One day I saw a little blue hen of the purest Janssen blood in the loft of the late Jan van Erp in my hometown Hilversum. She was just like a dream. Everything "De Oude Kapoen" did not possess she did: she was built like a jet plane, streamlined and athletically, she showed temper, speed, feathers soft as the finest chinese silk and wings constructed as they should be. And then her muscles, lots of fysiotherapists never got them under their hands!
The eye of my 08 Duif Foundation hen
After a few seconds it flashed through my mind: this was the hen for "De Oude Kapoen". Her name and ringnumber? NL71-813108 "De 08 Duif"! The first youngster from this pair was my world famous champion NL77-990312. What this bird did on the racetrack is almost unbelieveable:
Race results of NL77-990312:
| St. Ghislain | 220km | 6726 b | 1st |  |
| St. Quentin | 300km | 6464 b | 1st | |
| St. Ghislain | 220km | 4718 b | 1st | |
| Duffel | 135km | 4020 b | 1st | |
| St. Ghislain | 220km | 2219 b | 1st | |
| Compiegne | 360km | 1442 b | 1st | |
| St. Ghislain | 220km | 2421 b | 1st | |
| Strombeek | 160km | 4701 b | 3rd | |
| St. Ghislain | 220km | 7146 b | 4th | |
| Compiegne | 360km | 1303 b | 4th | |
| Strombeek | 160km | 3454 b | 5th | |
| St. Ghislain | 220km | 3164 b | 5th | |
| Roosendaal | 100km | 4423 b | 8th | |
| Zundert | 100km | 5347 b | 15th | |
| Compiegne | 360km | 1656 b | 29th | |
| Strombeek | 160km | 4335 b | 30th | |
| St. Ghislain | 220km | 3296 b | 38th | |
| Strombeek | 160km | 2745 b | 39th | |
| Compiegne | 360km | 3248 b | 40th | |
| Compiegne | 360km | 3624 b | 46th | |
| Duffel | 140km | 3289 b | 71th |
National Ace titles:
1st National Ace Overall 1980
2nd National Ace Short Distance 1981
4th National Ace Short Distance 1979
4th National Ace Short Distance 1980
In 1982 he moved for a sensational amount to Mr. Fuji in Japan where he bred in his first breeding year already a National winner.
NL78-2026411 base breeder of the loft Steven van Breemen
One year later, in 1978, "De Kapoen" x "De 08 Duif" gave birth to NL78-2026411. He too raced so spectacular that fanciers in the neighbourhood still talk about it. Mated to his halfsister NL77-990309 (both had the same mother: "De 08 Duif") he gave birth to "De 150 Duif" and "De 646 Duif". Two hens that stand the closest to all the successes of my loft at this very moment.
De Raket Provincial winner from Orleans 535 kms
"De Raket" a direct son of "De 150 Duif" wins in 1991 the Provincial Orleans race beating together with a loftmate 4451 competitors. A grandchild wins in 1989 the 1st National Orleans against 8000 birds at the loft of my good friends Vonk Brothers, Cor and John, of Nigtevecht who win in 1990 1st National Etampes with a descendant of "De 08 Duif" plus the title of 2nd Semi-National Champion NABvP with almost all direct Van Breemen birds out of the Janssen base.
Witpen Compiegne National winner from Etampes 475 kms
In 1994 a full brother of this Etampes winner was mated on my loft to an inbred hen out of the basic pair "Het Boerke" x "De 150 Duif". In 1998 this cock wins as a 4 year old the Orleans National with 5 min. ahead against 21.000 birds. Three cock's out of the same mother finish on the very same race in the top twenty of the same National!!
Her sister "De 646 Duif" was even better as a breeder: it did not matter to which cock she was mated to, she always gave birth to excellent youngsters. The most important thing in pigeon sport always have been: try to get birds that pass-on their excellent qualities easily to the next generations and so keep the strain on top of the race sheet.
Almost all descendants of this wonderful base breedingpair "De Oude Kapoen '67" x "De 08 Duif" bloodline possess this quality! To my belief there are only two Belgian strains that founded the most champion lofts in the world. Their names? Valere De Smet-Matthijs of Nokere and Janssen Brothers of Arendonk. Birds from these two lofts mated together everywhere brought phenomenal results. So it could hardly not miss: "De Oude Kapoen '67" and "De 08 Duif".
"De Kleinen" 1st National Orleans fastest bird of a release of 50.000+ birds!!!
"De 08 Duif" was born out of the finest bloodlines in Arendonk when the quality still was there: her father was a son direct from "De Donkere Stier '63" with "Het Kleintje '65" which made him a full brother to the worldfamous "Oude Merckx '67". Her mother was a daughter from "De Oude Geeloger '67". The never had better birds in Arendonk!
Have there ever been better breeders and racers in Arendonk? I doubt it. The full brother of "De 08 Duif" was the famous "De 10". He won 7 times first in big competition races. He became the grandfather of the fastest Dutch bird in the 1984 Barcelona National (1225 kms) of Mr. Henk van Ginkel of Hilversum, sold for a fortune to the country of the rising sun.
The fantastic Compiegne bred from the finest Janssen blood available!
"De 08 Duif" mated to her own father brought "De 05", who became father of "De Compiegne" (4 times 2nd in big competition every time after my "De 312") ,"Mr. Orleans" (3 years in a row within the top ten prizes of National Orleans each time far over 10.000 birds in each race) and the earlier mentioned basic breeder of Vonk Bros. loft "De Blauwe Compiegne". All birds became lateron first class breeders as well! In the total auction after the death of Jan van Erp I bought "De Compiegne". It was the most expensive bird. His son "De Blauwe Compiegne" was lent to Vonk Brothers and bred as said the 1st National Etampes and many other super birds. His daughter went to Thailand to be the mother of the 1st International Chiangray winner of my friends Prapat & Prapon Pilunthanakul of Bangkok. That's what's count: breeding qualities that pass-on for many generations!