Latest References with Eijerkamp Pigeons

20/08/2024

Maarten Hakvoort from Urk winning 1. National Lorris (576 km) against 5,470 pigeons bred from grandson Nieuwe Olympiade

Maarten Hakvoort, a seasoned pigeon fancier from Urk, has claimed the prestigious 1. National Lorris in Sector 4, competing against 5,470 pigeons. His winning bird, ‘Mr. Grey’ (NL23-4244381), was bred from his top pigeon ‘New Arthur’, a bird with an impressive pedigree and performance record. ‘New Arthur’ was gifted to Maarten by his close friends and renowned pigeon breeders, Hans and Evert-Jan Eijerkamp. As a grandson of the famous ‘Nieuwe Olympiade’, one of the finest Heremans breeders ever to grace the Eijerkamp lofts, ‘New Arthur’ carried the genes of a champion.

Maarten Hakvoort’s name is well-known in the Dutch pigeon racing community, and much of his success can be traced back to the legendary breeding pair ‘Barend J.’ and ‘Aniek’. This phenomenal duo left an indelible mark on the Dutch pigeon sport. The story began in August 2011 when Hans Eijerkamp, a close pigeon racing friend, gave Maarten several eggs to help him advance in the sport. From these eggs, ‘Barend J.’ and ‘Aniek’ were hatched. In 2012, Maarten paired ‘Barend J.’ (NL11-1344701NL11-1344701) and ‘Aniek’ (NL11-1344703NL11-1344703), and they quickly became a top breeding pair. The offspring of this pair proved to be exceptional, producing winners, top breeders, and champion pigeons. Maarten was thrilled with their performance, which earned them a special place in his loft. However, in 2015, ‘Barend J.’ and ‘Aniek’ were returned to Brummen, where they had originally come from. To continue supporting Maarten, Hans promised to help him with some youngsters, and thus, ‘New Arthur’ (NL18-1627948NL18-1627948) arrived at Maarten’s lofts in Urk in April 2018.

‘New Arthur’ quickly established himself as a top performer, winning several significant prizes, including:

• 6. Provincial Ace Pigeon Middle Distance 2020
• 3. Rethel against 1,329 pigeons
• 4. Chimay against 2,241 pigeons
• 8. Chimay against 2,474 pigeons
• 8. Chimay against 1,677 pigeons
• 10. Blankenheim against 2,308 pigeons
• 13. Chimay against 2,964 pigeons

Following these remarkable achievements, Maarten moved ‘New Arthur’ to the breeding loft, where he paired him in 2023 with a borrowed hen from the Van Helden combination. From this pairing, the National Lorris winner, ‘Mr. Grey’ (NL23-4244381), was born.

Although ‘Mr. Grey’ was relatively unknown before the start of the long-distance races, he quickly made a name for himself with four outstanding classifications. This chequer widowhood cock has since become a true champion for Maarten, boasting the following results:

• 1. National Lorris against 5,470 pigeons (576 km, 1,221 m.p.m.)
• 67. NPO Issoudun against 1,777 pigeons (686 km, 1,295 m.p.m.)
• 79. NPO Gray against 4,559 pigeons (581 km, 1,166 m.p.m.)
• 144. Saulieu against 3,064 pigeons (607 km, 1,454 m.p.m.)

‘Mr. Grey’ inherited his exceptional racing abilities from his father, ‘New Arthur’, a grandson of ‘Nieuwe Olympiade’. ‘New Arthur’s’ sire, ‘New Horizon’, was bred from the top pigeon ‘Nieuwe Olympiade’ and ‘Polmar’, a proven racing and breeding hen with two Top 10 NPO classifications, originating from the superior Van Loon lines of ‘Fabio’ and ‘Donkere Van Loon’. The dam of ‘New Arthur’ is a full sister to ‘Steffie’, bred by Stefaan Lambrechts. ‘Steffie’ was a candidate Olympiad pigeon for Hans and Evert-Jan Eijerkamp but was tragically lost during the last race of the season. The mother of ‘Mr. Grey’ is a hen from the Van Helden combination, descended from the sire of an NPO winner (with a strong Heremans-Ceusters influence) and an NPO-winning dam.

With this victory, Maarten Hakvoort has once again solidified his reputation as a top breeder in the Dutch pigeon racing community. His careful breeding choices and the support from friends like the Eijerkamps have culminated in this remarkable achievement, showcasing the true potential of his loft.
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