After Valence, Montélimar is the 2nd race from the known and sometimes feared Rhône valley. Normally it is the known mistral wind that makes the race hard for the pigeons but now it where the high temperatures in France that catalogued this national race as ‘very hard’.
In total there were 920 fanciers at the basketing table who basketed together 4,552 old birds. At 6h20 the pigeons were released and the fight for the 1st place could start. The first announced pigeon was the chequered cock from the known father-son combination Regnier Guy & Michael. Their “B17-1155485” registered at 15h57min40sec for a distance of 612km or an average speed of 1,059.50 m/m. Seen that the Regnier family lives at the very beginning of Belgium the other competitors could start counting to see when they needed to clock but everyone had to let pass the ‘485’. Finally it were Novak Olivier (Herbes-Les-Chateau 1,054.80 m/m) as 2nd and Crowet Leon (Couvin – 1,051.43 m/m) as 3rd on the national ranking.
At 16h28min47sec there was a 2nd pigeon at Regniers’. It was the ‘B17-1155439” and this dark chequered cock could take in the 6th national place. They basketed 11 pigeons for Montélimar and 9 of them knew to clock on a national level with 5 of them within the Top 101 : 1st – 6th – 28th – 87th – 101st - …and so on. When you ask us, this is a result which can be showed off.

It wasn’t the first time that we could congratulate Guy and Michel as national winners. Before they already won 1st National Perpignan (2005) and 1st National Argenton Year birds (2014). Amazing results when you know where the city of Pesche is situated.

WIDOWCOCKS

At the loft of Regnier they choose to race pure widowhood. With a team of 55 cocks (inclusive year birds) the season started off. In Spring all widow cocks were being coupled and could breed about 8 days. There wasn’t a second breeding anymore. There aren’t any too little secrets to discover over here. They hate all kind of theories, the only thing that counts are the results…it is the basket that selects.
The widow cocks train twice a day and get mixtures from Beyers to eat. At the beginning it is the protein poor mixture (Vandenabeele) and according the day of basketing is approaching they get a sport – and energy rich mixture. In a medical way they were treated before the start of the season against trichomoniases and against airway infections. During the season they didn’t get a cure yet. We had the winning pigeons in our hands and we can say that they just looked perfect. White noses and a very tight head showed that there is nothing wrong with their health. In a matter of side products they get vitamins once a week.

THE WINNER
The name Regnier is for many amongst us a known name as they are one of the first that have to register for a national race. Guy and Michel always have to be alert as they can’t count on the ‘KBDB-online’ registrations to see whether there are already pigeons called in. Also the national winner is one they saw arriving….an arrival they will never forget. The winner itself is a marvellous pigeon in your hand …of a smaller type, strong back and a very strong pigmented eye in a smart head. He had just thrown his first pin.
And before we forget…the base of the Regnier colony is based on pigeons from Depasse-Lardenoye (Wagnelée), Jean Hausoul-Janssen (Epen), Germain Imbrecht (Bornival), Daniel Dutranoit (Boussu en Fagne) – Crowet Roger (Bois-D’Haine), Willy Antoine (Pétigny) and Leon Crowet (Couvin).

Guy and Michael… again a big congratulations from the entire Herbots team

B17-1155485
1st National Montélimar 4,676 old birds

Distance: 612km
Velocity 1059.50 m/m

B17-1155439
6th National Montélimar 4,676 old birds