"Beyond expectations", Rik says about the 2018 season so far. "We have gone through some difficult times: I had to take some time off due to health issues, and my father Klaas has had some bad luck with his health as well. Klaas and my son Sten have worked hard last year to keep our team going, and they have been very supportive this year as well. This is really a close trio. Despite our young birds only racing the Natour competition last season, which I think is not enough, the team has been in great form this season. And all three Van Dorp generations are obviously delighted about that. And that is what this is all about."
Consistent performers
Klaas Van Dorp and his son are quite used to winning top results; fanciers in and around Rotterdam have praised their ability to perform at a high level on a consistent basis. Besides their old foundation, most of their champions are related to such renowned names as Jan Ouwerkerk and Bart Geerinckx. It was the Ouwerkerk breed that delivered Kleine Jan, the team's current stock breeder which most of today's racing birds are related to. Several pigeons from the old Geerinckx bloodlines were obtained as well, the very bloodlines that turned Bart into a celebrated fancier over the past ten years. "I am very grateful to both fanciers for their high quality pigeons", Rik said.
Klaas, Rik and Sten did not know what to expect for 2018, given Rik and Klaas's health problems. "We only race hens in widowhood, usually with a team of 66 birds. We assumed we would lose several birds this season due to our yearlings lacking in experience, and so we started the season with 72 birds instead, 48 of which were one year olds. But they did great, and they exceeded our expectations. We are always very confident in our racing team's abilities but we dit not expect the yearlings to be on top of their game. And this usually has an impact on the rest of the team as well. However, our hens made us happy every single weekend, and that means a lot to us!" Here are the results of 2018 so far:
14-4 Oudenaarde (136 km)
M-Holland Oost 4,140 p.: 1st-2nd-11th-13th-43rd-46th-52nd-54th-55th-86th-90th-98th (39/69)
21-4 Peronne (216 km)
M-Holland Oost 4,314 p.: 5th-11th-13th-14th-15th-16th-24th-49th-51st-53rd-62th-95th (43/67)
05-5 Pointoise (358 km)
M-Holland Oost 4,520 p.: 9th=10th-23rd-30th-37th-41st-43rd-55th-59th-83rd-86th (43/66)
Rayon Midden 10,995 p.: 11th-12th-38th-54th-74th-87th-92nd (45/61)
12-5 Fontenay (447 km)
M-Holland Oost 3,338 p.: 3rd-4th-15th-23rd-26th-44th-47th-62nd-64th-71st-87th-92nd (37/61)
Rayon Midden 8,668 p.: 9th-10th-33rd-52nd-62nd-106th-112th (43/61)
20-5 Pointoise (359 km)
M-Holland Oost 3,178 p.: 1st-12th-13th-14th-31st-32nd-86th-88th (46/61)
Rayon Midden 7,625 p.: 1st-17th-18th-19th-45th-46th (49/61)
26-5 Peronne (248 km)
M-Holland Oost 2,342 p.: 2nd-4th-29th-30th-31st-65th-67th-70th-76th (50/27)
26-5 Gien (489 km)
M-Holland Oost 1,590 p.: 1st-9th-34th-49th-60th77e-etc. (11/14)
Rayon Midden 3,704 p.: 2nd-26th-71st-104th-etc. (11/14)
NPO afd. 5 12,689 p.: 4th-97th-etc. (11/14)
Sisters Olympic Gipsy
Two of the team's best hens at the moment are NL17-1252024 and NL17-1252058, two one year old sisters of the renowned Olympic Gipsy. They were bred shortly before all of Van Dorp's pigeons born before 2014 were sold on PIPA in 2017. Olympic Gipsy is a fantastic hen. She represented The Netherlands in the 2015 Olympiad (Cat. H), and she became 3rd Nat. old ace pigeon allround WHZB/TBOTB 2014. Both the 024 and the 058 were trained in the natour as young birds, and they have repeatedly shown their potential in 2018:
- NL17-1252024
1st Pointoise (20-5) of 7,570 p.
2nd Oudenaarde (14-4) of 4,140 p.
- NL17-1252058
4th Peronne (26-5) of 2,342 p.
16th Arras (21-4) of 4,314 p.
54th Pontoise (5-5) of 10,995 p.
6 prizes in 8 so far
The two sisters come from top pair Zorba (12th ace pigeon one day long distance prov. 5) x Zinzi (half sister of 1 x 1st Provincial), which are both 50% Geerinckx.
Click here for the pedigree
Granddaughter Kleine Jan
Another talented pigeon is NL16-1499357. She did great in 2017 and she developed into an even better racing bird this season. This is her palmares from last year:
8th NPO Argenton of 8,125 p.
21st NPO Blois of 18,564 p.
This hen claimed a teletext prize in the first NPO one day long distance race of 2018, after four weeks of very promising results. Here is a recap:
28-4 Peronne (247 km) 39th of 4,613 p.
05-5 Pontoise (357 km) 87th of 10,995 p.
12-5 Fonteney (447 km) 33rd of 8,668 p.
19-5 Pontoise (357 km) 18th of 7,570 p.
26-5 Gien (489 km) 4th of 12,689 p.
The sire of The 357/16 is a fine inbred son of Kleine Jan x his daughter Evy. Kleine Jan is a direct Jan Ouwerkerk and a stock breeder for Van Dorp. He has bred several great racing birds across several generations.
The dam is a 100% Geerinckx, a granddaughter of nothing but renowned birds! The sire comes from Gladiator x Xena and the dam comes from Fluwelen 18 x Witpen Wouters. These are some of the very best bloodlines from the team from Wommelgem.
Click here for the pedigree
The descendants of NL04-2082680 Kleine Jan have won: 1st Lille - 14,159 p. (Lilly) 1st prijs - 10,969 p. (154/08) 1st prijs - 4,324 p. (023/08) 1st Asse Zelik - 3,621 p. (Indy) 1st Pommeroeul - 3,162 p. (Danny) 1st prijs - 3,069 p. (749/09) 1st Peronne - 2,973 p. (The Next Best Thing) 1st Asse Zellik - 2,970 p. (Sammy) 1st Duffel - 2,725 p. (Duffy) 1st Nijvel - 2,103 p. (Nijvel) 1st Gien - 1,590 p. / 4th NPO 12,689 p. (357/16) 1st Duffel - 1,024 p. (Sara) 1st prijs - 865 p. (144/11) 1st Pommeroeul - 842 p. (Evy) 1st PS Maxence - 815 p. (Indy) Winner 3x 1st prize (Amy) 6th NPO Bourges - 13,592 p. (Miss Bourges) 8th NPO Argenton - 8,125 p. (357/16) 15th Nat. ace pigeon middle distance NPO 2014 (The Next Best Thing) 1st regional ace pigeon sprint 2012 (Evy) 1st regional ace pigeon sprint 2014 (Britt)
Joint breeding with Geerinckx
Another leading name in this generation of pigeons is NL16-1499374, from a joint breeding with Bart Geerinckx, bred from his stock breeder Gladiator x 15th Nat. Ace Pigeon middle distance 2014 The Next Best Thing, which was also 1st ace pigeon Groot Rotterdam with a 1st Peronne 2,973 p. and 6 x top 10 in major races. She is a 100% Geerinckx pigeon from a cock x a daughter of Kleine Jan. Racing bird 374/16 has won the following prizes so far this season:
14-4 Oudenaarde (136 km) 55th of 4,140 p.
21-4 Arras (216 km) 5th of 4,314 p.
28-4 Peronne (247 km) 179th of 1,613 p.
05-5 Pontoise (358 km) 74th of 10,995 p.
12-5 Fonteney (447 km) 10th of 8,668 p.
19-5 Pontoise (358 km) 19th of 7,570 p.
26-5 Gien (491 km) 234th of 3,704 p.
A niece of this 374/16 has shown her potential in 2018 as well: the one year old hen NL17-1252066. This dark coloured hen excels on a weekly basis, having already won the following prizes:
21-4 Arras (211 km) 11th of 4,314 p.
05-5 Pontoise (357 km) 11th of 10,995 p.
12-5 Fonteney (447 km) 62nd of 8,668 p.
19-5 Pontoise (357 km) 17th of 7,570 p.
26-5 Peronne (247 km) 8th of 7,064 p.
Sire: Black Power (100% Geerinckx), breeder of The Next Best Thing, 15th Nat. Ace Pigeon middle distance 2014 and a half brother of Lucy (1st prov. Chateauroux 2,151 p.) and Limo Girl (7th Nat. Limoges 17,735 p.). He comes from a son of 1st Nat. Limoges paired to top breeder Witpen Wauters. The dam is a full sister of Geerinckxduivin, a great breeding hen for Gaston Van de Wouwer.
Dam: Evy, winner of a 1st of 842 p. and a 1st ace pigeon sprint Rayon West Prov. 5 in 2012. She is also the dam of Britt, 1st ace pigeon sprint rayon West Prov. 5 in 2014. Evy is a daughter of super class pair Kleine Jan x Jane. Click here for the pedigree