# Olieman, one of the best ever!



## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

You have all heard of the 019 right? How about the Olieman flown by Jos van der Veken it was a Van Hove pigeon. I have some Van Hoves and the are different pigeons real fast out to the middle distance. This Olieman pigeon is posiably the best middle distance pigeon ever!! Even though most don't know of the bird. He flew within 5 miles of the Janseens and was not in the same combine if he was the 019 would have had alot of 2nd placments. Here is an article by Ad Schaerlaeckens.


‘OLIEMAN’

One of the best Middle Distance birds ever, if not the best, was in my opinion ‘Olieman’ from Jos van der Veken who lives nearby Turnhout. 

‘Olieman’ was born in the same year as ‘019’ from Janssen brothers who lived only 6 kilometres from Van der Veken but raced in another Combine (Arendonk). 
The whole world knows ‘019’ was a multiple first prize-winner, but what very few know is that ‘Olieman’ was better. 
On many Sundays both ‘Olieman’ and ‘019’ won 1st prize from the same race (Noyon) but ‘Olieman’s speed was always higher than that of ‘019’. 
So if both birds would have been entered in the same competition (combine) Janssens’ ‘019’ would have won many… 2nd prizes. 
Few people know about this since van der Veken hated propaganda while the Janssens were not only good fanciers but also good businessmen, especially Louis.Van der Veken will never forget that race from Noyon (about 230 kms) in nice weather. ‘Olieman’ won with a lead of no less than 10 minutes. It was a normal race that would have lasted 10 minutes only if ‘Olieman’ had not participated. Since ‘Olieman’ was 10 minutes ahead, the race lasted 20 minutes!! (When one third of the birds is home the race is finished). That race was unforgettable for another reason. The bird had nearly flown itself to death to get home. It sat shivering in its nest box for minutes and Jos feared it would fall dead right away. In total ‘Olieman’ won 15 firsts. It descended from Gust van Hove, a great local champion in those days.


----------



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Very interesting. Thanks.

Many of us know that there are flyers who know how to "promote" their pigeons and many that shun that sort of thing.

What would be even more interesting is if "Olieman" produced any winners.


----------



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

I just found the answer to my own question above. Olieman was the sire of Super 73. A VERY well known bird.

http://home.planet.nl/~pete2695/html/loft.html


----------



## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

conditionfreak said:


> I just found the answer to my own question above. Olieman was the sire of Super 73. A VERY well known bird.
> 
> http://home.planet.nl/~pete2695/html/loft.html


I don't think that is the same bird. I believe that bird is a Van Loon bird. The Van Hove pigeons were undersold here in the states and some people even started calling them Hofkens because they were more expensive pigeons.


----------



## Kal-El (Oct 10, 2008)

Isn't Fred Smeltzer/Kenny Rhodes' famous Witoger 720 50% Van Hove?


----------



## Xueoo (Nov 20, 2009)

The "Olieman" Schaerlaeckens wrote about is not the same as the Super 73's father. 

There are many birds down from the "Olieman" that have been good racers and breeders. Most people wouldn't know it because that bird was a long time ago and many generations have past. Two recent birds people may know are Barry Yu's Aske and Flor's Fieneke 5000. These are way down from Olieman. 

Back around '95 a collector friend of mine brought in 2 pairs that were down from Oileman. In '99 the same collector brought in 3 pairs direct from Fieneke. I have birds down from these pairs, but they haven't been in a race since about '01.


----------

