Nothing or nobody seems capable of stopping them...
The loft Jos & Lars VERCAMMEN, Vremde - B
Acted "outstanding" once again in 2007!

When we wrote a detailed report over the loft of Jos & Lars Vercammen from the Antwerp's 'Vremde' last year, they had just succeeded in the unbelievable achievement of being the first in all the 57 years that the Long Distance club in Antwerp existed, to be crowned as 'KING' by winning the 'General Championship' three times in a row. Doing better than the last three seasons was nearly impossible in 2007, especially because a few of the best provincial and national races (read both Limoges, Souillac, Prov Orleans etc…) didn't take place because of the bird flu. And yet our hosts once again had a spectacular pigeon season 2007 as will be proved in the honours list below. Whether we are talking about the game with old, yearlings or youngsters… cocks or hens… over races from 100 or 700 Km… over races from southerly or easterly direction, raced in clear weather, in warm to very hot weather, or less favourable weather… over races with head wind or tail wind… each time you come across the name Jos & Lars Vercammen when you study the results looking for pigeons that have excelled themselves. It wasn't any different in 2007, not even when France closed its borders due to the bird flu, and the pigeons were forced to travel in an easterly direction, heading for Germany.

The fanciers had to make choices, with this step into 'uncertainty'… the Vercammen team were at that moment in top form, and then one can't keep the pigeons at home. Jos & Lars left with their complete team in the direction of Heidelberg. People from the West Flemish and Antwerp will remember this race for a long time, it was a disaster from all sides… in most places it was declared a 'national ramp', that's how bad the races were… except for 1 colony, that of the lofts of Jos & Lars Vercammen. In total they won 36 prizes with 49 nominated pigeons (starting of course with the 1° Prize), and all of their 49 pigeons arrived home safely!

Hok Jos Vercammen

One man's loss is another man's gain? We should really speak about the proof that a colony with pigeons from 'top origin' AND in 'top form' can always do that little bit better … than the average fancier. Look at it which way you like… every year the evidence is once again delivered! Because this was not all… a week later the pigeons left for Leipzig. Jos & Lars now played it 'safe', partly because most of the competition had been knocked out (after Heidelberg), and they didn't expect a large amount of pigeons to be basketted, which later turned out to be the case. Loft Vercammen left with 4 old + 4 yearlings for Leipzig. It was a summers day with a heavy head wind, resulting in the pigeons hardly reaching a velocity of 1100 m/m. It was a tough race yet again, and the race was open for more than 3 hours… the consternation by the many 'watchers' was then huge when after 8 hours and 22 minutes flying 3 Vercammen pigeons arrived together (1 old + 2 yearlings) and won the 3 first prizes locally, nearly 30 minutes ahead of the local competition. Jos & Lars once again achieved a magnificent 7 from the 8! Had Jos & Lars prepared their pigeons differently for this race? Oh no. The daily training and preparation was in the same tradition as by the races from France. Once, after this Leipzig, the doors in France were opened for the pigeons, the Vercammens left with their team for La Souterraine and Gueret… and once again 'a direct hit'! From La Souterraine they won 1° both Provincially and in the Zone, and landed on the 2° spot Nationally with 4 pigeons by the 'top-100', next to an 18/26! From Gueret it was once again bulls-eye with 20 prizes from 25 nominated pigeons and no less than 7 pigeons within the 'top-100' Nationally! For the Vercammen pigeons the change from South (France) to east (Germany), and later once again from east to south… was 'a piece of cake'.

Nothing or nobody succeeded in extinguishing their cloud of triumph or victory instinct, let alone… stop them gaining one top performance after another! A new 'top season' 2007 was a fact… wherein the 'super class' of the modern Vercammen pigeon came to the surface, and a lengthening-piece was knitted onto the top successes of the 3 last top years! Let us introduce you to a few of the new 'stars' from the last season 2007:

New stars

B-06-6270183 "Silvia"
4° Ace pigeon Long Distance 2007 in Long Distance club Antwerp
1° Heidelberg (352 Km) 803 p.
2° Montluçon (555 Km) 336 p.
14° Prov Montluçon 1.913 p.
3° Le Mans (471 Km) 455 p.
3° Salbris (454 Km) 428 p.
6° Prov Salbris 1.674 p.
6° Melun (310 Km) 1.333 p.

She is a daughter of "Tibo" (self Ace pigeon Long Distance club Antwerp 2006 and half-brother of "Porto") x "Chalala" (full sister of "Bosko" and so daughter of "Barco" x "Kitty").

"Porto"

B-06-6270315 "Pink Lady"
Won 17 prizes by 18 baskettings, with the absolute toppers:
1° National La Souterraine (593km) Zone 1.578 p.
1° Provincial La Souterraine (593km) 698 p.
2° National La Souterraine (593km) 4.314 p.
5° Quievrain (98km) 547 p. 14° Vierzon (476km) 508 p.
18° Provincial Leipzig (529km) 296 p.
20° Heidelberg (352km) 472 p.
26° Toury (382km) 707 p.
125° S.-National Vierzon (476km) 10.616 p.

She is a daughter of "Pink Panter" (son of the Kleine Panter) x "Merlina" (out Lou x Romy). Her sister, ring "052/06" won: 1° Leipzig (529km) reg. She is half-sister of super breeder "Barco"and from "Melissa" : 9 x 1° (including 1° provincial Chateauroux 2.745 p.)


B-06-6270302 "Rolex"
1° Ace pigeon Union Antwerp Middle Distance 2007
2° Pithiviers (373km) 840 p.
7° Noyon (208km) 535 p.
9° Pithiviers (373km) 1.440 p.
11° Paderborn (279km) 205 p.
12° Paderborn (279km) 294 p.
13° Toury (382km) 534 p.
15° Marne (296km) 282 p.
19° Quievrain (98km) 547 p.
20° Toury (382km) 753 p.
25° Noyon (208km) 825 p.
28° Dourdan (366km) 738 p.

He is a son of "Beckham" x "Luna" (daughter of 'Mitu" x "Rose"). He is further half-brother of "Beauty" : 2° national Argenton (555km) 21.299 p. (2° fastest from 30.045 p.) and from the "006/07" : 1° Melun (310km) 704 p.

"Beauty"

New top references

The real 'super pigeons' with the Vercammen blood running through their veins also performed excellently in other lofts. By Kris Cleirbaut, who had one of the best youngsters from Belgium in 2007 under his roof, who answered to the name "Black Widow" ring B6282339/07 (cock), and whose father is a 100% Vercammen pigeon, a "Son Bacardi" 509/05 ("Bacardi" is a half-brother of "Deco" who in turn is father of "Porto").
"Black Widow" won:
24° national Gueret 12.558 p.
78° national Bourges 31.824 p.
106° national Argenton 20.844 p.

A second top pigeon by Kris Cleirbaut is the yearling hen B6173124/06, who won:
10° national Bourges 9.021 p.
6° provincial Chateauroux 1.938 p.
4° Noyon 353 p.

Her father is also a 100% Vercammen pigeon, a "Son Arnaud" 461/02 ("Arnaud" is a son of "Etim"), and so a close relation of the stock pigeon Panter. Richard Banzon won the 1° Prize in the Mercedes Classic One Loft Race (480 Km) with a 100% Vercammen pigeon, namely a grandchild of "Agassi" and "Barco"! Elton Dinga won the 1° Prize in the Texas Gusher One Loft Race (480 Km) with a 50% Vercammen pigeon. The father is a 100% Vercammen, namely a full brother of "Clearwater" 195/04. These references from 2007 add to the long and now impressive series of top references, from sport friends who have found the 'way to the top' through the introduction of the 'golden' Vercammen-blood into their colony! What more than proves the super origin and the top class that the modern Vercammen pigeon has at its disposal, and therefore can be classed as superior breeding material is in the cross-breeding with other top pedigrees! A story to which a beautiful new chapter is added every year...

Results

Once again impressive performances in 2007 from the Vercammen-lofts
Noyon (208 Km) 535 p. 1,5,6,7,8,9,15,26,27,29,30,34,41… and 29/39
Chateauroux (526 Km) 509 p. 3,4,6,7,12,15,16… and 18/21
Pithiviers (373 Km) 840 p. 2,11 (1+2° nominated)… and 7/9
Montlucon (555 Km) 336 p. 2,8,12,19,20,21,26,31,35… and 15/22
Heidelberg (352 Km) 803 p. 1,13,29,32,33,34,40,52,58,66… and 22/36 Union Antw West 472 p. 1,6,17,18,19,20,24,31,36,41… and 22/36
Leipzig (529 Km) Local 1,2,3… and 4/4 Yearlings, 1,3… and 3/4 old Provincial 305 old 3,15… and 3/4 Provincial 296 YL 8,9,18… and 4/4
Paderborn (279 Km) 294 p. 3,6,11,12,17… and 7/8
Marne La Vallée (296 Km) 1454 p. 9,10,13,17,18,19,30,32,36,39,40,48… and 34/44
Salbris (454 Km) Prov 370 p. 1,2,3…
La Souterraine (593 Km) Pr 698 p. 1 (with Pink Lady),16,30,35,46… and 18/26 National Old 4314 p. 2,30,70,80,117,129,304,319,452… and 18/26
Gueret (590 Km) Nat Old 2448 p. 23,27,39,45,60,68,71… and 20/25

Championships

These performances resulted in the following championships 2007:
1° General Champion Middle Distance Yearlings Union Antwerp West (250-450 Km)
1° Champion Long Distance 'Club Long Distance 2001 St.Job' (450-750 Km)
1° Ace pigeon Middle Distance Yearlings Union Antwerp 2007 2° King Union Antwerp 'All Round' (250-1100 Km)
2° General Champion Middle Distance Union Antwerp West (250-450 Km)
2° General Champion Long Distance Union Antwerp (450-750 Km)
2° Champion Long Distance Yearlings 'Club Long Distance 2001 St.Job'
1°+2° End classification Millennium Criteria 'Club Long Distance 2001 St.Job'… etc.

Other lofts

A random selection of the 'magnificent performances' of the latest seasons from other lofts with the winners blood 'Loft Jos Vercammen' at the base!
1° National N.P.O. Tours 16.154 p. (M. Van Gastel)
1° National N.P.O. Moeskroen 12.752 p. (R. Jansen)
1° National N.P.O Creil 14.467 p. (Rob Roks)
1° National Z.N.B. Tours 10.666 p. (Comb. Roegiest & Visser)
1° Fastest pigeon National Z.N.B. Tours 27.500 p. (Comb. Roegiest & Visser)
1° National Aachen 10.782 p. (Edmund König)
1° National N.P.O. Orleans 10.173 p. (Comb. Roegiest & Visser)
1° Semi-national La Souterraine 9.864 p. (Houben J.L.N.)
1° Fastest semi-national La Souterraine ca.19.000 p. (Houben J.L.N.)
1° National N.P.O. Argenton 9.591 p. (J. Smets)
1° National N.P.O. Tours 6.752 p. (Comb. Roegiest & Visser)
1° National N.P.O. Tours 4.779 p. (Rob Roks)
1° Fastest provincial Chateauroux 7.286 p. (Houben J.L.N.)
2° Fastest national N.P.O. Tours 14.898 p. (Rob Roks)
1° National N.P.O. Orleans 4.448 p. (Comb. Roegiest & Visser)
2° National N.P.O. Chateauroux 14.092 p. (Jac. Konings)
Additional information: 1° National N.P.O. Tours 16.154 p. (M. Van Gastel)
This top pigeon (named 'Mr. Tours' and with 50% Vercammen blood) was bought by Ludo Claessens - Putte (NL), and is momentarily one of the most prominent breeding pigeons in the Ludo Claessens lofts!
1° Semi-national La Souterraine 9.864 p. (Houben J.L.N.) this pigeon ('Pinocchio', whose mother comes directly from the loft of Jos Vercammen) is at the moment one of the best breeding cocks by Houben J.L.N.

Martin Martens