Jos Thoné is known as a true all round champion who knows how to perform at the highest level at all distances. Over the past few years Jos has formed a magnificent racing team of sprint birds which meets all criteria necessary to compete in modern pigeon racing.
 

Fast, faster, fastest

You can easily call this Jos Thoné’s motto, certainly when talking about his pure sprint racers. Next to an excellent racing team in the longer middle distance, long distance and extreme long distance, Jos also has a uniquely balanced racing team where speed is combined with strength and a large dose of endurance and weekly achieves great results in the pure sprint races. This results in a chain of first prices and championship titles. Even after several sales (in 2016 all old birds were auctioned off ) Jos Thoné continues his momentum and retains his place at the top. Icons of the sprint team are without a doubt Kajo ( 1st Provincial Ace Bird Sprint KBDB and 14 x 1st), Avril (20 x 1st prize), Cavendish (1st Provincial Ace Bird Sprint KBDB) and Sachi (1st National La Souterraine 23,848 birds, as well as a ball of pure speed). New hits are Babe (1st National Ace Bird LCB and 1st Provincial/ 3rd National Ace Bird Sprint KBDB 2017), Star (a super racer) and Gagan (1st-1st-1st-2nd-2nd-2nd-…).

Three super families

Nearly all top sprinters of the lofts in As can be attributed to one or more of the following families. They guarantee a great chance of success. These families have not only been of importance to the sprint racers but also in the middle distance and long distance birds the following (and in the past many others)  have proven their weight in gold. Examples are Sachi (fastest La Souterraine ever and 50m head start), Tilly with 15 min head start 1st national Tulle, Sedna 1 and Sedna 2 with a head start 1st and 2nd International Narbonne (fastest of +10,000 birds). And let us not forget Gouden Grijs, one and a half hours head start in the Brive National of +7000 birds. Is this Jos Thoné’s secret?

The Avril Family

Introducing Avril (BE03-5071209) is no longer necessary. She is beyond a doubt one of the fastest birds that has ever flown. She became 1st Olympiad bird Sprint in 2007, won amongst others 3 x the title of 1st Ace Bird LCB (2005-2006-2007), became 2nd Provincial Ace Bird Sprint in 2005 and 2nd Worldchampion Sprint in the same year. She has won no less than 20 first prizes, but above all she grew to be a great breeder who brought forth several children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who are real champions like her grandson Kajo (BE12-5030102), in 2014 1st Provincial Ace Bird Sprint, 14 x 1st prize, 13th National Ace Bird Sprint KBDB in 2015 and co-winner (together with Thea, BE12-5030332, his niece) of the Provincial Championship Sprint in 2015. Check out Avril's pedigree here.

The Cavendish Family

Cavendish (BE08-5061019) is an absolute sprinter. He became amongst others 1st Provincial Ace Bird Sprint in 2008, won 6 x 1stprize and in the meantime he became grandfather of at least 12 1st prize winners. Anke and Anika are just a few of the hits, directly from Cavendish. The list of grandchildren and great-grandchildren with top performances is just boundless. Browse through Cavendish's descent here.

The Sachi Family

Sachi BE12-5030350 won the 1st National La Souterraine of 19,155 birds. Her superb performance in the longer middle distance didn’t prevent Sachi growing up to be a top breeder who brought forth many excellent sprint racers amongst her chidren and grandchildren. Check out Sachi's parentage here.

Babe, Star and Gaggan, 3 hits from the racing team

Jos Thoné’s racing team possesses so much quality that is impossible to write about each pigeon individually. It is also not possible to give them the same lable as Gaggan shined in both sprint as in longer middle distance, with top performances from Chimay (139 km) to Tulle (670 km). 

Babe BE16-2226194 / 1st Provincial - 3rd National Ace Bird Sprint KBDB Yearlings

Babe is without a doubt the absolute hit of the past year in the sprint loft of Jos Thoné. She achieved with great distinction the title of Provincial Ace Bird Sprint yearlings and received a bronze medal in the past National Days KBDB.

A few of her top prizes (without duplications) are 1st Vervins (178 km) of 2,379 b. 1st Vervins (178km) of 299 b. 1st Laon (201km) of 260 b. 1st Chimay (139 km) of 188 b. 1st Chimay (139 km) of 157 b. 6th Vervins (178 km) of 1,009 b. 2nd Chimay (139 km) of 234 b. 3rd Laon (201 km) of 342 b. (check out her full list of honours here).

The father is a brother of Gaggan, the other hit that won 2 x 1st National Zone C. Gaggan and his parents will be discussed below. The mother of Babe is Lena, a daughter of Jonker. Lena herself the 6th National Libourne of 3,697 b. but with a 1st Sourdun of 141 birds and a 19th Chimay of 1,082 b. has been proven to possess the speed genes as well. Jonker is a real hit and proven breeder. He won amongst others the 1st National C Chateauroux and 3rd National C Argenton. He also won the 10th National Argenton of 13,621 b.

Check out this magnificent pedigree here.

Gaggan BE15-2180258 / 2 x 1st National zone C

Another superstar of the loft is Gaggan. He won a.o. 1st National Zone C Chateauroux 2017 and 1st National Zone C Argenton in 2016. But 1st prices from Sourdun (320 km) and Laon (210 km) are on his record as well. His half-sister Alien also won 2 x 1st National Zone C. Find out all of his prizes here.

The sire of Gaggan is a direct son of Sedna, one of the greatest icons of Jos Thoné. Sedna won the 1st International Narbonne of 5,870 birds, as well as the 5th National Jarnac. She became Provincial Ace Bird KBDB in 2005.

The dam of Gaggan is Suprina, a granddaughter of the same Sedna, linked to the other hit, Crow (BE055148626), superbreeder and sire/grandsire of several (inter)national top-100 winners.

More hits of the Jos Thoné dynasty can be found in the pedigree of Gaggan.

Star BE15-2180016

Hit number 3 is Star. This hen won a chain of top prizes, like 2nd Laon(201 km) of 885 b. 4th Laon (201km) of 1,612 b. 5th Chimay (139 km) of 1,459 b. She was also very successful in the middle distance with a.o. 1st  Chateauroux (547 km) of 1,756 b. All of her prizes are listed here.

The sire of Star is Thriller, a direct son of Giruno (topbreeder and sire of 2 x 1st Provincial- and son of Iruna, 2nd International Irun) x National winner Sachi.

The dam of Star is Hollister, daughter of Zoon Nationaal II (1st National Limoges), but also a sister of Florian, top racer and breeder with N&F Norman.

Check out Star's parentage, which is crammed with aces all around, here.

The strength is to be found in the quality of the whole team

It is said that a chain is as strong as its weakest link and that is certainly the truth. In Jos Thoné’s racing team, in sprint, middle distance or long distance, there is no place for followers. Piece by piece the birds of the racing team are at first strictly selected by Jos Thoné to be tested in the races afterwards. And this is the strength of the colony of the world champion from As: the quality of the whole team. Each of these birds is capable of winning a race. Each one is competing for the spotlight. They keep each other focused. The master’s secret? Strict selection and birds with a winner’s mentality and speed. A strong combination on the road to success.