Van Weyenberge Chris Jr (Heppen) wins 1st Provincial Bourges 1,852 yearlings

After his provincial victory from Sens, this is Chris Van Weyenberge's 2nd provincial win of the season. He moved from Tessenderlo to Heppen and has been racing at his current location since 2024 (only with youngsters back then). This year, he is therefore racing with old birds for the first time as well. Chris races together with his son, who is crazy about pigeons, and they had 23 yearlings in the basket for Bourges. All the pigeons here are hens, as only hens were raced and no cocks.

Bourges Prov 1,852 yearlings: 1, 23, 36, 53, 64, 84, 127, 151, 178,… 12/23

Bourges Prov 2,462 old birds: 51, 83, 102,… 4/12

The winner is a late youngster from last year that flew a few sprint races and subsequently, in early September, her only middle-distance race of her young career. Now, as yearlings, the late-hatched youngsters had to go along with the rest of the pack, so they flew all the races equally. The initial plan was not to take the late-hatched youngsters to Bourges, but Chris gambled on the fact that the care for the national races is excellent and that the late-hatched youngsters would return home better there. The first two yearlings are indeed two late-hatched youngsters, so you see. If he hadn't changed his mind, he wouldn't have been able to add this victory to his palmares.

The hens are raced as always.

During the winter and spring periods, the hens are always kept in the aviaries, and at night they are allowed inside. In the aviary, there are small boxes for young pigeons where the hens can sit during the day. In the evening, they are allowed inside the resting loft.

They only train once a day; it is not true that pigeons here go all out for an hour during training. I am happy if they fly for 35 to 40 minutes, and this week after Bourges it was even less, and I think that will decrease further after a few national races. Most of the pigeons that flew Bourges have now returned to Sens; they are allowed to rest here during the winter period.

In terms of motivation, I actually have a “chaos system.” I do not pair my racing pigeons during the winter period, and on the Wednesday before their first race of the season, I train the pigeons for the last time. When they come home, I let them spend some time with the cocks. That same week, they go into the basket on Friday and come home on Saturday. I then keep them together until Sunday and then separate them again. Voila, that was my pairing of the racing pigeons.

Afterwards, I never show partners before the race; I simply pick the pigeons up from the aviary, and rest in the basket is sacred. Upon arrival, they are allowed back with the cocks until Sunday morning, but some have a cock, some don't, and those take advantage of being allowed to be with a cock earlier if his hen is a bit late. Some just go sit on a small perch; I don't watch them and just let them do their thing. In terms of nutrition, I use Aidi's Vliegmix 1, 2, and 3. Upon arrival home and on Sunday, I give Vliegmix 3; on Monday and Tuesday, Vliegmix 1; on Wednesday, Vliegmix 2; and on the day of basketing, Vliegmix 3. I do this every week when the pigeons are competing in the middle distance and beyond; it is easy for me and for the pigeons. Regarding supplements, I use those from Aidi and those from Herbovet. Every 2 to 3 weeks, I give them a short course against trichomoniasis, and for the time being, that is all I do. They haven't had anything for their respiratory system yet, but with an aviary in front of the loft and plenty of oxygen, I have few problems with that.

Winner Bourges

BE 25-5060675 Hen 

1 Prov Bourges 1,862p
7 Sens 121p
47 Sens 1,309p

Father BE 21-2061233 White – Herbots Kobe & Kato 
Son of “948/18” Son of Super Two, who was 6th National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Young Birds in 2015 over 5 races x
 “749/19” Son of Evenepoel Antoon Neven x Bart & Nance Van Oeckel hen

Mother BE 23-5033865 Grizzle  
Daughter of “DV 610/21” Double grandson of Kittel Dirk Van Den Bulck, who became 1st National Ace Pigeon Sprint KBDB x “025/21” Diamant 1 is a granddaughter 
of Diamant Gebr. Van den Brande

Chris, heartfelt congratulations from the entire HERBOTS TEAM on this beautiful victory, and keep up the good work, I would say.

Buelens Kim