Article from PIGEON SPORT
Distance is his dream
As in many lofts in Holland the fancier Piet Schellekens of Bavel
has the ultimate dream of winning the distance races of Pau,
Barcelona and St. Vincent. This dream has often come true and to
tell you briefly how he has achieved this is my pleasure.
Our story goes back to the farm that Piet's father Jef had in
Riel, the year was 1958 and this was the year that Piet and Jef
Schellekens joined forces and started their assault on the pigeon
sport. The first pigeons they received were from Noudje Horsten of
Tilburg and from Jac Wouters of Riel, these were a cock and hen and
were of the Horemans strain. They became the "base couple" of the
Schellekens loft and they produced many famous racers from the
National long distance flights. In 1960 they bought some pigeons
from Gustaaf Swaelens of Herentals in Belgium and the following
year they started "playing" in the long distance races. Some of
their successes were with pigeons such as "Den Bonte", "Dax Duifke"
and her brother "De St. Vincent".
Other good pigeons in those early years were "Donkere Dax", a son
of "Dax Duifke", "Blauwke" from a brother and sister coupling and
she was the dam of the famous "Ocana", which was a top breeder of
many successful race birds and her granddaughter was 1st National
St. Vincent in 1982. "Donkere Dax"'s grandson was 1st National St.
Vincent and so the list goes on.
In 1967 they visited for the first time André Van Bruaene
of Lauwe and received from him pigeons from his best, from
"Gimondi", "Elektriek", etc.. They again visited him in 1977 and
1987 and once again had birds from his top winning pigeons.
After studying mathematics, physics and chemistry at university
Piet was married in 1969 and bought his grandfather's old house in
the village of Bavel, just 15 kilometres from Riel. He moved the
top breeders from Riel and with these pigeons he was determined to
be at the very top of the distance races. Still today he has
descendants of the top pigeons brought from the old loft, including
three sons of "Zwarte Barca" which was 7th National Barcelona
against 7,767 birds and 29th International against 26,807 birds. He
is a son of "De Wittik" and also a grandson of "Zwarte Barcelona
II".
Many people have had much success with the pigeons of Piet
Schellekens in many countries. In Holland Th. Burgers of Weurt was
the National and International winner of Pau with his grandson of
"Zwarte Yvonne" which in turn was the International winner of
Barcelona Hens in 1978. In 1988 Piet's friend Jan Josten of Tienray
won 1st International Hens from Barcelona against 4,544 hens with a
hen direct from Piet. Also 5th National Barcelona from 5,451
pigeons and 6th International against 21,194 pigeons. Another to do
well with the Schellekens lines was Cor Koning who was 4th National
Bergerac who also won a car with a pigeon of the "Ocana" lines. Ber
Roosens of Eysdon received a cock bred down from "Ocana III" which
became the base sire of his loft. Now to the present day Karel
Meulemans of Arendonk in Belgium was 1st National Dax with a
descendent of "Radar".
Piet has won many championships in the region and at National
level, probably too many for me to list here, but here are just a
few. In 1993 when he was 1st, 3rd, 4th and 6th in the long distance
races, he was "Golden Crack" of the Fondclub Zuid-Nederland against
4,000 fanciers; something not seen in 30 year history of the
F.Z.N.. He also won the Grand Prix Z.L.U. (National races / long
distance). You must note that these races are from Barcelona,
Marseille and Perpignan. The last seasons Piet was in the top notch
of the National Championships.
(from PIGEON SPORT 5th October 1995)
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