Platteau Tom and Ante 106 x 1st prize in the 2024 season

Platteau Ante and Tom ... they play first prizes as if they were nothing. No weekend or rather almost no flight goes by or the ring number of some Platteau pigeon has put itself behind 1st place on the result. We already said it last year and we say it again with admiration in our voices ... “what a pleasure it must be to play with the pigeons like this. They are and they remain simply the “Wizards of Sint Katherina Lombeek”.

General Champion Noyon sector 1

When the calculation of the number of victories was made up at the end of September, the twin brothers could not believe their own eyes. To be sure that the it was correct, a new battery was inserted in the account machine and the sum was made again.... 106 wins! You read correctly, more than 100 wins were clocked. Agreed, the doubles of the overall results were also counted, but those are victories too! It is not logical that if you win 1st place locally, you also win the prize of honor when the results of other localities are added. On the contrary...it commands respect when you are the strongest against big competition. And speaking of competition. Tom and Ante, among others, play Noyon every week in the strong team “Sector 1”. There it is more than just “eating cherries” with the competition. As proof, we hereby give you the final score in the General Championship. Tom and Ante win this championship before strong speed specialists such as Beyls Pierre, Claeskens Jo, Van Loock-De Laet, Nechelput-Cornet, Peetroons Hans, Deridder-Vandenbranden, etc... 

If those aren't names like bells, I don't know what else.

Born to win

The seeing and hearing of the many pigeons passing by in their flight out of Quièvrain is something that still gives them shivers and takes care each weekend again for goose bump moments. Their youth was coloured with pigeons. They surely didn’t get carte blanche from their parents. They had to ask more than once before they could place their first little loft of pigeons in the garden. At the age of 10 the first winged friends moved in. In the meantime both of them read a lot of books and looked over the hedge at the neighbour to see how they needed to take care of the small animals. Father and mother looked at it with Argus eyes, everything needed to be in order really well. At the start they also couldn’t take part at the races, but after even more whining with mom and dad they could give pigeons to Quièvrain. If they could clock a pigeon within the 40 minutes they could put their pigeons also on the further flights. Mom and dad were convinced that this was impossible, but that weekend the wind turned directly out of southwestern direction. Full patience they waited for their first arrival. And yes, at the horizon the 1st one arrived after 37 minutes. Big joy for Tom and Ante, mother and father weren’t that happy. But a promise is a promise and this is how the tandem started off for their career in pigeon sport. 

From that date on they search everywhere for pigeons to strengthen the loft. They got many, not all of them of the same quality, but luckily there were some that wanted really to help out the twins. This is how Tom and Ante got a couple from Hilaire van Schelvergem (Ternat) for their communion . One of these two was the ‘Hilaire’ who was a fantastic racer from the beginning on to become the base breeder of the loft afterwards. 

Many years later they moved. Both Tom and Ante found the love of their live and a new location needed to be found. They bought houses next to each other and the pigeon lofts appeared at the horizon. The twin brothers could built further on their colony. Several different strains housed on their lofts by now. Next to the above mentioned base breeder from Hilaire van Schelvergem we also find the strains from Roger Schauwers, Van Nieuwenborgh Maria, Vergotte Astere, Marcel Aelbrecht , Van Roy Geert, Herbots Gebr., Van Den Eynde Louis, Ulrich Lemmens, Iwens Tom and Janssens Eddy.  Also Maarten De Mot was an important person in the building of their success, their neighbour in Wambeek who helped out in the beginning to clock the gummi’s. 
But strains and pedigrees is something the twins don’t bother much. They want results on paper. Those who don’t give results are out. A pigeon that can’t race 7 times per 10 in one season has a big problem living in Ternat. They get a full year the opportunity to proof themselves and the statistics are set. Marks are set behind the ring numbers and then a really strict selection is made. At that moment they don’t look at heritage. 
This strict selection gives results as in the meantime the Platteau pigeons prove to be worthy on the races from 50 to 500km. 
 

Only with hens

The care of the pigeons the brothers do together. Yet each has his specific task. Tom does the motivation of the pigeons and Ante does the administration and knows every pigeon by heart. Sometimes they yell and curse at each other. However, one cannot but confirm the formidable cooperation between the brothers, given the fantastic performances they can present and achieve together. They own about 25 pairs of breeders. They breed 2 rounds. Furthermore, they play about 75 racers and these are only hens. A 150 youngsters are tested and selected every year. The racing hens are played on widowhood (partner staying at home) and with the youngsters they use the 'sliding door method'. Here the young cocks are played.

The 75 hens (30 old and 45 yearling) are in 3 different departments. A part (the already proven racers) have bred early, the others did not have any nest before the start of the season. There is no question of a 2nd pairing either. “That's all too much work for 2 people working out daily” Tom defends their system. 

Those who know Ante and Tom know that the pigeons fly all weeks. “Rest” is not in their dictionary. To achieve top results in speed, middle-distance and long distance requires a lot of discipline and passion. 

On the medical front, they don't look too far, in autumn they get a cure against parathypus and before the start of the season they go to Dr. Vandercruyssen (Oosterzele). His advice is followed, but last season the man in the white smock had no comment.

During the 2024 season, the pigeons were treated every 3 weeks for 2/3 days against tricho (the brothers don't use the yellow drops) and twice for 3 days with Soludox. Nothing else was given besides the obligatory vaccinations.

In terms of feed, the brothers have no preference for a particular brand. Price/quality is decisive and then it does not matter who the manufacturer is. When they come home, there is a sport mixture on the menu and afterwards, the daily food is made lighter (purification and super diet) and then towards basketing, they feed heavier again. In terms of by-products, they use products from the Natural, Paloma and Schroëder ranges. “By-products are preferably provided through the drinking water” tells Tom ”if you mix too much on the feed, the pigeons eat less and we don't like to see that.”

The numerous references prove that the pigeons of Ante and Tom consist of the good genes. Pigeons that are driven to the extreme by these two passionate fanciers with great results as a result. And as already mentioned...they do not like paper pigeons, pigeons with pedigrees are less important. Here they only look at the result. Therefore these pigeons are a reinforcement for every loft because they have the qualities to deliver top performances from Quiévrain to Argenton. 

Best results  2024

106 x eerste prijs in 2024 !!!!!!

4437 jonge Noyon :

1-2-3-4-13-18-21-26-45-67-109-112-163-168-,,,,(20/29)

5061 oude Noyon :

1-9-12-13-14-32-34-43-81-82-83-131-151-157-203-,,,,(25/30)

2897 jaarse Noyon :

1-7-10-11-12-20-47-48-70-85-106-,,,,(13/17)

3286 jongen Noyon :

1-6-29-32-55-57-58-63-65-66-107-108-148-,,,(32/41)

2136 jonge Noyon:

1-2-12-46-,,,,

452 oude Noyon :

1-2-4-6-7-12-14-17-18-19-22-26-27-28-30-31-33-,,,(54/70)

516 oude Noyon:

1-2-3-6-9-10-15-21-24-26-,,,,(18/27)

323 oude Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-8-9-10-14-15-16-20-21-22-,,,,,,(24/30)

714 oude  Sermaises:

1-3-5-18-,,,(10/13)

250 jaarse Noyon :

1-3-5-6-10-14-16-17-,,,(24/34)

345 jonge Noyon:

1-4-6-7-8-,,,,(12/15)

380 jaarse Noyon:

1-2-4-5-12-,,,,(10/12)

239 oude Noyon :

1-2-4-5-8-9-10-11-12-,,,,(28/48)

225 oude Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-6-8-9-10-12-16-20-21-23-24-25-27-,,,,(24/27)

196 jaarse Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-8-9-10-12-13-,,,,(13/17)

292 oude Sermaises:

1-2-5-6-7-8-9-11-15-18-19-,,,(18/22)

136 jaarse Noyon :

1-2-3-4-5-7-8-9-11-,,,(13/14)

155 jaarse Sermaises:

1-3-4-11-16-,,,,,(8/10)

1674 jaarse Noyon :

2-6-7-17-20-26-35-37-41-,,,(15/16)

413 jaarse Sermaises:

1-4-6-7-22-29-36-42-49-,,,,(11/12)

693 oude Sermaises:

1-2-6-12-14-16-38-42-44-46-52-58-,,,,(24/28)

1455 oude Vierzon :

1-51-,,,(4/5)  1ste provinciaal

1168 jaarse Sermaises:

1-2-20-,,,(5/7)

171 oude Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-,,,(27/32)

298 jaarse Sermaises:

1-2-4-15-,,,,,(6/7) 

204 jaarse Sermaises:

1-5-6-7-8-9-14-,,,(8/8)

161 oude Argenton :

1-6-8-1419-29-(6/7)

292 oude Sermaises:

1-2-5-6-7-8-9-11-15-18-19-,,,,(18/22)

136 jaarse Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-7-8-9-11-,,,,(13/14)

88 jaarse Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-7-9-10-11-,,,,(16/17)

189 oude Sermaises:

1-2-4-5-12-13-14-15-18-,,,,(16/20)

157 oude Noyon:

1-2-7-11-12-,,,,,(11/19)

139 jaarse Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-11-,,,,(13/22)

116 jaarse Noyon:

1-3-6-7-,,,,(7/9)

98 oude Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-9-14-,,,,(11/12)

331 jaarse Noyon:

1-2-6-16-17-18-27-28-30-,,,,,(17/20)

624 oude Noyon:

1-2-3-16-17-27-37-41-42-43-46-56-,,,,,(33/38)

5536 oude Noyon:

1-12-26-142-143-,,,,,

3245 jaarse  Noyon:

1-14-66-,,,,,

100 jaarse Noyon:

1-4-6-7-12-14-15-,,,,,(8/13)

182 oude Noyon:

1-2-5-13-14-17-,,,,(12/20)

107oude Noyon:

1-2-3-4-13-,,,,(6/8)

64 jaarse Noyon:

1-2-5-8 (4/4)

112 jaarse Noyon:

1-2-,,,(3/4)

1674 jaarse Noyon:

2-6-7-17-20-26-35-37-41-,,,,

80 oude Noyon:

1-4-7-8-12-,,,,(9/13)

313 oude Sermaises:

2-6-7-8-10-12-14-15-16-17-18-,,,,(18/18)

103 jaarse Noyon:

1-3-4-5-8-9-,,,,(11/13)

259 jonge Noyon:

1-2-3-5-9-10-11-12-14-15-18-,,,,,

923 jonge Noyon:

2-4-5-9-32-34-48-53-54-,,,(31/60)

82 oude Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-20-21-22-23-24-,,,,(26/40)

236 jonge Noyon:

1-2-4-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-17-18-19-20-2123-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-,,,,(49/81)

210 jonge Noyon:

1-2-4-6-8-9-10-11-12-13-17-,,,,,(23/42)

248 jonge Noyon:

1-3-5-7-9-,,,,(19/24)

126 oude Sermaises:

1-2-3-4-6-10-11-12-13-14-,,,,(17/21)

61 jaarse Sermaises:

1-2-3-5-6-7-8-,,,(10/10)

72 oude Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-7-8-,,,,(14/19)

235 jonge Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9-10-11-13-15-16-17-,,,,,(35/62)

110 oude Sermaises:

1-2-3-5-7-8-11-13-,,,,(10/13)

58 jaarse Sermaises:

1-2-4-5-6-,,,,(8/10)

52 oude Noyon:

1-2-3-4-6-,,,,(8/10)

185 jonge Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-,,,,(38/50)

345 jonge Noyon

1-4-6-7-8-21-,,,(12/15)

246 oude orleans:

1-3-16-,,,(4/5)

125 oude Noyon:

1-2-7-8-,,,(5/6)

467 jonge Noyon:

1-2-6-22-24-,,,,(13/22)

71 jaarse Noyon:

1-2-5-6(4/5)

260 jonge Lorris

2-3-5-,,,(4/5)

215 jonge Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-6-9-10-11-13-14-15-16-17-19-19-,,,,,(31/52)

144 jonge Noyon:

1-2-3-4-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-17-18-19-,,,,,(32/41)

78 oude Noyon:

1-2-3-6 (4/6)

34 jaarse Noyon:

1-2-3-4 (4/5)

169 jonge Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-12-13-14-15-16-,,,,,,,(33/47)

58 oude Noyon:

1 (1/1)

226 jonge orleans:

1-2-3-,,,(9/17)

111 jonge Noyon:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-13-14-15-16-,,,,,(23/29)

Stefan Mertens