Jan Mees from Heverlee continues to build on his successful Igor breeding line

We have happily driven to Jan Mees from Heverlee in Brabant several times to put his pigeons in the spotlight. Jan himself does not like this attention, but if the achievements are there, it is difficult to ignore. Jan has been honored several times in the past 3 years for a national ace pigeon or World Best Pigeon. He also became a Superstar in 2022 in the sprint of the Golden Pigeon, which means that you must have a strong racing team across the board.

The highlights here are mainly “Igor” – “Emile” – “Jules” and the brothers “Apollo 1 and 2”. If you can go to war with such men, it is possible to achieve real top results. There is a major disadvantage to this story, the pigeons can increase their coefficients due to their own loft mates, which means you are less likely to be in the running. to play a national ace pigeon in the top 5. But that's what bothers Jan the least, he plays with the pigeons for fun and if things aren't going well then that's the way it is.

The 2023 season also brought wonderful results that you can admire below and for the future he has 2 fantastic breeding lines for roses.

Some super results from the 2023 season

Soissons 957 old / yls : 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10,… 
Momignies 703 old / yls : 1,2,3,4,5,6,… 
Soissons 698 old / yls : 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,10,…. 
Nanteuil 764 old / yls : 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10,… 
Melun 624 old / yls : 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,… 
Nanteuil 387 old / yls : 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,… 
Momignies 316 old / yls : 1,3,4,5,6,8,9,10,… 
Soissons 157 old / yls : 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,…. 
Momignies 174 old / yls : 1,2,3,4,5,… 
Laon 207 old / yls : 1,3,3,5,… 
Momignies 447 old / yls : 1,2,3,4,… 
Nantieul 342 old / yls : 1,2,3,… 
Momignies 973 old / yls : 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,… 

11 Nat Ace sprint KBDB 2023
15 Nat Champion sprint old / yls KBDB 2023

Overview of other championships in 2021-2022

1st World Best Pigeon Ace Pigeon Sprint 2021
1st Superstar Sprint Golden Pigeon 2022
2nd National Ace Pigeon sprint old birds KBDB 2021
7th National Champion sprint old KBDB 2021
8th National Champion sprint old KBDB 2022
13th National Ace pigeon sprint old birds KBDB 2022
14th National Ace Pigeon sprint yearlings KBDB 2021
20th National Ace pigeon sprint old birds KBDB 2021
22nd National Ace pigeon sprint old birds KBDB 2022
29th National Ace pigeon sprint old birds KBDB 2022

Racing team 

In the current racing team there are 29 widowers and 9 hens. These 9 hens are raced on total widowhood together with 9 cocks. The hens that fly well after a few weeks, the cocks are kept at home and vice versa. The other widowers race on classic widowhood. In the winter the racing pigeons get a rest and there is no training because of problems with the birds of prey. In March they are coupled to brood for 10 days and then the widowhood can start.

The hens are in a resting loft and the cocks are half box with their saucer turned upside down, but they cannot see it. When basketing, no motivation is given and all pigeons are taken away in this way. Jan is reassured that after 2 times the pigeons know what is going on and especially the old pigeons know their profession so that extra effort is not made.The hens train once a day in the evening and the widowers twice a day. The hens train less than the widowers, but as long as they come I don't attach much importance to that. I try to stick to a fixed system and not to change every week, a pigeon needs regularity.

The best pigeons in the sprint are kept there and then a team is put together for the middle distance and with a few he goes to the national races where top hen “Ariane” shone last season with 2x top 100 National.

What a breeding couple of superstars “Igor” – “Emile” – “Jules”

Sometimes you discover a couple in your breeding loft that you think is actually a good couple. Although Jan himself will never blow the whistle and show off with this, we will say this for him. The “Igor” couple is a couple from a good family, it's that simple. The father is “889/15”, this cock is direct from Roger Engelen and is a son of “Kleine Blauwe” 12 Nat Ace Pigeon KBDB 2009. The mother is “Elfke” (crossing Maurits Haesendonckx x Deno – Herbots x Irene Beelen) .

Together they are the parents of 3 superstars in the racing loft and a real top breeder in the breeding loft.

BE 19-2138114 “Igor” Cock
1st World Best Pigeon Ace Pigeon Speed ​​2021
2nd National Ace Pigeon Speed ​​old KBDB 2021

Won 1 Soissons 1,941p – 1 Nanteuil 904p – 1 Soissons 835p – 1 Nanteuil 817p – 1 Soissons 601p – 1 Soissons 529p – 1 Soissons 341p – 2 Nanteuil 416p - …

BE 20-2054652 “Jules”
11th National Ace Pigeon speed old birds KBDB 2023
20th National Ace Pigeon speed old birds KBDB 2021
29th National Ace Pigeon speed old birds KBDB 2022

Won 8 clear first prizes and a total of 18 x per 100

1 Soissons 990p – 1 Soissons 786p – 1 Momignies 703p – 1 Soissons 698p
1 Nanteuil 342p – 1 Nanteuil 285p – 1 Soissons 248p – 1 Soissons 170p
2 Nanteuil 387p – 2 Mom ignies 356p – 3 Nanteuil 764p – 3 Soissons 601p 
4 Nanteuil 817p – 4 Soissons 457p – 4 Soissons 403p – 5 Nanteuil 1,524p
5 Soissons 804p – 8 Momignies 859p

BE 20-2054653 “Emile”
13th National Ace Pigeon speed old birds KBDB 2022
Won 4 clear first prizes and 11 x per 100 

Won 1 Soissons 996p – 1 Nanteuil 435p – 1 Nanteuil 285p – 1 Soissons 145p
2 Soissons 1,158p – 2 Soissons 758p – 2 Soissons 402p – 2 Nanteuil 206p
3 Nanteuil 1,524p – 4 Soissons 804p – 5 Soissons 526p – 7 Soissons 601p - …

BE 17-2087373” Sister Igor
Is mother of “225/22” 2 x 1st 
Is mother of “650/20” 5 x 1st 
Is mother of “277/22” 3 x 1st 
Is grandmother of “237/22” 4 x 1st

Specially and for the first time, Jan is bringing a unique selection of children from his best racers and one from his super couple. It is with pleasure and pride that we present these top pigeons to you

BE 22-2129957 “Sister Igor” 
A daughter of the famous Igor couple. 
Young and talented for the future and sister of 4 proven top horses.

BE 22-2129963 “Igor 963”

This is a son of “Igor” x top racing bird “Ariane” 58 National Bourges 12,052p – 93 Nat Argenton 9,851p

BE 22-2129968 “Juliana 968”

A beautiful daughter of superstar “Jules” 3 x TOP 30 National Ace pigeons speed KBDB 2021-2022-2023 x “Icha 643” (full sister of mother Ariane)

BE 22-2129966 “Apollina 966”

This top hen is a daughter of “Apollo II” (14th National Ace Pigeon sprint KBDB 2021 and 6 x 1st) x “Sister Igor”. 
Or the two best breeding lines of Jan Mees linked together.

Jan, thank you very much for this visit and congratulations on your great performance from the entire HERBOTS TEAM.

Buelens Kim