The history of the Zoontjens strain.
The beginning of this famous pigeon strain goes back for more than 60 years when father Jan Zoontjens became a member of the pigeon fanciers in Tilburg and started a very exceptional career as pigeon fancier. Jan was nearly 6 years old when he housed his obtained pigeons in the chicken house at his parents. These pigeons he became from his nephews Jac Wouters and Jac Wouters, living in Riel and Baarle-Nassau. |
Wal en Hans Zoontjens |
From the beginning Jan Zoontjens showed a natural aptitude for the racing pigeon sport and soon he did win first prices and championships.In the early thirties Jan Zoontjens went to a Belgian pigeon fancier, named De Kimpe who lived in a small village Wortel. De Kimpe was a Customs House Officer and a family friend of the famous Janssen Brothers, living in the Schoolstraat in Arendonk, Belgium. De Kimpe did buy the famous Janssen pigeons from Driekske Janssen and via de Kimpe the Janssens came to Riel and were used for crossbreeding with the pigeons Jan had in his loft. Herewith he created a strong base for the future Zoontjens pigeon strain. | |
But the Second World War did stop the further building up of the Zoontjens strain. Jan did hide three pairs of his pigeons underneath the floor of the chicken house. When the war was ended, Jan easily could make a restart in the pigeon's sport and with these 3 pairs of hidden pigeons he founded the base of a strain which showed its quality for more than 50 years now in pigeon races of all distances.Jan also visited excellent regional pigeon fanciers to buy from the best pigeons they had in their lofts.He went to the pigeon fancier's combination Jolen-Tijssen, living in Tilburg. Here he bought a cock, pure Janssen Arendonk. This cock did become _disibledevent=0>
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NL 81-2161121 MBonte 121J. ZoontjensBlauw bont |
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NL 80-0932724 MBlauwe 724 |
NL 84-1518770 MBonte 770ZoontjensBlauw bont |
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NL 80-0932707 VSchalie 707 |
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NL 78-7807946 VGeschelpt 946J. ZoontjensGeschelpt |
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NL 73-2299207 MZoontjens St. Vincent |
NL 91-2511459 MDe "Conimix King"W. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw bont |
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NL 72-0228777 VZoontjens de 777 |
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NL 80-0932706 MScjalie 706J. ZoontjensSchalie |
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NL 78-7850807 MZwart Bont 807 |
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NL 82-1334051 MBont 051ZoontjensBlauw bont |
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NL 76-0470337 VSchalie 337 duif |
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NL 74-0301409 VBlauw 409J. ZoontjensBlauw |
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NL 73-0473645 MBlauwe 645 |
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NL 73-2248262 VBlauwe 262 |
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NL 81-1967262 MW.Z. "Blauwe 262"W. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw |
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NL 79-1644033 MW.Z. Blauwe 33 |
NL 82-1150199 MW.Z. "Blauwe 199"W. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw |
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NL79-1630331 VW.Z. Blauw 31 |
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NL 81-1967270 VW. Z. "Blauw 70"W. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw |
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NL 79-165503 MW.Z. Blauwe 03 |
NL 89-8920508 MW.Z. "Vlieger"W. Zoontjens en ZnKras |
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NL 77-2587701 VG.H. Blauw Witpenduif |
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NL 74-2398325 MW.Z. "Blauwe Moulins"W. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw |
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NL 82-8209076MW.Z. "Oude Schalie" |
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NL 88-8844467 V"Kras 67"W. Zoontjens en ZnKras |
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NL 79-1735060 VW.Z. Kras 60 |
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NL 86-1339178 VKras 78 Kras |
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NL 72-10024 MJ.V.v Eewijk 24 |
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NL 82-1139721 VZoontjens duif |
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The "Vlieger" was an excellent flyer and a marvellous stock cock. He did set his stamp upon to-days strain in Riel. He is _disibledevent=0>
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NL 81-8182637 MW.Z. Blauwe 37W. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw |
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NL 74-2362027 MW.Z. Blauwe 27 |
NL 87-8702982 MW.Z. De KampioenW. Zoontjens en ZnKras |
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NL77-2580221 VW.Z. Blauwe 21 |
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NL 83-986370 V"Kweekduif 70"Gebr. Heesters Reusel Kras |
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NL 74-2398325 MG.H. den 25 |
NL 90-9021079 VW.Z. "Desiree"W. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw |
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NL 81-21595785 VGH Kras 78 |
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NL 81-8131380 MG.H. Blauwe 80Gebr. Heesters Reusel Blauw |
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NL 77-2587699 MG.H. Blauwe 99 |
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NL 87-8733527 VW.Z. Blauw Melun DuifW. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw |
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NL 74-269005 VG.H. Blauw 005 |
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NL 81-1967227 VNaar AmerikaW. Zoontjens en Zn Blauw |
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NL 74-1838552 MW.Z. Blauwe 52 |
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NL 77-2619191 VW.Z. Kras 91 |
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As youngbird "Desiree" did win 10 pricesout of 10 races, whereof 8 pricesin the first 10% of the race (1:10).
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NL 81-8182637 MW.Z. Blauwe 37W. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw |
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NL 74-2362027 MW.Z. Blauwe 27 |
NL 87-8702982 MW.Z. De KampioenW. Zoontjens en ZnKras |
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NL77-2580221 VW.Z. Blauwe 21 |
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NL 83-986370 V"Kweekduif 70"Gebr. Heesters ReuselKras |
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NL 74-2398325 MG.H. den 25 |
NL 89-8920523 VW.Z."Het Orleans Duifje"W. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw |
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NL 81-21595785 VG.H. Kras 78 |
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NL 81-8131380 MG.H. Blauwe 80Gebr. Heesters Reusel Blauw |
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NL 77-2587699 MG.H. Blauwe 99 |
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NL 87-8733527 VW.Z. Blauw Melun DuifW. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw |
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NL 74-269005 VG.H. Blauw 005 |
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NL 81-1967227 VNaar AmerikaW. Zoontjens en Zn Blauw |
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NL 74-1838552 MW.Z. Blauwe 52 |
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NL 77-2619191 VW.Z. Kras 91 |
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As a youngbird "Het Orleans Duifje" did win 8 prices out of 8 races and did win a/o the 1st pr. St. Quentin (1.046 p) and 1st pr. Orleans (985 p) besides the 5th National (8.109 p)She is a sister to "Desiree", a golden stock hen."Het Orleans Duifje" is just like her sister a golden stock hen and mother of many 1st price winners, such as:The "Orleans 290" with the 1st pr. Orleans, 2nd pr. Creil, 5th pr. Etampes, 5th pr. Chantilly, 6th pr. Peronne, 6th pr. Chantilly, 7th pr. Etampes, 8th pr. Orleans etc. The "Raket" with a/o the 1st pr. Provincial Chateauroux, 1st pr. La Souteraine, 2nd pr. LimogesAnd also mother of the "700", the "298" and the "971" who did win the 1st pr. Orleans.Etc. |
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NL 81-2161121 MBonte 121J. ZoontjensBlauw bont |
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NL 80-0932724 MBlauwe 724 |
NL 84-1518770 MBonte 770ZoontjensBlauw bont |
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NL 80-0932707 VSchalie 707 |
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NL 78-7807946 VGeschelpt 946J. ZoontjensGeschelpt |
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NL 73-2299207 MZoontjens St. Vincent |
NL 91-2511460 VDe "Conimix Queen"W. Zoontjens en ZnBlauw bont |
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NL 72-0228777 VZoontjens de 777 |
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NL 80-0932706 MSchalie 706J. ZoontjensSchalie |
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NL 78-7850807 MZwart Bont 807 |
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NL 82-1334051 MBont 051ZoontjensBlauw bont |
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NL 76-0470337 VSchalie 337 duif |
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NL 74-0301409 VBlauw 409J. ZoontjensBlauw |
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NL 73-0473645 MBlauwe 645 |
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NL 73-2248262 VBlauwe 262 |
The pigeons loft accommodation.When Wal and his wife Dinny were married they went living in the Bernardstraat in the village Riel. In the back garden, not bigger than 250 square meters, Wal did build his first pigeons lofts.At present the back garden is almost completely build in with lofts for the widowhood cocks, young birds and the stock pigeons. Meanwhile a lovely summerhouse gives the chance to chat with many visitors from all over the world. The lofts are made of wood while the outside is made of plastic laths. All have a lean-to roof. _disibledevent=2>After 7 weeks Wal Zoontjens tries to get several young hens mated with the yearling widowhood cocks, so they can start to breed. The best results throughout the years were made with hens, which were feeding a chick of about 10 days. In 1994 even the National race Orleans was won with a hen with a youngbird of this age. For most of the young cocks, when they are in a good shape and do not mould, the last race will be National Orleans. The hens, most of them are hatching or feeding a chick, fly the other long distances as Chateauroux and Bourges with an excellent result. Sometimes even two young hens mate and will raise a chick by their own. Their motivation is _disibledevent=2>After 7 weeks Wal Zoontjens tries to get several young hens mated with the yearling widowhood cocks, so they can start to breed. The best results throughout the years were made with hens, which were feeding a chick of about 10 days. In 1994 even the National race Orleans was won with a hen with a youngbird of this age. For most of the young cocks, when they are in a good shape and do not mould, the last race will be National Orleans. The hens, most of them are hatching or feeding a chick, fly the other long distances as Chateauroux and Bourges with an excellent result. Sometimes even two young hens mate and will raise a chick by their own. Their motivation is on top and often they are able to win top prices in the races. The darkening method, which Wal practises all these years now, does not give any disadvantages at all. Because after the last race the young birds have plenty of time to end the moulding period. When they are mated again in December almost all of them have finished the mould.The best young hens, which did fly first or top prices, will be placed in the stock loft and mated with the best cocks. | | | |