A Happy Retirement to My Friend Staf
By Tom Smith of Yaphank, USA

This past summer we once again vacationed in Europe, this time in England, Holland, and of course Belgium. It was August, but the weather in England was rainy and cool. My hat is off to the UK fliers who excel in such changeable conditions. In contrast Holland and Belgium were sunny and warm.


My closest friend in Belgium is Staf Van Reet of Mol. Known as the "Master of Speed". Staf and his lovely wife Theresa are wonderful hosts, nothing formal, but just the hospitality of comforting old friends. Staf always takes us around the corner to a little restaurant for refreshments, and there we catch up on what has been happening over the past year in our lives and with the birds.


When we returned to Staf's living room, he became serious and said, "Tom, you know I have not been feeling well for the past two years, so I have decided to sell out my whole loft at the auction in England in November." We talked about this possibility last year, but the reality really hit me this time.


Here is a true master of our sport who has had beloved birds since he was a boy, winning around a thousand 1st prizes; the man who flew the world famous "Daniel" winner of 57 X's 1st prize and "Prins" winner of 32 X's 1st prize. Now he is going to dispose of his entire colony... Staf told me he would like to keep four birds just to see them fly out of the loft in his roof as they have been over fifty years, but how could he if he were to have a complete disposal?


I suggested that maybe he could put up four pair of youngsters in BIS, where the buyer chooses one and the other goes to Staf, but Staf said he wanted everyone to know this was a real disposal sale. None of the key birds sold before the auction and every bird in the loft would be in the auction.


Well, as you probably know by now this auction takes place this weekend at the Doncaster Show, organized by his old friend Dave Allen's The Racing Pigeon magazine.


The Van Reets have been so successful in all areas of Great Britain, winning England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland out of turn, that it is logical to hold the auction there, although they have also won repeatedly in Germany and the USA, and Belgium. These Van Reet's have not only won multitudes of club races, but have topped Nationals and Combines, including topping the largest Combine in the world, the Up North Combine with over 20,000 birds! And they have won up to 400 miles on the day which shows how versatile they are.


The 2001 season was another great one for Staf, winning 22 X's 1st and 1st Speed Pigeon Antwerp Province, and 3rd National Ace Pigeon of All Belgium KDBD. Remember Staf flies only old birds.


As we talked I thought back to the first time I had visited him over ten years ago and every year thereafter because I was enamoured with the man as much as the pigeons. Here was a rich man who did not show it ( Except for his SLK Mercedes sports car), a down to earth fellow like you and I, easy to talk to, a fountain of knowledge, but never a bragget, very modest and kind hearted. Did you know he has never advertised his birds or his name? Fanciers seek him out because of his reputation of birds performance... and those birds such as "Donkere Witpen Daniel" of '83 winner of 17 X's 1st; "Nieuwe Donkere Witpen Daniel" of '89, 6 X's 1st in two years; "Vechter" of '89, 13 X 1st in two years; "Kleine Vale Daniel" '83, 6 X's 1st; "De 90" '84, 10 X 1st; "Blauwe Favori" '80 22 X 1st; "Vugire" 1st national Bourges 300 miles, 13,048 birds; "Dikke Prins" '74, 26 X's 1st; "Den Ben" '95, 14 X 1sts; "Favorie 8 X's 1st; "Den 863" '95, 11 X's 1st; "De Wittenpen" '00, 13 X's 1st as a yearling stc. There are a multitude more. Infact Staf has bred numerous pigeons that have won 10 X's 1st or more in speed races!


I said "Staf, I have to see the Van Reet's for the last time." So we headed up to the stairs to the lofts. Staf's speed pigeons race one to three times a week. His Quievrain team has seven cocks and his Noyon ( 235 KM ) team has 18 cocks. And he keeps 36 pair of breeders. Magnificent speciments, feather, body, eye's, backs and vents, vibrant pigeons. I handled many for the last time with sad thoughts in mind.


The breeders were larger than medium and totaly fit. There were so many that caught my eye, such as blue cock BELG-6611641/89 named "Grote Tom" ("Great Tom") an outstanding handling cock, grandson of "Daniel" and "Late Tom Soontjes". This cock has bred many winners including "Favorie" winner of 37 prizes in the first 10 positions, including 8 X's 1st. Also Den Don, winner of 38 prizes in the first 10 positions, including 10 X's 1st. What a pigeon!


Another outstanding specimen was blue hen BELG- 659921/94. What an eye on her! She bred several top racers and breeders. Known as Schoon Blauwke "214", she is half sister of Van Reet's 1st National Limoges 1989, being sired by "Blauwe Dimki" when mated to the nest sister of Favorie and sister to Den Don. A beauty!


I also selected her sister and was told she is also a great breeder, "Duitske 856" BELG-6603856/93 blue hen. Her mother " Het Geeloogski" nest sister of "Favorie" and "Den Don", goes back to "Grote Tom Soontjes", "Daniel", and "Froufrouke'90" the super breeder. Another beauty!


A pencil splash cock BELG-6603893/93 called "Witte Bliksem", another top breeder, was superb. He is a direct son of "Bliksem" 18 X's 1st when mated on Van Reet's 1st National La Souterraine 1992. What Blood!


I asked Staf to show me one of his top breeding pairs and he handed me two more magnnificent specimens, both 1994 pigeons. The cock BELG-666701/94 known as "DE 012 Tom", was bred from "Grote Tom" of '89 the sire of "Favorie" and " Den Don", when mated to "Vuil Blauw Huf" of 91, daughter of the 4th National Ace Pigeon 1984. The hen of the pair BELG- 6667010/94 known as "Het 10 Froufrouke" was bred from " Jonge Donkere Vechter" of '93 dtr. of the super breeding hen " Het Froufrouke" of '90, who goes bask to the "Bourges Duivin". This pair bred many winners including "Den 863" '95 winner of 11 X's 1st. What a pigeon!


All too soon it was time to leave. I headed to the bathroom to wash the abundant bloom off my hands, then it was down the stairs with my wife Gigi, daughter Tamiko and baby Tristan, to the car, and off to Holland then back to the USA. It was hard to believe I would never see these Van Reet's again.


The loft that 22 times had the fastest pigeon in Antwerp against over 100,000 speed pigeons on the day from Quievrain! The loft that had been discribed by the " Flying Dutchman" Piet Deweerdt of Breda as having the "Fastest pigeons in the world" will soon be no more... Farewell.


Tom Smith of Yaphank, USA

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