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Gerard and Bas Verkerk… 1, 2, 4, 11, 18th InterProvincial Brive 2,687 pigeons

The Netherlands has for the old birds generally five “grand middle distance races”, with a distance of about 500-700 km for most provinces.

Real one day long distance are not generally available. Provinces 5 (South Holland) and 6 (North Holland) decided in 2021 to offer the fanciers after the regular races another add-on race in the form of Brive (750-875 km), a “marathon race” with a morning liberation.

In North Holland 19 fanciers basketed 203 pigeons, in South Holland lived the majority and 246 fanciers brought 2,484 pigeons to the start line. Including almost the entire racing team of father and son Verkerk, 75 birds in number, which were allowed to compete for the first time in a flight from 803 km/501 miles.

After a day’s holdover, the liberation took place on Saturday morning at 8:10am, and it became a heavy/tough flight, partly due to fog and mist in the release area and a head wind in France with only 75 pigeons managing to reach their lofts before dark. That the pigeons of Gerard and Bas are top class and that has been known for some time, but it turns out in this Brive race that they also have incredible endurance. We’ve been around Gerard and Bas a lot and are used to stunt results in the past from Ruffec, Argenton and La Souterraine. Races which, according to Bas, unfortunately have all disappeared off the program and as a result the one day long distance in Province 5 does not go further than Chateauroux, 620 km to Reeuwijk but the result from Brive was another step further.

After 11.5 hours of flying at 19:40.04 “Nikki” fell on the landing board and that was the first notification of all 2,687 pigeons, despite flying around 50 km further than the shortest fliers. That “Nikki” was marked as 1st nominated was not so crazy considering her prior performance (see below). 17 Minutes later it was the turn of the 2nd nominated, a yearling renamed “Bull’s Eye”. This half-brother of “Solange’s Playboy” (1st NPO Vierzon 9,031 p. 2020) won four weeks ago 4th Nat. S2 Chateauroux 7,962 p. and before that 81st Nat. S2 Issoudun 9,488 p. “Bull’s Eye” eventually had 8 minutes lead on number place number 3!

 

The overall result in Province 5 was 1-2-4-11-18-48-53-98th etc. Provincial Brive 2,484 pigeons and also 1-2-4-11-18th Interprovincial 2,687 pigeons.

For the Golden Duif winners of 2020, Bas and Gerard could hardly have imagined a better conclusion to the season. The youngsters also showed themselves in great form at the front last Saturday with 1st to 7th against 744 p. and 7x top 10 against 4,055 p.!

 

Result InterProvincial Vierzon Afdeling 5 & 6 – 2,687 pigeons:

  1. G. & S. Verkerk, Reeuwijk, 1164 m.
  2. G. & S. Verkerk, Reeuwijk, 1135 m.
  3. Jozien Wijnties, Oudenhoorn, 1122 m.
  4. G&S Verkerk, Reeuwijk, 1104 m.
  5. Tom Eijsbertse, Numansdorp, 1077 m.
  6. Tom Eijsbertse, Numansdorp, 1077 m.
  7. A. Kramer, Rozenburg, 1071 m.
  8. Arno Borst, Benschop, 1067 m.
  9. J.J. Knetsch, Katwijk, 1065 m.
  10. A. Reijnerkerk, Numansdorp, 1064 m.
  11. Pim & Bianca de Koning, Maasdijk, 1061 m.
  12. G&S Verkerk, Reeuwijk, 1058 m.
  13. Piet van de Merwe, Dordrecht, 1054 m.
  14. Piet van de Merwe, Dordrecht, 1052 m.
  15. Comb. Van Leeuwen & Zn, Reeuwijk, 1052 m.
  16. Comb. P.T.T., Zoeterwoude, 1048 m.