EIJERKAMP – VAN LOON (Aad van Berkel)

The origin of the van Loon strain.

The man of few words, but great deeds: that was the Belgian craftsman Louis van Loon. Famous because of his excellent race results, in fact he raced so well he was not allowed to race anywhere, he was shut out... legendary because his pigeons, beginning in the eighties, gave the pigeon sport an entirely new vision. Besides speed the van Loon pigeons proved to possess an unheard of determination and stamina. The van Loon pigeons also showed that they made excellent crossing material with any of the other inbred strains, but especially with the Janssen pigeons. As a result the van Loon strain grew to be one of the most influential strains in the history of the racing pigeons sport.

Louis van Loon in his younger years had already mastered the art of searching for and breeding of top pigeons. Having an excellent eye for class he assembled top pigeons from local lofts and from them forged his own strain...and with them, flew the entire area under the table. When he was no longer welcome anywhere on the Short Distance (Vitesse) and Middle Distance races, Louis decided to enter his blue wonder pigeons in the Dagfond (One day long distance) races... this quickly resulted in Provincial and National victories.

NL94-1380745 "Silver Shadow"

Gerard Koopman personally introduced the van Loon pigeons to the Netherlands. As a young boy he became a close friend of the transport truck driver...obtained his pigeons and followed his advice...and began his period of great success.

Introduction of the Eijerkamp-Van Loon strain Eijerkamp In their search for crossing material for their sublime Janssen colony the Eijerkamp family in the middle of the nineteen eighties came across the Van Loon pigeons and it was, love at first sight, a love which, to this day still holds true.

From Jaap Grootendorst they took over an outstanding group of breeders and they were immediately crossed into the best of their Janssen line. This soon resulted in "John" (co-winner of the National Vitesse Championship), "Linda" (2nd National Ace Pigeon WHZB) and of course "Flits" (2nd Olympiade Pigeon Speed 1995). During those years the master himself was also visited in Poppel. Children and grandchildren of the foundation breeding pairs such as, "Blauwe van 84" x "Dochter National I Schellens" and "De 530" x "Dochter Blauwe van 81", were acquired. 

NL00-188738 "Silver Rolls"

The Eijerkamp family had fallen like a rock for the Van Loon pigeons and wherever they shone in the Netherlands, they tried to obtain the toppers or their direct offspring for their breeding lofts. During this process the pigeons from Anton van Haaren from Heesch played a very important role as naturally did the heavily inbred cock "Silver Shadow" (6 x 1st) from Aad van Berkel, who together with his brothers and children have formed a substantial part of the current successes. Descendants of "Silver Shadow" have delivered top National performances:

"Miss Antonia" (daughter "Carrera" x "Silver Rolls") won 1^st Nat. NPO Bourges against 10.040 pigeons. "Slim Shady" (son "King Cole" x "Arabella") was 1^st Ace pigeon Short Distance 2004 in her Section. "Miss Ellis" (daughter "Platina" x "Mama Dolores") won 1^st Nat. NPO Maaseik against 39.348 pigeons. Just like diamonds, from the lofts of Leo van de Werff, the super breeding couple of "Louis" x "Suzanne" were acquired, as were top racers such as "Beach Boy" and "Thoma", who later developed a formidable service record in the Eijerkamp breeding lofts.

NL02-1116218 "Slim Shady"

The van Loons acquired from Staf Theeuwes proved to be of immense worth, of which the outstanding breeder "Chicago" was the absolute flag bearer. The boost these bloodlines gave to the Eijerkamp-van Loon strain was invaluable. Another important introduction was the purchase of the 4th National Ace Pigeon Dagfond "Don Leo" and his exceptional brother "Fabio"...both acquired at the total sale of Leo van de Werff, they were therefore an already proven blood line for Eijerkamp. They gave the Eijerkamp-van Loon strain at the beginning of this century its definitive form.

Influence of the van Loon strain at Eijerkamp

There is not a race at the Greenfield Stud where the Eijerkamp-Van Loon pigeons do not play a part in the top of the race result- especially when it comes to the prestigious one day NPO races. The long list of worldwide references shows that those who obtained the van Loon bloodlines from Eijerkamp, in large part, also experienced the class of this wonder strain. As exponent of the modern Eijerkamp pigeon "Ché" plays an important part; he is a grandson of "Chicago" and also has the wonder pigeon "Flits" in his pedigree. Other direct children of "Chicago" who after having had a sublime racing career became star breeders are the nest mates "Kain" and "Abel", but also "Gesto" and "Atilla" ....

NL02-1116262 "Dantes Eye"

My friend Heinz Onkelz, had only to get a couple grizzles for a round breeding and borrowed it from our sport friend Karl-Heinz Kuhnekath to grizzles on the loft. But Heinz has no interest at the descent of the grizzled pigeons. He just wanted to have one grizzle. The borrowed couple (NL01-783 and NL02-995) announced in 2006, the DV3668-06-369 (chequer) and DV3668-06-370 (grizzle). Heinz wanted because of the color, of course, only the grizzle retain finally had the couple borrowed because of this color, but the 369 was a chequer. Marc his view such a beautiful animal should remain also. So moved the 369 to Marc. Marc was so impressed of this pigeon that he wanted to know more about the parents of this pigeon. Marc went to Karl-Heinz to asked about this couple. He noticed that this couple (NL01-783 and NL02-995) are brother and sister from each other. Marc asked in the 2007 Karl-Heinz to borrow this couple. It was ok for Karl-Heinz but remarked "you do not want rather than make an other litter brother with sister!". Of course, Marc then wanted to know what Karl-Heinz would otherwise sit as an alternative. So 4 pigeons of Karl-Heinz came to Marc. This 4 pigeons of Karl-Heinz are the 4 base van Loon pigeons at our loft: the NL01-1411783 "Brother Slim Shady", NL02-1116946 "Sister Silver Rolls", NL02-1116995 "Sister Slim Shady" and NL02-1117001 "Sister Dante´s Eye". Also breeding on our loft and original bred by the Eijerkamp family:

NL07-1373345 "Atillany" (Granddaughter of Armstrong, Dahlia, Geraldine and Atilla)

NL08-1099545 "De Meeuw" (strong inbreeding at Silver Shadow)

NL08-1099626 "Grote Witpen" (granddaughter of King Cole, Arabella, Amstrong and Sister Robin)

NL08-1099636 "Hans" (grandson of Silver Bullet, Blauwe ’84, Son Don Leo and Miss Ellis) Sire to 18^th Nat. Ace pigeon Dagfond (One day long distance) Europa cup 2011

NL08-1102593 "Shadow Leo"(grandson of Don Leo, Silver Rolls, Invisible Shadow and granddaughter Silver Bullet)

NL08-1103176 "Sun City Gesto"(grandson of Son Silver Shadow, Daughter Bazooka, Son Gesto and Sun City)

NL08-1103195 "Victor"(grandson of Blauwe van Loon, Duifkampioen, Inteelt Silver Shadow and Veronica)

NL09-1836800 "Invisible Blue"(grandson of Don Leo, Silver Rolls, Invisible Shadow and granddaughter Silver Bullet)

NL10-1271395 "Diego Fabio / G.Son Fabio"(grandson of Fabio, Corfu, San Diego and Daughter Super Bull)

NL10-1272269 "Mask"(Grandson of Don Leo)

NL10-1274134 "Dochter Hamilton"(Daughter of Hamilton and granddaughter of Jonge Bazooka, Silver Rolls, Leonardo, Inteelt Chicago)

NL11-1341621 "Hudson Junior"(son of Hudson and Carley)