In September of 2005, I had the experience of a life time. For the past 15 years I have based my breeding mainly around
the lines housed at Ponderosa, Holland. While travelling through Europe with my wife, I was able to find time to drop into
the Greenfields Stud of Ponderosa Holland for a morning visit (the afternoon was booked in to go to the Heineken brewing factory!)
My tour commenced with a walk around the lofts with Anton Koster, who is the loft manager of the breeding pairs and also
tends to the long distance birds during the flying season. As the photos show, Ponderosa is a set in beautiful surroundings
of Brummen in Holland.
Chapion "Armstrong". Son of the legendary "Silver Shadow". "Armstrong" was the best yearling in oneday long distance
racing in Amalgamation, 1st Houdeng, 227km, 8498 birds, 10th National Vierzon, 619km, 8015 birds, 57th National Bourges, 617km,
9956 birds, 79th National Bourges, 617km, 10136 birds, 13th Heverlee, 172km, 9667 birds, 17th Houdeng, 227km, 2123 birds,
24th Hensies, 10973 birds, 28th Houdeng, 227km, 6791 birds.
"Mister Bond", winner of 1st National NPO Bourges 10,221 birds, furthermore 6x 1st and 1st Chantilly 4,621 birds, 1st
Duffel 1,964 birds, 2nd LF Bernard 2,865 birds, 3rd Houdeng 11,404 birds, etc. Direct children to "Mister Bond" have already
won 1st against 13,176 birds and 1st against 1,528 birds and a grandson to ‘Mister Bond’ was Eijerkamps 2004 top
racer ‘Basso’, 9th National NPO Bourges against 10,968 birds.
This magnificent Janssen cock is still breeding at 16 years of age. The section behind me houses some of the oldest Janssen
breeders at Ponderosa, regarded by many as the best Janssens in the world.
The supremacy of the ‘Louis’ x ‘Suzanne’ lines made Hans Eijerkamp decide to purchase the Dutch
supertar ‘Don Leo’, bred from a grandson to the wonder pair. This unsurpassed cockbird won 2 National top 10 positions
and was crowned 4th National acebird long distance 2004. He acted superior in the toughest competition. Hans Eijerkamp predicts
a golden future for this superstar. Together with him a full brother ‘Fabio’ (top performer) and full sister ‘Viola’
also moved to Eijerkamp and also the great ‘Salinero’, bred from sister ‘Gladiator’ and crowned as
1st acebird short distance in Fed.
|