Toploft in The Netherlands  

AP Overwater from Strijen

Strijen

I noticed the fancier  A.P. Overwater for several years. I saw his 1st Ace Pigeon national and international Mistral Gold Cup 2003. His result on Barcelona 2007 was amazing: national 36-38-102…I followed his results during several years and  I decided to visit him in the winter. I was really amazed by the lofts, the birds, his results on very long distances. This man is  a legend! He is top in Holland!

The fancier AP Overwater

A.P. Overwater (AP is short for Arie Pieter) was born in 1959. He was only 10 when he got in touch with pigeon racing. A racing bird got lost and stayed at the home of AP. He took care of the bird and started with more birds of his own. AP raced on the short and middle distance for many years. He got married with Ria and moved to USA for one year. The family Overwater did not have any birds in the USA but  they started again in The Netherlands. Ria and Mister AP bought a big farm ‘Veezicht’. They started a company in cattle. Some years later, they changed this company and started a farm for horses. Now Ria and AP take care of 40 horses!

The birds

AP got to know the pigeonsport by a bird that did not belong to him. The same happened in 1988. A pigeon from this famous Peter van den Eijnden (Deurne NL) came on the loft Overwater. AP phoned Peter and they talked for several hours about racing very long distances. AP wanted to race this races. He went to Peter van den Eijnden and bought him some birds. His basic cock ‘NL2966010/88’ is direct from P vd Eijnden. He had noticed the excellent results of Batenburg &son and got some birds from his loft too. AP got many birds of these strains in 1988 and 1989 (topseason for Batenburg and vd Eijnden). The third important strain was Eijerkamp-Muller. ‘The Oude Muller Kweker 158/90’ came via Hennie Schaap on the long distance loft Overwater. The loft 2006 , also know in Holland as ‘The Turbo Diesel loft from Oudendijk’, has 90% birds strains P. vd Eijnden,B. Batenburg &Son and Eijerkamp-Muller. The other birds come from Saarloos and son, Jan Ouwerkerk, Klip-Verhagen, Piet de Vogel…These birds are mainly used for cross-breeding.

Basic birds

The first success on the long distance came from the hen ‘ De Perpignan NL88/1814196. She became a special basic hen. She won 688th nat. Dax 9973p, 21st Perpignan 1990 and 7th international Pau and 180th nat. Perpignan 3448 p. in1991. Some fanciers and some brokers got interested in this hen but AP did not want to sell his first good bird on long distance. She was direct from the strain Batenburg & son. She was a direct daughter of their basic pair ‘Bonte Kweker’ x ‘Lourdes duivin’. Ria and AP put the hen on the breeding loft and became winners. This basic hen became the mother of basic hen 2 ‘074’. This hen ‘074’ won 5 times in top 100 on a  big national race: 9-65-88-89-95! And became the mother of  the famous ‘Pietje Pau’ (84-93-99 nat. Pau). AP knew that he had to cross inbreed with inbreed from another strain. He tries to breed specially with the line of ‘Bonte Kweker’ X Lourdeshen (Perpignanhen) and X Braakhuishen (line ‘Dure’)

The strains Overwater is based on 5 basic pigeons:

NL88/2966010: direct from Peter van de Eijnde. He is direct father of 11 winners in top 100 national race. Children of him won 21-22-36-53-56-79-84-93-97-99 national on ZLU long distance races. It’s inbreed to famous ‘131’ Jan de Weert.

NL91/2232074: the hen that won 5 x top 100 and mother of ‘Pietje Pau’, strain Batenburg & son. The father is ‘NL447/88’ ( son Ruffec) and the mother is ‘NL 196/88’ (basis mother, daughter of ‘Bonte Kweker’.)

NL92/2905050 De Dure: This cock was bought direct from Batenburg & son, son from’ Bonte Kweker’ x ‘Braakhuishen’. Its is father/grandfather of 3^de nat. St-Vincent ’03, 5th Bordeaux, 8th Montauban, 38th St-Vincent, 47th Bordeaux, 63rd Pau, 76th Bordeaux etc.

NL90/1910158  Oude Muller Kweker: strain from the famous Wim Muller (Wilhelminadorp) via Henny Schaap. He is the father of the special hen ‘NL99/2338085 Fast Leny’. She won:

28th nat. Bergerac 12.870p (clocked at 03.29 AM)

124th nat. Marseille 8730p

128th nat. Mont de Marsan 3902p

137th nat. Montauban 5711p

232nd nat. Bordeaux 8525p

275th nat. Bergerac 9354p

NL97/1500710: 1^ste Ace Nat/Intern. Ace Pigeon Mistral Gold Cup 2003. He won :

Perpignan 5890p-9

Barcelona 3915p-19

Dax 5617p-29

Bordeaux 3746p-165

Bordeaux 10.033p-249

St-Vincent 7377p-331

Bordeaux 4748p-804

Marseille 6699p-1008

Bergerac 11.953p-1385

Natural system

AP used to race widowers and natural system with hens. He is so busy with the horses that he changed to the natural system for both sexes in 2003. He created a system that I have never seen in other lofts. I write articles for 15 years but never have I met someone who uses this system the same way. I will try to explain:

The racing couples are matched on 15th of March. When the youngsters are 6-10 days old, the nestpans are put on the floor. The boxes are half closed (like the widow-system) and ALL nestmaterial is removed from the loft. Both the hens and the cocks stay on the loft and feed the youngsters on the floor. AP says that the partners ‘stay in love’ but the hens do not lay more eggs. The youngsters are moved to another compartment when they are about 25 days old. The racers stay on the loft and are tossed in some races. They can stay in the half box or on the floor. They train together two times a day, in the morning and in the evening for one hour. It is important that the cocks and the hens train very well and do not sit on the roof. The urge to begin another nest goes away because of the daily training, no nest-material and the races every  weekend. One month before a big race the box of a couple is opened. These racers get a nestpan but no nest-material. (the other pigeon on the loft could steel it!). AP can race this couple on eggs or youngsters.

Medical system

AP knows that modern racing needs medical support. He uses the products of Belgica De Weerd (Breda) and the advice of vet Jan van Wanrooy. Also vet Vincent Schroeder is a big help. AP has the natural product ‘BIO-EVEN’, it is homeo-paty product. It is no drugs , can only works when the birds are healthy.

System for late-breds

Mister AP matches his best hens and cocks by the end of racing  season (after the race Perpigan in the beginning of August). At he same time he also gives the breeders other partners. ‘The youngsters of these pairs are best for racing in the future’, says AP. ‘I let them train every day in September and October. I will put them in my special pigeon-trailer for one week. The youngsters eat and drink while in the trailer . This helps get rid of the stress. Now I start tossing them for many time along the cost. Days are shorter in the Winter and the birds are fast to be in the loft again. I think the fly harder than in the Summer. I never look at the weather. The birds must train daily. These youngsters are raced (as yearling) to Ablis and finally Bordeaux ZLU or Narbonne. Cocks are not raced on widowhood but do get a hen after each race. This is their reward. The cocks Sure 90% of my best racers are late-breds from this system.’ Most of the long distance fanciers don’t have time in racing season for the youngsters. AP can put all his energy in the old racing birds in Summer and all his energy in the youngsters during the Winter. AP is a good fancier, you can be sure about that.

Fantastic result on Bordeaux with yearlings 2006

The Bordeaux race was very hard in 2006 for the yearlings. AP had a very good result with 4 birds in top 100 national. Let me look at the best yearlings in this race:

NL1375653/05: 23^rd national Bordeaux ZLU ’06 and 253^rd national Narbonne ZLU ’06; a son of ‘933/00’ (‘Super As 334/95’ x ‘basic hen 074/91’) X ‘Jacqueline 854/02’ (strain P. de Vogel)

NL1375602/05: 42^nd national Bordeaux ZLU ’06 and 502^nd national Narbonne ZLU ’06: a daughter of  ‘414/02’ (brother basic ‘074/91 x ‘074/91’ ) X ‘987/03’ (direct Klip-Verhagen)

NL1375614/05: 61^st national Bordeaux ZLU ’06 and 314^th national Narbonne ZLU ’06: a son of ‘651/96’ (14^th -299^th -771^st national Barcelona) X ‘091/98’(daughter ‘074/91’ )

NL1375644/05: 80^th national Bordeaux ZLU ’06 and 246^th national Narbonne ZLU ’06: son of basic cock ‘710/97’ x ‘496/02’ (basic cock Dure 050/92 x basis hen ‘074/91’ 

Best birds 2007

The Ferrari NL1866518/01

2003

63^rd nat. Bordeaux S2

177^th nat. Marseille

1158^th nat. Mont de Marsan

2004

262th nat. Pau

652nd nat. Marseille

2005

180^th nat. Marseille 3671p

200^th nat. Pau 3077p

286^th nat. Perpignan 6300p

6^th Ace Pigeon FBZ 2005

12^th Ace Pigeon ZLU Fondspiegel 2005

2006

21^st nat. PAU 2413p

76^th nat. Dax ZLU 3260p

929^th nat. Perpignan 4719p

2007

99^ste nationaal Perpignan 5294d 

The father of this cock is ‘Super As 334/95’, a son of ‘De Dijk’ (strain B. Batenburg) x ‘279/94’ (strain P vd Eijnden). The mother is ‘Ouwerkerk 360/96’ (excellent hen from friend Jan Ouwerkerk).

Arleen NL1116358/03

2004

366^th nat. Bordeaux S2 against 7264p

2005

155^th nat. St-Vincent 6621p

242^nd nat. Perpignan 6300p

747^th nat. Mont de Marsan 4595p

2006

11^th national St-Vincent 6829p

138^th national Perpignan 4719p

581^st national Mont de Marsan 3699p

This hen was a late-bred of 2003 but raced excellent in 2005 and 2006. She is bred from cock ‘NL414/02’. This is very much inbreed. The father ‘150/91’ is full brother of the mother ‘074/91’ (she is one of the basic hens on this loft). The mother of ‘Arleen’ is ‘NL938/00’, a daughter of ‘Dure 050/92’ (basic cock) x ‘170/94’ (daughter of famous ‘super 05 batenburg).

NL1954745/00 Night Hawk

29^th nat. Bergerac ‘01

83^rd nat. St-Vincent ‘04

229^th nat. Mont de Marsan

334^th nat. Carcassonne ‘06

456^th nat. St-Vincent ‘06

682^nd nat. St-Vincnet

731^st nat. Bergerac ‘02

709^th nat. Mont de Marsan

966^th nat. St-Vincent

This hen is direct from basic cock ‘De Oude Muller 158/90’ (direct Eijerkamp-Muller) X ‘849/98’(breeding hen line A. Saarloos & son from Klaaswaal)

The nestmate of Night Hawk is ‘NL746/00’. He won also 24^th nat. Bordeaux ‘02, 94^th national Bordeaux ‘01,227^th nat. Bordeaux ’05, 533^rd nat. Marseille ’02, 587^th nat. Bordeaux ’06, 757^th nat. Bordeaux ’01.

NL02/1615635 De Sven

9th national Bordeaux 8854p  ’04 CEEFAX 

The father is ‘NL500/01’, a son of ‘Super As’ (168th nat. Perpignan, 216th nat. St-Vincent, 231st and 273rd nat. St-Vincent, 231st nat. Marseille ) X ‘NL360/96’ (C vd Velde x Ouwerkerk). The mother is ‘NL801/00’ , daughter of strain Scheele brothers X basis hen 074.

NL02/1615417 De Nachtbraker

72nd nat. Pau ’04

161st nat. Dax ’04

10th nat. Pau ‘05

265th nat. Dax ‘05

36th nat. Barcelona ‘07 

The father is the basic cock ‘NL 158/90 De Oude Muller’ and the mother is ‘NL846/98’ (from strain A Saarloos & son). These is a top breeding pair (bred . 11^th -24^th nat Bordeaux, 28-29 nat Bergerac, 30^ste nat Perpignan, 56^ste and 102^nd nat. Barcelona….)A full brother of  ‘Nachtbraker’ is ‘155/03’. He  won p.e. 340^th nat. Barcelona ’06 and 102^de nat. Barcelona ’07. 

NL2338115/99 ‘De As 115’

1^st Ace pigeon FBZ 2005

2^nd Ace pigeon ZLU Fondspiegel 2001-2005

4th Ace pigeon ZLU Fondspiegel 2005

26^th nat. Perpignan ‘05

194^th nat. Marseille ‘05

380^th nat. Perpignan ‘02

382^nd nat. Marseille ‘01

443^rd nat. Barcelona ‘05

Father is ‘270/94’ (halfbrother ‘074/91’ x granddaughter Witbuik) and mother is ‘795/92’ (P vd Eijnden x Batenburg)

Daughter  As 115 NL2032023/04

She is late-bred from  2004. SHe was widowhen in  2005 and  2006. She only raced in the end of the season. But she won on Limoges 448d-49^ste. She was raced in 2007 and won on  Bordeaux S2 7406p-190 and Barcelona national 7520p-38 (intern. hens 61^ste) and international 25716p-143.. The father  is ‘As 115’ (1^ste ace pigeon  FBZ ’05, 2^de ace pigeon  ZLU Fondspiegel 01-05) The mother is  is ‘Mooie 55’ (strain Hagens via Gebr. Poll x Overwater)

De Sumoe NL1375677/05

411^de nat. Bordeaux ’06

1306^de nat. Bordeaux ‘06

266^ste nat. Bergerac ‘07

285^ste nat. Montauban ‘07

363^ste nat. Tarbes ‘07

1^ste ace pigeon  Kring Hoekse Waard en omstreken ‘07

The mother is  ‘Het Moedertje 846/98’ from  Saarloos and  zoon. The father  is ‘Super As 334/95’, also father of  ‘Ferrari’. 
 
 

NL1954832/00 Stijntje Lucretia

35^th nat. Munchen ‘02

45^th nat. Bergerac ‘03

47^th nat. Bordeaux ‘06

84^th nat. Bergerac ‘04

231^st nat. Bergerac ‘05

236^th nat. Bordeaux ZLU

503^rd nat. St-Vincent ‘06

518^th nat. Bordeaux ‘01

882^nd nat. Montauban ‘04

This hen is again direct from basic hen ‘074/91’ X ‘102/98’ (line Scheele brothers)

Johan Kempen