The
Fabry Strain
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The
pigeon strain of Georges and Victor Fabry
of Liege, Belgium, played an important
part in the history of European pigeon
racing, in fact the Fabrys have been successful
wherever the sport has put down its roots.
The
creator was Georges Fabry, and Victor
was his son. Georges really started in
in the sport in 1913 when he
arrived in Liege to start a pharmacy business
where he built a loft over his shop.To
stock it he decided upon the Hansenne
strain, for Alexander Hansenne then was
considered by many as the best pigeon
man in the world.
This
purchase of Hansennes indicated Georges
Fabry's astuteness for to start he was
determined to
stock the very best. Between
the two world wars competing against approximately
4,000 flyers,
the Fabry lofts were champions in 1928
and 1929. From 1930 to the start of the
Second World War the Fabrys won many championships
and National races including scoring nine
times in the Angouleme National taking
the gold medal for the highest number
of prizes with an entry of 12 pigeons.
Unfortunately
the German invasion of Belgium interrupted
more success and many of the Fabry family
ended up in Germany where some were destroyed.
However, Fabry managed to retrieve a number
and after the war ended bolstered his
remaining stock with Bricoux's followed
in about 1950 with a a hen from Vanbruaene
and another from De Scheemaecker. This
was not the last occasion to introduce
other bloodlines but one of his important
acts of management was to purchase his
own bloodlines from those where successful
at racing Fabry's. This ensured a revitalization
and continuing conformity of the phenotype.
There
then began a very successful period for
the Fabry's including the hatching in
1947 of a blue check hen called 'Heroine'
who was to prove a fabulous racer and
breeder winning as a yearling 1st National
St. Vincent at a distance of 945 kilometres
in atrocious conditions. This great hen
mothered in due course 'Porthos' the winner
of two million Belgian francs within the
period of 2 years and who in turn became
the grand sire to the Janssen Brothers
' Halve Fabry'. Then there was 'Zotteke'
who bred amongst others the famous 'Monty'
and 'Aiglon' and the exceptional racer
called 'Fangio' who won one million Belgian
francs over a period of four years. Oh
one could go on and on but the space is
limited.
Georges
Fabry was a meticulous record keeper and
good ventilation was necessary for his
lofts. He cleaned out twice per day and
yearlings and old birds were raced on
widowhood. The young birds were trained
up to 250 kilometres and contrary to most
widowhood flyers, he did not believe in
breeding his widowers before the racing
season began because this method helped
the cocks maintain their form longer.
As a family the Fabry's cross well with
the Janssens and the strain have proven
to be very successful in the USA.

by: Liam O Comain
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