The
Bricoux Strain
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The
strain to be looked at in this piece is
the Bricoux strain which reigned supreme
in Belgium in particular between the two
world wars i.e. approximately 1919 and
1939. During that time Bricoux was unbeatable
based upon the truth that he was an outstanding
breeder of racing pigeons. The base of
which arose from the exchanging of young
birds with the great French champion Paul
Sion. And as time passed the intelligent
Doctor won 14 Nationals, was 2nd in Nationals
twelve times and scored in the top twenty
on approximately 125 occasions.
Being
a Doctor however Bricoux had his critics
arising from the phenomenal results of
his pigeons even to the extent of being
accused of using drugs to increase his
lofts potential. His superiority however
arose from the fact that he was a maestro
at the widowhood method and held the reputation
of being one of the first to use it in
Belgium. As for his young birds they were
never raced but well trained and given
time to mature. The yearlings were raced
from the nest whereas those two years
and older were sent as widowers to the
long distance races, for he was of the
belief that there were horses for courses
and that one had to specialize.
Inbreeding
was his preferred breeding method although
he acknowledged that a cross had to be
brought in at sometime. The out cross
had to be from an inbred or line bred
family. In general preferring well built
pigeons with sound constitutions coupled
with broad and rounded backs and rigid
vents. This was the standard of what he
required in a pigeon nevertheless he would
not adhere to it rigidly for there was
always room for pragmatism in Bricoux's
thinking.
When
one looks at the results obtained by this
great strain under the tutelage of its
founder then one realizes that this was
a master of his art for he produced champions
like the great 'Kleine Geschelpte' which
was sent on five occasions to the Pau
National and won on the five occasions.
A super pigeon! Then there was the famous
' Rode Libourne' which was 4th National
from Angouleme in 1930 followed in 1932
and 1933 with National wins from Angouleme
and Bordeaux respectively. Another of
his great birds was the 'Goede Rode Bricoux'
which scored a 2nd and a 4th National.
Of course the master breeder was the world
famous 'Jules Caesar' a red cock of magnificent
physique. Red was one of Bricoux's favourite
colours because quite a number of the
strains winners were of this hue and as
such were nicknamed 'The Red Locomotives'.
What
the reader may not know about Dr. Bricoux
is that apparently all of his pigeons
were killed during the war in a charge
of the French Army and although other
fanciers like Nestor Tremmery, whose loft
were mostly of the Bricoux strain, provided
other birds in substitution the good Doctor
never got over the apparent shock and
died a few months later. Thus the Doctor
who created one of the pivotal strains
in the history of the sport like all mortals
could not escape the shadow of the cross
inspite of the fact that he had previously
shared in the glory. It was then left
to his son Arthur to continue with the
work but he lacked the genius of his father
and in 1952 what was left came under the
hammer. But rest assured that the name
of Bricoux is amongst the bright lights
of the greats of the sport of pigeon breeding
and racing.

by: Liam O Comain
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