Gerard and Bas Verkerk can look back on another splendid season, and the highlights of 2016 are the title of 1st National Loft Champion one day long distance (nominated), 1st National Ace Pigeon Allround hens (and cocks) WHZB-TBOTB, as well as the title of 1st National Ace Pigeon One Day Long Distance fondspiegel.
Gerard and Bas had another memorable season. They have been overwhelmingly strong in the one day long distance for many years; their team won the following national championships in 2016:
1st National Loft Champion one day long distance NPO (nominated)
Fondspiegel (taking into account 4 out of 4 races in the NPO results overall)
NL15-1706407 Princess : 1st national ace pigeon one day long distance NL14-1059613 Sylvie : 3rd national ace pigeon one day long distance NL14-1059482 Special One: 10th national ace pigeon one day long distance NL15-1706463 : 13th national ace pigeon one day long distance NL15-1706211 Nicky : 25th national ace pigeon one day long distance
PIPA ranking (3 prizes in all races of over 500km in the NPO results overall)
NL14-1059627 Fire Eyes : 2nd national ace pigeon one day long distance NL15-1706407 Princess : 4th national ace pigeon one day long distance NL14-1059613 Sylvie : 13th national ace pigeon one day long distance NL14-1059451 : 14th national ace pigeon one day long distance NL14-1059638 Wonder Woman: 15th national ace pigeon one day long distance NL15-1706425 : 20th national ace pigeon one day long distance NL15-1706501 : 21st national ace pigeon one day long distance
PIPA-ranking (yearlings 10 prizes)
NL15-1706407 Princess: 3rd national ace pigeon NL15-1706463 : 9th national ace pigeon NL15-1706425 : 10th national ace pigeon
PIPA-ranking (middle distance/long distance 7 prizes)
NL14-1059638 Wonder Woman: 2nd national ace pigeon NL14-1059627 Fire Eyes : 6th national ace pigeon NL14-1059613 Sylvie : 8th national ace pigeon NL15-1706463 : 18th national ace pigeon
PIPA-ranking (ace pigeon olds 12 prizes)
NL14-1059638 Wonder Woman: 8th national ace pigeon NL15-1706463 : 12th national ace pigeon NL14-1059613 Sylvie : 21st national ace pigeon
WHZB-TBOTB (based on 3 out of 3 races from the split or overall results NPO)
NL15-1706407 Princess : 2nd national ace pigeon one day long distance NL14-1059613 Sylvie : 7th national ace pigeon one day long distance NL14-1059638 Wonder Woman: 9th national ace pigeon one day long distance NL14-1059602 Fantasy : 18th national ace pigeon one day long distance
WHZB-TBOTB (10 prizes sprint, middle distance and one day long distance)
NL14-1059638 Wonder Woman: 1st national ace pigeon allround hens NL14-1059613 Sylvie : 10th national ace pigeon allround hens NL14-1059608 Meghan : 21st national ace pigeon allround hens
We will now take a closer look at the pigeons that have won these championship titles.
NL14-1059638 Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is 1st National Ace Pigeon Allround hens (with more points than the best cocks) in the WHZB-TBOTB competition this season (10 prizes in sprint, middle distance and one day long distance). She is also 9th National Ace Pigeon one day long distance 2016 (WHZB-TBOTB), and in the PIPA rankings she won a 2nd ace pigeon middle distance/one day long distance, 8th ace pigeon olds and 15th ace pigeon one day long distance. Wonder Woman is a daughter of Party Animal, a half brother of Olympic Solange. The dam of Wonder woman is Snip, which is also the dam of Emily, 2nd National Ace Pigeon allround 2013. Click here for the pedigree of Wonder Woman.
NL15-1706407 Princess
One of the stars of 2016 is Princess. She was 1st National Ace Pigeon one day long distance (Fondspiegel) and 2nd National Ace Pigeon one day long distance (WHZB-TBOTB) in 2016. She finished before the 1st national ace pigeon long distance in all three races, and this pigeon won the points from the split results). Princess also wins the title of 4th Ace Pigeon one day long distance and 3rd Ace Pigeon yearlings in the PIPA rankings, while also winning the title of best one day long distance pigeon in Province 5. Princess is a daughter of Computer John (J. van Laar and Son) x Mona Lisa. Mona Lisa is a full sister of Flinstone, which is the sire of Fantasy. Fantasy was 18th national ace pigeon one day long distance this season, and he became 5th National Ace Pigeon one day long distance in 2015 (WHZB-TBOTB). Click here for the full pedigree of Princess. This is her palmares for 2016:
3rd NPO Argenton 7,374 p. 26th NPO Ruffec 3,780 p. 31st NPO Bourges 13,431 p. 69th Nat S2 Chateauroux 14,602 p.
NL14-1059613 Sylvi
Sylvie is a daughter of Icarus x Feline. Feline is also the dam of Kiki-Kate, which became 1st National Ace Pigeon middle distance/long distance in last year’s PIPA ranking. She is also the dam of Lola-Lily (1st NPO Bourges). Click here to find out more about her pedigree. Sylvie won the following national titles in 2016:
3rd national ace pigeon one day long distance (Fondspiegel) 7th national ace pigeon one day long distance (WHZB-TBOTB) 10th national ace pigeon allround hens (WHZB-TBOTB) 13th national ace pigeon one day long distance (PIPA ranking) 8th national ace pigeon middle distance/long distance (PIPA ranking) 21st national ace pigeon old birds (PIPA ranking)
NL14-1059482 Special One
Special One was 10th national ace pigeon one day long distance (Fondspiegel). The sire of Special One is Captain Hook, which is also the sire of Tinker Bell and Lizzie. Tinker Bell was a substitute in the Olympiad as a yearling; Lizzie was 2nd National Ace Pigeon one day long distance. The dam of Special One is Feline, which is also the dam of the aforementioned Sylvie, Kiki-Kate and Lola-Lily. Click here for the pedigree of Special One. These are som of his best results:
2nd Morlincourt 3,770 p. 10th Quievrain 3,637 p. 12th Charleville 2,552 p. 93rd Bourges 13,431 p.
NL14-1059602 Fantasy
Fantasy was 5th National Ace Pigeon one day long distance (NPO) and 7th National Ace Pigeon one day long distance (WHZB-TBOTB) last year. He was in great form in 2016 as well, eventually winning an 18th place (WHZB-TBOTB) These are the best achievements of Fantasy:
2nd Chateauroux 5,907 p. (and 3rd Nat. 37,571 p.) 6th Vierzon 11,506 p. 2nd Roye 2,058 p. 43rd Chateauroux 14,602 p. 14th Morlincourt 3,770 p.
The sire of Fantasy is Flinstone, which is also the sire of Altlantis (ace pigeon one day long distance province 5). The dam of Fantasy is a daughter of Olympic Solange. Click here for the pedigree of Fantasy.
NL14-1059608 Meghan
Meghan was 21st National Ace Pigeon allround hens (WHZB-TBOTB). She excelled in 2015 as well, with three 1:100 prizes in the middle distance. This year she was the fastest pigeon in the race from Quevrain (12,545 p.); this is her palmares:
1st Quievrain 5,250 p. (and fastest of 12,545 p.) 1st Nanteuil 2,121 p. 15th Nanteuil 12,543 p. 17th Argenton 7,374 p. 13th Nanteuil 2,520 p.
The sire of Meghan is Bulldozer (6th best cock WHZB-TBOTB 2004) and her dam is Romy (4th national ace pigeon one day long distance NPO). Click here for the pedigree of Meghan.
NL14-1059627 Fire Eyes
Fire Eyes was 2nd National Ace Pigeon one day long distance and 6th national ace pigeon middle distance/long distance in the PIPA rankings. He is currently 1st substitute long distance for the Olympiad and 2nd substitute Allround. He is a highly versatile pigeon but he excels primarily in the one day long distance. This is the palmares of this top class racing cock:
3rd nat. ace pigeon one day long distance Topwings 2015 3rd NPO Chateauroux 10,029 p. (and 4th nat. 47,539 p.) 1st Pt.-St.-Maxence 2,454 p. (3rd fastest 32,967 p.) 6th NPO Bourges 9,742 p. 6th NPO Argenton 7,374 p. 40th NPO Ruffec 4,133 p. 78th NPO Blois 15,515 p. 38th Nanteuil 12,543 p. 38th Nanteuil 11,867 p.
Fire Eye is a son of top breeder Donald x super class hen Eye Catcher (fastest in Mantes-La-Jolie 20,506 p.). This makes him a half brother of Highlight (1st NPO Ruffec 3,780 p.), Eternity (2nd National Ace Pigeon Allround PIPA ranking), Challinger (2nd Ace Pigeon one day long distance 2013 Province), Broken Breastbone (14th & 15th NPO and a top class breeder), Nena (6th NPO Argenton 6,926 p.) and Dedication (1st Nanteuil 12,543 p.). Click here for the pedigree of Fire Eyes.
Racing bird NL15-1706463 was 13th National Ace Pigeon one day long distance (Fondspiegel) and 9th Ace Pigeon yearlings, 18th Ace Pigeon middle distance/long distance and 12th ace pigeon old birds PIPA rankings. She is a daughter of Atlantis, which is also the sire of Kiki-Kate (1st National Ace Pigeon middle distance/one day long distance PIPA ranking) and Lola-Lily (1st NPO Bourges). The dam of the 463 is Olympic Bibi; she is also the dam of the best young bird of 2016 of Verkerk. You can find the full pedigree of NL15-1706463 here.
The NL14-1059451 is 14th Ace Pigeon one day long distance (PIPA ranking). She is a son of Tyson, which became the sire of top class racing bird Topper Harley last year (1st National Ace Pigeon one day long distance Topwings); the dam is Mega Mindy. Click here for the full pedigree of NL14-1059451. The 20th Ace Pigeon one ay long distance and 10th yearlings (PIPA ranking) is NL15-1706425, a daughter of GPS x Amy. The 21st Ace Pigeon one day long distance (PIPA ranking) is NL15-1706501, a son of Gavin x Bonita. The last in this series of national ace pigeons is Nicky (NL15-1706211), which became 25th National Ace Pigeon one day long distance (Fondspiegel). Nicky is a daughter of GPS (the sire of Make My Day) x Silvermist. Click here for the pedigree of Nicky.
Besides the aforementioned ace pigeons, racing bird Volcano had a great 2016 season as well: he won a 1st against 14,602 pigeons in the National Chateauroux S2.
NL14-1059635 Volcano
Volcano is an excellent racing cock and winner of a top results in the 2015 race Chateauroux.
1st NPO Chateauroux 2016 10,029 p. 1st Nat. S2 Chateauroux 2016 14,602 p. 2nd Nat. Chateauroux 2016 47,539 p. 5th Nat. Chateauroux 2015 37,571 p.
The sire is top class breeder Goofy, which is also the sire of 2nd National Ace Pigeon Andy Murray. The dam is Efendi (owned by Dhr. Dempsey Dong from China), a direct Koopman and inbred to Magic Man and Solange, a top class breeder of Verkerk. Click here for the full pedigree of Volcano.
Founded on ace pigeons
We see time and time again how the most successful racing birds are directly related to former ace pigeon winners; Olympic Solange and her sister Eye Catcher clearly illustrate this. Olympic Solange, the best Dutch allround pigeon ever with 6 national ace pigeon titles on her palmares, and her sister Eye Catcher have developed into two internationally renowned breeders. Sylvie, Fire Eyes, Special One and Fantasy are just a few of the aforementioned prize winners that are heavily based on these two sisters.
Exceptional achievements
That is the least we can say about the remarkable results of Bas and Gerard in recent years. In 2016 alone they won 18 top 10 prizes NPO, a 1st Nat. Sector S Chateauroux and a 1st NPO Ruffec. An overview of the highlights of 2016 can be found here. It is great to see the Verkerk pigeons win early prizes in some foreign countries including Tailand an China, as well as in their home country: Theo and Mirjam Boelens won an Olympiad Pigeon (yearlings) with a Verkerk based pigeon (Van Andel), and the Olympiad Pigeon (allround) of Yong and Jiabin Lin comes from a half sister of Olympic Solange (daughter Sven x Magic Amore). Just to name a few. The substitute Olympiad Pigeons of Derksen-V.D. Keuken are related to the Verkerk pigeon breed as well.
