Van der Maelen Sonia – Aspelare 1st and 2nd provincial La Souterraine 2,029 old pigeons

Let’s go back for a minute to the national race out La Souterraine. After 2 nights extra in the basket the La Souterraine racers could be released with very beautiful weather but when everybody who consulted the weather site could see that they had to go through some rain shower on their way home which also happened. Not all pigeons could handle this very well but this doesn’t do anything to the top results of the winners. 
In East-Flanders 2,029 old pigeons were basketed and it is over here that Sonia and her husband Danny Van der Maelen showed themselves. At 16h58 and 47 sec hen “Blue Dream” clocked herself and exactly 30 seconds later there was another beep from the ECT system as top hen “Beauty Blanchetta” also got home. Good for the 1st and 2nd spot provincial against 2,029b. “Both came out of the perfect direction” starts Danny his story “didn’t fly a centimetre wrong.” 

Strong hens team

Sonia and Danny started the season with a team of 39 hens where now still 27 reside on the lofts. The hens team is being raced according 2 systems. About 10 hens follow the system of the pure widowhood, while the others are being raced according the total widowhood system. The winner was in the 2nd group but as her partner failed already a few times, he was kept home the last weeks. The 2nd Provincial was being raced the entire season on the pure widowhood system. 

The hens train during the week twice a day and this during 40 minutes. ‘When they go away for about 10 minutes first, we know they’re ok’ tells Danny ‘and if necessary I’ll be there waiving a flag the entire time so they train enough.’ 
The hens reside during the week on a loft which has a bottom that exists out of a net. The ladies also have an aviary for their use. They can freely choose whether they want to sit outside or not. Danny does keep an eye on to make sure that the ladies don’t pair up amongst each other. 
 

Motivation is important and at the day of basketing the cocks and hens come together for a small half hour and after the race it is mostly until the day after.
In a matter of care Danny an Sonia don’t leave anything to the coincidence and everything is being done to keep the top condition on the loft. 
The follow a strict schedule : 
Arrival: Electrolytes (Herbovet) + Herbobeets – over the food Sedochol + Immunol
Sundays: Thee + Herbobeets– over the food Sedochol + Immunol
Monday and Tuesdays: Quick (oidium prep Schroeder)
Wednesdays and Thursdays : Tolyamin + M.M.K. (Herbovet)
On the menu there are the mixtures from Beyers. In the beginning of the week it is Galaxy Light and the last days before basketing it is Beyers Galaxy Energy + Briljant.
In a medical way they were cured in March against parathypoid and vaccinated afterwards. After a few race they cured a few days against airway infections and before Argenton another treatment was done. As La Souterraine was longer basketing time and didn’t know such a smooth course 2,5 days Suanovil was given. Against trichomoniases the pigeons are being treated before the start of the season and from then on they get on a weekly base (at the day of basketing) a yellow drop in the beak. 

“Blue Dream” B19-4033494
1st Provincial La Souterraine 2,029 old

“Beauty Blanchetta” 4065104-18
2nd Provincial La Souterraine 2,029 old

As mentioned before 30 seconds after “Blue Dream” another top hen namely “Beauty Blanchetta” was clocked. A marvellous hen with an extra ordinary palmaris. She won until now 38 prizes without doubles – 19 prizes +  400 Km 

General results 2021 (until the beginning of July)

02-05    Sermaises  (310 km)  De Reisduif Appelterre  72 Old:1-4-6(5 basketed)***   

02-05    Noyon  (156 km)         
De Reisduif Appelterre  386 yearlings:2-3-4-8-10-14-19-19-27-29-30-31-32-35-40-45-46-47-47-53-57-59-69-70-74-88-97-99-105-107-110-111-120-128 (51 basketed)

29-05    Bourges (429 km)  
National zone B1   
4474 Old:113-177-332-432-585-642-680-972-1105 (11 basketed) 
3887 yearlings: 19-47-88-126-158-222-247-253-262-268-354-416-442-501-525-580-668-694-727-848-884(35 basketed

06-06    Chateauroux (476 km)  
Viane local  569 Old: 17-35-44-50-54-70-92-129-146 (11 basketed)
568 yearlings: 3-12-21-26-28-37-42-45-63-69-85-99-117-121-123-125-132-135-138-153-156-158-164-172-179-180 (45 basketed
National Zone B1 
3496 Old: 78-141-209-227-247-320-431-674-797 (11 basketed)
3376 yearlings: 30-76-112-125-133-177-205-222-328-362-454-501-581-613-618-645-713-724-730-817-831 (45 basketed)

06-06    Sermaises (310 km)  Hafo-Dender  1173 yearlings : 33-37-45-143(5 basketed)
13-06    Noyon (156 km)  
De Reisduif Appelterre  465 youngsters: 1-12-20-26-27-30-41-45-46-51-56-63-66-71-72-81-101-106-107-108-110-118-120-121-122-132-140-148-149-153-154(73 basketed)***

19-06    Argenton (  502 km) 
Provincial  3704 Old:60-326-475-620-793-1167 (11 basketed)
5443 yearlings 58-243-435-511-631-633-1002-1043-1077-1144-1278-1293-1335-1340-1361-1364-1403-1503-1641-1712-1791-1796-1799 (41 basketed)
National 14787 Old: 233-1088-1543-2140-2796(11 basketed
21282 yearlings: 249-897-1497-1750-2184-2186-3633-3789-3952-4216-4743-4794-4969-4979-5098-5105-5249 (41 basketed)

28-06    La Souterraine (542km)
Viane local188 Old:1-2-10-16-33-35-37(11 basketed)***
365 yearlings:3-4-17-30-31-32-43-44-49-53-54-69-79-81-90-98-99-109(31 basketed)
Provincial  2029 Old:1-2-35-99-201-217-232-591(11 basketed)***
3826 yearlings : 24-25-79-191-195-197-256-283-323-326-333-454-559-562-651-765-766-859-975-992-993-994 (31 basketed)

Danny and Sonia…a big congratulation from the entire Herbots team and please continue as you do, it is really granted to you. 

Stefan Mertens