The marathon and OLR love of Gerard Koopman
01 Mar 2022
Some time ago we already wrote an extensive report about the class of the Koopman pigeons on the one-day long distance races. But Koopman pigeons are more than that because also on the marathon races and the international one-loft races the Koopman pigeons score like no other.
Thanks to marathon phenomenon "Red Bullens"
Gerard and extra ordinary breeding/racing pigeons…in one way or the other they always seem to find each other…the past has proven this more than once. Also when Gerard started to focus on the marathon happening he was looking for and found the ‘white blackbird’…namely “Red Bullens”.
“Red Bullens” NL07-3704851 – was bred and raced by Bullens. His palmaris is more than impressive with as absolute headliners:
1 NPO Bergerac 2011 4,288b.
2 NPO Bordeaux 2008 5,038b.
2 NPO Bergerac 2010 4,651b.
Important to know is that this red top pigeon is born in a family of winners. His father is a full brother of the “975”. The “975” is father of “Rooie Duuk”, 2nd Olympiad pigeon Marathon Dortmund ’09. The grandfather from “Red Bullens” won 6th National St. Vincent and 69th National Barcelona.
But … and now here it is…when the “Red Bullens” moved as a 4-year old cock to Emerveen, he showed himself immediately as a true top breeder:
He is, coupled to different hens, father of several promising marathon pigeons, but two that really stand out are “Noel” and “Leonidas”.
“Noel” NL11-1185771 from “Red Bullens” x “Peiren 671” (original Noël Peiren)
Won: 1st Ace bird NFC Marathon 2013
2 Cahors 977b. 1,031km
24 Limoges 1,051b. 861km
24 Bergerac 929b. 992km
754 St. Truiden 10,715b. 240km
893 Gennep 10,818b. 130km
“Leonidas” NL12-1076994 from “Red Bullens” x “Miss Anke” (original Hermans-Hoekstra)
Won 1st National ace bird Marathon WHZB/TBOTB 2014
1 St. Vincent 523b. 1,176km
2 Bergerac 1,739b. 992km
24 Limoges 1,108b. 861km
980 St. Truiden 10,715b. 240km
849 Chalons 6,639b. 130km
No wonder that both “Noel” as “Leonidas” got a ticket direction breeding box.
From the pairing "Red Bullens" x "Sadira" (sister of famous "Miss Waalre") were born "Maximus" and "Adar".
"Maximus" NL12-4703486
4th Nat.ace Sector IV Cat. Marathon '17
6th National ace Fondspiegel Marathon '14-'17
1st Limoges Sector V against 2,166b.
"Adar" won: 2 Nat. ace Fondspiegel Marathon '14-'17
Out of the pairing "Red Bullens" x "Peiren 531" (a half sister of "Magic Barcelona") "Elza" was born.
"Elza" NL16-4783369 Won: 2 Orange 405b. - 3 Perigueux 1.004b.
And what was to be expected happened. The unique genes of "Red Bullens" were also continued in the 2nd generation.
So "Noel" , coupled to "Miss Anke", father of
"Phidippides" NL15-1230917
Won: Olympiad bird Marathon Poznan '18 - 1 Limoges 825b. - 1 Ruffec 741b. - 3 Cahors 769b. - 4 St. Vincent 404b.
And coupled to "Peiren 514" is "Noel" father of:
"Henderikus" NL16-4784186
Won: 2nd National ace NPO Marathon '18
2 Orange 948b. - 2 Bergerac 559b. - 4 Perigueux 1,004b.
And is "Leonidas" father of a/o:
"Evaristos": 1st Dax 646b.
"Vitalis": 1st Perigueux Sector III and IV against 10,405b.
"Aristos": 1st St. Vincent, 1st Dax
What was the basis for this challenge?
Marathon races ask for marathon birds. With the purchase of "Red Bullens" our marathon project suddenly accelerated. The family of the "Red Bullens" brought more horsepower and the real "marathon grinta" came with the purchase of direct Peiren Noël (Zedelgem -B), and Hermans-Hoekstra (top hen "Miss Anke") pigeons. We have the feeling that "the whole project" clicks perfectly. New investments are made on a regular basis. Recently we bought "Walter" through family Herbots. "Walter" (original P.W.A. Van der Meulen) won at De Bruine the 1st National Barcelona '18 against 3,932b. at a distance of 1,151km. Internationally he scored the 4th prize against 15,700 Barcelona racers.
The international One-Loft-Races
As far as the OLR is concerned, these are mainly the same pigeons that do well here in one-day long distance. The lines of "Kjeld's Choice" and "Bjarne" x "Monique" are doing great. These lines crossed with original Marc Pollin pigeons give real "go-getters". Pigeons with an incredibly strong character who do not have the word "give up" in their dictionary.
"Kjeld's Choice" NL16-1072829 is father of a/o:
"Zambezi": 5th prize final flight OLR Victoria Falls '18 - Prize money $63,700
"One Loft Dream": 1st ace OLR Pattaya '18
Out of the pairing "Marc" (direct son national Libourne winner "Joe" x "Sister New Belgian Pride" - original Pollin Marc & Geert) x "Chinara" (daughter "Royal Dream" x "Razinda") was born "Viento".
"Viento" NL19-1244638
Won: 3rd prize final race SAMDPR 2020 (600km) - Prize money: 100,000 USD
"Viento" is a half-sister of "Arfid" : 8th Final race Pattaya OLR '21
Results One-loft-races
Zimbabwe
2016
HS3: 28e
2017
Final Race: 27e en 88e
HS5: 3e
2019
- Final Race: 5e
- HS2: 42e
2020
- Final Race: Winner
- HS4: 35e, 46e
- HS3: 19e
2021
- Finale Race: 11e
- HS4: 38e
- HS1: 16e, 38e
- Enduro: 13e
Pattaya
2016
- 430km: 54e, 56e
- 530km, final: 15e
2017
- 330km: 7e
- 430km: 24e
- 530km, final: 1e, 22e 24e
1e overall as duif
3e overall as duif
2018
- 330km: 29e, 33e
- 430km: 24e
2019
- 330km: 11e, 30e
- 430km: 5e, 37e
- 530km, final: 47e
2020
- 330km: 1e, 29e, 32e
- 430km: 3e, 5e, 7e, 19e
- 530km, final: 8e, 9e, 18e, 42e
2021
- 430km: 24e, 41e
- 530km, final: 39e
SAMPDR
2005 24 Main Race Ned
30 HS3 Kona Gold
2007 3 HS2 Ribbon
2 HS5 Spacelink
2008 2 Main Race JD Action
21 HS1 Tannenberg
11 HS3 Raubritter
16 HS3 Tannenberg
2009 3 Main Race Good Aim
2010 5 Main Race Royal Revenge
16 Main Race Hawktalk
44 Main Race Maiko
49 Main Race Boomer
1 HS2 Maybehesbornewithit
18 HS2 Classic Speed
7 HS3 Sheena
2 HS5 Maybehesbornewithit
9 HS5 Pirates of cove
2 Grand Average Boomer
16 Grand Average Maiko
2011 44 Main race Goldmark
2012 17 Main Race Tuvok
22 Main Race Avignon
29 Main Race New Immigrant
2013 39 Main Race Trisagion
5 HS3 She's Medieval
6 HS3 Lunedemiel
7 HS3 Topshiner
12 HS4 StarCrusader
19 HS4 Lead me On
25 HS4 Tatertot
18 HS5 She's Medieval
21 HS5 Above Suspicion
24 HS5 Marduc
2014 22 HS1 Reggea Princess
24 HS1 Danestic
15 HS2 Otis
2016 2 HS1 Sawa Sawa
17 HS3 Leandro
28 HS4 Dre
30 Main Race Ainsley
2020 3 Main Race Viento
