Robert Van Landschoot (Adegem) wins La Soutteraine provincial with the old pigeons

A rock-hard La Soutteraine, flown in hard pigeon weather, with tricky winds and especially high temperatures above 30 degrees made this race a real selection procedure. Only stone-age pigeons in prime condition were capable of shaking a top performance out of their wings. The course of the race also showed more than enough that it was not for wimps.
To turn the angle to provincial winner Robert Van Landschoot, I would almost dare to say ‘these who had eaten a good piece of meat could handle it’.  
This brings us smoothly to the person Robert Van Landschoot. Managing director and manager at the reputable family meat company Van Landschoot en Zonen in Adegem.  This family are reputable entrepreneurs in the pork sector and more specifically in cutting and processing pork.
Through all the crises, they managed to survive without any problems thanks to good entrepreneurship and, above all, hard and dedicated work and commitment. That commitment typifies them in pigeon racing. It is a hobby, an outlet and a passion.
Robert is 71 years young, still closely involved in the business where his sons take care of the more day-to-day operations.

Pigeon Armand (BE23-4145070) gives all old pigeons in East Flanders the slip
It is a blue coloured beautiful cock, named Armand, born in 2023, which gave all East-Flanders old pigeons the slip on La Soutteraine.
He was the fastest of 1,240 pigeons and thus also placed neatly in the national top with a 13th place out of 4,971 pigeons.

He comes from the noble lines of well-known lofts from region. In his distant ancestry we find Luc Bovijn from Bassevelde and Gerard Iterbeke from Zomergem with the strong contribution of a sister to the world-famous Topstar of Raoul & Xavier Verstraete. Topstar who has passed on his genes on so many top pigeons.
On the mother's side, it is a hen from (the late) top player Aster Vergotte from Aalter out of the bloodlines of his Frans, Professor, etc... The source of Aster in Aalter has also been the source of many pigeons with good results.
In the past, Armand proved his skills with nice results (see the pedigree) and this always on the races Adegem prefers, namely the heavy middle-distance races. Robert had 8 old birds in the basket and 4 of them placed nicely in the national result with a topper as icing on the cake and a provincial win. The week before, they had been brought away with their own transport and were allowed to stay with their hen for a few hours (and also fly outside together), hoping to stir up the love a bit...and apparently with success !

The season started with 22 cocks on widowhood and a number of hens that will be kept for the long distance races (e.g. Barcelona). 15 cocks now remain.
The hens (origin pigeons Tuncher Medmedov) are being prepared for Barcelona.
The feed used is Beyers and Versele and care is not made too complicated.  They must be able to cope and be kept healthy.

What you never forget...

When we ask Robert about some memorable moments in his long pigeon career, he pulls two out of his hat, viz.

- Limoges national 1989 : 5 pigeons basketed and 4 “on the first page of the national result”.
- And as a fresh beginner once put a pigeon on the Algarve One Loft Race (Vera....named after Vergote Astère). Vera did extremely well and was eventually sold for €20,000. 
No doubt another page could be filled with animated pigeon stories, but for now Robert's Adegem is enjoying a nice provincial win La Soutteraine !

Congratulations from the Herbots team !

Geert Dhaenens