Vanhoudt Benny (Diest) has the 1st National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings KBDB 2025 with “New Kim 3”.

If you looked at their first flights of the season, you knew immediately that you would have to reckon with them for the national races. The Vanhoudt colony of Benny and son Bart from Diest in Flemish Brabant was on fire, but once they were on the national races, they performed even better. For them, it was the crowning achievement with multiple national ace pigeons and, of course, the 1st National Ace Pigeon heavy middle distance yearlings with “New Kim 3” as the cherry on the cake. In addition, they also became 1st National Champion heavy middle distance old and yearlings with a coefficient that was almost unbeatable. So, for this colony, the 2025 season will be very difficult to match; they are aware of that, but they are certainly coming to the start line motivated again. 

2025 Championships

1st National Champion Heavy Middle Distance Old and Yearlings KBDB 2025
1st National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings KBDB 2025 with “New Kim 3”
1st Provincial Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings KBDB 2025 with “New Kim 3”
1st Provincial Champion Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings KBDB 2025
1st National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings (6 KBDB races) 2025 with “608/24”
11th National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings KBDB 2025 with “608/24”
14th National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Old Birds KBDB 2025 with “508/23”
28th National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings KBDB 2025 with “648/24”

Super results of the 2025 season

Bourges Nat 18,634 olds: 25, 29, 275, 325,… 7/8 
Bourges Nat 17,189 yearlings: 11, 25, 96, 109, 137, 506, 1366 7/8

Argenton Nat 11,557 olds: 29, 348, 1072 3/4 
Argenton Nat 13,988 yearlings: 20, 89, 264, 664, 1167,… 6/7

Bourges Nat 13,580 olds: 100, 250, 582 3/4 
Bourges Nat 17,163 yearlings: 28, 97, 640, 713, 828,… 6/8 

Bourges Nat 11,056 yearlings: 3,89,159,276,378,433,527,900,… 9/10 
Bourges Nat 8,132 old: 92,289,427,595 4/6

Limoges Nat 13,016 old: 283,388 2/3

Vierzon Br.Unie 755 old: 3,9,10,22,61 5/6 
Vierzon Br.Unie 986 yearlings: 3,46,71,94,… 5/6

Argenton Nat 4.758 old : 60,111,175,… 4/5
Argenton Nat 6.523 yearlings : 40,47,114,386,512,… 6/6

Bourges Nat 7.666 yearlings : 36,193 2/4

How are the hens doing?

The team of hens isn't that big. At the beginning of May, I still had 19 in the basket, and usually I start with 24-25. Last winter, I let the few among them raise a youngster that was paired with the best breeders, and I let these best ones lay twice themselves. I didn't breed with the others, and I paired them in mid-March so they would brood for a few days before the first race of the season, and then everything was gone.

The hens are also darkened during the period of March and April so that I hope their form comes a bit later. But last year, everything went smoothly. The condition was excellent in the loft, and the pigeons were a team to be reckoned with.

During the season, the hens are kept in a small resting loft provided with small boxes. After the breeding period, at the beginning of April, I place elastic bands on the floor and, if necessary, a few large balls as well to ensure they definitely do not mate with each other. The window facing the small run is always open, and they have the option of going to the run or the loft. However, last year they were almost always resting next to each other in the run, yet they were still very eager to mate. Personally, I think they motivated each other through this.

A small corridor is provided in front of the resting loft, and the hens are fed here in the morning and evening.

Furthermore, the hens are allowed to train twice a day to keep them somewhat active, as long flights are out of the question here; I am happy if they stay in the air for 2 x 10 minutes. In the spring, they usually train for half an hour, and that is sufficient for me.

In principle, the pigeons participate every weekend, and they only flew a short race the following weekend from Soissons after Bourges, when they spent 4 nights in the basket. The week before the last national race from Bourges, they flew the provincial race from Vierzon with a very good result, apart from “New Kim 3”. She missed a good hour, which was unusual for her, but fortunately she came home and went straight to Bourges, where she was able to triumph once again. After this victory, we decided to retire her in the hope that she would retain the 1st place, and that is exactly what happened.

The hens' partners sit in the loft next to them, and they can access these cocks through a hatch. The partners are not shown before the race. Upon their return, however, these cocks are waiting and allowed to join them for a few hours. This is a different cock than the one in the breeding loft, and after two nights in the basket, I always kept them together until the following morning.

For the upcoming season, I have only yearlings since the entire racing team was sold. Of these, only 2 pigeons were allowed to raise a nest during the winter, and all the rest were therefore paired between March 15 and 20. After the first race from Momignies, everything will be gone and they will be on widowhood. This year there are only yearlings, and the spring training is longer than usual. I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but they are flying longer.

Just like every year, the racing pigeons received a course of Parastop from Belgica De Weerd before the racing season and a vaccination against paramyxo and pox. I repeat this Parastop course again in the autumn for all pigeons.

In terms of nutrition, I use the Aidi schedule completely with Vliegmix 1, 2, and 3, and I also use their by-products alongside this. Furthermore, I go for check-ups with Karlo Van Rompaey, and if necessary, something is administered, but for trichomoniasis and coccidiosis I always have to do very little because I have very little trouble with that.

Best pigeons of the 2025 season

BE 24-2086602 “New Kim 3” Hen
1st National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings KBDB 2025

3 Nat Bourges 11.056p – 1 Prov 1.678p
3 Soissons 298p
4 Momignies 662p
11 Nat Bourges 17.189p
13 Montargis 1.519p
15 Prov Fay Aux Loges 2.740p
20 Nat Argenton 13.966p
28 Nat Argenton 17.163p
35 Argenton 1.692p
67 Toury 2.926p
622 Nat Vierzon 16.892p
854 Nat Bourges 26.549p

The video below was made after winning 1st Provincial Bourges.

Father BE 22-4151739 Son Taycan x Sister New Kim – Co Breeding PEC 
Son of “222/17” Taycan is brother Porsche 911 x “580/18” Sister New Kim Gaston Van de Wouwer who became 1st National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Young Birds KBDB 2018

Mother BE 202042913 Kaasboerinneke 1 
Won herself 5 Prov Blois 3,120p – 69th Sermaises 3,076p – 129 Sermaises 5,788p 
Super breeding hen and also grandmother of 89th Nat Argenton and 97th + 137th National Bourges 
Daughter of “648/15” Tornado Line Pair Van Eynde Goovaerts x Line 178/94 and 231/86 J & J Engels x “031/18” JM & Dave Schietse is, among others, the dam of the 7th National Ace Pigeon KBDB 2020.

BE 24-2086608 “Geschelpt Asduifje” Duivin
1st National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings (6 KBDB races) 2025
11th National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings KBDB 2025

9 Montargis 1.200p
21 Melun 2.101p
24 Montargis 1.726p
28 Soissons 1.115p
36 Na Bourges 7.666p
51 Montargis 2.201p
61 Toury 2.127p
89 Nat Argenton 13.988p
97 Nat Bourges 17.163p
114 Nat Argenton 6.523p
137 Nat Bourges 18.634p
159 Nat Bourges 11.056p

Father BE 21-2116646 Son Kaasboerinneke 1
½ brother of “New Kim 3” 1st National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings KBDB 2025
Son of “992/20” Brother Nationaaltje x “913/20” Kaasboerinneke 1

Mother BE 21-6135539 Daughter Special Sweety – Orig. Bart Geerinckx
Daughter of “429/18” Strong Porsche is son Porsche 911 x Glamour Geerinckx x “382/17” Special Sweety is sister of “Sweety” Olympiad Pigeon Budapest 2015

BE 23-2034508 “Het Mooike” Hen
14th National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Old Birds KBDB 2025

4 Soissons 1.808p
8 Prov Orléans 3.505p
22 Melun 2.101p
25 Nat Bourges 18.635p
34 Nat Limoges 6.838p
100 Nat Bourges 13.580p
131 Nat Bourges 19.369p
214 Nat Tulle 5.753p
234 Nat Bourges 7.617p
257 Nat Sancoins 12.958p
288 Nat Argenton 18.837p

Father BE 19-2018106 Inbred Kaasboer – Orig. Gaston Van de Wouwer
Son of “425/14” ½ brother Kim 1 Nat Gueret and son Torre x “111/11” Van de Wouwer x Hennes

Mother BE 21-2116640 Bourgeske
Won herself 13 Nat Bourges 18,710p – 24 Prov Salbris 1,657p – 24 Soissons 1,657p – 6 Momignies 2,580p 
Daughter of “993/20” Brother Nationaaltje x “411/18” Granddaughter F 16 Van Oeckel B & N

BE 24-2086648 “Daughter Salbrieke” Hen
28th National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings KBDB 2025

3 Momignies 1.733p
17 Soissons 1.847p
25 Nat Bourges 17.189p
40 Nat Argenton 6.523p
49 Melun 2.101p
264 Nat Argenton 13.988p
276 Nat Bourges 11.056p

Father BE 21-2116319 Son Vierzonke
Son of 621/15” Tornado 621 Van Eynde – Goovaerts x “534/18” Vierzonke won 1st Provincial Vierzon 8,008p – 19th Provincial Bourges 4,164p – 24th Provincial Chateauroux 2,933p

Mother BE 20-2042979 Salbrieke
Herself won 4 Nat (z) Bourges 3,251p, 7 Prov Salbris 2,027p – 20 Prov Blois 2,932p - 113 Prov Vierzon 6,544p – 215 Nat Chateauroux 20,789p
Daughter of “106/19” Inbred Kaasboer – Orig. Gaston Van de Wouwer is also the father of “Mooike” 14th National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Old Birds KBDB 2025 x “518/18” Nationaaltje

Young Pigeons

With the young pigeons, the 1st and 2nd rounds are darkened, but the late-hatched ones are not. The intention is always for the first group to fly national races, but that fell through this year due to a difficult provincial race from Orléans, so the late-hatched youngsters are trained well. I hope to enter them 6 or 7 times, and in 2025 they spent 2 nights in the basket once.

The young pigeons always train in the morning and once a day. They are fed Aidi Breeding until the first race, and our youngsters always train fast and hard. This is also the case with our young powerhouses for 2026.

I especially like to keep the pigeons close to nature, and my drinking troughs are sometimes really a sight to behold. I put 2 cloves of garlic per drinking trough and always keep pouring until it becomes really slimy. Then I remove the slime, leave the rest in, and add 2 new cloves of garlic to it. In general, I always have very little trouble with trichomoniasis and coccidiosis.

We always go for check-ups at Karlo Van Rompaey's and use the yellow drops weekly throughout the season, and that is it. Our check-up times are certainly not fixed or regular, because last year I didn't go during the season for the old birds and yearlings.

During the racing season, I make full use of Aidi feed; it is racing mix 1, 2, and 3, and I also follow their by-products exactly as the schedule states. For me, that is easy to follow, and if the pigeons are in order, the rest will follow.

Benny & Bart, congratulations on these amazing results from the entire HERBOTS TEAM.

Buelens Kim