Herbots | Andre Roodhooft (Pulle): 1st National La Souterraine 9,469 old birds

Distance: 603km
Velocity; 1663,20 m/m

He won his first national victory in in 2012 when he clocked the fastest pigeons out of Gueret. Two seasons later, in 2014, he doubled on La Souterraine and won both the 1st National youngsters against 18,588b and the 1st National old against 3,184b. In 2017 he hit the rose again and almost again double up as next to the 1st National Bourges against 8,340 old birds he also won the 2nd national Bourges against 12,488 year birds. And now…this past weekend his 5th national victory was a fact…1st National La Souterrain 9,469 old birds.

With a cock

Andre… also named the “Keizer van Den Union” (Emperor of the Union Antwerp) smiles when we congratulate him with his marvellous victory. With a team of 23 cocks and 24 hens he is having once again an amazing season. If you are guessing that Andre follows the total widowhood system, you are wrong as for both sexes he races on pure widowhood (partner stays at home). The reason for this is that it is especially for the cocks a good thing when the partner welcomes them home. Andre noticed that the cocks which are being raced on total widowhood are harder to motivate the entire season trough.

The national winner is “B18-6230263”, a strong pigeon in hand and as many Roodhooft cracks a white eye…although this topper has a lot of red pigments. He already impressed with 13th Melun 1,210b. – 20th prov. Argenton 2,579b. - 28th prov. Vierzon 470b. – 46th prov. Issoudun 2,147b. – 236th Nat. Bourges 23,191b. – 527th Nat. Issoudun 10,603b. – 537th Nat. Chateauroux 16,762b. and 704th Nat. Chateauroux 12,855b..

Whether the “263-18” was motivated in a special way. “Not that I know off” tells Andre “but we can’t talk about his arrival. Nor I…nor one of the watchers so or heard him arrive. We just had a visitor and we must have looked the same direction the moment of his arrival. When a pigeon arrives I get a text message and it was this text message that told us that a pigeon from La Souterraine got home. First disbelief but a glimpse on the loft confirmed his arrival.

Darkened

The old and yearling team are being darkened since a few years already in Spring. For the cocks it is until 2 weeks before Bourges National and for the hens even longer. But due to the Corona issues the racers were being darkened a bit during daytime as well and so a peak in form was being avoided. Playing with light and dark on the loft to get form on the loft…even this isn’t an unknown terrain for Andre.

In a matter of food Andre has the full trust in the quality mixtures from Natural. He works with mixtures like Sport, Super Diet and Nutripower which he enriches with peanuts and candy mixture. A lot happens on feeling and experience.
Andre also likes to give a few side products such as fresh garlic, apple vinegar + Naturaline, oregano oil, lecithin oil, Blitzform and probiotics from several different companies.

In a medical way he likes to keep the medicine cupboard as much closed as possible. In Spring The pigeons are being vaccinated against paramyxo and paratyphoid. About 2 weeks before the start of the season he cures against trichomoniases. Nothing else is being given, but Andre mentions that when he thinks that the results won’t be that good he’ll cure against head diseases with either Ornisol or Belga Tai (De Weerdt).

Andre…congratulations from the entire Herbots team

Stefan Mertens

BE18-6230263 : 1st National La Souterraine 9,469 old birds