Staf Van Reet, Master Breeder
by Tom DeMartino

Staf Van Reet, truely one of the all time Master Breeders and Racing Champions, winning over 600 1st Place Prizes. The world renowned Piet DeWeerdt has said that the Staf Van Reet pigeons are the fastest and most intelligent pigeons in the world.

Staf Van Reet has had the fastest sprint pigeon in the provenance more than 22 times vs. over 100,000 pigeons. The Van Reet Pigeons have been winning world wide. In Thailand, were they specialize in young bird racing, the weather is unbelievably hot and humid and the Van Reet Pigeons have shown they are up to the task winning multiple 1st's.

In England it's the same story. Since the introduction of the Van Reet Pigeons by Dean Pallet, they have become the rage of the sport winning at all distances. Staf has created his family based on the Old Line Janssens coming down from the Half Fabry of The Janssen Brothers. These are strong, tenacious pigeons that fly to win week after week and recuperate quickly. Champions like Daniel, 57X's 1st, Dikke Prinz, 26X's 1st, Prinz, 32X's 1st, Den Don, 10X's 1st, Favorie, 8X's 1st and 37X's in the top 10 positions and their progeny have dominated the sport world wide. When asked about his health program, Staf replied he only treats for Canker. My pigeons are naturally healthy and those that are not are culled. I sellect by performance. They must win week after week. Daniel once won three races in one week. You must have a healthy vigorous strain to begin with. If you have to treat them with drugs, all is lost. After so many years of racing, and not medicating, my pigeons are naturally healthy. They win against as many as 8,000 birds with no tricks or drugs. A well balanced mixture of sound grains with not too much protien, with pleanty of clean, fresh water. I change the water 2-3 times a day, washing the fountian each time. Now here is a man that has won over 600 races from 100 to 500 miles and two Nationals and he say's, "There are no secrets, just good pigeons and handlers." Over the years, Staf has introduced a few pigeons to his family. These new introductions would be paired to Staf's best breeders and the off spring would be tested in the basket. Only the winning pigeons would be kept and bred back into the family. This is how Staf's Super Racer and Foundation Breeder Favorie Belg-6594826/92, was produced. After winning 8- 1st place prizes and placing 37X's in the top 10 positions, he was placed in the breeding loft. There he went on to sire generations of Champion Racers and Breeders.

With much negotiation, as Staf was reluctant to part with his Champion, I was able to purchace Favorie and bring him to the USA were he is paired to other imports from Staf's loft.
Favorie's sire is Grote Tom. His sire is the Geschelpte Soontjens Cock from the famous loft of Joseph Soontjens, one of the greatest winning short distance champion lofts during the 1980's. Grote Tom's dam is a daughter of Daniel, 57X's 1st. Favorie's dam is Frou-Frouke '90, a grand daughter of Donkere Witpen Daniel, 17X's 1st and son of Daniel. Having access to the very best Soontjens Champions, Staf introduced these Janssen based pigeons into his family. Staf has said he has never had a better yearling than Favorie! "That is why you need to add a good cross once in a while." One thing Staf said was not to get caught up in the past! That is alway's try to improve. That is why he adds new blood to his already successful family.

I've been racing since 1979 and over the years I have put together a good collection of proven breeders and race winners. Many have bred multiple 1st place winners or are winners themselves. What I can tell you is, as a family, the Staf Van reet Pigeons are very different. They have dominated all of my lofts taking all the top nest boxes regardless of how long other birds have been there. They seem to be willing to fight to the death. When driving their hens, the cocks are very aggressive and intense. When released on training tosses, they make one half hook the head straight for home. before I had these remarkable pigeons, I had heard all the wonderful thing about them, but being somewhat skeptical, I shrugged it off. Now that I have seen them in action, I can tell you they are for real.

This year Staf has already won 14 races in his area and has won 1st Champion Sprint Loft in his provenance and is expected to win 1st Champion Sprint Loft All Belgium and have the Ace Sprint Pigeon All Belgium. A super accomplishment by one of the remarkable Master's Of The Sport.
My complements to Staf Van Reet for developing this Champion family of pigeons. The Staf Van Reet pigeons will go down in history as one of the very best the sport has ever experienced!
 

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