Article Published: 01 November 2006

My name is Derick Hunter and I come from a little fishing village called Hawston where pigeon racing is the main sport. As a very poor community we always try to achieve the best in the sport of pigeon racing. We race under the banner of the FBHU where stiff competition is the order of the day. On a Sunday morning young and old are always interested in who won on Saturday. We as kids became pretty much involved in the sport at a very young age.

My story is as follows:
One Sunday morning my friend Mr Dynaard and I sat under a milkwood tree licking our wounds after a Kroonstad race where we could not even score a 30th place in the local club. Right there we decided to go to an auction of the late Arrie van Eck which was held in Bellvile behind the frech produce market. When we arrived there the prices of the birds were so high that we only managed to buy a pencil blue cock which everybody discarded.

Out of this blue cock we only bred two white flight late breds who were always late (coming home the Sunday morning from Touwsriver). Every race the two youngsters were late. So out of frustration we sent them to Kroonstad to get rid of them. Surprisingly we clocked the two youngsters the Friday evening (on the day) about ten minutes apart. We flew 1st and 3rd in our club and also two decent places in the overall FBHU.

The Saturday morning I phoned Mr Arrie Van Eck and thanked him for the oppurtunity of buying a bird at the auction of which the offspring won the Kroonstad. He was quite amazed and told me with a gentle soft spoken voice (almost like if he was crying) that in his living memory I was the first person to compliment him with the results out of his birds. We chatted for about a quarter of an hour and he was in tears. I gave him my number and within the next ten minutes he called me back and invited me to his place in Brand Street in the Strand. We arrived there before the Board ringout the Sunday, got a huge hug and almost three cups of tea. We chatted and chatted and he showed us his beautiful lofts and excellent birds.

We received invite after invite and every Saturday after the races we went for a visit. We developed a real friendship and everytime before we left he will give us two eggs. We received a total of 18 eggs - 16 survived. We put all 16 to stock and never looked back. Year after year especially on the distances we were the force to be reckoned with. The night when Oom Arrie died we sat next to his bed where he told us that the birds will bring so much joy in our racing career - even our great grandchildren will enjoy the birds. The best hen we bred was the "Spikkel Hen" who won from Touwsriver up to Kroonstad and back. Her 3 youngsters have won a Kimberley 1,2,3. We then had a bird "0555" blue hen who only flew a second in a Phillipolis but whose children and granchildren have won 19 FBHU diplomas. Presently we race some of her decendants in Cape Town.

This year I won the Kroonstad in the FBHU with a granddaughter of her with 15 minutes to spare. Last year I was 4th in the Bloemfontein (FBHU) with another granddaughter. Two other granddaughters flew 8th and 52nd Colesburg (FBHU).

Mr Dynaard is also having much success in Hawston and in the FBHU. I'm only saying a word of "Thank You" to one of the greats in pigeon racing.

I once again Thank you Oom Arrie van Eck, for great pigeons and so much joy they bring.