For the first time this season, the old and yearlings raced together in a national race (the rule for the last 3 national races this season) and there were still 5,166 old birds at the start in this really tough season. For the winner we drive to the East Flemish Baasrode where we visit the tandem Eddy Noël and Ivan Willockx. Both gentlemen are very active in the pigeon sport and together they plan their strategy in the winter and try to realize it in the summer. They have been able to do this quite well for several years and now it is a national icing on the cake for this team that has been racing here under this name since 2016 in the current lofts.

In total they won 7 x TOP 100 National on Sunday, which makes the performance even more beautiful

Argenton National 5.166 old birds : 1,48,61,82,201,428,434,523,… 20/24
Argenton National 22.869 young birds : 75,77,93,281,394,720,851,921,926,932,944,… 22/71

Hens from widowhood to the game with the youngsters

Due to Eddy's busy activities, it was decided for this racing season to only start with 25 hens instead of 35 couples in total widowhood. These were then raced on classic widowhood and were not darkened in the spring. They do live in a loft that is already dark by itself, so that the bumping of the feathers remains under control. Give a lot and they will bump less anyway. The winner of Sunday had now thrown her 4th pen and her season is over anyway.

The hens train when they are raced on widowhood 1x a day very early in the morning (read = 06:00 in the morning). They then race a schedule of a few sprint races, middle distance and then towards Vierzon, Bourges, Argenton, Issoudun and even Brive. The winner has covered a lot of kilometers but still found the motivation to win a national victory.

The switch from widowhood to young pigeons

The youngsters are always given free rein here, they can fly outside all day without pressure. A natural choice that gives the pigeons and fancier little stress. The old and yearling hens came to accompany the youngsters' loft about 4 weeks ago and were allowed to choose a young cock as a partner. A new motivation, a new zest, when they get tired of ordinary widowhood it can be a golden move.

The hens also had free play outside every day and with some grit in the grass and tobacco stems there too, the pressure was relieved. They also have a bath available every day and they do what they want. In total they fly the whole day maybe 2 to 3 hours in total but always in small pieces.But of course you get hens that mate quickly and less quickly, so that the pigeons are basketed in different nest positions. The winner of Argenton was at the end of brooding when basketing. From Bourges II onwards, all racing pigeons were illuminated until the end of the season.

As the founder of Aidi mixtures, of course, they only get this food in terms of food. The hens get Racing Mix 1+2+3 until they race Noyon and when they go to the middle distance and 2 nights in the basket I switch to Girl Power which they get daily. I only added some Vliegmix 3 to one day long distance and 3 nights in a basket, but it all depends on how they train and how tough the flight will be.

As main support we use the following products from the Aidi range (Health Elixir, Condition Booster, Recup Fast and Omega Plus Oil Extra). They also get a lot of Pro Bacterial in the drinking water and they work with the yellow drops every week.

When we check our pigeons, we do this either with Raf Herbots or with Karlo Van Rompaey. Both their advice is followed when something is found, but we try to stay off the medication as much as possible.

Winner Argenton

BE 21-6021019 “Blue Favourite” Hen
1st National Argenton 5.166 old birds

Clocked : 14:19:58
Distance : 528,180 km
Velocity : 1390,07 m/min

Sire BE 14-6228953 Kleine Geerinckx – B&J Geerinckx 

Gr.F. BE 12-6323133 Dreamboy - B&J Geerinckx
                Son from “Fluwelen 18” x “Witpen Wouters” Marcel Wouters
Gr.M. BE 13-6143814 Daughter Ad – Marcel Wouters
                Daughter from “Den Ad” 1st Olympiad bird Cat.B Nitra 2013 x “Black & White” B&J Geerinckx
                topracing hen and daughter from foundation pair “Wittekop Sylvester” x “Willyke”

Mother BE 18-4013528 Favorietje

Gr.F. BE 13-6273446 Eddies Favorite
                Son from “Constant” x “Sandrine”
Gr.M. BE 14-6228647 Super Gaston 647 – Gaston Vandewouwer
                Daughter from “Oscar” x “Inbred Kaasboer” 

Eddy and Ivan, congratulations on this great victory from the entire HERBOTS TEAM.

Buelens Kim