Bert Vanden Berghe (Wortegem-Petegem) : a classy breeding loft leads to very strong results !

Yes, I would also like to be a pigeon in the lofts in Wortegem-Petegem! Being able to stay in an oasis of greenery and tranquillity in beautiful lofts, with all the facilities to keep the maintenance and health as high as possible, is a blessing for the pigeon and the player. We tell no news, because the pictures of the lofts were already allowed to show off regularly when top results were published such as :

1st national Agen (Fyter)
1st national Pau (Den Boswachter)
1st national Gueret (Miche nationaal)
2nd national Agen
2nd national Agen
2nd national ace fond (Gloria)
2nd national Libourne
2nd national Brive
2nd national Brive
2nd national Agen
2nd International Pau
2nd national Chateauroux
3rd national Libourne
3rd national Poitiers
3rd national Brive
3rd national Tulle
3rd national Agen
3rd international Agen

This has also long since proved that there is also a lot of stellar knowledge available to get pigeons in full forme on the starting line.
Bert (in cooperation with loftmanager Bart) has shown in the past that he can read and select a pigeon and raise it to top performances

A golden basic strain

Bert had enough experience in pigeon racing to realise that, first of all, you have to have quality in your lofts to be able to compete at the top of Belgian pigeon racing. For years on end, he knocked on the door of the then golden breeding loft of Gaby Vandenabeele from Dentergem. At that time, Gaby had a breeding loft that was world-famous and that opened the door to success for many players worldwide. Even in today's pigeon sport, these pigeons can still be found in many a pedigree of national winners and ace pigeons. The inheritance power of this colony was and still is unequalled. A few years ago, Bert bought a round of youngsters from Gaby's breeding pigeons and managed to lay the real foundation of successes (with direct pigeons) and with the descendants of these pigeons.
Icons such as Fyter, Gloria were direct Gaby pigeons, but at a later stage other toppers came to the fore that sprung from this golden breeding vein. For instance, Den Boswachter (1st national Pau) is a direct Jan Hooymans pigeon with also Vandenabeele blood in its veins.
In a later phase, this foundation was supplemented with the best of Raf and Kurt Platteeuw, Jan Hooymans, Freddy & Jacques Vandenheede, Sorin, Clicque and some individual pigeons that were successfully inbred.  
This strain, even though top pigeons were sold, was kept fairly intact towards the origins. The results of recent years prove this, showing that quality has certainly not been compromised.
Also, the fact that there is a laundry list of references that succeed with these pigeons is the best proof that the breeding loft is brimming with quality.

Strong references as icing on the cake

It would really be surprising if other players did not succeed with pigeons from such a breeding loft. This strong base performs well in the lofts in Wortegem but also in other places. At Gaby Vandenabeele's loft, successful interbreeding was done with Fyter and Gloria.

The following is an (incomplete) list of references:

1st national Bourges 2022 (10,366 d) at Patrick Claeys in Aalter. Father of this pigeon is a direct pigeon Vanden Berghe.

Fyto on the lofts of Jos Thoné is a son of Fyter x daughter Super Romeo x Gloria and has become a top breeder and father of 
Hulk : 1e nat Z Chateauroux, 1e Sourdun, 1e Gien, 1e Chateauroux
Felix : 1st nat Z Chateauroux
Galaxus : 1e Bourges, 1e Argenton, 1e Argenton II, 1e Laon, 1e Limoges

Fytor (Thoné) is father of
Tulso : 1st Vierzon, 8th prov Vierzon, 5th prov Tulle
Kathi : 1st Laon

 On the lofts of PEC, Fyter x Gloria are parents of

Ace 169 : 2nd best yearling on 3 long distance races
13th wet ace KBDB yearlings
11th nat Libourne
1st prov Libourne
59th nat Jarnac

 Eyletten Michel & Gunther own de Gouden Bert 
1st Soissons, 1st Momignies, 2nd Melun, 17th prov Limoges, 30th prov Brive, 32nd nat Z Argenton, 43rd nat Z Limoges, 54th nat Z Brive, 75th nat Argenton
Golden Bert is father of 1st interprov Melun, 2nd Soissons, 105th nat Chateauroux

Eric Limbourg owns Magic Gloria
1st nat Z Cahors
16th nat Cahors
1st prov Issoudun
41st nat Issoudun
1st Souppes

Dirk Walgraeve
Agnar : 3rd best pigeon heavy long-distance yearlings 2019
1st nat Z Argenton
3rd nat Argenton
1st prov Issoudun
10th nat Chateauroux

Simoens Roger BE17-4018040

1st nat Z Limoges
2nd nat Limoges
1st nat Z Tulle
8th nat Tulle
9th class Z Brive
10th Nat Brive
18th nat Z Limoges
62nd Nat Limoges

Patrick De Smet (Zwalm)
1st Toury 3,240 d

Koen Crucke (Onkerzele)
 "because of Bert's pigeons I regularly win top national" dixit Koen
1st provincial Orleans (father direct Bert)
Hazard 1e nat Z Chateauroux (father direct Bert)
Nancy 1e nat Z Bourges (grandchild pigeon Bert)
Titus 2nd class Z Argenton (father direct Bert)
Laura 1st class Z Bourges (father pigeon Bert)
Lotte 1st wet and 1st wet Z Bourges (father pigeon Bert)
Pogacar 1st nat Z Gueret, 1st prov Gueret, 1st nat Z Bourges, 2nd nat Bourges, 4th nat Z Chateauroux...(mother pigeon of Bert)

Kevin Loyson 
1st nat Z Argenton (out of mixed breeding Koen Crucke - Bert)

A profitable approach

The method of playing, grooming, approach is relatively classically based. The flights on which the focus is placed are those from the heavy middle-distance to some heavy-distance flights (i.e. 400 km to 900 km).  These distances require the quality of the pigeon to prevail. Nevertheless, in the care, nothing is left to chance and Bert, assisted by Bart, takes care of the birds very correctly and punctually. They breed from about 26 breeding couples. They breed early and for their own use they keep 175 to 200 youngsters (also from racing pigeons). The racing team consists of 110 pigeons in total (60 cocks and 50 hens). There is no total widowhood. The cocks are played on classic widowhood, the hens are paired in pairs with one cock and are allowed to either breed or breed with this cock before the season to make them stable and strongly paired.
At basketing, the hens are left half-baked with their respective stay-at-home hens and when they come home, the hen that comes home first is the one that gets to stay with the hens first. This is where jealousy between 2 hens is already exploited to increase motivation. Before basketing, the yearling cocks are also allowed to 'caress' their hens for a while, thus learning the game and motivation. The old cocks in the long distance normally do not get to see hens before basketing in order to put them in the basket as calmly as possible. 
As feed from autumn to March Vanrobaeys Mauser (German mixture very rich in various seeds) is fed to all pigeons. In the racing season the Vanrobaeys Platteeuw mixture is fed supplemented according to circumstances with Beyers Special Mixtures, kemp seed, hulled sunflower seeds and now some fine seeds. During the year, Oregano ovv oil is widely used and, depending on the evolution of the season, enough fats ovv oil are mixed over the feed.
Medical treatment is never blinded and only intervened on the advice of the vet. The only 'blind' intervention is after the season where all pigeons are cured with a broad product for 8 days and then vaccinated with paratyphoid vaccine.

The results speak for themselves and are proof of the right approach

An overview of national wins and top placings was already available. Also in the various rankings "very fat" scores in recent years (national rankings only) 2nd national ace KBDB long-distance pigeon
6th national ace pigeon KBDB middle yearlings
17th national ace KBDB long-distance yearlings
5th national ace pigeon KBDB all round
15th national ace pigeon KBDB All round
19th national ace pigeon KBDB All round
27th national ace pigeon KBDB All round
30th national ace pigeon KBDB Heavy middle distance old
10th national ace pigeon KBDB long-distance old 
24th nat champion KBDB long-distance old
9th nat champion KBDB fond old
30th nat champion KBDB middle yearling

 2023

3rd Olympiad pigeon KBDB cat H
4th Olympiad pigeon KBDB cat E
10th Olympiad pigeon KBDB cat D

Provincial and local rankings are not included in this list. Besides the top prizes, a nice range of rankings which nevertheless shows the strength and regularity of the colony.
In the 2023 season 
19 times top 100 national flown from Chateauroux to Narbonne.
32 times top 50 zonal flown from Chateauroux to Narbonne.

Such results can only be achieved in an and-and story. And top pigeons and top care. Bert, who has a big heart for pigeon racing, built his loft on the best that was and is available on the market. With fine stilesmanship, he further wove this into a breeding colony that has now nestled itself at the top of pigeon racing for some 15 years. These efforts have resulted in national victories, ace pigeons, top rankings...in short, there is little left to prove.  An additional very pleasing asset is the fact that many have succeeded with the contribution of Bert's pigeons which further highlights the quality of the colony. It also looks nice and good for the future. The quality is and remains present, the pigeons are looked after with great dedication and the ambition to stay at the top is more present than ever !

Congratulations from the Herbots team !

Geert Dhaenens

AT THIS MOMENT BERT IS OFFERING A TOP GROUP OP HIGH QUALITY BIRDS 

THIS AUCTION ENDS THURSDAY 18 JANUARY AT 3 p.m. (c.e.t.)

Some topoffers are: