Please note that this was not
the only wonder performance
put up by the partners because
for many years their pigeons
were the scourge of the then
mighty Antwerp Union the
‘College of Belgian Middle
Distance pigeon racing’ when it
did have a massive membership
before and after the end of
hostilities post the Second
World War. I have taken the
trouble to read all about the
partnership of Huyskens-Van
Riel, mainly because my good
friend Jos Joosen’s colony of
present day National and
International winning pigeons
descend down in a significant
proportion from the HVR’swhen Joosen skilfully blended
them with Van der Wegen
marathon pigeons.Jef van Riel in fact had been ultra-
successful long before the war but
had become very disenchanted
because so many club’s in his area
including the Antwerp Union had
decided to ‘close their doors’ to
him and he was forced to race his
excellent team of pigeons only in
organisations where he was at a
massive disadvantage and though
his still flew well he fell out of
love with the sport and the
decision was made to sell up with
the birds in the winter of 1937-38
with 60 going to Scheemaker
Brothers and others to Cois
Huyskens who had in fact already
purchased youngsters off Jef’s best
pigeons. The rest I am told were
consigned to the ‘dining table’.
Shortly after Jef was once again
missing pigeons and so he was
often found at Huyskens loft and
in fact suggested that his friend
purchase birds off Frans Nuyens of
Mariaburg which was resulted in a
complete round of babies being
bought in 1939 when Cois
Huyskens performed brilliantly.
The war though brought the sport
of pigeon racing in Belgium to an
abrupt halt.Some of the great pigeons raced by the incomparable Cattrysse
Brothers.The Scheemaeckers racing loft back in business.