GEVAERT – LANNOO ( DEINZE )
1st National Argenton 5,158 old birds

For the first time this year the old and yearling birds could come together, a rule that the KBDB has foreseen for the last two national races. There were still 5,158 old and yearling birds at the start where the toughness of the race would have a great impact after a long season. The ones that would end up at the top of the results list are the ones that can take on many kilometres easily. The winner is to be found in Deinze, East-Flanders at the tandem Gevaert – Lannoo. Paul & Carlos run this colony together where they have been waiting for that real national victory since years. More than once they clocked within the top 10 national but the icing on the cake was only set in August 2019. Their yearling 4091036/2018 ‘Enable’ had already set a beautiful list of results and was bred on the racing loft. Both her father as her mother were at the racing loft and now she will get her own little spot at the breeding loft herself.

This hen is also a product of their successful way in building their strain, they first went to Willy Vanhoutte to be able to bring in the ‘Figo’ strain. Afterwards they got a real founding mother on their loft with ‘Chateauxke’ from Piet Blancke who crosses extremely well with pigeons from Gaby Vandenabeele. This mix of pigeons race really well and when you then bring the best racing pigeons onto your own breeding loft, the mission has succeeded.

A small racing team on total widowhood

If you think to find a large group of pigeons on this lofts is wrong, only 12 cocks and 12 hens are in the racing team. And these are all the old, yearling birds and some late breeds. They notice themselves now that the late breeds who are still are on the team are the real good ones.

The team is on total widowhood and end of September the old birds go of the loft and will make room for the future yearling birds. These can now look for their own spot on the loft and moult. End of November they couple everything and let them raise a couple of youngsters. This is especially important for the late breeds so they will be more attached to their box. After this breeding period they can get some rest before being coupled again beginning of March to breed maximum for 10 days. In this period they start training them and to let the yearling birds get used to their new living space. During the training they are very easy on the late breeds, they are being tossed sometimes 10x before their first race. During the season itself they don’t toss them anymore.

So the pigeons stay indoors as from September until beginning of March, from then on they start to train again and can build on a training level of 2x a day for one hour.

The hens reside in locked boxes without any food or drinks. They train in the morning, can come out for a while at noon to pick some grit and to drink and they are being released again in the evening for their second training.

Motivation changes during the season

All couples are fixed couples. They can see each other before the race and at arrival they can enjoy a bit of rest first during half an hour with some food and drinks and can stay together afterwards until the evening, not until the day after as pigeons recover much better overnight when they can sleep and are separated from their mate.

Normally the enter a race every week but the cocks do get a week off once in a while the hens race a short distance race.

During the season the motivation is being adjusted, the youngsters are being divided with the sliding doors system beginning of June and from then on the old hens train with the young hens and the old cocks with the young cocks. Our loft is being set up in 5 small lofts of 2 metres next to each other so it is easy to let them train altogether..

What do they do towards the end of the season? Well, they make a bit of chaos on the lofts, Wednesday afternoon all lofts will be opened during one to one and a half hour and the young pigeons can come and have a look at the old pigeons loft and the other way around. An ideal motivation to get the swung back in again. After a race they don’t make use of this kind of motivation and go to their own loft to be with their own partner.

4091036/2018 Enable Chequered Hen
1st NATIONAL ARGENTON 5.158 OLD BIRDS

Distance : 512,195km
Clocked time : 14:42:01
Speed : 1274,06 m/min

  1 Nat  Argenton   5.158b
  1         Toury           399b
  2         Blois            437b
  3 Prov                  1.635b
  3         Clermont      924b
  3         Argenton      762b
  5         Chateauroux 342b
51 Nat (z)               4.035b
30 Prov Orléans     2.445b

Father 4176043/2017 ‘New Baron 43’

Gr.F. 4275541/2010 ‘Baron’
Super breeder – Father 3 Prov Blois 2,380b – 3 Prov Orléans 2,445b - 4 Nat (z) La Souterraine 3,748b
Son to “979/04” Bliksem CEO x “164/05” Chateauxke Piet Blancke
Gr.M. 3095344/2015 Renate 1 Nat Argenton 11,215b D & B De Lodder

Mother 4070106/2016 ‘Twiggy’
Won : 3 Argenton 660b – 4 Nat (z) Bourges 1,002b – 9 Argenton 787b – 32 Nat (z) Argenton 3,966b

Gr.F. 4032050/2014 ‘Ensor’
Zoon van “087/11” Son Bliksem CEO won 1 Nat (z) Chateauroux 735d x “442/10” Sister 42 Kaafje 5 x TOP 93 National
Gr.M. 4175014/2012 ‘Amber’ 3 x 1st
Won 1 Prov Argenton 6,097b ( 6 Nat 25,949b )
Daughter to “314/08” Brother 14 Kaafje x “322/06” Gabytje Orig. Vandenabeele won 8 Nat Bourges 27,506b

Guidance

We made our own base mixture existing out of 2 different kinds of sports mixture, 2 kinds of super diet and Bordeaux cribs corn. They get this from Sunday until Tuesday evening, on Wednesday they get 100% Sport with as extra some energy mix. Then they have all they need to get at the start of the race. At arrival they get a super diet mixture without any barley added.

As extra we give on a weekly base 1 day Prodigest from Herbots and 3 days electrolytes which we think is very important. This at the day of arrival and the day afterwards as at the day of basketing.

Once a month the pigeons get a trichomoniases pill and if there is really something wrong we go to our vet Piet Blancke.

Paul & Carlos a big congratulation on this nice victory from the entire HERBOTS TEAM.