During my trip to Europe in 1998, I visited the loft of Jan Kuijzer of the Netherlands. Jan was the breeder of Campbell Strange’s “Vos Schallie 39” who Campbell considered the best red Janssen in the world. The fabulous race record of this bird includes (in part) 1st vs 9210, 1st vs 9128, 1st vs 5234, 4th vs 8798, 5th vs 2689, 9th vs 6493, 11th vs 9527 and 12th vs 10690! The mother of "Vos Scallie 39" was a daughter of the cock of the "Gouden Koppel" (526537-NL-82) who was in turn out of a daughter of the "54".

Jan also bred “Libera” who was the mother of the “Van Moorsel” who many consider to have the best racing record of all time (1st vs 11,536, 1st vs 7,550, 1st vs 4,341, 1st vs 4,198, etc. 1st Ace Pigeon of Holland in '92 and 2nd Ace Pigeon of Holland in '89. '90, and '91)

I was very impressed with both Jan and his birds. I particularly liked an older cock he had, “Vos 31”. This red check cock was 2nd vs 6301, 3rd vs 3717, 3rd vs 6160, 5th vs 10600, 5th vs 11733, 8th vs 4406, 9th vs 11662, etc. His real value though may be emerging as a breeder. He was the sire of the best handling birds when I was at Kuijzer's loft and his children ("Goed Donker" was 1st vs 9,678, "Red Vos Duivin" was 3rd vs 5,304 and the nestmate to "Red Vos Duivin" was 8th vs 5,304) and grandchildren (one flyer in Jan's area has three 1sts at the Federation level against 5,000 plus birds.) are flying well for many different people.

Jan’s pigeons originate from the Janssens of Jan Loots which in turn originated with the Janssens of Van Boxtel who had over 100 Janssens direct from the Brothers. The Jan Loots pigeons have been very influential in a number of famous lofts in Europe. Two of the key birds in Loots loft were the "17" and her sister the "54". The "17" won four firsts in her yearling year alone vs tens of thousands of birds. The key hen of Kuijzer's loft was the hen of the "Gouden Koppel" (2141456-NL-83) whose father was a son of "54" and whose mother was a daughter of "17". Kuijzer's "Gouden Koppel" were the grandparents of "Libera" (mother of "Van Moorsel"). Jan Loots present day loft is keyed around the "25" who is a grandson of the "17".

The results of our early testing of this family have been spectacular. In 2001 a Kuijzer hen was paired with a Van Moorsel cock. Two nest mates were flown by Matt Davis in the Mid Valley Combine. In seven races, “1018” won 1st combine twice as well as 4th and 5th combine. She won Combine Young Bird of the Year. Her nestmate also won 7th combine in the same series. Another Kuijzer hen (also mated to a Van Moorsel cock) produced a 1st concourse for Bob Allingham in the Camelia City Combine. A sister of this bird won every race of her Contemporary Group (5 in all including the last one in which she beat every bird on the old bird team as well).

I have been so impressed with this family that I have added additional Kuijzer bred birds six times since my original purchase, including the direct purchase of eight of his stock breeders. We have a brother and two sisters of “Vos Scallie 39”, two sons and four daughters of “Vos 31” as well as the last daughter of “Libera”.

This is a very special family. They can win out of turn in a dramatic way. They are not tough race pigeons though and can be lost on a difficult race. For OB racing they are best crossed with another Janssen line. They have crossed very well with the Tini Van Herpens.

These are some of the key birds of this family:

• “Vos 31” (2252331-NL-90). In my view this bird is emerging as the key Kuijzer bird of recent years. While his record is impressive (2nd vs 6301, 3rd vs 3717, 3rd vs 6160, 5th vs 10600, 5th vs 11733, 8th vs 4406, 9th vs 11662, etc.), what I most like about him is his prepotency. The distinctive performances of his grand children are no less impressive than those of his children, much like the great Loots hens 17 and 54 that are behind him.
• Cock of the "Gouden Koppel" (526537-NL-82). Jan Kuijzer’s foundation cock.
• Hen of the "Gouden Koppel" (2141456-NL-83). Jan Kuijzer’s foundation hen.
• “Libera”(785275-NL-86) grand daughter of the “Gouden Koppel” and the dam of the great “Van Moorsel” (1st vs 11,536, 1st vs 7,550, 1st vs 4,341, 1st vs 4,198, etc. 1st Ace Pigeon of Holland in '92 and 2nd Ace Pigeon of Holland in '89. '90, and '91).
• “17” and “54” were key hens in the loft of Jan Loots and are behind Jan Kuijzer’s foundation birds. The incredible prepotency of these birds are reflected in the results of their descendents many generations down. The "17" won four firsts in her yearling year alone vs tens of thousands of birds. Both hens were the great grand mothers of Kuijzer’s foundation hen, the Hen of the "Gouden Koppel" and the “54” was also the grand mother of Kuijzer’s foundation cock, the Cock of the "Gouden Koppel". This “Gouden Koppel” were the grandparents of "Libera" who was the mother of "Van Moorsel", who had one of the best racing records in the history of the sport. Jan Loots present day loft is keyed around the "25" who is a grandson of the "17"