BOURGES -- May 25, 2002 distance Brussels: 450 km 23,725 old birds 1. Severi Jules (Halen) 1651.67 m/m 2. Vandevelde Maurits (Scherpenheuvel) 1650.61 m/m 3. Reynders Casimir (Diest) 1643.32 m/m 4. Roosen Pros (Kermt) 1639.65 m/m 5. Benaets - Bamps (Nieuwerkerken) 1637.07 m/m The Bourges race with old birds was won by Jules Severi from Halen. A very nice victory for a "little" fancier. And the nicest thing about this victory is that it was the first time that this fancier participated in a national race. Severi's win in his first national race was certainly no give-away, either.. The winning pigeon, 5056983/00, is named "De Raket" (the rocket). It is a black bird and comes from the old strain that his father bred. Those black birds have been in this loft since the early sixties. There never came another pigeon into the lofts, so we're talking about a very close family.