Together with “Luc” – 1 National Argenton from 12.447 pigeons , 2012
Not far from Antwerp, Luc and Bart Geerinckx had greater and greater results during the last 10 years. This boom started in 2001, when they won the 3rd place at the National Middle Distance Race Belgium. The one who established this doves colony was Luc , Bart’s father, who unfortunately passed away. Luc died 2 years ago, due to cancer. Ironically, after only a few weeks, Bart won the 1st place at the National Argenton Race; of course, he named the champion “Luc”. As a short history of the line , and in order to understand the philosophy of these two champions, I believe that the following thoughts of the late Luc are adequate; he shared these opinions to us at the beginning of the 2000’s. Here they are: Luc:” When I started in the 80’s with the doves from Jos Soontjens, the first thing I did was to put them directly at the breeding. Until present, all the doves that have top results are directly introduced at the breeding and they are never sold, no matter the offer. At present my breeding has 30 pairs who have the Soontjens blood and that’s why I consider myself a lucky person. During the years, I got at the breeding7 nephews of “Late Tom” (won the 1st place 3 times) from Soontjens , and 3 nephews from “Blue Thunder” (won the 1st place 12 times). Also, from “Geschiften” (won the 1st place 21 times) I have 4 nephews at the breeding. And I also have a nephew from “Old Tom” (won the 1st place 13 times). It’s easy to understand that Luc had his own aims right from the beginning. He bought exceptional doves from his most powerful oponent : Jos Soontjens, the best at the Middle Distance Race from Belgium between 1975- 1990; that year he had to give up pigeonsport as his house was demolished.
At present the Geerinckx doves are considered the best at the general races at a global level.They are requested everywhere, and the referrences started to appear, that’s why the prices are big. Bart signed an exclisuve contract with PIPA; thus his pigeons are sold only with the help of PIPA.Due to the friendship between Bart and the Gyselbrecht family, and because at present he has the best females for the general races from Belgium, Nikolaas agreed that I should sell to Bart 50% from the rights of “New Freddy”- 1 Ace Big Middle Distance Race Belgium 2010, and this great male will mate with the best birds that Bart has.
Many people wonder how a child like Bart can obtain so great results and how he can have such a long waiting list regarding his sales. People do not forget that Bart continues the 30 years work of his father Luc, that is the continuation of the work of his neighbour, Jos Soontjens .
There’s a saying in the USA , “Born to win”, that is “Born to be a winner”…these are the words that are specific to Bart. Only in a few cases , the son of a great dove lover follows the steps of his father at the same high level.
Together with “Wittekop Sylvester”
Bart is now our younger brother, mine and Mr. Sorin’s brother. He is very modest, a man who spends his life between the pigeons, a real magician of the doves.
The Geerinckx family is well known for the way they organize the flight of the widowed females, and thus their method has become an art.
For us to understand their method by which they prepare the widowed females, I’ll quote here an excerpt from an interview given by Luc , more than 10 years ago: “We mate the widowed females only once, on March 25th. The females are mated with partners that are older than them and who know the game. All the females raise two squabs , if possible. When these offsprings are 15-17 days old, the females participate at the first stage of the Middle Distance Race . The offsprings are taken from their box before the females reach their get home and they find only the males in the box. Now they become widows. The males will raise the squabs till the weaning , in a nearby place. The females are allowed to fly around the house two times per day: in the morning, between 5.45-6.45 a.m. and in the evening between 6.30-7.30 p.m.. To avoid the mating, during the day the females are closed in their boxes.”
Great specialists regarding the evaluation of the doves “at hand”, like Eric Limbourg, Martin Martens, Joost De Smeyster or Gaby Vandenabeele have stated that the Geerinckx doves are the most balanced doves “at hand” that they ever saw.
Together with legendary “Gladiator” and “Miss Magic “
“Miss Magic”
Being one of the best friends of Nikolaas’s, Bart has become our friend, too, and even our “younger brother”, as I said before. We spent an extraordinary time here, too. As we were assessing all the champions “at hand”, and many delayed doves from 2013 , Mr. Sorin and me were amazed to hold in hand a blue, delayed female, whose plumage did not change.Seeing Mr. Sorin’s amazement, Bart offered it to him without any hesitation. This was a reciprocal sympathy that led to a real friendship. After many talks, we reached the aviary, where Bart explained to us his method. In a corner, there were a small aviary mesh where he was keeping, in a real “oxygen bath” about 20 delayed females. Mr. Sorin showed me a certain female that was blue-greyish, with a white collar. We have visited all the lofts , we watched all the doves and, before entering the house, Bart asks Mr. Sorin: “ Do you want to evaluate “at hand” the greyish female…? “ Mr. Sorin confirmed. We all checked it and Bart says:” She already has a passport for Bucharest ,…it’s yours”. He said this before we mentioned the acquisition of any offspring. This was a proof he is a real human being, a real friend, and a sincere brother.”
Finally Mr. Sorin ordered 20 offsprings to be bought from Bart, from his best doves; these offsprings will be brought to Bucharest this summer. On this occasion, Bart will visit Romania for the first time.
Team Florea Sorin promotes the Romanian pigeonsport and Romania at the highest level!!!!!
