De Clercq Michaël - Van Puyvelde Inez (Smetlede): 1° Prov . Champion yearling Fond East-Flanders

Smetlede is a village located in East Flanders it is there that traces were found from the

Middle Bronze Age and from the Roman period . Smetlede was first mentioned in 1017 as Smitteletha. From the beginning of feudal succession until the end of the 18th century, when feudalism was abolished, Smetlede was part of the ‘Heerlijkheid’ of Oordegem. The right of Patronage belonged to St Peter's Abbey in Ghent. The administrative separation from Oordegem took place on 17 January 1793 . In 1802 Smetlede became an independent parish it is barely 4.03 km2 and has 1239 inhabitants !

SMETLEDEHOF !
Busy, busy and busy is the least we can say about our visit to ‘Smetledehof’ . With over 280 white-and-blue ‘cow animals’ and a chicory farm grown on water, it is hard work for the still young family Michaél and Inez .

FARMER SEEKS WIFE !
It might have been possible but that's not how it happened, Michaél didn't even have to leave the house. Inez, a native of Beveren and daughter of a farmer's family, worked as a representative for feed producer Quartes. ‘As a representative I regularly visited Michaél's parents' farm and that's how I stuck around here’ Inez said. In 2019, they took over Michaél's parents' company together , Inez would continue to work for the feed producer Quartes for another year before diving fully into farming life . The lady of the house takes care of rearing the calves , keeps everything punctual , does the bookkeeping , helps with the chicory and is also the mother of two beautiful children , Erene and Camiel .

PIGEONS !
Of course we are going to talk about pigeons , pigeon sport has only been practised there for a few years . In 2020 they decided together to start the sport , a year later the time had come. Michaél had already had a taste of pigeon sport in his youth through his uncle he was 8 years old at the time and he kept it up until he was 13. He had his own loft in the ‘yard’ but soon went to boarding school and came home once a week. He then decided to give up pigeon racing ........ Together with his wife Inez, they decided to go for it together in 2020.

ON SEARCH !
Michaél skimmed the websites and contacted Victor Daenen . From him he got a cock and at the same moment Michaél read an advertisement from a certain Geert Dhaenens ( you know him well ) he advertised with youngsters from the second round and he also contacted Geert. Michaél told the story of Victor and the cock and Geert would take care of an hen.

THE COUPLING !
It would obviously ‘spark’ , the two were paired up and from the very beginning it was bingo. In the first year of breeding , the ‘428/21’ was born. This one performed super as a young pigeon with .

LA SOUTERRAINE .
LOC.475 / 3°
PROV. 3976/ 21°
NAT.Z. 2032/18°
NAT.14315/50°

BOURGES.
LOC.538/4°.
PROV 4742/31°
NAT.Z.2955/35°
SERMAISES 2092/44°.

A year later, ‘DE 914/22’ was born another clapper with toppers such as 1° NOYON against 2357. P.

QUATORZE JUILLET 4058051/23
This phenomenal cock became BEST BELGIUM PIGEON 5 Long distance races yearlings Pipa 2024 !

His most exceptional prizes are .

SOULLAC NAT.Z. 1051/1°
NAT. 4073/6°
BRIVE
NAT.Z. 1060/18°

TULLE 1
NAT.Z. 1701/33°

TULLE II
NAT.Z.1637/39°

LIMOGES
NAT. 6838/177°

As sire this valve has ‘AIR’ 2101271/20 by Viktor Dhaenen son of ‘RAFKE 016’ (Herbots Kobe) X ‘KUMPIE’ (KUMPEN-LISMONT) . As mother ‘LITTLE JOE CRAZY F16’ 4128239/19 by Geert Dhaenens , daughter of ‘LITTLE JOE’ (Pollin Marc and Geert) X ‘CRAZY F 16’ (Van Oeckel Bart and Nance). As if all this were not enough, they also became parents of the mother of the winner ‘SPRINT ACE PIGEON ’ at the one loft race in Seville namely Marismas Masters !!! As second top couple we have to go to Moortsele with world star Tom Van Gaver . Michaél did not know Tom at all but someone whispered in his ear ‘if you want real good pigeons you have to be there’ . And Michaél went there to get 14 eggs with the result that also here a super pair was present. It is the ‘JUST FINN 'S PORSCHE’ as father and ‘CHARLIE DARK FINN’ as mother both from 2021 and parent of that super ‘CAMIEL’ from 2022 !

BREEDING !

The breeders and racers are paired around Christmas Day , the eggs of the breeders are laid with the racers. From the two toppers (parents of ‘QUATORZE’ and of ‘CAMIEL’) several of them are moved, they are used as bulls and have several hens per round ! The racers do not get together after breeding . Once spring is in the air the baskets are taken from under the dust and they start learning . Here they play double widowhood and when training they stay together for a few days but do not come back to the nest.
A weekly bath is a must and training the cocks do twice a day and the hens once a day , preferably as early as possible before the widowers of the neighbours come out ! Once a week usually on Wednesday and also as early as possible in the morning they are taken away for a 20 km trip . As we play heavy middle distance and the basketing takes place on Thursday they are not shown . They have seen each other the day before after their weekly 20 km trip ! As far as feed is concerned, they use Versele (Black Label) and Aidi , as by-products they use grit, vitamineral and the Aidi range and occasionally Wonder Pigeon in the fountain ! When calling the pigeons in after their daily training on the last two days, they get some candy mixture. The widowers are fed separately in their nest box and get a peanut when they come in ! The hens are fed together in a trough. The day of basketing the pigeons, at least those that are played, are fed four times ! It's a matter of being completely round at basketing !

THE MEDICAL SIDE !
As breeders of ‘white-blue’ cows, Michaél and Inez know better than anyone what it means to work with animals. Nothing can falter or be seen and it is the same with pigeons. That is why they call on the expertise of Wim Bodaert , his advice is followed . Youngsters, of course also the old ones are vaccinated against Paramixo youngsters 2 times with Rota/Paramixo . Furthermore against smallpox , in short everything is in perfect order .

YOUNG PIGEONS !
The earliest youngsters come out of the pairing around Christmas Day , in the first weeks they get a full breeding mixture . Then they are fed like the old pigeons , in the beginning they get a lot of freedom . Once they start flying well, the discipline starts, then they have to listen ! The youngsters are played on the sliding door and are trained in small steps. Every youngster gets its chance as a yearling.

AND THEN HE WAS GONE !
How much luck you can have but luck can also be forced and still . One day, some youngsters were lost and few are retrieved, partly due to lack of time and also with the thought that he who is gone is seen! A phone call came from Mechelen saying that a young pigeon had arrived there. Michaél didn't feel like retrieving it but his wife had an appointment with a friend in this area the next day. So it worked out well and Inez would pick up the young pigeon . Later it turned out that the trip to Mechelen would not have been a lost trip , the youngster was later baptised ‘ QUATORZE JULLET’ !

THE LOFTS !
They are all garden lofts (see photo) , the first loft a garden loft of several metres long was a loft bought from the late Camiel Van Sande known for his incomparable ‘Miller’ ! The loft was rearranged , they are spacious dry and airy lofts . They are located south-east . The breeding loft is located in one of the outbuildings , it is not big and there is no mass on it . Only the best are allowed to stay there.

SOME RESULS !

Chateauroux 445 JL. 3°.9°.32°.89 (5/6) !
Chateauroux 219 OUDE 1°.7°.8°.35°.56° (5/7) !
SOULLAC 99 JL .3°.14°.2°.22°.23°.24° (6/9) !
SOUILLAC 121 OUDE. 1°.4°.7°.27°.55° (5/9) !
PONT ST MAX 653 JO. 1°.2°.4°.16°.29°.31°.41°.43°.45°.47° (24/37) !
TOURY 310 JO. 1°.9°.15°.16°.17°.22°.26°.41° (21/31) !

KAMPIOENSCHAPPEN !
Dat dergelijk stuntwerk resulteert in het winnen van kampioenschappen .
1° PROV KAMP JAARSE FOND OOST VL !
3° PROV KAMP FOND OUDE !
9° PROV ASD FOND OUDE !
8° PROV ASD FOND JAARSE !
1° JAARSE FOND 5 VLUCHTEN PIPA RANKING !
WINNAAR FOVV OUDE EN JAARSE !
WINNAAR AJD FOND OUDE EN JAARSE !
WINNAAR FONDCUP GENTSE 5 DAAGSE !
1° KAMP FCD JAARSE MET 1+2 GET !
2° KAMP FCD OUDE MET 1 +2 GET !
1° KONING 1 + 2 GET OUDE EN JAARSE LAND VAN AALST !
2° ALG KAMPIOEN FOND GROTE OMTREK LAND VAN AALST !

Furthermore, numerous places of honour were won , top 100 National was played 8 times . 8 times top 10 Zonal and 6 times a first local, knowing that ‘grand master’ Van Gaver Tom is basketing there .

GENERAL !
It is pleasant talking with Michaél and Inez , when I asked the lady of the house if her training as a nutritionist is an advantage when working with pigeons, her answer was no ! On the other hand, her contact with the ‘cow animals’ was an advantage because they notice things faster. When pigeons are not in good shape, they notice immediately, pigeons that are not eating well, that are fat, etc..
They see it immediately. Inez takes care of the newborn calves, the first days are very important. Inez takes care of the young pigeons but tells them under the watchful eye of husband Michaél!
That she is doing an excellent job is proven by the results , still so young in the sport and with such exploits is not given to everyone .
A day starts at dawn at 6 am , making the rounds and checking whether everything is going well with the chicory growing . We make sure everything is at the right temperature and from there we go to the cowsheds to feed the cows. Checking that everything is going well with the calves, giving them extra drinks where necessary, in short, keeping an eye on everything. Over 280 cow animals, white and blue are their preferred colour and they are doing fine. A few mastodons of animals are housed separately in a stable (see photo). They go to prize competitions and often return to the Smetledehof with the title of Champion! Inez ‘ we have to do a lot for it and if it pays off it's fun’ ! A justified comment from Inez is the following " we have chosen the National game but as a beginner you are immediately playing against the very best. In football, you can play regional or provincial but in pigeon racing, you immediately play against the best " ! Whether she is right ? Yes of course she is right !

So you see in 2021 I decided to start pigeon racing , I met honest people who meant what they said. Victor Daenen remembered the cock , Geert Dhaenens who in all honesty provided a super hen . It was instant bingo (the Dhaenens pigeons are doing super on several lofts ). That other pillar under the name Van Gaver Tom provided the icing on the cake , his pigeons took care of those other winners like ‘CAMIEL’ ! Michaél got a lot of advice from Marc Van Houte .That we visited one of the better lofts in East Flanders with this tandem is a fact and I can confirm that their chicory is the best of the best ! It only remains for me to wish you congratulations from the whole Herbots Team !

Rudy Fosselle