Pollin Marc & Geert - The Final Auction - National Champion KBDB with "Scorpions Team" and Victory in Pattaya

If we have to describe the last 5 or 6 years, we see that, under the impetus of Geert Pollin, Marc and Geert's strategy also adopted the path of One-Loft Races. While the Pollin pigeons continued to perform at a high level in Snellegem, they also scored top marks in various One-Loft Races. But first, there's the outstanding performance of "Michiel" and the "Scorpions Team."

"Michiel"

They are the "white blackbirds" of the sky, and we're talking about pigeons that have won 2nd national twice. One of those "white blackbirds" is "Michiel." "Michiel" B21-3052027 won in two consecutive seasons:

1st Ace Pigeon PIPA Ranking best Agen pigeon international results '22-'23

1st Agen '22 - 535 p.  - 825km
2nd Provincial 1,820p.
2nd National 7,331p.
3rd International 16,932p.

1st Agen '23  - 432p.  - 825km
1st Provincial 1,337p.
2nd National 5,851p.
5th International 15,317p.

The clearest proof that "Michiel" was born into a winning family is the fact that his nest brother "B21-3052028" also achieved top results with his ring number.

"Nest-brother Michiel" won

26th National Agen 2,404p.
47th International 15,317p.
2nd Bourges 324p.
4th Chateauroux 435p.

Looking at the pedigree, we see that "Michiel" was born from a crossbreed. On his mother's side, we find an original Van Haecken-Petre hen, while his father is "Roi." "Roi" won 67th National Limoges 6,986 pigeons, 83rd National Limoges 17,356 pigeons, and 55th Provincial Chateauroux 5,555 pigeons, and is a grandson of stock cock "Mortifer."

Speaking of "Mortifer," "Mortifer" B03-3002141 is one of those "Pollin Icons." He has amassed a more than impressive palmares, but his breeding talent was also invaluable in the breeding loft.

An organizational chart provides the clearest picture of this.

1st and 2nd National Champion KBDB Marathon 2022

The 2022 season was a blast from the past. A season where the power of the Pollin pigeons knew no bounds.

Once the long-distance races were scheduled, the yearlings came into full force and convincingly won the 1st National Championship KBDB Long-Distance Yearlings.

Geert is a huge fan of the German hard rock band "Scorpions," and the pigeons that won the national title were named after the members of the "Scorpions" band. 
"Klaus" (B21-3052100 – named after singer Klaus Meine)
"Matthias" (B21-3052040 – named after lead guitarist Matthias Jabs)
"Rudolf" (B21-3052039 – named after guitarist Rudolf Schenker)
"Pawel" (B21-3052098 – named after bassist Pawel Maciwoda)
"Mikkey" (B21-3052026 – named after drummer Mikkey Dee)

The 2021 yearling team was honored as 1st national champion, but the widowers also performed very strongly in 2022 and were even honored as 2nd national KBDB marathon. Among them was "Roger Pau" as a key player.

It was written in the stars that 2022 would be a fantastic year. Before that, "Brutus" had set the tone by becoming 1st Olympiad Pigeon in the Category E Marathon. In 2019 and 2020, "Brutus" laid the foundation for this:

5th Nat. Agen 2019 - 3,938 pigeons
30th Nat. Agen 2020 - 5,140 pigeons
42nd Nat. Narbonne 2019 - 3,873 pigeons
119th Nat. Narbonne 2020 - 4,454 pigeons

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Olympiad in Romania was postponed until the summer of 2022. This allowed "Brutus" to finally claim the honor he deserved. This "Brutus" is a full brother of "Montauban II," the national winner from Montauban. Both brothers are grandchildren of "Mortifer" paired to a sister of "Nai." You read that right: once again, the same foundational lines ensure great success.

One Loft Races

Geert recalls a very fond memory of his dad. It was 2011, a sweltering August day… also the final day of the One Loft Race Belgian Master (Nevele).
Everyone was waiting outside for the pigeons, but because of the heat, Dad and I decided to order a beer in the tent. We'd barely been served when we heard our name announced over the loudspeaker as the winner of the final race. My dad and I looked at each other, said "cheers," and enjoyed our pints. That moment, just the two of us at a table in an empty big tent, hearing your name announced as the winner still gives me goosebumps. 

Geert continues, "As already mentioned, it was at my instigation that we increasingly participated in One-Loft races, especially in my wife Samram's home country. It's a tremendous honor for her to be able to participate in races in her home country.

The organizers—Mr. Permsak—of the first OLR ever held in Thailand are friends of ours. We still collect pigeons for his OLR. In 2023, a friend of Mr. Permsak's asked if he could activate some of the pigeons normally intended for Mr. Permsak's OLR for the more well-known OLR Pattaya, under the name "Pruksak/Denys/Pollin." No sooner said than done, and we won, without a doubt, with a pigeon bred by us. The winning pigeon had all our famous lines in its pedigree. What an incredible moment, especially when you're there as a fancier. We were allowed to be the breeder and winner of the first Final Race OLR Pattaya 2023 to our list of achievements.

And then we come to the 2023 season. During that season, both Mom and I sensed that Dad wasn't doing so well anymore. But Dad was stubborn enough to refuse help, even though everyone saw that some help would be more than welcome. And the 2024 season was, in fact, "one season too many." The morale and the will to keep going were still there, but his body wouldn't cooperate anymore.

Stefan Mertens