Callens Paul - Heestert is a solid value on Barcelona
29 Mar 2020
In 1995 Paul Callens started off his pigeon career, not immediately on the extreme long distance races but first on the middle distance races. He noticed rather fast that these races wasn't really what he was looking for and admired pigeons that could handle 900 to 1000km.
By reading about it he found 3 lofts where he wanted to go to get pigeons. These were the Brothers Bruggeman, Cor De Heijde and Harinck Poelmans. Later also Hugo De Jonghe (who believes strongly in the Bruggeman pigeos and also got successes with them) and from Ande Dekens (who had Vanderwegen and Hein Oostenrijk as base pigeons ). The latest assets come from F &J Porrez and P.W.A v/d Meulen from Holland who both are amazing since several years now on the extreme long distance races with especially Barcelona which remains the most favourite race from Paul. At the current breeding loft there is room for 20 couples where also the best racing pigeons will go to.
Top results 2017-2019
Barcelona ’17 Nat 7,874b : 135,182,184,198,222,386,415,416,442,476,…
Prov 1,377b: 26,31,32,34,40,66,74,75,81,84,87,…
Loc 328b : 7,8,9,11,14,15,18,19,21,22,24,29,…
Perpignan ’17 Nat 4,620b : 60,70,121,169,175,184,412,418,463,499,…
Prov 937b: 7,11,23,36,37,58,84,85,92,96,…
Loc 226b : 1,2,3,4,5,7,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,…
Barcelona ’18 Nat 7,438b : 15,32,67,76,131,165,195,202,208,364,376,409,
Prov 1,380b: 4,13,23,26,40,50,57,61,62,89,93,98,…
Loc 361b : 1,2,5,6,10,14,15,16,18,25,27,29,…
Barcelona ’19 Nat 7,301b : 22,92,128,158,258,312,345,375,…
Prov 1,302b : 2,11,16,22,40,46,50,57,79,81,88,96,98,…
Loc 355b : 1,2,5,7,9,13,14,17,22,23,26,29,30,…
How do you race your racing team ?
The first years I raced the extreme long distance races on widowhood, everybody has to learn and I saw that in Holland they almost all raced them on nest. It seemed the right move to success.
I tested out for a few years a loft hens on nest and the cocks stayed on the widowhood system but it were always the ladies who had the best results.
We like to sum-up a few results of the past years
15 x TOP 20 International hen
3 I.Nat(dv) Narbonne 2,349b
3 I.Nat(dv) Barcelona 2,076b
4 I.Nat(dv) Barcelona 7,024b
6 I.Nat(dv) Perpignan 3,049b
7 I.Nat(dv) Marseille 2,509b
8 I.Nat(dv) Perpignan 3,131b
11 I.Nat(dv) Pau 1,665b
12 I.Nat(dv) Pau 1,544b
13 I.Nat(dv) Barcelona 6,520b
13 I.Nat(dv) Dax 3,938b
13 I.Nat(dv) Dax 1,511b
14 I.Nat(dv) Dax 2,644b
15 I.Nat(dv) Narbonne 1,464b
17 I.Nat(dv) Marseille 2,509b
19 I.Nat(dv) Barcelona 4,787b
That's why I decided to race them all on nest since 2017. The racing team for Barcelona exist out of about 30 couples who are being raced on nest until Barcelona.
On the preparing races they are being raced on widowhood and are on lofts next to each other, only a sliding door separates them from each other. Where we especially pay attention to at arrival home is recuperation and humidity. When it is cold and chilly on the lofts we warm them up with infra-red light until the day after in the morning. This to have a maximum recovery during the first races. Then we make sure that they are being basketed for Barcelona on at least 12 days breeding and maximum a youngster of 6 days old.
From the 21st of June they are being enlightened to keep on the longest days until the end of the season for a certain loft.
All pigeons that aren't breeding 12 days race a week later an international race.
Do your pigeons train a lot during the year ?
In winter I let them out once a week, just to keep them rolling a bit. Once March is there they train once a day and I make sure that they train at least 45 minutes. Especially for nest pigeons this is important, the first 10 minutes are the hardest as they have the urge to go back to their nest. Once they get going it is easier to keep them up in the air. In Spring (April and May) they have a race every week when the weather allows it.
How does a career from youngster on till Barcelona looks like ?
As youngsters they are being trained after Perpignan, when they are 3,6 and 9 months old they are being checked by hand and what isn't good according my standards go out.
As yearling they have several different national races of the heavy middle distance to get experience until they stay with full feathers, these are in aviaries on chapels with hens and cocks all together. They just have to get home fresh and recover quick for the next race.
The pigeons that are 2 years old race twice a heavy middle distance race and one race from around 600km before they have an international race in July preferably one out of Eastern direction.
Main goal remains Barcelona and they will be selected on this according the prizes they win.
A few top hens of the past years
BE 15-3147492 “BARCA LADY 492” Hen
1 Barcelona ’18 361b 1053km
4 Prov 1,380b
15 Nat 7,438b
19 I.Nat (dv) 4,787b
37 I.Nat 15,700b
3 Perpignan ’17 226b 912km
23 Prov 937b
121 Nat 4,620b
418 I.Nat 14,851b
Father BE 06-3014351 Barca 351
Won 8 Prov Barcelona 1,906b ( 196 Nat 12,641b )
Gr.F. BE 03-3162861 Grandson Don Michel Cor De Heijde
Gr.M. BE 03-3161132 Strain Andre Dekens x Cor De Heijde
Mother BE 08-4022832 Barca 832
Full sister to “Barca 509” 12 Nat Ace bird Barcelona 2012-2013
Won a.o. 136 Nat Barcelona 11,590b and 210 Nat Barcelona 10,542b
Mother to 32 Nat Barcelona ’18 7,438b
Gr.F. BE 00-3278896 Son 1 Prov Pau Harinck Poelmans x Sister Didi E Devos
Gr.M. NL 01-5161628 Super breeding hen Cor De Heijde
From this top hen you can find a beautiful son in the Barcelona Special Buy N°2 ( k
BE 13-3078763 “BARCA LADY 763” Hen
2 Barcelona ’18 361b 1053km
13 Prov 1,380b
32 Nat 7,438b
38 I.Nat (dv) 4,787b
85 I.Nat 15,700b
Father BE 05-3046020 Barca 020
Won 9 Prov Barcelona 1,901b( 205 Nat 12,641b)
Gr.F. BE 98-5063255 Chequered Son Base couple Harinck Poelmans
Gr.M. NL 02-1768765 Inbred Klamper x Daughter Perpignan Cor De Heijde
Mother BE 08-3196509 Barca 509
Won 12 Nat Ace bird Barcelona 2012-2013
Won o.a. 136 Nat Barcelona 11,590b and 210 Nat Barcelona 10,542b
Full sister to “Barca 832”
Mother to 15 Nat Barcelona ’18 7,438b and 121 Nat Perpignan ’17 4,620b
Gr.F BE 00-3278896 Son 1 Prov Pau Harinck Poelmans x Sister Didi E Devos
Gr.M. NL 01-5161628 Super breeding hen Cor De Heijde
From this top hen you can find a beautiful daughter in the Barcelona Special Buy N°3
Guidance
I use the mixtures of Destoop from Waregem (this is a company that mixes their own mixtures). In Winter I give 80% barley and 20% Economic. In this last mixtures there is especially corn and barley together with a small portion of peas and wheat. During the preparing races I switch on to 100% Economic, only on the day of basketing and arrival they get 100% breeding mixture.
When I switch on to the nest game they off course need more. First I give 60% Breed, 20% fat rich mixtures and 20% P40 grain. Once they laid their first egg they get first 2 days barley and then I switch on to 40% Moult, 40% Economic, 10% P40 grain and 10% barley. When they have to go to an international race they get the last 4 days before basketing 80% Breeding, 10% fat rich mixtures and 10% P40 grain.
I give Sedochol during the season and at arrival and basketing electrolytes. Two days before and after a heavy race they get egg white powder and brewers' yeast over the food.
In a medical way the pigeons are being vaccinated against paramyxo, small pocks and herpes. For check-ups he goes to vets Van den Broecke and Karine Devos.
Paul, a big congratulation with the won results from the entire HERBOTS TEAM.
Buelens Kim
