(05/08/2010) Premier Stud - UK - a Belgium Odyssey

Premier Stud - UK - a Belgium Odyssey

Not many people would have failed to notice that there are some new kids on the block in the province of Antwerp, that are getting themselves noticed by the super performances of their wonderful racing pigeons.

Many locals will know that Ed Sittner of Las Vegas, bought the home and lofts of Louis Van Hove several years ago and has flown to this loft with moderate success since. Then in 2009 it became apparent that Edd could no longer spend all summer away from the USA to fly his birds in Belgium, with this in mind a combination was formed with Premier Stud UK to take over the place by getting their racing director to move from England to Belgium, and bring some of the Premier Stud birds with him, and fly in tandem with Ed when he hopes to get more time from 2011 onwards, flying a combination of his birds and Premier birds, but at the moment he has not been to Belgium for over a year and will not get back until the summer of 2011 at the earliest, so his larger than life USA personality for the time being is sadly missed by the residents of Merksplas.

Now the question is Who are Premier Stud and why are they flying in Belgium?
the three directors are Graham Sparkes, Derek Nicholls, and Brian Bolton,
They have between them nearly 100 years of winning pigeon experience ! all 3 have won many many races in the UK with up to 20,000 birds in competition, and indeed over 100 races have been won by these guys with over 1000 birds in competition in each! plus countless races with lesser birdages, so it would seem they know what they are doing.
The Stud itself houses some absolute super birds that have bred winners all over the UK and indeed just recently birds are now being sent to the USA, China, South Africa etc.
They have a super collection of Direct Koopman, Reynaert, Van Dyck and Bosua birds that could rival any in the world, indeed their ‘Manchester Kannibaal’ has just retired from racing with 17 x 1sts and been added to the wonderful team of stock birds! (see photo)
Although it must be said the birds winning in Belgium at the moment are mostly of Kees Bosua Extraction.

But why Belgium? Well the truth is Brian Bolton after winning, really all there is to win, in his home area needed a new challenge! and as the Belgium pigeon sport is regarded by most as the absolute elite of the world, and he and Premier Stud want to be judged against the best in the world, he has agreed to move to Belgium for the foreseeable future, and try to write the name of him and the Stud into the history of the sport in Belgium! Lofty ideals and big ambitions I know but the British always did like a challenge!

After winning
1st 2nd 3rd Antwerp Union Mulen 2265 birds in May
1st Antwerp Union Mulen 2037 birds also in May
1st Antwerp provincial Argenton in June beating all 3176 birds
1st Antwerp Union Dourdan in July
1st Antwerp provincial Bourges also in July beating all 2745 birds
You have at least got to start taking them seriously!
As they say, lets all watch this space.

NL091023931
Bred and raced by Anne Van Meerkerk
This bird is 2nd Ace Bird Vitesse 2010 Rayon D Afdeling 6
Bred from a grandson of Kannibaal bred by Premier Stud for Anne Van Meerkerk