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Despite having to overcome some obstacles and running out of time, I have still been able to pay a visit to Hans.
Monday IRUN, Tuesday shipping for BERGERAC, Wednesday shipping for NARBONNE, Thursday clocking in and Friday, Saturday and Sunday the arrival of the pigeons, so it certainly was a bit of a challenge to visit a loft and do an article… .
But Monday was the day, so together with Willem van de Velden we left 7 o’clock in the morning for Katwijk. Hans Knetsch hardly needs an introduction as so much has been written about this through and through pigeon lover and sportsman over the years. Year in, year out we see him realise the highest scores. But he is not only famous for his racing, also as a breeder, he has laid the foundation for many other top fanciers, such as the Barcelona ‘specialist’ Willem v.d. Velden from Boskoop. Willem’s success was built on a complete first round of young Wanroys from Hans.
Having arrived at Hans’ I also meet Wim Schaddé from Dooren, a clever young guy who took away the best young from both Hans and Willem and look what happens: last year in Barcelona he was ‘steenvroeg’ (very early in) and now again in Barcelona in the Glazenstad 3rd , 7th and 14th and in the National 39th , 92nd and 239th.
Hans beams when he hears the young fancier talking about his pigeons and keeps quiet about his own successes, despite the fact that his pigeons came in early one after the other in the section 12 “De Kuststrook” and Zuid-Holland this year. Hans never brags, for he is still a real lover and hobbyist, totally non commercial, a man who lives for his pigeons. When asked, he comments that at his age, he has become less aggressive and more laid back. Hans has indeed been involved with pigeons since 1948, but as a steersman of an ocean liner he had a lifestyle away from home so there a few time gaps. After returning to a life on land, he picked up the fond and he went to Rosmolen in Valkenburg near Katwijk. Rosmolen had the real Wanroys via J.B. Hendriks and had won a couple of cars with them. They did not come cheap, says Hans, but until now he has no regrets. Lately, he has been cross breeding the wanroy with an Aarden pigeon (van Geel) and a pigeon from Steketee, the latter from the same origin( Aarden, van Wanroy). After some digging into their past Hans found that the Hendriks’ bloodline from Steketee came from the same father as the pigeons he got from Rosmolen.
In my opinion, Steketee has done a lot better by racing more rigorously. What his pigeons have accomplished over the last 25 years borders on the impossible. Because of their commercial value, a large number of fanciers now race with his breed. With Hans this is different story; he rather gives them away and thoroughly enjoys it when others become successful with them.
His game is simple, as a young only de natour. As a yearling 5 to 6 tosses and then Bergerac. Once they reach 2 years, two afternoon releases and at three years old he has a good look and decides which ones are capable for the afternoon releases of ZLU, because Hans loves to play both disciplines. A pigeon goes seldom three times overnight in a season. Full feeding with Mariman Super M, 20% super diet, 10% ‘snoepzaad’ (‘treat’ seeds) together with crushed peanuts. These are put in small pots in the breeding loft during the last two days also in bowls on the floor to keep them eating.
No vitamins, because according to his opinion the birds moult too easily. Medication, very little, only a yellow pill before basketing. His best pigeon at the moment is the Asduif Perpignan, 3x in the first hundred. There are 6 lofts, two for 12 widowhood cocks and a nesting loft for about 30 pairs, a loft for the young ones with a run in which Hans keeps roughly 60 young pigeons. For the breeders (old racers) also a loft with run. Their layout is Southeast, East, Southwest and Northwest, so you can say that they can fly in all directions… Air comes in via open ceilings, no heating just a little glass at the front.
The winning hen, "Jopie" NL04-1941602 (Pedigree), was found on the loft a little after five, because Hans was having a snooze on the couch. It’s a small real black Wanroy. She was sent on a young of five days. Her father was still doing a 3rd in South Holland, so she comes from a good nest. Hans ended up in this IRUN with a number of early pigeons and with the strong South Westerly wind this is a real achievement. Especially to take them off the coast, but this he has been doing the entire season…
Monday IRUN, Tuesday shipping for BERGERAC, Wednesday shipping for NARBONNE, Thursday clocking in and Friday, Saturday and Sunday the arrival of the pigeons, so it certainly was a bit of a challenge to visit a loft and do an article… .
But Monday was the day, so together with Willem van de Velden we left 7 o’clock in the morning for Katwijk. Hans Knetsch hardly needs an introduction as so much has been written about this through and through pigeon lover and sportsman over the years. Year in, year out we see him realise the highest scores. But he is not only famous for his racing, also as a breeder, he has laid the foundation for many other top fanciers, such as the Barcelona ‘specialist’ Willem v.d. Velden from Boskoop. Willem’s success was built on a complete first round of young Wanroys from Hans.
Having arrived at Hans’ I also meet Wim Schaddé from Dooren, a clever young guy who took away the best young from both Hans and Willem and look what happens: last year in Barcelona he was ‘steenvroeg’ (very early in) and now again in Barcelona in the Glazenstad 3rd , 7th and 14th and in the National 39th , 92nd and 239th.
Hans beams when he hears the young fancier talking about his pigeons and keeps quiet about his own successes, despite the fact that his pigeons came in early one after the other in the section 12 “De Kuststrook” and Zuid-Holland this year. Hans never brags, for he is still a real lover and hobbyist, totally non commercial, a man who lives for his pigeons. When asked, he comments that at his age, he has become less aggressive and more laid back. Hans has indeed been involved with pigeons since 1948, but as a steersman of an ocean liner he had a lifestyle away from home so there a few time gaps. After returning to a life on land, he picked up the fond and he went to Rosmolen in Valkenburg near Katwijk. Rosmolen had the real Wanroys via J.B. Hendriks and had won a couple of cars with them. They did not come cheap, says Hans, but until now he has no regrets. Lately, he has been cross breeding the wanroy with an Aarden pigeon (van Geel) and a pigeon from Steketee, the latter from the same origin( Aarden, van Wanroy). After some digging into their past Hans found that the Hendriks’ bloodline from Steketee came from the same father as the pigeons he got from Rosmolen.
In my opinion, Steketee has done a lot better by racing more rigorously. What his pigeons have accomplished over the last 25 years borders on the impossible. Because of their commercial value, a large number of fanciers now race with his breed. With Hans this is different story; he rather gives them away and thoroughly enjoys it when others become successful with them.
His game is simple, as a young only de natour. As a yearling 5 to 6 tosses and then Bergerac. Once they reach 2 years, two afternoon releases and at three years old he has a good look and decides which ones are capable for the afternoon releases of ZLU, because Hans loves to play both disciplines. A pigeon goes seldom three times overnight in a season. Full feeding with Mariman Super M, 20% super diet, 10% ‘snoepzaad’ (‘treat’ seeds) together with crushed peanuts. These are put in small pots in the breeding loft during the last two days also in bowls on the floor to keep them eating.
No vitamins, because according to his opinion the birds moult too easily. Medication, very little, only a yellow pill before basketing. His best pigeon at the moment is the Asduif Perpignan, 3x in the first hundred. There are 6 lofts, two for 12 widowhood cocks and a nesting loft for about 30 pairs, a loft for the young ones with a run in which Hans keeps roughly 60 young pigeons. For the breeders (old racers) also a loft with run. Their layout is Southeast, East, Southwest and Northwest, so you can say that they can fly in all directions… Air comes in via open ceilings, no heating just a little glass at the front.
The winning hen, "Jopie" NL04-1941602 (Pedigree), was found on the loft a little after five, because Hans was having a snooze on the couch. It’s a small real black Wanroy. She was sent on a young of five days. Her father was still doing a 3rd in South Holland, so she comes from a good nest. Hans ended up in this IRUN with a number of early pigeons and with the strong South Westerly wind this is a real achievement. Especially to take them off the coast, but this he has been doing the entire season…
Hans
Knetsch
Knetsch
Hans on behalf of the committee and all the members congratulations with your achievements!
Wim van Rijk.
Wim van Rijk.
Hans with "Jopie" NL04-1941602.
