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"At Leo van de Hurk from Helmond we bought a second hand loft in 2000," says Van de Kimmenade. "We first had a loft with corrugated iron but that was far from ideal. In middle distance racing Leo had frequent top performances, so we asked him if we could acquire ten youngsters. He possessed pigeons of Jo Manders from Deurne, one of the strongest racers in the province of Brabant. Amongst these ten youngsters was the NL00-2278876, and he grew out to practically become our founding father."\
In the meanwhile his pigeon buddy Dirk joined our conversation and he continues: "pigeons that also did a marvellous job for us are those of Rienie van Dalen from Helmond. I am an independent entrepreneur in construction works and I did a job for his son. On a beautiful summer day in the year 2000 we were waiting for the return of our youngsters from a race. We were staring at the sky and I phoned Rienie to ask him what time he awaited the birds. He appeared to have already ten in his loft!! He had an envelope waiting for me as wages for the work I had done for his son and that gave me an idea. I suggested him he could keep the money and give me the ten youngsters that came in first in his loft that day. Rinie agreed to that deal. He finished the season with them and at the end of the year we picked up the youngsters. We purchased eighteen more and all these pigeons we let fly out in our loft. With these acquisitions we listed fine performances in Combine in 2002 and we even made it to Hollands top 10 weekly performance. That is why we bought another round of youngsters. Amongst these ones was our 'Gouden Crack', ringed NL02-0262046. This top cock was entered for fourteen one day long distance races and he won just as many prize cards. In 2004 as well as 2005 he was crowned 2nd acebird one day long distance in Combine Zuiderkempen."
The partnership Kimmenade-Verbakel race their birds on traditional widowhood system with an average of twenty-five widowers. Amongst the youngsters, about fifty, a hand full of breeders are sheltered. We asked the men some questions about their system: "Last season we paired up our birds beginning of December. And on January 20th the widowers were placed on widowhood system and they were not re-paired before the beginning of the season. Our hens are only entered for racing as youngsters,” says Johan van Kimmenade.
"From February up to July we are extremely fanatical in the care of our pigeons. But then the motor runs empty and we do not mind to skip the late season races. I do not think this is a disadvantage in selecting the hens. We have various hens that bred very good for us, but I doubt if one of them would ever have won a top prize. We do not select in the way a pigeon looks, but we do believe in the importance of bloodlines. When I have a good racing cock, I will definitely keep his sisters. Besides, all our young cocks get to stay; if they perform or not. I think you can not judge a youngster at its performances. Half has a net, the other half you enter directly from the perches … In old pigeons racing the situation is off course different, they are all motivated. After three one day long distance races we already select them very thoroughly.”
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