This Golden Pair, paired to the line of Marieke BE08-3037512 - Rik Cools - produced ZA 22 trio 37 which was the best ever bird on points in the KSFC Club, and the best bird in NFS Federation.

How it all started

At the age of 9 years in 1993, Schalk Jonker started racing pigeons in a small town called Koppies, located in the Freestate province in South Africa.

“I quickly learned that only the best genes should stay in your loft, and a good breeding hen is very important!”

In 2011 a young hen strayed at his loft, and she had it all that Schalk is looking for in a pigeon.

Schalk crossed this Golden Pair with a pigeon he bought from Cools Pigeons from the line of Marieke BE08-3037512. This pigeon goes back to the old strain of Cools Pigeons as Aske, Den 100, Aagje, Flicka, .... This resulted in ZA 22 trio 37 which was the best ever bird on points in the KSFC Club, and the best bird in NFS Federation in 2023.

What an impressive list of victories…many of them linked to his golden pair

Schalker lost count since this pair of cocks produced more than 50+ winners in their progeny from 2012 to 2024....!! This includes:

• 9 times best bird in his club. 
• 5 years in a row best bird in his club and Federation. ZA 2022 trio 37; a granddaughter of the bird he bought from Rik Cools , was the best hen in the club and Federation 2023.
• Best bird in the Freestate 2019
• Best bird in Federation 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023 ; all children or grandchildren of this pair.
• SANPO 2^nd Ace pigeon Middle Distance; with a son of 1450
• SANPO 2^nd Ace pigeon Short Distance; with a great-grandchild of this pair
• 1^st  Ace Pigeon until the final race in the ALLFLIGHT One Loft Race ;with a grandchild of this pair
• 1^st  Ace Pigeon Short Distance  Genetic One Loft Race
• 6^th  Ace Pigeon Genetic One Loft Race; with a grandchild of this pair

• In the AfrikaPro 2023 One Loft Race
  • Won race 6 - za trio 88
  • Blue Jacket
  • 11^th Ace bird; with a grandchild of this pair
  • 12^th Ace bird
  • 17^th Ace bird; with a grandchild of this pair

• In the AfrikaPro 2024 One Loft Race
  • Blue Jacket
  • 5^th   Ace bird
  • 11^th Ace bird; with a grandchild of this pair
  • 18^th Ace Bird
  • Final Race AFRIKAPRO ( only 86 pigeons return on the day):
    • 7^th    with a grandchild of this pair
    • 9^th    with a great-grandchild of this pair
    • 22^nd  with a grandchild of this pair
    • 25^th
    • First fancier with 4 pigeons on the day, 4 from the first 25 positions; 3 of these are related to 53648 x 4566; his number 1 pair.

“Clearly a golden pair, producing winners year after year. I really want to congratulate Rik with his brilliant strain of pigeons, and can confirm the importance of a good hen! “

Schalk Jonker

How we got into contact again

Thanks to AfrikaPro, he came back in contact with Rik. He is looking now to obtain some more of his “irreplaceable” (quote Schalk) pigeons.

How Schalk sees the future

This coming season, Jan Nijboer (Netherland) and Schalk will join forces to see if they can take their pigeons through partnership and crossbreeding to a next level.

The past 9 years Schalk focused on breeding a type of pigeons that does well in One Loft Races and in the South African normal seasonal races. This is not a given.

He started to change his loft conditions in line with the one loft race conditions. With the same training methods; racing the pigeons every week for 10-14 weeks in a row.

He noticed a clear difference in some fancier pigeons. Some stood clearly out, with head and shoulders. He started crossing these pigeons.

Now he starts to see the results of his approach. Every pigeon of his that participated in 4 different One Loft Races starts to show their potential; including the first and second season of AfrikaPro.

Schalk Jonker is looking towards the future in full confidence!

"Thanks to Rik and his special way of pairing pigeons together, the sport will reach new heights… especially in South Africa. So for every fancier out there; watch this space… there is  new bread that will rock the world in One Loft Racing."

Schalk Jonker

We wish Schalk and his son Gerber all the best in this journey!!

We are very happy for Yan Yuhui, his brother Yan Yuwei of the Dahui Pigeonhouse and their coach Jiang Honghongh.

They won the championship 2024 Summer Beihai North Taoyuan Yongxiang Pigeon Club.

Of a total of 516 pigeons from 24 fanciers, they had the 2^nd  pigeon of the 7 that came home in time.

Average score : 894.304 m/Min

The father of BE20-3124131 is a grandson of Marieke and De Schone Bliksem and is a half brother of Cilleke  who was 1 National Gueret (553 km)  - 8.493 birds.

The mother of BE20-3124131 is a full sister of Cilleke, inbreeding Bliksem and  a great-granddaughter Den 100 and Aske.

Both the father and mother of BE20-3124131 are based on Rex, who is a full brother of Gloria, 2  National Ace Pigeon KBDB Long Distance 2013.

We congratulate Yan Yuhui, Yan Yuwei and their coach and wish them a lot of success with all their future races!!

Rika 40

This hen Rika 40 – who is a famous hero in Morocco by now – is :

1 Ace Pigeon Short Distance in 2023, 1 Ace Pigeon Short Distance in  2024 and

1 Ace Pigeon Short Distance 2023 Union

Link to the Cools Family

Rika 40 is born out of a father from the Cools Pigeons family and the mother is from Pierre Faes.

The father BE13-3157253 is a grandson of Marieke BE08-3037512 – a top breeding hen – and De Schone Bliksem BE04-3001609  top breeder. This goes back to the old bloodlines of Cools Pigeons.

Frieda and Flicka: two of the basic hens crossed with Bliksem from Gaby Vandenabeele.

Rika 20

A full sister of Rika 40 – Rika 20 - also won fantastic prices:

Crossing Father Rika 40 with other Hens work

But also combinations with other hens were successful. Overall Father Rika 40 BE13-3157253 was the father and grandfather of

1 Ace Pigeon Short Distance

1 Ace Pigeon Short Distance

1 Ace Pigeon Short Distance Union

3 Ace Pigeon Short Distance

4 Ace Pigeon Short Distance

7 Ace Pigeon Middle Distance

4   –  40.323  birds (290 km) Federation Casablanca

11 – 14.392 birds (340 km) Federation Casablanca

18 – 24.525 birds (320 km) Federarion Casablanca

36 – 24.547 birds (322 km) Federation Casablanca

1 – 4.370 birds (196 km)

1 – 1.810 birds (196 km)

1 – 1.726 birds (248 km)

1 – 1.180 birds (245 km)

2 – 2.159 birds (290 km)

2 – 2.132 birds (340 km)

2 – 1.500 birds (280 km)

2 – 1.150 birds (320 km)

3 – 1.500 birds (220 km)

3 – 1.379 birds (280 km)

4 – 1.530 birds (290 km)

5 – 3.057 birds (189 km)

5 – 2.087 birds (140 km)

6 – 2.979 birds (244 km)

6 – 2.093 birds (110 km)

7 – 2.002 birds (480 km)

7 – 1.000 birds (150 km)

8 – 2.159 birds (290 km)

8 – 2.290 birds (110 km)

9 – 3.536 birds (160 km)

9 – 2.230 birds (260 km)

9 – 2.100 birds (140 km)

9 – 1.500 birds (220 km)

…

Who is Saïd Chadi

Just like Cools Pigeons , Saïd knows how to play with hens. The long and hard selection by Cools Pigeons to build up a family known for its successful hens also pays off in this loft. See more about his on “Why Hens”.

But victories don’t come easy. Just like all other top pigeon fanciers, Saïd is working very hard to obtain these victories.

Saïd has known pigeons all his life. His father had pigeons but never raced. Saïd himself started racing with pigeons when he was 14 years old; in 2004 he built his own loft.

Racing in Casablanca is known to be very difficult. The level is really very high and it is not easy to get these top prices. Buying good quality pigeons is crucial, but crossing them correctly, growing them in the ideal conditions, keeping them healthy and training them in the best way… all of it is needed to become a champion as Saïd is.

We hope that Father Rika 040 produces many more winners and we wish Saïd all the best with his pigeons.

2023 has been one of the best years ever for Cools Pigeons.

Highlights 2023

3^rd  National Ace Pigeon KBDB Small Middle Distance Old Birds

6^th  National Ace Pigeon KBDB Great Middle Distance Old Birds

1^st   Argenton Bird 2022-2023 PIPA ranking

7^th  National Champion KBDB Small Medium Distance Old & Yearlings

7^th  Olympiade Pigeon 2024 Category Sport H - Belgium

2^nd  Champion Inter-Westvlaamse Yearlings

1^st   National Zone Chateauroux (483 km) – 823 birds

1^st   Provincial Chateauroux  (483 km) – 1.174 birds

1^st   Provincial Argenton (511 km) – 2.943 birds, fastest of 5.397

2^nd  Provincial Orleans (360 km) – 13.159 birds

2^nd  Provincial Argenton (511 km) – 2.454 birds

1^st   Local Champion Great-Middle Distance Old Birds

1^st   Local Champion Great Middle Distance Yearlings

1^st   Local Champion Long Distance Yearlings

1^st   Local Ace Pigeon Great Middle Distance Old Birds 2^nd  Local Ace Pigeon Long Distance Yearlings

Top Race Results 2023

30-04  Clermont (198 km)     1-2-3-4-9-21-28-…       /   823 p. (23 pr. of 34)

06-05  Fontenay (324 km)     1-3-4-11-12-13-14-…     /   291 p. (15 pr. of 19)

13-05  Orleans  (360 km)     2-27-34-49-54-…         / 13159 p. (18 pr. of 19)

20-05  Chateaudun (360 km)   11-18-54-66-91-…        /  7278 p. (21 pr. of 23)

03-06  Chateaudun (360 km)   5-48-62-66-69-78-…    /  5143 p. (23 pr. of 29)

09-06  Argenton (510 km)     24-279-333-386          / 13103 p. ( 4 pr. of  5)

24-06  Argenton (510 km)     23-58-636-887           / 11295 p. ( 4 pr. of  4)

16-07  Aurillac (683 km)     285-659-1263            /  6512 p. ( 3 pr. of  3)

22-07  Chateaur. old(483 km) 1-6-101                 /  1174 p. ( 3 pr. of  4)

22-07  Chateaur. Yl (483 km) 4-17-25-40-75-83-…  /  1963 p. (11 pr. of 16)

National Ace Pigeons

Felicienne and Miss Argenton are both coming from the line of Christa BE11-3073298.

Christa goes back to our old blood lines. She is a granddaughter of Darling and De Schone Bliksem and a great-granddaughter of Bliksem, Frieda, Den 100 and Aske.

Provincial Winners

Happy BE22-3026495

1 Provincial Argenton (511 km) of 2.943 birds; fastest of 5.397 birds

Guusje BE21-3076737

1 Provincial Chateauroux (483 km) of  1.174 birds

1 National Zone Chateauroux (483 km) of 823 birds

Honey BE22-3026349

2. Provincial Orleans (360 km) of 13.159 birds

Honey is inbreeding Christa

Local Club Results

At NKV – the largest pigeon club of Belgium – we are:

• Champion Great-Middle Distance Old Birds
• Champion Great Middle Distance Yearlings
• Champion Long Distance Yearlings
• 1^st Ace Pigeon Great Middle Distance Old Birds : Miss Argenton BE21-3062685
• 2^nd Ace Pigeon Long Distance Yearlings : Hortense BE22-3026386

Great-Middle Distance Old Birds

Great-Middle Distance Yearlings

Long Distance Yearlings

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