1,896 p.: 1-2-3-4-6-17-32-34-41-44-47-48-54-97-114-132-etc. (22/36)
Quievrain 142 km 1,397 p.: 1-2-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-21-26-29-46-49-51-67-73-90-92-121-
126-etc. (33/57)
Asse-Zellik 78 km 1,560 p.: 2-3-4-5-10-16-19-22-24-25-28-39-39-42-44-46-47-49-50-51-
52-53-54-55-58-etc. (47/140)
Quievrain 142 km 1,667 p.: 2-4-5-7-8-9-10-18-21-23-24-25-27-31-47-50-53-64-74-75-80-
81-83-91-etc. (43/97)
Pt.-St.-Maxence 239 km 1,165 p.: 3-4-5-8-10-11-13-14-18-21-25-26-32-33-34-35-36-37-60-62-
63-64-67-70-72-74-etc. (43/72)
Roye 243 km 1,725 p.: 3-6-7-54-62-63-67-118-119-120-121-etc. (24/34)
Morlincourt 248 km 1,224 p.: 4-7-12-13-28-29-31-35-37-41-59-61-64-etc. (22/45
Quievrain 142 km 1,692 p.: 9-10-15-16-17-18-19-22-23-42-53-54-55-56-58-67-68-
70-etc. (40/102)
Peronne 216 km 1,406 p.: 3-4-7-11-16-17-18-19-20-35-37-45-83-86-114-etc. (24/85)
Morlincourt 248 km 1,077 p.: 7-8-9-11-19-20-30-36-54-55-61-64-66-67-73-78-90-
97-etc. (29/70)
Orleans 447 km 322 p.: 2-9-15-16-24-26-29-30-etc. (20/44)
The foundation for his success
Peter's successful career in pigeon racing can be mainly attributed to two invaluable breeding birds: Dragon Rocket and De Witbuik. Peter, who is always looking for top quality bloodlines, explains: "I have come across only two truly exceptional breeders in my search for talented pigeons: Dragon Rocket (a son of Rocket, Best Sprint Pigeon WHZB 1999) of M. van Gastel (Roosendaal, NL) and Witbuik of B. Kools (St. Willebrord, NL)." Dragon Rocket was introduced in late 1999 and he was put in the breeding loft right away. De Witbuik joined the racing team in 1997, where he developed into a highly successful racing bird with several first prizes on his palmares. He also won an ace pigeon title in the Entente three years in a row. He was then transferred to the breeding loft, where he bred several prize winners in his very first season, including the winner of a 3rd NPO Le Mans. Dragon Rocket had a great first year in the breeding loft as well, breeding multiple first prize winner and 2nd Nat. Ace Pigeon Golddigger. Several other teletext prize winners were yet to follow, including the winner of a 3rd NPO Etampes.
Peter decided in late 2006 to sell his entire pigeon collection, except for a few young birds and stock breeder De Witbuik. This auction was a major success, and the youngsters that were kept on board had a very successful second part of the season, winning a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Ace Pigeon in Province Brabant 2000. Unfortunately De Witbuik appeared to be no longer fertile after 2007. Peter was understandably very surprised when he found a pair of fertilized eggs in late 2008. One of these eggs gave birth to Young Witbuik, which went straight to the breeding loft. Its nest mate went to the loft of J. Smit (Assen, NL), where he bred quite a number of talented racing birds before he escaped and never returned. Peter continued to develop his breed with the young birds of 2006 and with breeding bird Young Witbuik. He has been breeding quite a number of champions by crossing descendants of Dragon Rocket and De Witbuik, and he has been very successful with such pigeons as Young Witbuik, Supergirl, Golden Canonball, Miss Goldnugget, Rocketeer, Dragon Rocket, Golden Bingo, and top pair Super Rossi x Miss Goldmine as well. Peter would also crossbreed his own bloodlines with some of the best pigeons in The Netherlands and Belgium, and this proved a successful strategy as well. We will take a closer look at some of the champions that have played an important role in Peter's pigeon loft over the years.
NL06-0742641 Supergirl
Supergirl is a direct daughter of De Witbuik - click here for her pedigree. She won the title of 2nd Ace Pigeon Brabant 2000 (2800 members) before she developed into a talented breeder. She is now the dam of:
Golden Canonball : 11th NPO Sens 16,382 p. Golden Power : 1st St. Quentin 2,011 p. Bellafleur : 52nd Nat. Blois 3,788 p. Golden Canonballstar : 16th NPO Sens 19,110 p.
She is also the grandfather of Canonballboy (1st Nat. Orleans 13,186 p.), Rocket King (9th Nat. Orleans 19,692 p.), and several other prize winners.
NL081650231 Young Witbuik
Like we said, Young Witbuik is the last youngster of De Witbuik - see pedigree. Young Witbuik went straight to the breeding loft, where he became the sire of Miss Goldnugget in 2010 (6th NPO Orleans 8,136 p. and 5th Ace Pigeon Brabant 2000). The year 2012 saw the birth of Blue Star, an exceptional racing hen and winner of a 1st Ace Pigeon Brabant 2000 and Gouden Crack FZN in her year of birth. She then went on to breed several fist prize winners herself. Another youngster of Young Witbuik won a 3rd NPO Tongeren just last season (2016).
Miss Goldnugget proved to be a great breeding hen as well: she is the dam of Super Rossi (10 first prizes), Space Girl (3rd NPO Sezanne), Brother Super Rossi (11th Nat. Chateauroux) and Valentino (1st of 8000 p.). In 2012 she bred three more sisters that have in turn bred several prize winners as well. Unfortunately she died on the nest after she laid her first egg of 2013; her last youngster was named "Last Son Goldnugget (a full brother of Super Rossi). Apparently, her own youngsters proved great breeders as well:
Space Girl dam of 5th NPO Argenton, 2nd NPO Orleans and 9th NPO Chateauroux. Miss Rocket dam of New Goldstar, 1st NPO Fontenay and Fast Jewel, 5th Ace Pigeon Brabant 2000 Beauty Nugget dam of Amazing Nugget 3rd Ace Pigeon Young Birds WHZB
NL11-3024467 Space Girl
Space Girl is a daughter of Miss Goldnugget and a half sister of Super Rossi, and she proved an important factor in Peter's loft as well. Click here for her pedigree. These are some of her most important youngsters:
Space Boy : 2nd NPO Orleans 7,795 p.
4th Houdeng 6,459 p.
Space Star : 3rd Asduif Fond R2 Brabant 2000
Bingo Star : 5th NPO Argenton 5,608 p.
Bingo Girl : 7th Nanteuil 1,595 p.
12th Sens 4,900 p.
New Nugget : 8th Morlincourt 1,805 p.
10th St. Quentin 19,196 p.
She is also the dam of Dragon Star and Beauty Rocket
NL11-3024491 Super Rossi
Peter thinks his Super Rossi is the best pigeon he has ever had. Meanwhile no less than 15 of his direct youngsters are kept in the breeding loft, and he is now the sire/grandfather of 15 first prize winners.Like we said, Miss Goldnugget is the dam of this Super Rossi, and his sire is Young Rossi (Leo Heremans), bred from Nieuwe Rossi x Een Oogje. Click here for the pedigree of Super Rossi. He won the following prizes as a racing bird prior to moving to the breeding loft:
1st Creil 7,696 p. (and 2nd 26,452 p.) 3rd Nijvel 9,507 p. 3rd St. Quentin 8,115 p. 3rd Peronne 5,316 p. (and 4th 19,915 p.) 6th Pithiviers 4,147 p. 11th NPO St. Quentin 28,981 p. 12th Sens 4,279 p.
NL15-3530503 Super Boy
Super Boy is a son of the aforementioned Super Rossi. The dam is Blue Diamond (Frans Looyschelder) and she is a full sister of 1st Ace Pigeon WHZB 2012. Click here for Super Boy's full pedigree. This promising young pigeon has already won several top prizes, including most notably a 1st Prov. Morlincourt of 17,334 pigeons.
NL06-0742659 Rocketeer
Rocketeer is a direct son of Dragon Rocket and winner of the title of 1st Ace Pigeon Brabant 2000. Click here for the full pedigree. He was paired to Super Girl (bred from De Witbuik, see earlier), and together they bred several top 10 prize winners in the NPO races. One of their sons is Blue Rocket, who won a 4th NPO Orleans before he became the sire/grandfather of:
1st NPO Orleans 5,180 p. 4th NPO Sezanne 12,697 p. 8th NPO Bourges 8,103 p. 1st NPO Argenton 4,563 p. 2nd NPO Morlincourt 6,663 p. 6th NPO Mantes la Jolie 4,763 p. 8th NPO La Ferte Bernard 7,463 p. 10th Mantes la Jolie 6,328 p.
Golden Canonball is another talented pigeon bred from Rocketeer x Super Girl:
NL08-3817583 Golden Canonball
Golden Canonball won an 11th NPO Sens (16,382 p.) as a young bird, as well as a 2nd Sens (1,112 p.), a 3rd Creil (1,852 p.), and a 5th Orleans (992 p.). He proved to be a great breeder as well: he is now the sire of a 1st, 3rd, 9th, 11th and 13th NPO Orleans and of a 1st and 3rd National Maidstone. He is the grandfather of several top 10 winners NPO as well. Click here for his full pedigree.
To conclude
The introduction of Dragon Rocket and Oude Witbuik in Peter's breeding loft enabled him to raise the bar significantly, having won over 100 top 10 prizes in the NPO races since. These bloodlines have proven to be very valuable in other lofts both at home and abroad as well. Talented new bloodlines continue to crop up in Peter's collection, which goes to show he has a very solid foundation, capable of bringing great results for years to come.