Luc and Hilde Sioen Spidey Bloodlines…

A couple of years ago I couldnt miss the spectacular National results of Luc and Hilde Sioen of Moorslede , Belgium.  Speaking to them in the Gouden Duif Evening, I was amazed to discover the principle Multiple National winning results came from the Willem de Bruijn bloodline through their super breeding cock SPIDEY.

Luc and Hilde had blended this bloodline expertly with a brother of ATHENA the legendry Rik and Jan Hermans super racing and breeding hen to produce an amazing string of results.

SPIDEY  became sire of “CAMERON” 1st National Argenton 15,235 birds, 1st National Limoges 9661 birds and 28th National Chateauroux 13,098 birds.

Other children of SPIDEY are:

“WILLEMINA” 1st National Poitiers 14,109 birds 13 minutes ahead!(1st fastest 26,486 birds)…

“IRMA” 2nd National Argenton 15,235 birds
1st National Zone Chateauroux 1010 birds
2nd Cleremont 6144 birds
25th National Argenton 11,823 birds
44th National Bourges 20,284 birds
68th National Gueret 5331 birds
73rd National Bourges 20,397 birds

“VICTORIA”
6th National La Souterraine 9760 birds

“IRNE”
15th National Chateauroux 8640 birds
4th National Zone Vierzon 1160 birds
35th Provincial Pontoise 10,712 birds

Multiple winners in National and Provincial races against the very best competition in Belgium flying to the traditional long distance region of West Flanders  with distances from these racepoints of 500 to 800 km (300 to 500 miles) and these were the kind of bloodlines that interested me. Birds that can compete with nine, ten , eleven and twelve hours on the wing in tricky conditions. Ideal crosses for our existing bloodlines.

The Sioens however were organising a removal sale to move to another house in Moorslede so a removal sale was arranged for the winter of 2021. This was a problem for me as the Far East were also keenly intersted in these birds and it is well documented they are fearless buyers. We were however very fortunate to secure a few choice birds for our future breeding plans.

Saturday 2nd October 2022 was the Final Race of the Algarve Golden Race held from Bragança a distance of 505 km.
Around 7100 birds was initially entered into the series with 3623 birds going to the final. The final was a tough affair with only 623 birds home on the day leaving 3000 out on the night. It was tough but very fair and a very good testing race.
Our own performance was a little dissapointing however upon reflection we have to be satisfied with 6 on the day including four in the prizes.
Interestingly of the six we had home on the day four of them had Luc and Hilde Sioen’s ‘Spidey’ blood in them and were being tested for the first time. They were of course crossed with our existing lines. So it is clear they like this type of race and we will plan around crossing that bloodline with The Portugal Pair in the future.

My friend Steve Beardmore had the first youngster from BLUE SPIDER one of our original purchases directly from SPIDEY. She was a latebred blue hen and her mother was MURPHYS DIAMOND a daughter of De Bruijns MURPHYS LAW.

Steve is principly interested in Classic and Specialist racing and breeds and prepares accordingly. He has bred a few very prmising individuals from his Daughter BLUE SPIDER and I was very pleased indeed to hear from Steve last week to report his super performance in the Lancashire Social Circle Race from Littlehampton  on 10th June againstsome of the very best competition in the North West.

His winner was  bred from Steves top class Jelle Jellema lines crossed with his Daughter BLUE SPIDER.

Steve Beardmore  winner of 1st Lancashire Social Circle Littlehampton.

On the 9th June it was the Belgian Argenton National and again this was a very testing flight in an east wind. Luc & Hilde Sioen have barely returned to racing after their record removal auction  and with a very limited squad of summer hatched 2022 youngsters they  clocked 1st-6th-17th-31st National Zone A1 against 1710 yearlings (9/14) and they also had the fastest of all 3257 entries in Zone A1. In the National they scored 15th and 48th against 17,210 yearlings !

There first bird clocked was from an inbred Eric Limburg BLUE ACE cock paired with EVA the super racing hen of the Sioens. Dam is from a brother of 4th National Angouleme  paired with SPECIAL ONE a daughter of SPIDEY (a full sister to Cameron).

There second bird was from a son of CAMERON the double National winning daughter of SPIDEY  paired with a sister of BEAUTY 92 one of Rik Hermans current principle breeding cocks (Also a full sister to FEMKE  the hen of our own PORTUGAL PAIR)