In 2000, Michel decided to visit Itegem, and its well- known citizens, the family HOUBEN. There is no need to say that he came back home with descendants of the golden couple “JONGE ARTIEST” x “KLETSKOPJE” (direct daughter of the “KLETSKOP” from VERBRUGGEN), but also of the “SONY”… So, was born one of the basic hens “MATHILDE”, which was Ace youngsters Provincial 1999. You may find her in many  good racers and breeders, even after several generations. As I have just said at the beginning, Michel gave me youngsters from his direct purchases.

Concerning me, I have easily and rapidly understood that pigeons’ quality was one of the most important basic elements for pigeons racing ! Consequently, I have decided to visit several famous Belgian lofts to get noble bloodlines… In 1999, I went to HERBOTS Bros from Halle Booienhoven. I bought there a son of an Olympic bird, called the “BOEMERANG” (category All-round, Switzerland 1997), but also from the lines of their GRONDELAERS, among which “KING”, “MANNIX”… and “HERO 19” from Herman LOOZEN without forgetting the world famous STOCES via the “NATIONAL I”. Moreover, I also obtained one of my best breeders via HERBOTS Bros. This is a white cock “BLINKIE” from the champion Clément ROBBEN (breeder and racer of the “ASTERIX”, Ace national middle distance KBDB 1997. Later, this pigeon moved to HERBOTS’ loft.).

2002 was the year of many introductions… Firstly, I knocked at the family HOUBEN’s door to get some couples of eggs and two youngsters (among which grandchildren of the “JONGE ARTIEST” x “KLETSKOPJE”). This introduction was only about the bloodlines from HOUBEN’s stock birds. In 2002 and 2003, I got in touch with Gommaire VERBRUGGEN. I came back home with a couple of eggs and a youngster descending from the prodigious couple “SCHILDERIJ” x “KLEINE ASKE”, and its tremendous sons, such as KLETSKOP", "MASSIS", "TEEN", “GODFATHER” and "KADET".

On more time, in 2002, I stayed in the same area, and went to Flor ENGELS & Sohns of Putte. A full daughter of “Den 734/99”, granddaughter of the present basic cock “Den 178/94” moved to Sainte-Marie. In 2005, her half-brother (“Den ARGENTON”) won the national victory on Argenton. Beginning of June 2006, as luck would have it a strayed bird from Antwerp was found in the village. It was actually an excellent racing pigeon belonging to Jos & Jules Engels. To thank me, they gave me a son of the 4th National of Argenton (which is already the grandfather of the 1st Prov. Le Mans), and also pigeons from their basic stock pigeons: “Den 231/86", "Den 178/94", "Den DIKKE", "MARIEKE", "Den 734/99", "Den 698/93"…

The last but not least, since the end of the racing season 2004, I have introduced pigeons from Robert MORRIER. His nickname is “The Wizard of Haccourt”. This fancier had an exceptional racing season in 2004. He won over 30 singles victories, among which the 1st national females of Orange, twice the fastest on two interprovincial races: Chateauroux against 8,921 birds, and La Châtre against 7,776 birds… This was one of the reasons why I wanted to purchase some of his pigeons. The next reason was that I had already heard of the unbelievable top performances of his “ROBOTS”. Several sons and daughters of the stock bird, the “ROBOT 13” moved to my breeding section. That was not all, I even bought a sister and two brothers from the “ORANGE” (1st Nat. females Orange 2004), kindred of the “VELOURS” (6th Ace national middle distance KBDB 2006), “SUPERSONIC”, and of the “HOLLANDERS” (grandchildren 1st Nat. Montauban 2001, 1st reserve Olympic bird Marathon Oostende 2007) …