What a start for Ad Schaerlaeckens

It has been a few years now since Ad Schaerlaeckens brought a round of youngbirds to the Gebr. Maegh, in Rijkevorsel. For him just across the border. They went there to race under the name Comb. Maegh - A S. 
The brothers had some youngbirds from well-known top racers, they wanted to select them out but Ad said “leave them…then we can compare the quality”. 
Fanciers from the area thought: 'This combination will not stand long… here in Belgium Ad gets a total different competition'. 
But AS let them think and already after two races, they were happy that the new combination had chosen another club namely Sint Job, where they immediately became champion youngbirds on Noyon.

VICTORIES

The years that followed became one long triumphal march on the middle distance . From 2013 till 2015 the small long distance was also raced a few times with 2 to 4 pigeons and also that went great with the winning of the 1st National Argenton (z). This on almost the biggest distance with warm weather and headwind. Provincial the pigeon flew 10 minutes ahead. Because he easily won first prizes he moved to the breeding loft. A golden move would prove to be. 

One year of success followed another. Only in 2011 there was an interruption due to paratyphoid. But it appeared that the pigeons regained quickly in 2012. Then Ad and his mate became 1st Champion in “Union Antwerpen” an in “ZAV”. Races with less than 70% prize became more and more rare, races with 90% or 100% prize became more and more common. At the end of 2018 they said 'you never make a year like this again'. After the 2019 season they didn't know what to say.

2019 WHAT A YEAR     

From the beginning it was an unprecedented display of power. Could this last? Impossible, Ad thought so too, but that was wrong.  The results at the end of the season were just as spectacular as at the start. Last old bird race: 1, 2, 3, 5, 15, 19, 21. (7 birds basketed and all 7 1/10). The majority still had to start when everything was at home by A.S.. Yearlings: 1st, 3rd 10th, 13th (4/4).
The week before in the Overkoepeling against 908 d: 1st and 4th and 11 on 12.  Before that against 563 old ones: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 (4 first undersigned) 11, 12, 21, 22, 24. At the 24th prize the 9 first undersigned were at home.  (12/12). The last youngsters race in Overkoepeling against 1,039 youngsters: 1, 2, 8, 15, 18 etc. Also the highest speed in the whole province of Antwerp and again 12/12. Don't ever experience such a year again', they said in choir. Then came 2020

2020: WHAT A START

June 13th. Competition by east-southeast wind that made all pigeons drift to the far west and the Comb. sits extremely east. Still 20/29.

20 June Sermaises 

- 1,338 old d: 3, 5, 6, 9, 18, 19, 20, 23, etc. (21/24).

- 822 yrl: 2, 6, 10, 11 (9/11).

- Overhead 3,125 d: 3, 9, 10, 13, 28, 30, 32 (all 1 in 100) and 21 in 24. 

27 June Sermaises 

-1,052 old d: 4, 5, 6, 8, 18, 19, etc.   

- Overhead 2,274 d: 4, 5, 6, 8, 23, 25, etc. (20/26). Of all the games together in the province of Antwerp as FIRST four pigeons! 

July 4th Melun   

- 504 yrl: 2, 3, 4, (2nd, 3rd and 4th signed), 13 etc (7/11).

- 718 old: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 18, 19, 23, etc. (17/24)

- Combine 1,743 d: 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 16, 17, 25, 31, 32, etc. (17/24).

The winner, 17-724, a hen, was in 2019 3rd Ace pigeon and had already won a 1st in ZAV. One can see that she also had the second highest speed of all those many thousands of Antwerp Melun birds. That she was only nominated 17th is due to a luxury problem. Too many pigeons that can win. 

By the way, she is a full sister of the 18-727 who flew, as first nominated, and won the 4th against 718 birds. In Overkoepeling 7th against 1,743 youngsters.

Last week Ad and his companions were the first in the whole province to have 4 pigeons from Sermaises. Now they had 4, 5, 6 and 7 pigeons first while they only race a limited number of pigeons. In Antwerp they wonder who in Belgium is doing better at the middle distance!

The winner against 1,743 pigeons in Overkoepeling on July 4 and 2nd fastest pigeon of all combine results together in Antwerp.