Pigeon Pedigrees

[Paul Tavares]

Tom, some very good points that you made with your post, like you I also have seen a lot of the Janssen brothers pedigrees and a lot of them with mistakes in them, but I honestly think that they were honest mistakes, as for keeping only Janssen pigeons in your loft(s) I think that is a matter of preference, a lot of people keep only Jan Aarden`s or Meulemans or Delbar`s or Sions, etc, etc, for their own personal reasons, I myself know what it takes to win I have experieced it, it hard work and dedication and a lot of your time to get to the top of the race sheet and it is even harder to stay there, but at the moment I am not willing to put that much time into to the pigeon hobby, don`t get me wrong I race to win every week but did I do everything that I needed to do to win the race that week I don`t think so, like I said everyone has their own reasons for doing what they do, to me it was the politics in the sport for the past couple of years that killed my drive to put into to the sport what is needed to be succeful I hope in the future that things settle down so that way I can start to enjoy the racing part of the sport again, so I try to enjoy the sport in a different way and that is the breeding of my pigeons.

Clarence, It is sad that she is doing that at such a young age, but it could be the changing of locations that is making her do that and sooner or later she will adjust to the new location and start to lay normal, if not than hopefully the ones that you got of off her will turn out to be good pigeons that way you can carry on with her bloodline before she stops laying.

Paul Tavares;

[Tom Makowecki]

a lot of them with mistakes in them, but I honestly think that they were honest mistakes

I totally agree Paul......no one TRYING to deceive !

as for keeping only Janssen pigeons in your loft(s) I think that is a matter of preference

I totally agree again Paul...........we all keep pigeons for our own reasons and that is the way it should be. There are MANY different ways to enjoy this great hobby and it is not all about winning. If it brings joy to the heart - who can say it is wrong.

I believe the politics of the sport is the only bad part. I avoided going to any club meetings this year and I am willing to accept anything that is democratically voted in.......and just enjoy the birds and the friends I have in this game. I do not understand the constant rule changes made - in an attempt to change the winners......but that must be the way some people enjoy the hobby.

I find that if I take care of my birds - they do better than most.....this year I intend to race natural and with a free and open loft....it should give me a good idea of the natural racing ability of my pigeons. I suspect it will be difficult to win any Ace Bird Awards this way...but I am sure I can enjoy them - in spite of the big hen droppings - I will have clean!

If I had a wish - it would be for people to enjoy the sport the best way they can and not pass judgements on any other fanciers.

[Clarence Oosterveld]

Paul and Tom, I enjoy the sport and as far as the politics are concerned I have learned to ignore them. Have been involved in an executive position as long as I have had pigeons since '91 and now again. One has to have broad shoulders at times and just let it slide. I am in the sport to enjoy my birds and winning, or loosing, is not important to me. I do the best I can with what I have and if the results are good that is a bonus. Has always worked in the past and I am sure it still does. As far as the Janssen birds are concerned, I just happen to like them for their beauty and intelligence. When I started with birds I was always told that the Janssen birds were only good weather birds. I felt they could do as well as any other strain in all kinds of weather and I proved they could. When I had 9 ( of 16 )out of the 18 day birds from one of the toughest Grandmere races in my last year in Guelph 4 of those were straight Janssen birds and most of the other 5 had a Janssen cross in them. These birds had raced 12 weeks straight without a break and it was their last race. (on double widowhood)

[Paul Tavares]

Tom, I think we have something in common this year , like you I have been avoiding club and federation meetings, ( I only go when I see that it is important for me to be there ) I accept what the executives do as long as it is done in a democratic way. With your knowledge in the sport I am certain that you will do good no matter what system you use, but I wish you luck as one can never have to much of that .

Tom wrote;
Just enjoy the birds and the friends I have in this game.
If I had a wish - it would be for people to enjoy the sport the best way they can and not pass judgements on any other fanciers.

Hopefully fanciers will read your words Tom and start thinking why they got into this hobby in the first place.


Clarence, I thing most of the fanciers are in the sport to enjoy their pigeons, and in any sport there are politics, and like you I am starting to ignore them and I am just enjoying my pigeons. Nice to see that your Janssens do well in the fast or slow races, I have seen Janssens win 500 miles quite a few times. That was an outstanding performance by your pigeons from Grandmere Clarence.


Welcome to the site Mr: Mike van der Jagt , as the President of our National Organization it sure took you a while to find our Organizations web-site, there is an old saying, better late than never , once again Welcome.

Paul Tavares;

[Tom Makowecki]

I brought in my first pair of Janssen's in 1971 and I did not care if they won at 500 miles - I just wanted to win any races. There were no middle distance pigeons in my pedigrees....just the best Janssen speed pigeons - Vos '39, Wondervoske '45
Vosse Wislag and Goede Geschelpte '46 being the 4 grand parents of my Oude Rode Vos 64 BELG 6209869....the hen was from Janssen via Andre Berte and more of the Schone Lichte and De Blauswe of '48 bloodlines - Again, only pigeons ever raced to 150 miles...In 1975 they won all the races - except one - under 300 miles.....and I was nicknamed a speed flyer.
In 1976 - I changed my management and set my sights for the longer races...The result: 1st, 4th and 5th ( 3 birds sent) in the Alberta Combine from 500 miles against over 600 pigeons......In the next/last 500 - I sent 2 of them back and won 1st by 1/2 hour and 9th Alberta Combine against about 400 pigeons.
These results were with two direct sons of the foundation pair and a grandson.
In 2000 - I enjoyed the best 500 mile race of my life - when I had SEVEN birds on the drop from 500 miles after 12 hours on the wing ( I sent 18). They were all crosses....but all had the blood of my Vos X Witpen Janssen pair - which I imported in 1971. They have won MANY 400 and 500 mile ( and shorter ) races since then and made a believer out of many that Janssens can do any distance - if in the right condition and preperation.....

[Paul Tavares]

Tom, a lot of fanciers probably know that Janssen pigeons are one of best crosses you can introduce into your loft, if you look at the pedigrees of the pigeons from the top fanciers in the world today, most of their pigeons have Janssen blood in them. C.&G. Koopman, G.&S. Verkek, M. Sangers, etc, etc, all buit their family of pigeons with the Janssen pigeons as their foundation, and as we all know those bloodlines are putting up some outstanding results all over the world at any distance and under any conditions. All we have to do is look at the South Africa millon dollar race, to me one of the toughest one loft races in the world and most of the top pigeons have Janssen blood in their background.

Paul Tavares:

[Tom Makowecki]

Agreed ! Even several Barcelona winners have Janssen blood.......going back as far as the 1970's......They have left the biggest impact on racing pigeons - by far!

[Dracula]

one of you had the original Janssen pigeons?

[David Ottaway]

I think it should be said, that all the now, modern day so called strains,more like families, are just the old long distant or middle distant families crossed with Jansen's.We here in North America are so dedicated to keep things pure.The old masters as most of us know built there families on crosses.Some like the Jansen did very little crossing but they still did it.Maybe once the family was formed ,they put that Fabrey in.But the original family was crossed as the Jansen book revels.I too like to inbreed and line breed.But not to get tunnel vision on a "strain" as more to a family .I personally will never give up my Jansen's and do keep them straight.They win like that up to 500 miles, or as a cross with what ever.Fantastic birds.

[David Ottaway]

Paul, i see were you are coming from re : Pigeon politics.It is best left to those that have broad shoulders and thick skin as Clarence says."Not to create an argument with you" ,but weather you were kidding or not ,you are asking for political repercussions with your statement about the CU president.Do you really think for a minute he does not know were the site is? You obviously don't know Mike V.Your statement in its self is argumentative and i was a bit surprised by it. Maybe that's why pigeon politics has not treated you well.To be involved in politics one has to chose their words carefully to get the point across without appearing predigest to the point in question.Or politics will not treat you very well and most will avoid it when they cant figure it out.I am though enjoying your discussion on peds and Jansen .Nice to hear from you again.