ZWOLS PIGEONS – THE UK HOME OF
JOSE AND GUSTAVE GOEMAERE PIGEONS
I have been asked about why we brought the Goemaere pigeons and how they have done so far. So I thought it would be easier to type it up and post it.
For quite a few years we have been looking for a family of pigeons, we could introduce into our lofts to race alongside and crossed into our Frans Zwols. Each year I would study results, I would look into the background of the pigeons and once in a while I would get excited and say to John Cowlin I might have found something. We would then be on a road trip to investigate further. We are also very lucky to have a good network of friends in the sport that would give us some fanciers to look at. As happened when Stuart Wilcox told us about the Frans Zwols back in 2009. Something we will always be very grateful of.
Anyway back to winter of 2022. I see some results and time after time the name of Jose and Gustave Goemaere is not just winning but also dominating the results. I do a little more digging and quickly see Reds, Mealys, blues, BCH etc in the main pigeons and at that time was struggling to see much pedigree wise online. So I shelved the name thinking a mix of colours most likely meant a lot of crossed pigeons not related to each other not what i was looking for, I want a true family of pigeons that are closely related bred together over generations. I don’t just want to buy the persons name I want a family of pigeons.
Well into 2023 we went and again I started to see these unbelievable results yet again and of course a lot of talk going on in Belgium about a super pigeon who maybe about to become the greatest sprint racer ever in Belgium over 2 seasons. Gustave XIV. At this time I also managed to start to see some pedigrees online and you could see. Top racers put to stock breeding the next big winners. Certain pigeons or lines in many of there pigeons. It is time for an urgent road trip John Cowlin. We are off to Belgium. For a couple of days.
We get to where Jose and Gustave live. right out of the way to win where they are pigeons need to break early and hold there line. This is not mile racing from the club house. They are about a mile from the nearest house let alone pigeon fancier. Another big tick, sprint pigeons that have to think and use their brain. Just what we need in the U.K.
After a coffee and a difficult chat as the brothers have limited English and my French or Flemish. Starts and ends with telling my name and asking where the swimming pool is. lol. I only remember that as it always sounded rude in school.
Anyway pigeon talk is universal and once pigeons are in hand results are shown on paper, hand signals or all else fails google translate.
After about 3 pigeons had been handled and spoke about, John Cowlin and I caught each others eyes and with a slight nod. We knew we had struck gold.
We left there and went back to our hotel, we had other lofts to visit but we both knew these were already the ones for us.
The question was how did we do it buy a few and give them a try or go in big and back our judgment. As we have always done we backed our judgment and brought big. 4 direct from Olympic Gustave XIV, a half sister, 4 direct from the national cock, 2 direct children from the rode 043 (g.sire of Gustave XIV) one from Gustave XIV nestmate Matteo also a top racer himself. One same way bred as there Ace yb in 2024. One direct from the latest superstar Theo winner of 10x1st and 12 National ace pigeon 2025. We also brought le collet winner of 29th Ace pigeon KBDB. Another direct from one of the latest top breeder Rox, plus around from all there stock birds. Giving us about 40 pigeons bred by them in total. Whilst there we tried to buy 3 late bred children of the National cock. Each offer was refused. However, later on we managed to add these 3 into the deal, I will update you on how that turned out later. Orders placed the majority were going to be 2024 pigeons. Some older proven ones were already destined for Pipa. So we would have to fight for them on there. Main thing we had the nucleus of what we wanted some cream on top would always be nice. Luckily all but one scope of the cream was locked in when the auction happened late 2025.
2025 ybs was the first year we raced anything from them. From the off they have made there mark. Having to compete against our already strong team of Frans Zwols that win out of turn in club, Fed and National races. Of course I am bias but I still think the Frans Zwols are as good as any family of pigeons in the UK. 2026 once again has seen 7x1st national winners , 4x 2nd and a combine winner reported with the Frans Zwols pure or crossed. So to come straight in and compete from day 1 with the Zwols is impressive in my eyes.
I said I would mention the children of the national cock and how they have done. Breeding Between them 7x1st clubs. 1st, 2nd. 2x5th and 8 other Thames open positions . Plus 2nd National, 8th national and 9th open National. Not to bad on 2 breeding season for 2 and 1 season for the other.
A sample of the results achieved by us with the Jose & Gustave Goemaere blood since 2025 ybs.
(These are both pure and crossed with our Zwols.)
GB25N40388 – 1st, 2nd ,3rd club – 5th, 19th & 26th Open Thames
GB25N40365 – 4th , 6th Club – 26th open Thames. Bred 5th open NFC yb 2026.
GB25N32773 – 1st , 2nd club – 22nd & 25th Open Thames
GB25N09298 – 1st, 6th club- 9th open Thames
GB25N40366 – 2nd, 4th , 5th club – 8th, 9th & 29th open Thames
GB25D02480 – won 6th club and bred 5th open BBC National and 16th open BICC National and 16th open NFC.
GB25D02475 – 4th club 20th Open Thames bred 4th open NFC 2026 YB.
GB25N40369 1st, 2nd club – 5th Thames
GB25A00275 – 1st, 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 6th club – 4th, 6th, 7th, 18th, 18th, 29th, Open Thames
GB25D02468 – 5th, club -14th open Thames
GB25D02469 4th club – 19th Thames
GB25D02470 3rd club — 14th Thames
GB25D02472 – 1st, 1st, 2nd, 5th club – 5th, 12th, 24th & 25th open thames
GB25N32645 1st club – 12th Thames
GB25N32646 1st club – 3rd open Thames.
GB25N32653 2nd club, 4th club – 13th, 9th Thames. 2nd section & 4th open NFC.
GB25N32736 3rd club, plus Thames position plus national position as yb.
GB25N:2747 1st, 3rd,3rd,3rd,6th, 6th club – 5th, 10th, 12th Thames. Plus scored as yb in both BiCC and NFC hard yb races in 2025. Bred 3rd open NFC, 1st open BBC national and 2nd open BICC national 2026.
GB25N40378. 3rd section, 5th open NFC St Malo 2025. 1st open BBC National 2026, 2nd open NFC 2026 beat by loft mate. 2nd open BICC national 2026. Dam of 3rd open NFC, 1st open BBC national and 2nd open BICC national 2026.
GB26N26928 2nd club, 1st premier 100 club, 1st premier 100 club – 2nd open Thames. – 2nd BBC national, 9th open NFC, 8th open BICC. Winning over a £1,000 in prize and pool money.
GB26N26954 3rd open NFC, 1st open BBC national and 2nd open BICC national 2026.
GB26N26922 5th open BBC National, 16th open BICC national and 16th open NFC.
GB26N26975 5th open NFC.
GB26N26976 2nd club- 2nd open Thames plus 4th open NFC.
GB26N26948 1st club – 1st open Thames.
GB26V62408 2nd club – 8th open Thames.
GB26V62434 3rd club- 10th open Thames. Plus 6th open BBC National and 18th open BICC National.
GB26N26934 1st club – 1st open Thames.
GB26V62409 3rd club – 4th open Thames.
GB26N05901. 1st club – 2nd open Thames.
I think the impact has been very good and is just the start I am 100% sure there is much more to come and these pigeons will have a mass impact similar to the Frans Zwols in the years to come.
If you want to add these to your team. We have a auction live at the moment on: https://www.pigeonads.com/store/zwols-pigeons