Eric Claus (De Pinte) To be a great champion you don't need a big colony!

Eric isn't particularly tall, but he's a lively guy, always on the move and with a sharp, quick eye. For a 68-year-old, he's a real busy bee. Professionally, he spent many years engaged in the arduous labor of iron casting and everything related to it, before moving to horticulture in the second half of his career. Intense work, always on the move, a wiry, well-trained guy. His love for nature, flowers, and plants is still very much alive, evident in his beautiful garden and that of his son in the adjacent house with its large garden. Flowers, flowers, and more flowers. Both gardens also serve as display gardens, and in the spring and summer, groups of visitors regularly come to admire all this beauty. For several years now, Eric has been in the pleasant company of Carine. Life has been tough on both of them, and they've found each other in a pleasant relationship, with Carine also strongly infected with the pigeon bug. She now provides administrative feedback for Eric, helping and supporting him wherever possible.We have to go back a long way, because the name Eric Claus has been at the top of the pigeon results for decades... and Eric adds, "I've been a pigeon fancier since 1973"... 53 years now... or rather, seasoned, we can safely say. Here you won't find a huge colony, no mega-lofts or equipment, but everything manageable, practical, and unpretentious based on experience. Just like Eric himself, actions speak louder than words! The lofts are garden sheds, very well thought out, and even adaptable depending on the time of year.

Everything manageable and manageable

In summary:

• 20 breeding pairs

• 20 racing hens

• 100 young pigeons

That's a description of Eric's colony. He doesn't race cocks once they're yearlings. This has been the case in the past, but times have changed, and Eric is adapting. He achieves better and more consistent results with yearlings and old hens than with cocks on widowhood. Furthermore, everything has to remain manageable and controllable, so the decision was made to race only hens on widowhood, and with great success. The hens can handle more races and stress, and the results are better; the decision was quickly made. He breeds the breeding pigeons early (pairing them at the end of November) because Eric is passionate about racing with young pigeons and likes to be on the starting line early with his youngsters. More about the success with the young pigeons and the approach later, but for now, back to racing with the hens.

Hens on widowhood...yes, but pairing with each other and on the nest is also possible

The hen racing team consists of 20 pigeons: 12 old hens and about 8 yearlings. The hens are raced (if they are still sufficiently energetic) until they are 3 or 4 years old. They are vaccinated with the paramyxo-rota vaccine and an annual paratyphoid (killer vaccine).Before the season, they are housed in a small location on shelves (and are also darkened during the early stages of the season). During the training flights, they are not yet shown a partner and remain as calm as possible on the shelves. As soon as the middle-distance races arrive, they are either paired with each other or with a cock assigned to them. I can already see some raising eyebrows... yes, it's widowhood, it's lesbian, it's a nest... all options are open as long as the results are good. It's quite possible that within the same team, there are hens racing on widowhood paired to a cock, hens in the same loft that are lesbian-paired and flying strongly, and hens with a nest (lesbian-paired) in the same loft. Eric states that there are successes and disappointments with all of this, but it's the pigeon that has to find its own motivation, and he likes to capitalize on that. In the early stages of the season, they are carefully trained, and as soon as it's money time, those paired to a cock get to see their partner before basketing. When we asked how long this motivation can last, the answer was quite simple: "from the first race until Brive in 2025." So, a long time... For flights below 300 km, the hens are fed Beyers Galaxy Sport Light, supplemented with a depurative mixture depending on the day of the week, gradually increasing to less depurative mixture and some Energy Mixture closer to basketing. Corn is also regularly added to the feed. Supplements include Hessochol, Belgasol, Probac 1000, Bony SGR, lecithin oil, and APF90. Eric humbly admits he uses a wide selection of supplements because his pigeons look good and perform well. It's remarkable that Eric manages to successfully use several racing systems within the same racing team. We're convinced that the eye of a skilled fancier plays a major role. No preconceived notions about this or that approach, just observing the pigeon, letting them do their thing, and seeing if it yields results. The training schedule is high for the hens at the start of the season, but the fact that they are raced weekly makes this less of a sticking point later in the season. Behavior and the desire to be home are the main motivators, so training becomes more of a side issue.

All roads lead to Rome...here's another one that's being successfully traveled.

Also making a splash with the young pigeons...until national champion
For years, we've been able to use a simple motto: "Eric Claus = top with young pigeons." People often say, "He's a true specialist," and that's certainly true. Every year, without exception, Eric and his team of young pigeons are at the loft. As a crowning achievement for many excellent results, he achieved the title of National Champion KBDB in the short middle distance with young pigeons. But this was just the icing on the cake of a series of titles and victories:
National Champion KBDB short middle distance young pigeons
1st Champion O.V.V. Five-Day-Six-Day-Champions League-AJD-Bruges Championships-Riddersclub, etc.
1st Provincial Champion KBDB Yearlings Extreme Middle Distance
1st Provincial Champion KBDB Young Pigeons Middle Distance
1st Ace Pigeon Provincial KBDB All-Around Young Pigeons
3rd National Champion Middle Distance Young Pigeons KBDB
3rd National Champion Middle Distance Young Pigeons KBDB
5th National Champion Middle Distance Young Pigeons KBDB
 Several other titles in the basketing club

This list is far from exhaustive, but here is a selection from the best of a relatively small colony that wins prizes every week! The first and second round of young pigeons are initially housed separately in a loft, but once they are all well-fed and training well, they are combined to be raced on widowhood at a later stage. The breeding pigeons are fed Vanrobaeys Breeding Pro Revolution and regularly receive Daflor. Succes Corn is also regularly fed, and this is how beautiful young pigeons are bred! The young pigeons are vaccinated twice with the paramyxo-rota vaccine, and with the brush-on pox and paratyphyseal (killer vaccine). This makes them strong enough to enter the arena. They are thoroughly trained (in about 10 steps up to 30 km) and then join the club. When the important races are approaching (middle distance, extreme middle distance), the sexes are separated and they are raced on widowhood. Normally, they come together for half an hour before basketing, and as the season progresses, this sometimes becomes half a day. Eric also provides some entertainment in the lofts with shelves, boxes, and hiding places, all to create a cozy atmosphere and stimulate their energy. He enjoys being among the pigeons, and this observation has already earned him many prizes. The young pigeons are darkened until the longest day, and then lightened later from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. the national races later in the season.
Johan Van der Cruyssen is the medical advisor, having been consulted for years, and his advice is strictly applied. During the season, this is based on a monthly consultation to leave nothing to chance. The young pigeons are fed Pro Revolution Vanrobaeys, which is later supplemented with Beyers Sport Light Galaxy and some Energy close to basketing.

Good pigeons as a basis

Getting such quality into those 20 breeding pairs isn't a one-day job. It's a process that takes years of hard work. Eric's very first truly good pigeons came from Luc Bovijn of Assenede and Freddy Vandenheede of Zingem. Those were already top-notch. Later, these pigeons were successfully supplemented with pigeons from Gevaert-Lannoo (Meigem), Norbert & Stefan Ally (Aarsele), Freddy & Jacques Vandenheede (Zingem), Gert and Frans Rondags, Dobbelaere Philippe, and Luc Standaert, via good friend Johan Van Paemel, and Lannoo-Ballegeer. Via Hubert de Vreese, pigeons from Bogemans Gebroeders of Lier, Vanhee-Decoster, and more recently, a strong acquisition from Germain De Paepe of Hansbeke. Breeding, racing, testing, re-pairing, searching, puzzling…that's how Eric works to breed top pigeons. It's no secret that many fanciers have achieved success with Eric's pigeons. The highlight is the 1st National Bourges (fastest of 44,000 pigeons) won by Walter De Ruyck from Nazareth (the dam of this winner is a direct Eric hen). Anyone who can race with Eric's pigeons has a good chance of success, a fact that also pleases Eric.

Season 2025 was back “boenk”!

The 2025 season was one to remember for both the hens and the young birds at the Claus household. The hens performed very strongly in the middle distance, but especially in the extreme middle distance. The young birds did the same, culminating in a top result in the final national race from Bourges (although the location in East Flanders was very unfavorable due to the strong southwesterly wind).

Jaarse- en oude duivinnen

Orléans  649 Ja 2 ,8,16,26,44,47,78  (7 van 10)
Orléans 567 ja 4,9  (2 van 3)
Bourges 414 oude 1,4,79  (3 van 5)
Argenton 227 oude 7,8,48  (3 van 4)
Bourges 466 oude 1,  (1 van 2)
La Souteraine 132 oude  2,35  (2 van 2)
Bourges 143 Ja 1,3,6,15,42,46  (6 van 6)
Vierzon 308 Ja 1,23,24,44,53,79,82,97 (8 van 11)
Tulle 106 oude 2,   (1van 1) 

         88 Ja 1, 23    (2 van 2)

Bourges108 oude 5, (1 van 1)

               160 Ja 4,12,26,28,45  (5 van 5)

Tulle176 Ja 2,9  (2 van 4)
Orleans 168 oude 1,14,18,35,47  (5 van 6)

Jonge duiven

Vitry 112 Jonge 1,8,12,13,15,16,17,18 enz..
Clermont 141Jonge 1,2,3,7,8,9,10,11 enz...(20 van 45)
Clermont 402Jonge 1,6,15,18,19,20,23,24,25,44,47  enz..(24van 38)
Clermont 302Jonge 2,3,4,8,12,14,18,19,22,23,32,  (30van 44)
Toury 290 jonge 2,7,14,16,18,30,enz.. (8van 14)
Orleans 1000 jonge 1,21,32,43,47,48,49,55,73,enz.. (15 van 46)
Orleans 880 Jonge 3,9,21,33,46,65,70,79,enz.. (18 van 35)
Orleans 527 Jonge  3,6,7,11,14,40,42,52,55,61,68,74,77,83,86,enz... (21 van 40)
Argenton 191 Jonge 1,2,11,14,18,20,23,25,29 enz..(12 van27)
Chateaudun 340 Jonge  1,2,4,5,15,27,29,32,45,  enz.. (18 van 26)
Orleans 517 Jonge  7,9,14,15,20,22,24,34,35,36,42,43,45,50,52,55,59,61,63 enz... 
Bourges 1446 Jonge  10,11,36.40,60,63,70,77,78,81,105,106,115,enz...(26 van 44 per 4-tal)

Some top performers highlighted

We could fill a whole page with results, but to emphasize the quality of the pigeons, we'll highlight two top pigeons that showed their true talents in the 2025 season:

BE24-4022224 - hen 

2024 als jonge duif 14 keer in de prijzen

2025

Pont St Max 10/587
Pont St Max  4/1018
Ecouen 11/659
Orléans 5/1215
La Soutteraine 2/132
Bourges 1/143
Bourges Zone 1/1294
Orléans 26/534
Pont St Max  1/60

BE23-…105 duivin (is a full sister to 224/24)

2023: jonge duif 13 keer in de prijze

2024: 16 keer in de prijzen waaronder prijs op Bergera

2025
Bourges         1/414
Tulle               2/106
Tulle prov      4/373
12 keer per tiental in de prijzen

These two hens have as father a cock of Norbert & Stefan Ally and this cock is a grandson Angoulême Vooruit x Chris Hebberecht x line Lucas and Belle. The mother (BE21-4038954) is a direct Freddy & Jacques Vandenheede and is granddaughter Matteo and granddaughter Edison. This hen flew more than 6,000 km in prizes as a yearling.

BE25-4054692 - 10 keer in de prijzen waarvan 9 keer per 10-tal

Clermont       5/209
Clermont       16/260
Orléans          123/2423
Orléans          116/2730
Chateaudun  1/792
Orléans          172/4523
Bourges         11/1446

The sire is a son of a direct Vandenheede pigeon paired to one of Eric's own top hens (Ally x his own old breed). The dam is a direct hen from Luc Standaert (purchased by Johan Van Paemel).

There are certainly a few more of this caliber to add to this list, but the above certainly gives an idea of ​​the exceptional pigeons Eric has working hard to maintain in his lofts.

K + S = -T

No, we're not going to teach math, chemistry, or physics in this article... but with these three letters, we can summarize Eric and Carine's pigeon racing: the K for Quality, the S for Expertise, which together lead to the T for Top Results. It's wonderful to see how they both pursue their hobby with great enthusiasm, dedication, and satisfaction, surrounded by flowers and bathed in a smorgasbord of top results. A small colony? Yes, but one brimming with quality!

Congratulations from the Herbots team!

Geert Dhaenens