Yvan Haelters (Nukerke) 1st National Champion K.B.D.B. Extreme Long Distance Yearlings

A season ticket? I don't know if you can call it a subscription, but almost every year there's a reason to head to Nukerke, and more specifically to Yvan and Marie-Rose Haelters (and their son Davy, who handles the administrative duties).
Last year (2024 season) they won 1st International Perpignan with their beautiful fawn hen, and this season (2025) they are the KBDB National Champion in the Extreme Long Distance with their yearlings (1st and 2nd entered).
Besides the beautiful races, there have been other reasons to visit, such as a top result in Barcelona, ​​a series of top results in Perpignan, etc.
It's also a pleasant visit. A nice cup of coffee, a friendly, convivial atmosphere, and, in slightly cooler temperatures, the cozy wood fire radiating warmth into their home.

The best of Belgium with the yearlings on the marathon

While until the 2024 season, this title with 1st and 2nd nominated pigeon could only be achieved in two races (Agen and Narbonne), in 2025 there was one more race to score (Dax). Many agreed that these are tough races for yearlings (perhaps with the exception of Agen).

We do have a different perspective than the Dutch. It's unclear to me who's right. The Dutch get a kick out of racing their yearlings in the extreme long distance and consider this a rather normal form of selection. They also have races with afternoon releases where they can, as it were, get the pigeons used to overnighting, but they don't hesitate to put their yearlings to the test on 900 km. Perhaps this presents an opportunity for the new KBDB Board to consider an afternoon release for yearlings and thus better equip ourselves against the Dutch extreme long distance violence? In Belgium, we're apparently a bit more cautious and rather wary of pigeons that, in our opinion, still need to mature. We often hear expressions like, "What will they perform as two-year-olds?" or "Won't they be sunburned by the time they're fully grown?" This logic, or illogic, is used as it suits the fancier.

In 2025, the facts were that Agen was a relatively mild race with a smooth course, Dax was a tough one, and Narbonne was similarly tough. We're looking for a numbers person who can analyze this for us within one or two seasons: how many of the yearlings who flew these races subsequently performed strongly as adult pigeons?

Yvan and his team aren't losing much sleep over it; they've brought the national champion title to Nukerke. Not really a surprise considering the history of this colony. For years, it has been one of the leading lofts and a fixture in top performances and annual rankings.

Two seasons ago, 2nd national Perpignan, last year 1st international Perpignan, now this title, breeder and supplier of the national ace pigeon extreme long distance at Delbar-Ravens, and so much more, add to the beautiful crown they've already built. It's been a work of many years, a lot of dedication, no effort, a constant search for the best reinforcements, unwavering commitment, and above all, belief in their own approach and the pigeons' abilities.

It all started with the pigeons of the late Denis Vanderbeke (popularly known as Beki), who was practically Yvan's mentor and also ensured the necessary quality in the lofts. Later, pigeons from Joost De Smeyter, the Santens, Kurvers-De Weerd, Jan Ernest, and a few others were added. With all this, Yvan forged a very strong pigeon family that can handle anything. He's never idle or shy about looking for reinforcements, and it doesn't always have to be the big names, as long as it's quality for the long distance.

Yvan also has the skill to prepare a team of pigeons for a race. He's done this several times with hens (mostly) from Perpignan, and now he's succeeding again with a team of young yearling hens for the extreme long distance.

You need the place, the time, the space, the patience, and the drive to do this. Respect is due!

Girls in power, Yvan's K4

Luna, Liza, Mira, Bella… could we call them K4 for a moment? This quartet managed to achieve the best ranking in Belgium in the races from Agen and Dax.
They are hens bred a little later in the season and are therefore destined for the more demanding races later in life. Yvan has already achieved superb results with these pigeons in the past. A little more patience is required, but it pays off.
As youngsters, they flew Noyon twice and Pont St Maxence once in 2024; they had no more experience.
Around 30 of them were then placed in a loft with only shelves on the wall, no nest boxes. They were released daily via a shared corridor with other lofts and were allowed to train extensively in widowhood. In the spring, they were trained with the classic small basket, the first short training flights, a flight from Chateauroux (provincial), and then the Bourges II National. With this baggage, they were basketed for Agen. At Agen, they were basketed "off the shelf" without any other motivation. And in this race, they flew 70th and 236th provincial, which immediately earned them two gold points.
Between races, they are fed a very light mixture (to somewhat limit the mating). Before basketing, they are fed a heavier mixture for three days, which is sufficient to perform at a high level.
Between Agen and Dax, several hens were paired, and two were given a nest dish where four eggs were incubated. These two also earned the two prize points in the grueling race from Dax, finishing 8th and 24th provincial, enough to win the national title.

Mira (BE24-4087613) 8th provincial and 36th national Dax

This hen delivered a fantastic performance on a challenging flight from Dax. She was brooding, and this nest position brought out the best in her wings. Her sire is a cross between our own old breed and a cock from the former Depraetere-Viaene tandem from Maarkedal. On the dam's side, we find our own old breed with a touch of De Smeyter-Restiaen.

Bella (BE24-4087665) 24th provincial and 96th national Dax

She was paired to Mira and also bred. She also performed in the top 100 nationally. Her lineage, on her father's side, is a son of Gouden Ring Waasland from Roger Weyn (who also owned pigeons from Yvan) paired to a daughter of Marseille (12th national Marseille), who in turn was paired to Milo (4th national Perpignan). A lineage peppered with top national pigeons, each of which has proven capable of handling the toughest races.

Luna (BE24-4087666) 70th prov Agen and 380rd nat Agen

Luna is Bella's nest sister, who earned points at Dax, and thus also descends from Roger Weyn x Haelters x Marseille x Milo. With this hen, we have a solid core of Yvan's pigeon breed for hard work.

Liza (BE24-4088735) 236th prov Agen and 1,116 nat Agen

The fourth girl in the quartet is Liza. She was on the roll in Agen and comes from the cock Berrie (obtained from Albert Depraetere in Nukerke) paired to a daughter of the Kurvers pigeons with the Rubex (Denis Vanderbeke).

Believe in your own approach and always searching

While I'm being given a tour of the lofts by Yvan and Marie-Rose, I'm struck by the thought of what makes the difference in this loft to perform well, and I ask Yvan about it.
Believing in your own approach is the central theme. The breeding, preparation, and care methods have been proven by results, year after year. The message isn't to abruptly change everything because things are suddenly not going so well. But to remain alert to the pigeons' daily behavior.
Continue to believe in the talent of your own pigeon breed and don't sell the top pigeons too quickly. The good ones breed from the good ones here, and we regularly find historical champions in the pedigrees. Also, knowing that pigeons for the extreme long distance should be raced at their distances and under normal conditions, this talent emerges. The yearling hens had almost no experience as youngsters, yet they were at the top of the list. Can they or can't they? A saying that really sticks in your mind is this: "When you have a young long-distance cock that flies at the top in a sprint or middle-distance race...just keep an eye on him, chances are he'll be a good one"...one to write down!
Keep the medicine cabinet as closed as possible. Letting pigeons be pigeons, suffering and recovering is a good learning experience. Yvan uses a classic approach that has also been in place for years. Until basketing for Vierzon (the first further race in preparation for the national races), no medication is given in the loft. Between Vierzon and Limoges, they are given a two-day treatment against tricho (blindness), period. And then observation, preparation, and the medical package is complete if the training rhythm and behavior are good.
Feeding pigeons for the extreme long-distance only takes about three days. Otherwise, the pigeons are fed relatively light food here, and only in the last three days before basketing are they supplemented with heavier feed and some energy supplements.

Yvan also keeps his eyes and antennae constantly open to strengthen his line. It doesn't have to be just the big names; he's also proven that, by being observant, you can quietly strengthen your pigeons. At the Santens brothers in Oudenaarde (and this doesn't detract from their champion status of years ago), they were clearing out a number of old breeding pigeons. Yvan brought a pale cock with him...and bred the 1st international Perpignan from him. Neighbor Albert Depraetere's pigeon racing career was discontinued, but Albert had achieved some impressive results in the extreme long distance in the preceding years. Yvan obtained a few pigeons from him...and the results are already woven into the hens that became national champions...and a few other examples to prove it.

They're no longer one-hit wonders here in Nukerke; the proof is there in abundance, to be found at the top every year. Pure class!

Congratulations from the Herbots team!

Geert Dhaenens

Loft for the yearbird hens

Loft for the youngbirds