Herbots | La Chatre I: Old Pigeons

For the national race from La Châtre, 10,300 old pigeons were entered, and in this category we may congratulate Ronny Pannis from Geetbets. Ronny, a self-employed carpenter by profession, was walking around somewhat stiffly. “Darn it,” he says, “I put my back out this morning and can barely walk. Fortunately, this national victory makes the pain much more bearable. What a day! I never expected this. I started racing pigeons in 2016, and to already record a national victory is a dream come true, because here in this region the competition is incredibly tough.”

Only Hens

As a fancier who works full-time every day, you cannot take on too much, and that is why I limit myself to a team of around 20 hens, raced on the pure widowhood system. Every day at 6:30 a.m. I lock the front door and leave for work, returning home around 4:00 p.m. When I get home, the young pigeons train first (sometimes in two sessions), and only afterwards do the hens train. I use a flag to keep the hens flying for at least 45 minutes. Ideally, I like them to disappear from sight for about 20 minutes before returning. During the day, my hens stay in the adjoining aviary on the grille floor, as there are no perches available. Feeding takes place in the loft where they sleep. The feed mixtures come from Beyers. The basic mixture is Galaxy Light, which is gradually enriched as basketing day approaches. Both upon returning home and before departure, I add a splash of BT-Amin from Röhnfried to the drinking water. From a medical standpoint, I consult veterinarian Raf Herbots. Based on his advice, treatments are administered when necessary. Against trichomoniasis, the hens receive a tablet every three weeks. The hens are darkened (not completely dark) from mid-March until about two weeks ago.

Jitte

The national winner – now named after daughter Jitte – is a beautiful blue hen with a very strongly pigmented eye. “Jitte” (B24-2062210) achieved an average speed of 1,447 m/min, thereby defeating the old pigeons of Brugmans Sabrina and Team Hooymans.be. “When Jitte was clocked, there was a long period of anxious waiting because several yearlings had recorded higher speeds, and I thought that surely an old pigeon would still be faster than Jitte. But she held on and remained on the top step of the podium. To answer your question whether she was especially motivated, I cannot say immediately, but I do know that she behaved differently in the days before basketing. During the daily training sessions, she separated herself from the group and, while the others had already eaten, she would still be flying around and return later. I had to feed her separately.”

Ronny, on behalf of the entire Herbots team, congratulations on your national victory. Enjoy this wonderful achievement, and we wish you every success in the future—hopefully without any more back problems.