David Vermassen (Gavere) wins 1st Provincial Valence 479 old pigeons

We have to mention them for the third time this year already: the colony of David Vermassen from Gavere in East Flanders is having a super season. This time they entered two old warriors in Valence, and both cocks flew 1st and 5th zonally out of 521 pigeons. It later turned out that these were actually father and son. The winner is “797”, who had already demonstrated his capabilities in the long distance; this is his 4th time in the National Top 100, and he will get to show his talent again next week at Valence. Once again, this winner is a grandchild of their super pair De Bruycker x Piggy, from which the previous winners of this season also emerged. Last weekend we flew La Chatre nationally, and a 4th victory was almost a fact, but it turned out to be silver with the old birds and bronze in the zone with the yearlings. We wish both David and mother Nadine and Dennis Annaert much success, and hats off to them for these results. 

Having a super season

1st Prov Orléans 19,050 old and yearling pigeons
1st Prov Vierzon 4,351p (fastest of 9,951p)
1st Prov Valence 479p – 1st Nat (south) 521p
2nd Prov La Chatre 2,522p – 2nd Nat (z) 1,526p
3rd Nat (z) La Chatre 2,375 yearlings

Widowers

The widowers are used for winter breeding and are paired at the end of November. They all raise one youngster, and afterwards there is only one more pairing of 5 days while the pigeons are being trained so that they quickly grasp the system. The pigeons from Valence flew middle distance and Orléans provincial several times in the month of May; afterwards they did Vierzon and Bourges. Then followed a week of rest and they went to Valence; now they are getting another week of rest and Valence follows again. The pigeons that are given a week of rest and stay at home are always taken out by hand on Saturday morning to a distance of 45 km. They return home with their hen waiting, allowing them to stay together for an hour. We do this primarily to get the cocks away from the loft, restore their speed, and give them a good run over that short distance. For national races, they are always allowed to stay together for 3 hours after the flight.

The pigeons always train twice a day; we only skip the evening session if it is hot. They do train on Wednesday, the day of basketing; if basketing is on Thursday evening, they do not train on Thursday morning. In any case, the day after the flight is a rest day, and everything remains indoors.

Regarding the feeding schedule, I use Aidi's plan for the middle-distance races, although all widowers receive food and drink separately. The day after returning, they receive a detox mixture to cleanse themselves, and we give them Zell Oxygen along with Optimix and Viktus pigeon from Herbots. We have certainly been feeding our pigeons several times a day during the last few days. Electrolytes are never administered here, and the day after returning home, they receive a yellow drop in their beak.

Valence Winner

BE 22-4044797 Blue Cock

10 Nat Valence 4.925p ( 1 Prov 479p – 1 Nat (z) 521p )
38 Nat Cahors 5.226p
75 Nat Aurillac 6.512p ( 2 Nat (z) 1.577p )
82 Nat Bergerac 3.157p
404 Prov Toury 21.248p

His son is therefore BE 23-4032104; he wins 7th Prov Valence 479p – 5th Nat (z) 521p in the same race as his father.

Father BE 17-4184782 Checkered – Nicky De Vos
Son of “512” Fenomenale Brive won 2nd Nat Brive 9,126p and 4th Nat (z) Tulle 3,358p x “275/15” Blue De Smeyter – Restiaen x Nicky De Vos

Mother BE 20-4013239 Daughter of breeding pair De Bruycker x Piggy
Sister of “618” who is father of “775/25” 1st Prov Orléans 19,050 old and yearling pigeons and 1st Noyon 1,585p
Sister of “176/23” is father of “756/25” 1st Prov Vierzon 4,351p (fastest of 9,951p )

Congratulations to the entire team on this amazing victory and best of luck this season from the whole HERBOTS TEAM.

Buelens Kim