My Hofkens are mostly blues and checkers. Lots of them, just like the original Hofkens 20 years ago, still have the pencil color in their feathering, some with 3 bars (Driebander), very often they bred birds with only one white flight. These are the best middle distance pigeons for 300 to 400 mile races I have ever had, very strong body, perfect feather quality, fantastic eye sign. These are birds of a completely different class, even when they came home from a 400 mile race they look like birds that did not go to the race.

The Hofkens Story - By Ad Schaerlenken

Ad Schaerlenken, Holland

Author of the besting selling book "Janssen brothers, Arendonk - the greatest fanciers of all time". 3 time 1st National Orleans winner in 79, 85 and again in 96 with his Janssen and Hofkens pigeons.

Andre Roodhooft, Belgium

The manager of "Natural Breeding Station", the largest in the world.

Franz Revermann, Germany

A millionaire, bought all the greatest Hofkens pigeons ever lived, who I bid against in all those great auctions, he also bought over 100 direct Janssens.

Maurice Verheyen, Belgium

Each year there are only 3 pigeons represented a country at the Olympiad for short and middle distance. In 8 years Verheyen had 6 pigeons represent Belgium at the Olympiad.

Nelles v/d Pol's "De Goede Jaarling" B81-6466702 Blue Cock is a grand son of B69-6360870 who is a brother to Maurice Verheyen's famous "De Oude Pol" B73-6453443 Blue Pencil W/F Cock. "De Oude Pol" is the father of "DE 500" and "Portugees" both represented Belgium in Praag 1983 and Portugal 1985. "De Oude Pol" is also grandfather of the "Kleine Merckx" B80-6480607. "Kleine Merckx" represented Belgium at the Olympiad two times at Prague and Portugal. "Kleine Merckx" sired many outstanding pigeons including Ad Schaerlenkens' "Olympiad" B85-6169352 Blue Cock. Another Schaerlenkens' famous cock "Good Yearling" NL78-430149 was well publicized as a Janssen because his mother was bred from 2 direct janssen pigeons, but in fact the father of "Good Yearling" was "Fondman Hofken" B74-6382888 a direct Hofkens off Hofken's famous "De Fondman" B72-6311131. "De Fondman" is full brother of "Geschifte" B72-6211120 Blue Pencil Cock both are grandson of the "Driebander" B64-6151613.

The famous "Fondman" and "Geschifte" (Aceduif Hafo Lier 1973 to 1976). Pictures taken from Hofkens' 1977 final auction list.

At Van de Pol's final auction "De Goede Jaarling" was purchased by Franz Revermann of Germany. The father of "De Goede Jaarling" B78-6153667 Blue Cock was purchased by the manager of the Natural Breeding station, Andre Roodhooft, and become foundation bird of his loft. Roodhooft won King of Antwerpen Union in 88 racing mainly with grand children of the "667". The mother of "667" was B73-6278000 a blue hen she is a grand daughter of Hofkens' "Driebander".

The famous "667" and his son "Goede Jaarling". Pictures taken from Van de Pol's 1987 final auction list.

The Foundation Cock of Van Vliet - Van Mastrigt was bred by Nelles v/d Pol using the same Breeding Method as the Janssens:

                    |B69-6360870
                    |
     |B74-6381718 --|
     |Full brother  |B73-7278000
     |"667"          Gr. Daughter "Driebander"
  (Method 1)
  "Holle Rug"
  B84-6301735                     |B69-6360870
  Blue Pencil Cock  |B78-6153667--|
     |              |"667"        |B73-7278000
     |              |
     |B83-6364227 --|
      Full sister   |B78-6153624
      Goede Jaarling
      of '81

The Super hen of Jan Grondelaers' was also bred using Method #1 :

                                         |Fons Janssen
                     |B56-6353631 B %%  -|
                     |"Eenoog" 30 X 1st  |v.d. Bosch
     |"Bourges"  **--|
     |Brother of "Bange `61"
     |1964 Nat. Bouges 9 - 20,000b
     |1965 Nat. Bouges 2 - 10,000b
     |
  (Method 1)
  B69-5022075 B
  Jan Grondelaers
  Mother of "Orleans"
  "Orleans" won 2 X 1st  Provincial Orleans
  in '74 against 21,700b and again in `75 against 19,800b
  Also mother of "Orleans II"
  who also won first Provincial Orleans
     |                                  |B56-6353631 B %%
     |                                  |"Eenoog" 30 X 1st
     |               |Bange Van `61 **--|
     |Sister of    --|
      "Driebander"   |Klein Blauw `63
                      Van Rhijn Kloeck