The Bruges Fighter

The Bruges Fighter, a quintessential Flemish Belgian icon, finds itself on the brink of extinction, with a mere handful of dedicated breeders and fewer than 200 remaining specimens in its native Belgium. Despite efforts to revitalize the breed in Flanders, the northern region of Belgium, it remains perilously close to disappearing altogether. The main threats to its survival in Flanders stem from internal conflicts among breeders, genetic bottlenecks, and interbreeding with other breeds such as Ayam Cemani, Combattant du Liege, Combattant du Nord, Izegemse Koekoek, Madras Aseel and Malay Game.

At the African Ornamental Breeders Association (AOBA), we take great pride in our exclusive collection of these legendary heavyweight Belgian gamecocks. With ample resources, we conduct large-scale breeding, rigorous game testing, and meticulous culling, all while rearing them in the merciless natural environment of the Congo basin. We have amassed a collection of 500 Bruges Fighters, boasting the largest and most genetically diverse single breeding flock in the world. Our JKI-AOBA breeding stock comprises two distinct strains divided into five blends, making our private collection of "Modern Bruges Fighters" truly unique on a global scale.

Preserving the Bruges Fighter: A critically endangered Flemish Belgian icon.  by Jean Kiala-Inkisi

My journey with the Bruges Fighter began in 2012 when I became involved in an agroforestry project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, entrusted to me by the missionaries of Scheut, also known as "Scheutists." Through interactions with these missionaries in Lisala, Pendua, and Kinshasa, I encountered the resilient Bruges Fighter, often described in their distinctive West Flemish accent as robust and reliable layers. Initially indifferent to these chickens, I eventually succumbed to the fathers' insistence, driven by nostalgia for my maternal West Flemish roots hailing from Bruges. Little did I know then about their endangered status.

The colonial flock I oversee boasts a lineage stemming from three distinct blends: Cocquet, De Beerst, Loosveldt, and Staes; T'Jaekens, Van Caeneghem, and Van Damme; and Hollanders, Swanepoel, and Verstraete. These bloodlines trace back to shipments sent to the Congo in the 1950s-70s by the Scheutists, ensuring the preservation of valuable genetics amidst decades of inbreeding at the mission posts.

Fast forward to 2019, the founding of AOBA marked a turning point in my journey. Through chance encounters on social media, I rekindled my interest in the Bruges Fighter. Despite being preoccupied with various other endeavors, I found myself drawn to this breed once again. Through fortuitous encounters and collaborations in 2024, I facilitated the first new import of Bruges Fighter hatching eggs to Congo in over five decades, securing contributions from breeders like Joost De Meyer, Jan Martens, Antoon Krekelbergh, Glen Vandamme, Erwin Engels, Paul Vandenbussche and Danny Van Eynde. Marking a significant milestone in the breed's conservation efforts.

As I delved deeper into the world of Bruges Fighters, I confronted the complexities of preserving their genetic integrity amidst accusations of interbreeding and the pursuit of the breed standard. Recognizing the need for empirical data, I embarked on a genetic research endeavor, aiming to sequence the genomes of both colonial and Belgian populations to assess interbreeding patterns and adherence to the breed standard. These findings, to be published in 2025, will inform our breeding strategies and contribute to the conservation of this iconic breed. While acknowledging the breed's historical evolution and ongoing development, I emphasize the importance of maintaining genetic diversity and adherence to breed standards.

Moving forward, AOBA's breeding plan entails comprehensive genetic research, meticulous selection processes, and the establishment of new breeding flocks. Our commitment to prioritizing AOBA members underscores our dedication to fostering a thriving African population of 5,000 Bruges fighters. While Belgium's role in the breed's conservation is acknowledged, AOBA remains cautious about exporting breeding stock, advocating for concerted efforts within Belgium to promote and preserve the breed. Our crown jewels, the Bruges fighters, will be shared judiciously, guided by a steadfast commitment to their preservation and prosperity.

At AOBA, we are committed to honoring this legacy through diligent stewardship and collaborative conservation efforts, ensuring that future generations can continue to marvel at the beauty and strength of the Bruges Fighter.

The hatching eggs originate from distinct bloodlines within their respective flocks:

• Joost De Meyer cultivated his flock for over three decades, incorporating bloodlines from Ronny and Dieter Vandecasteele, Antoon Krekelbergh, Rik Snauwaert, Paul Struys, Marc Crommelinck, Peter Donck, Harald Heɓ, Jean-Louis Hoyez, and Andy Mahr.
• Jan Martens also spent over three decades refining his flock, initially sourcing animals from Wauter Lenaert and later incorporating animals directly from Marc Crommelinck.
• Antoon Krekelbergh cultivated his flock for over three decades, incorporating bloodlines from Christof Victor, Joost De Meyer, Rik Snauwaert, Danny Van Eynde
• Glen Vandamme (mentored by Antoon)
• Erwin Engels
• Paul Vandenbussche has almost three decades of Bruges fighters. He initially started with animals from former breeders from the Belgian Westhoek such as Miel Tahon and Antoon Van Loocken. Later, animals from Erwin Engels, Marc Crommelinck, Jan Martens, Danny Van Eynde, Joost De Meyer, Rik Snauwaert, Pierot, Luc Van Looveren and Torsten Stephane were added.
• Danny Van Eynde

I meticulously maintain separate strains and bloodlines among my Bruges fighters. The colonial strain is divided into three blends based on their origins from different mission posts:

Group 1: Colonial Strain
Blend 1: Cocquet, De Beerst, Loosveldt, and Staes
Blend 2: T'Jaekens, Van Caeneghem, and Van Damme
Blend 3: Hollanders, Swanepoel, and Verstraete

G1B1 - G1B2 - G1B3

Within the Belgian strain, I distinguish between two blends.

Group 2: Belgian Strain
Blend 1: Joost De Meyer, Jan Martens, Antoon Krekelbergh, Glen Vandamme, Erwin Engels, and Paul Vandenbussche
Blend 2: Danny Van Eynde (Linter)

G2B1 - G2B2

The decision to merge all the different lines of Blend 1 (G2B1) is rooted in the mutual exchange of genetic material among these breeders. However, I keep Blend 2 (G2B2) separate due to its fybromelanosis, which the breeders of Blend 1 do not recognize, along with its greater crossbreeding with the Liège fighter.

I have deliberately refrained from importing hatching eggs of Bruges fighters from Germany, despite some Belgian lines having a percentage of German blood. The quality of German animals, in my assessment, is notably inferior, being too fine and small compared to those from G1 & G2.

I want to explicitly state that neither I nor AOBA are breed experts of the Bruges fighter. We are just pure luck for what we got in our hands. All honor goes to the breeders who went before us.

Jean Kiala-Inkisi

President - African Ornamental Breeders Association (AOBA)