Range: I fly them up to 500 miles Origins: Campbell Strange, Jan LeComte, CBS General Usage: Well suited as a cross for the futurities. They cross particularly well with Janssens (especially the “Raket” subfamily) and Hofkens. Characteristics: Some variation in handling characteristics, but generally handle well. Medium size.

Acquired in 1997 as a second sprint family, the Grondelaers have been a very pleasant surprise. After the acquisition of the Traets, I was looking for a second sprint family. I found a super cock bred by Campbell Strange that he had sold to a flyer in Louisiana. The cock had bred diploma birds to every hen he had mated him to including 1sts at club, combine and concourse. I decided to give the cock a try. In his first season he bred my top four young birds as well as the top bird of a group I sent to Jim Richesin. Based upon this early success, additional key breeders were acquired in 1998 and 1999 representing the very best of the Grondelaers family.

Over time, two subfamilies have emerged in our Grondelaers. The first is based on “Bliksem” who has been the key ancestor in many of our best flyers. In 2004 we were successful in acquiring one of the few remaining daughters of “Bliksem” and she has produced a wonderful set of youngsters to carry this subfamily forward.

The second subfamily is based on the Grondelaers key breeding pair from way back - “Gebroken Veugel” (5118922-BELG-74) and “Het Wit” (5118801-BELG-74). Linebreeding around these two birds has produced a subfamily that is very reliable.

Two points are interesting to note. First, “Het Wit” is the mother of “Bliksem”. Second, the grandsire of “Het Wit” is none other than Hofken’s great “Dribander” (6151613-BELG-64).