HERMAN BRINKMAN

OF TUK

by John Clements

Of all the 1300 km Barcelona men the most consistent is probably Herman Brinkman. If someone said there is a pigeon from Barcelona over 1300 km the name Brinkman immediately springs to mind.

He has done it before.  Herman is a quiet and unassuming man. Tuk a small place just North of Steenwijk, in fact Steenwijk and Tuk run into one another. Steenwijk was of course the place of my last report.Herman is a teacher - his subject is languages and the teaching of German is his speciality but all languages obviously come naturally to him for his English is also excellent. He is fully committed to pigeon racing at extreme distances. It is his life’s work.

He is the President of the Club that organises long distance events in his area. Over the years his Barcelona reputation has grown - my records go back only to 1997 but he was active and successful before then, but from my data base I see he was 265th in 1999 racing against 28,000 pigeons and a remarkable 14th International in 2001 racing against 25,000 pigeons sending never more than six pigeons and often as few as two, so he is not a newcomer to the rare world of pigeons racing at distances above 1300 km. His actual distance is 1306 km (816 miles).The basis of his family is Van der Wegen that he obtained from that well known fancier Hans Eijerkamp. He told me when the four original pigeons arrived as squeakers he did not like them at all. He telephoned Hans Eijerkamp and told him this but was told to be patient as they were the best long distance blood in the Eijerkamp lofts. Hans Eijerkamp was proved right and the initial reaction of Herman Brinkman proved wrong, for these four pigeons set the foundation of the whole of the Brinkman lofts of long distance pigeons.Hans Eijerkamp, the millionaire furniture maker and Herman Brinkman the quiet unassuming school teacher, are still friends to this day through their mutual love of long distance pigeons. Friendship is another offshoot of this type of racing.

This year Herman sent two pigeons to Barcelona - the birds were liberated at 09.30 on Friday and Herman timed his first pigeon of the two at 12.03 on the Saturday. Even though it was his second selected pigeon it was well pooled for he won 1149 euros in the International. His second bird arrived at 13.41 to take 1454th place. Two out of two at the Brinkman loft flying over 800 miles. This pigeon won 368 euros and Herman won twice for timing in two pigeons in both categories for two pigeons - the unselected two and the selected two. This is extraordinary for a loft at this distance.

If you visit the Brinkman lofts you will find a relaxed atmosphere designed for contentment in the pigeons.The floor covering is pea plants the remains of the pea crop. These are spread throughout the lofts as floor covering but underlying this relaxed atmosphere is another essential ingredient of marathon pigeons, a built in natural resistance to illness.

The Brinkman lofts are not cleaned out every five minutes. The pigeons have to live naturally just as they would in the wild. They live depending on their natural vitality, which is a part of their ability to not only fight off sickness but to achieve a kind of fitness in depth as opposed to surface fitness. Fitness of this kind it is the whole body and mind of the pigeon that reaches such a peak that it is able to fly Barcelona.  This cannot be achieved overnight. It is more a lifestyle than an immediate strategy. It is a part of the philosophy of the place.Still you need good pigeons - that is always a must - survival of the fittest weeds more out than allows to remain. The hand and the eye tells you little about such things - a study of the man tells much more. You know he believes in what he is doing by the way he smiles and his eyes twinkle while he is doing it. You on the other hand are obliged to strain your ears as you listen to this quiet man, who after all has already done it many times before.

Go and see for yourself and, providing you are not in too much of a hurry to get to the 800 mile level, you might learn a few things. It’s certainly different than sprinting and the explosive power game of fast pigeons under 200 miles.

Herman told me both his 2004 Barcelona pigeons were not at all tired when they dropped. They appeared to have something left to carry on if needs be. Their flights were not unduly bent back - their eyes still bright - and they were pleased to get home for they spun with joy before they entered the loft. Some pigeons these, and some fancier who arranged it.