Willy and Falco had many highlights throughout the season. For years, the combination only raced young birds from the lofts in Boven Leeuwen, with great success. Since 2020, both old and young birds are raced from this address, achieving great results. There is room for 16 pairs of old birds and a team of approximately 35 young birds. In the first season (2020) they immediately became 2nd Semi-National Champion Long Distance NU and now in 2021 they became 2nd National NPO Champion Short Distance on the lofts in Boven Leeuwen (read about it in the following article). Here are several impressive results from the 2021 season:
11/09 Sens 440 km 1053 p.: 1-8-23-26-32 11/5
28/08 Nanteuil 363 km 1150 p.: 15-20-35-40 etc. 11/6
28/08 Quievrain 209 km 1725 p.: 27-10-33-84-94-115-143 etc. 10/10
21/08 NPO Ch. en Champ. 331 km 6758 p.: 3-5-10-33-186 etc. 15/7
21/08 Bierges 144 km 4090 p.: 8-20-40-42-73 etc. 13/12
14/08 Morlincourt 313 km 1468 p.: 5-69-105-113-117-196-198 etc. 17/9
07/08 Niergnies 252 km 1873 p.: 4-9-10-59-62-110-237-239-263-269 etc. 22/12
18/07 NPO Chateauroux 628 km 3304 p.: 5-22-25-73-312-376 etc. 14/9
10/07 Prov. Sens 440 km 6057 p.: 47-61-79-288-429-439 etc. 15/9
03/07 NPO Issoudun 605 km 4462 p.: 55-124-175-211-293-347-394 etc. 15/9
19/06 Nat. Vierzon S3 574 km 8309 p.: 8-48-144-229-354-386-627 etc. 20/9
13/06 Prov. Melun 413 km 7291 p.: 27-63-114-212-215-227-324-325-473-683 etc. 19/17
06/06 Prov. Niergnies 252 km 9279 p.: 5-14-19-23-61-62-72-90-108-125-173 etc. 13/13
29/05 Prov. Ch. en Champ. 337 km 12753p.: 7-79-90-176-345-456-459-866-946-1176 etc. 24/14
01/05 Niergnies 252 km 5156 p.: 15-11-17-28-90-94-183-184-189-214-216 etc. 20/17
24/04 Chimay 221 km 5454 p.: 4-14-16-30-38-40-42-44-56-97-131-142-191 etc. 25/24
17/04 Bierges 144 km 5348 p.: 9-20-21-79-81-82-115-116-117-121-122-133 etc. 30/26
03/04 Meer (CC) 71 km 855 p.: 2-5-8-10-16-47-48-60-81 etc. 24/15
As mentioned above, the 2 last races were completed in style, with 1st and 2nd Prov. Morlincourt and 1st Sens. We are pleased to further introduce the pigeons responsible for these stunning results:
NL20-1302157 Paulina, 1st Morlincourt against 6,385 pigeons
Paulina was the first to arrive from Morlincourt. She became 3rd General Ace pigeon Speed in Region ZW of Afdeling 8/GOU, 1st Ace pigeon Natour in the Region and 4th Ace pigeon Natour in Afdeling 8/GOU (1750 fanciers) and won 1st Prov. Morlincourt 6,385 p., 4th Prov. Dizy le Gros 14,634 p., 8th Bierges 4,090 p., 13th Niergnies 2,198 p., 17th Tienen 4,814 p., 30th Chimay 5,421 p. and 63rd Melun 7,291 p.
NL19-1466591 Orina, 2nd Morlincourt against 6,385 pigeons
Orina was the 2nd pigeon from Morlincourt. She has also flown many great results, including 2nd Prov. Morlincourt 6,385 p., 4th Chimay 5,421 p. (4th fastest 11.228 p.), 7th Quievrain 5,139 p., 7th Quievrain 924 p., 11th Nanteuil 1,179 p., 28th Niergnies 5,156 p., 42nd Sezanne 9,303 p. and 61st Niergnies 9,279 p. Orina is a granddaughter to super breeders Hannibal and Indy, who won 6x 1st prize.
NL21-1004657, 1st Sens against 1,053 pigeons
This young talent became 2nd Ace pigeon Middle Distance Young birds in Afdeling 8 Region ZW. She is a daughter to top pairing Kurt x Evolution. She won the first prize against 1,053 pigeons in Region ZW and also the 16th National Sector III against 8,800 pigeons. She also won 5th Morlincourt 1,468 pigeons, 64th Niergnies 1,257 pigeons and 77th Niergnies 1,506 pigeons. Besides this top result, the whole young bird team was on a roll this season. The combination managed to take the following titles; 2nd, 3rd and 7th Ace pigeon Middle Distance Young birds Region ZW (approx. 400 fanciers). Furthermore, Willy and Falco will most likely rank 13th National Young Birds.
On the long distance races Willy and Falco managed to take 2 Regional victories (both NPO Top 10 spots) that are worth mentioning. On Chateauroux (628km) it was the hen by the name Pieta who took 1st place in Region ZW against 923 pigeons, good for a 5th NPO against 3,304 pigeons.
BE20-6130891 Pieta, 1st Chateauroux (923 duiven) and 5th NPO against 3,304 pigeons
Pieta achieves yet another top result with a 5th NPO. An achievement to extend her impressive palmares with:
5th Vierzon 1,062 p. (29th NPO 3,993 p.)
8th Prov. Dizy L.G. 14,634 p.
28th Morlincourt 2,412 p.
29th Niergnies 1,644 p.
36th Quievrain 3,569 p.
42nd Bierges 4,090 p.
44th Morlincourt 6,385 p.
Pieta originates from the lofts of Fernand and Koen Mariën, where Falco goes every year to get 10 young birds to race with. Pieta is a daughter to Dark Trigger (inbred Triggerfinger) of F. & J. Vandenheede x Ester of F. & K. Mariën.
NL20-1302181 Piet, 1st Vierzon (1,062 pigeons) and 8th National S3 against 8,309 pigeons
On Vierzon it was Piet who took 1st prize in Region ZW against 1,062 pigeons, good for an 8th National S3 against 8,309 pigeons. Piet won 2x Top 10 Provincial and many more great results:
7th Prov. Dizy le Gros 14.634 p.
5th Châteauroux 628 km 508 p. (59th National S3 against 8,075 p.)
3rd Nanteuil 1,992 p.
90th Niergnies 9,279 p.
81th Bierges 5,348 p.
127th Quievrain 4,422 p.
189th Niergnies 5,156 p.
191th Chimay 5,421 p.
Piet is a son to top breeders Icarus x Hadenna and a full brother to Oreo (1st Ace pigeon Short Distance Region ZW and 5th Provincial Ace pigeon Short Distance Afdeling 8/GOU).
Successes on other lofts
It was a special season for the combination; top results on the lofts in Boven-Leeuwen throughout the whole season and a provincial win from Melun on the lofts in Beneden-Leeuwen. Despite only housing 12 breedings pairs it is astonishing to see how many fanciers manage outstanding performances with Ebben pigeons:
- The best example being Frans Strikker from Hengelo, the unofficial satellite loft of the combination. He races nearly exclusively with Ebben pigeons. He entered 16 old bird races, of which he managed to rank in the Top 10 Provincial best loft results ("Podium der Grootmeesters") 12 times. Moreover, he won 4x 1st CC, also a 1st Afdeling 9 Noord (against 13,249 pigeons) and a 1st Prize in whole Afdeling 9 (against 8,275 pigeons). Frans started the season with 9 racing pairs and became 9th National Loft Champion Midfond, 19th National Loft Champion Short Distance and 2nd General Natour "Podium der Grootmeesters).
- Willy and William Geurtz from Haalderen had a fantastic season. A large part of their colony are Ebben pigeons. With a 50% Ebben pigeon they won 1st NPO Nanteuil against 5,043 pigeons.
- In the Philippines, Ebben pigeons won first prizes against 6,000 pigeons and 2,493 pigeons at Carlos Aguilar.
- Hendriks-Sanders from Nijmegen won 1st Morlincourt 1,662 pigeons, 1st Geel 3,459 pigeons, and 1st Tongeren 1,761 pigeons this season, with 50% and 100% Ebben pigeons.
- Ben and Michelle de Kramer have the 1st Ace pigeon Super Short Distance in Afdeling 6 with a 50% Ebben pigeon.
- The best pigeon of Jaap Schut, NL20-1213310 ‘Dayla’, is also a 50% Ebben and became Allround Ace pigeon in the region. Dayla belongs to the 20 best yearlings of The Netherlands.
- Grandmaster Ad Schaerlaeckens also had several nice references, amongst others 1st Sermaises 657 pigeons with a grandchild to Ebben lofts stock pigeon 'Indy'. A pigeon that was originally bred by Ad Schaerlaeckens himself.
- The 3rd National Ace pigeon Young Birds NPO (Gebr. Hoogeveen) and 7th National Ace pigeon Young Birds NPO (Peter Crans) are grandchildren to Willy and Falco's Linus.
- The Ebben pigeons were also successful on one loft races. The 1st and 4th Ace pigeon, 7th and 10th pigeon in the final and 1st pigeon (+ car winner) in Hot Spot 2 of the Derby Arona Tenerife are 50% Ebben pigeons.
- Willy and Falco themselves were also successful on one loft races. In the winter edition of the Algarve Great Derby Portugal they placed 19th en 32nd in the semi-final and 18th in the final. At the winter edition of the AS Golden Greece they won 9th and 48th in the final and at the Avirings Derby in Slovenia they took 3rd place in the semi-final.