Recordmeister
Erik Limbourg has already won five first prizes in the national championships/ace pigeon championships. He won his last championship title in 2014, when he closed the season as the General Champion KBDB, which means he was the best pigeon fancier in Belgium across all the disciplines. It appears that he is ready to take his sixth title in 2015, thanks to a particularly strong pigeon called Playboy Gilbert. This pigeon has won 6 first prizes and several more top results; his worst result so far is a 15th prize against 1,974 young birds:
07-06-15 1st Noyon(177 km) 235 YBs - 10th Noyon Hoppestreek 695 YBs 20-06-15 2nd Souppes(326 km) 207 YBs - 4th Souppes Pajot 1,184 YBs (after loft mate) 27-06-15 1st Souppes 249 YBs - 1st Souppes Pajot 1.875 YBs 05-07-15 4th Noyon 125 YBs (after 3 loft mates) 11-07-15 1st Souppes 456 YBs - 1st Souppes Pajot 3,069 YBs 18-07-15 3rd Souppes 475 YBs - 15th Souppes Pajot 2,974 YBs 08-08-15 1st Souppes 329 YBs - 4th Souppes Pajot 2,563
Playboy Gilbert (BE15-2015503)
This gives him a coefficient of 0.58, the lowest ever recorded. Playboy Gilbert can be considered the ultimate Limbourg pigeon: he combines speed and stamina, resistance and a fast recovery time. In his early career, Erik was known for basketing his racing birds really often, but it appears that many of the best fanciers in Belgium have gradually started to adopt this approach as well, which is no coincidence. The sire of Playboy Gilbert is The New Gilbert (BE13-2022077), a son of The Gilbert (BE09-2119284), winner of a 1st int. Bordeaux 6,686 p. One of the full brothers of New Gilbert is Gilbert Junior (BE11-2014201), and he also won a 1st international Bordeaux, just like his sire, but he managed to take the win against a much larger field of 10,622 pigeons. We were not surprised to see The New Gilbert get a spot in the breeding team after The Gilbert and Gilbert Junior were sold. “He has all the qualities of a top quality breeding bird”, says Erik. “He has great appearance, good plumage, a perfect eye, and supple muscles, just like his father.” It explains why he moved to the loft of his close friend Geert De Clercq after the Limbourg/PIPA auction, where he was paired to Geert’s Sister Chipo. The dam (Sister Chipo BE12-4048821) of Playboy Geert is basically just as invaluable as the line of his sire. She is a full sister of the exceptionally talented breeder Chipo (BE03-4329022) of Benny Steveninck (Hamme, BE). Click here for the full pedigree of Playboy Gilbert (adn that of Blue Power 003 as well).
The wing of Playboy Gilbert
he parents of Playboy Gilbert have proven to be an invaluable breeding pair for Erik’s colleague Geert. Another cock that has really come to the fore in Erik’s racing loft is Blue Power 003 (BE14-2151003), a full brother of Playboy Gilbert. Blue Power 003 was co-winner of the General Championship KBDB in 2014, and became 1st Ace Pigeon Long Distance yearlings Brabant Union in 2015. This is his palmares:
25-07-15 1st Tulle 104 yl 628km - 127th National Tulle 8621 yl 18-07-15 4th Jarnac 108 yl 665km - 98th National Jarnac 4559yl 11-07-15 11th Brive 439yl 674km - 144th National 9049yl 26-06-15 193rd National Agen 800km 30-05-15 32nd Bourges 197yl 449km 16-05-15 16th Souppes 422yl 326km 09-05-15 123rd Souppes Pajot 3083yl 19-04-15 8th Noyon 452yl 177km 15-06-14 3rd Noyon 183 YBs 177km - 29th Noyon Hoppestreek 1479 YBs 22-06-14 22nd Noyon 369 YBs 177km 26-07-14 15th Souppes 243 YBs 177km 01-08-14 103rd Bourges 413 YBs 449km 09-08-14 8th Chateauroux 263 YBs 495km - 690th National 22818 YBs 16-08-14 52nd Argenton 355 YBs 525km 23-08-14 8th Souppes 631 YBs 326km 30-08-14 1st La Souterraine 895 YBs 560km - 176th National 18588 YBs 07-09-14 26th Gueret 168 YBs 562km
Blue Power 003
Remy (BE07-2060539)
The 539/07 of Remy Speltdoorn (Winksele, BE) took the title of 1st Nat. Ace Pigeon Rhone Valley in 2013, after having won a 4th nat. Montélimar, a 17th nat. Orange and a 28th nat. Marseille. Erik Limbourg did not hesitate to add this pigeon to his collection. It proved another smart move in Limbourg’s career. This pigeon was paired to Magic Slimmen (BE09-2230725), a granddaughter of Di Stefano (1st Nat. Ace Pigeon KBDB extreme long distance 2006), and this pair has bred Patricia (BE14-2151002), 3rd prov. Ace Pigeon KBDB longer middle distance young birds and winner of a 26th nat. Limoges 6,272 km. Her nest brother Spartacus Remy (BE14-2151001) will be finishing in 6th place in the national championships Ace Pigeon KBDB extreme long distance yearlings. Click here for the pedigree of the brother and sister. Spartacus Remy proved himself by winning the following prizes:
25-07-15 2nd Prov Narbonne 237yl 872km - 29th National 3366 yl 11-07-15 43rd Brive 439yl 677km 26-06-15 4th Prov Agen 285yl 800km - 36th National 2767yl 30-05-15 62nd Bourges 1758yl 449km 24-05-15 35th Souppes 404yl 326km 16-05-15 68th Souppes 422yl 326km 26-04-15 5th Noyon 305yl 177km 02-08-14 3rd Bourges 413 YBs 449km - 344th National 30180 YBs 09-08-14 16th Chateauroux 263 YBs 495km 23-08-14 45th Tours 1182 YBs 475km
‘ t Donker Asduifke (BE14-2151067)
One of the most successful bloodlines of Erik Limbourg is Eagle Eye x Dromer, and their descendants continue to achieve great results in 2015. For instance, ‘t Donker Asduifke won the title of 3rd Ace Pigeon Brabant Union long distance yearlings this season, having won prizes over a total of 5,080km. She completed 2,419km in just three weeks’ time:
01-08-15 21st Bourges 112yl 449km 25-07-15 5th Tulle 104yl 628km (behind 4 loft mates) - 252nd National Tulle 8621yl 18-07-15 2nd Jarnac 108yl (behind loft mate) 665km - 45th Nationaal Jarnac 4559yl 11-07-15 121st Brive 439yl 677km 27-06-15 66th Argenton 1462yl 525km 20-06-15 3rd Limoges 148yl (behind 2 loft mates) 644km - 145th National 6272yl 13-06-15 247th Gueret 1223yl 562km 06-06-15 3rd Chateauroux 111yl (behind 2 loft mates) - 349th National 25710yl 23-05-15 14th Blois 106yl 435km
She did great as a young bird, winning an 11th Argenton 355 p., a 3rd La Souterraine 895 p. and a 9th Gueret 965 pigeons. The sire of ‘t Donker Asduifke is Zwarte Geerinckx (BE11-6049983), a son of super class breeder Witkop Gladiator x Iron Lady (the dam of a 1st nat. Ace Pigeon KBDB longer middle distance yearlings 2015). Click here for the full pedigree of ‘T Donker Asduifke.
One to remember
The 2015 season will be another year to remember, and not only thanks to the successful racing pigeons we mentioned earlier on. In fact, the entire racing team of Erik Limbourg has performed at a high level, which has resulted in the following list of achievements:
08-08 Souppes 326km 329yb 1-4-6-11-14-16-20-21-23 55/89 New Gilbert x Sister Chipo 01-08 Bourges 449km 2102yb 3-4-31-71-83-86-94-98 38/111 25-07 Vierzon 445km 132yb 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9-11-12-13 20/57 Late Scheele x Sister mtr Erik & Geert 25-07 Narbonne 872km 65yl 1-7-9-13-14 8/19 Remy x Grdtr Di Stefano 25-07 Tulle 628km 741yl 8-9-13-15-22-89 7/12 New Gilbert x Sister Chipo 25-07 Tulle 628km 104yl 1-2-3-4-5-11 8/12 New Gilbert x Sister Chipo 18-07 Jarnac 665km 4559yl Nat 4-45-73-98-163-186 10/22 Blauwe Joost x Dtr Olympiade Gaston 18-07 Jarnac 665km 2216yl Nat Z 1-12-20-31-61-73 10/22 Blauwe Joost x Dtr Olympiade Gaston 18-07 Jarnac 665km 108yl 1-2-3-4-6-7-16-18-22-28-32 11/22 Blauwe Joost x Dtr Olympiade Gaston 18-07 Souppes 326km 2794yb 10-15-16-22-23-32-36-38-40-41-42-48-49-50 48/57 18-07 Souppes 326km 475yb 1-3-4-5-6-7-9-10-11-12-12-16-17-18-19 48/57 Jo De Saer x Dtr Fav Mars 11-07 Souppes 326km 3069yb 1-2-7-19-21-22-36-41-68-70-71- 46/59 New Gilbert x Sister Chipo 11-07 Souppes 326km 456yb 1-2-3-5-6-7-9-10-14-16-17-20- 42/59 New Gilbert x Sister Chipo 05-07 Noyon 177km 125yb 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-11- 31/61 Hlfbr Chipo x Dtr Gilbert: Mtr Poppemieke 27-06 Argenton 525km 2217b 4-35-73-100-139-159-218 14/17 27-06 Argenton 525km 88b 1-2-5-8-11-12-13 12/17 New Ace x Poppemieke 27-06 Souppes 326km 1875yb 1-37-39-40-56-57-62-126-130 34/62 New Gilbert x Sister Chipo 27-06 Souppes 326km 249yb 1-2-3-4-7-8-9-15-16-17-18-19 43/62 New Gilbert x Sister Chipo 26-06 Agen 800km 2767b Nat 17-36-57-87-91-105-117-177-193-195 16/31 26-06 Agen 800km 215b 4-6-8-9-11-12-15-20-23-24-31-32-33 20/31 26-06 Agen 800km 88b 1-2-3-5-6-7-9-12-13-14-16-17-18 15/31 New Super Sprint x Queen Blue Ace 20-06 Souppes 326km 207yb 1-2-3-7-10-13-4-21-22-23 41/69 Black Magic x Sister Gloria 20-06 Limoges 644km 2946b 6-37-38-40-102-104-11/18 20-06 Limoges 644km Prov 797b 3-11-12-13-35-36 12/18 20-06 Limoges 644km 148b 1-2-3-4-8-9-19-21-23-27 11/18 Remy x Grdtr Di Stefano 725/09 14-06 Noyon 177km 1230yb 1-14-32-34-63-63-73-75 31/68 Jonge De Saer x Dtr Fav Marseille 14-06 Noyon 177km 352yb 1-2-7-8-14-15-17-19-20 31/68 Jonge De Saer x Dtr Fav Marseille 13-06 Gueret 560km 120b 1-5-6-7-8-10-11-12-18-19-20 20/52 Jonge De Saer x Sister E Eye 07-06 Noyon 177km 235yb 1-2-3-4-8-9-11-12-19-20 39/74 New Gilbert x Sister Chipo 06-06 Chateauroux 495km 111b 1-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-11-12 15/19 New Super Sprint x Queen Blue Ace 30-05 Bourges 449km 197b 1-2-9-12-13-19-20-22-28-29 22/55 Blauwe Joost x Gaston 422/12 23-05 Blois 435km 106b 1-2-5-6-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15 13/22 Olympic Way Heremans x Sister E Eye 16-05 Vierzon 445km 95b 1-2-3-15-17-19 10/22 Jan x Iron Lady
The best ever
We cannot stress it enough: the pigeons that want to try and keep Playboy Gilbert from winning this year’s national title will have to work very hard. It will be quite a difficult task but this might motivate his opponents to put in an extra effort. The fancier that can manage to beat Playboy Gilbert will probably have the best young middle distance pigeon of Belgium ever. For the time being, it looks like the pigeon family from Brussegem will continue to be Belgium’s “Ace Pigeon Loft”.
