Hok Jos Vercammen ( Vremde ) 1st National Champion great middle distance olds and yearlings KBDB 2022
14 Apr 2023
In Vremde in Antwerp we visit father and son combination Jos & Lars Vercammen who race under the name Hok Jos Vercammen. They had one of the best seasons of their career in 2022 and they can be proud of the title of 1st National Champion great middle distance old + yearlings KBDB 2022 with the lowest coefficient ever. This is no coincidence for them because they have been among the best fanciers in the national field for decades, but the past season was a special one. At the table we notice the experience of Jos and the new drive of Lars, which ensures a nice combination that is extremely motivated but does not easily panic.
You can also describe their breeding loft that way, the old basis of "Mustang" and "Barco" was crossed here with the great line of "Elektro" and these were always crossed on top of each other because they don't like too much foreign blood in the breeding loft.
In the current breeding loft we can put forward 2 toppers who have produced several toppers in a short time. This is “BE 17-6025089” Iron Man and “PL 0265-13-400” Olympic Elektro. We will now try to cross these breeding lines again with our old strain.
There is room for 39 couples where there is rejuvenation every year anyway, you have to select everywhere, otherwise you will stand still. We also keep an eye on our region here for pigeons from the area that can fly to the head with a headwind and hard weather against all the weather and crowds. We are looking for such pigeons and Staf Mertens is such a fan to set such an example. We usually do joint breeding with them and that works wonderfully, precisely because our breeders have usually flown a special result or several top quotations in succession. The standard of hard weather and head wind really weighs in on the selection, a pigeon that flies with 1600-1700 m/min head will also have to prove itself elsewhere or the chance is small that it stays put. A pigeon that only shines a few times a year will never become their favourite, they like pigeons that race from 100-600km and can stand in pigeon weather.
System old and yearlings
The pigeons are always raced in classic widowhood and have partners who stay at home. This is quite a job, but we think that system suits us better. The widowers were coupled around New Year and raised 2 youngsters, they are darkened from the beginning of March to about April 20th. After the breeding period we start back with the daily training sessions and during the laps their partner is always ready half box and they see each other for half an hour. But they can't reach it, we don't keep this until the end of April and the beginning of May, so we think we can keep them on widowhood for longer. Even then the dish will only appear.
By the end of June the hens are usually shown at the basketing and they stay together for a few hours after the race anyway.
Before basketing the curtains are closed and the pigeons are allowed to take it in quietly, we only show the hens towards the end of the season when the swing has worn off a bit.
With the hens it is a bit different, in the spring period these pigeons still train in the loft of the youngsters they have flown on and they are only coupled in March, during this period they are used to and they are allowed to raise one youngster. Because they have a good basic condition and because of the new nest they have made in their new loft, getting used to them goes fairly quickly and they do not lose any of their condition. Just like the widowers, they are darkened in March and April. Both groups always train once a day (10 am to 11 am for the widowers and 1.30 pm for the hens), there is no question of training twice a day.
Here too nothing is shown during basketing because they are smarter than us and already know what is going on for a long time. When they return home, they do get to see their partner from the beginning when they are in widowhood and they stay together until the evening or the next morning. Usually the latter is only towards the end of the season.
The rhythm is determined by the weather and the difficulty of the flights, we have fitted twice on a national race in 2022, so we only had 5 chances to become national champion. We couldn't afford a mistake, but this title wasn't a goal of course, you can't plan something like that. So the hens race every week, if they get a week's rest they usually race Noyon on Sunday. When they fly 2 national races in a row, they only come out twice a week, they have enough condition so that extra hard training during the week is not necessary.
What does a day of the racing hens look like?
They come in the aviary around 8:15 in the morning, the aviary is equipped with sticks and iron grids. Around 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. they go back to their resting box where they are locked up until the training at 1:30 p.m. Just before they get some sweets and drinks and they can train, at 2.30 pm they get food and drink in the aviary and they stay here until 6.30 pm. Then they are locked up again in their resting pen.
A loft consists of a breeding loft, an aviary and 2 resting lofts, so if there were hens that are eager to mate, we can still separate them.
Toppers of the 2022 season
BE 19-6016108 “Mustang Queen” Hen
1 Fastest Prov Bourges 9.041p
2 Nat(z) 4.313p
60 Nat 34.311p
1 Fastest Nat(z) Chateauroux 2.650p
1 Fastest Prov 2.280p
6 Nat 7.099p
1 Chevrainvilliers 869p
9 Melun 2.897p
10 Noyon 512p
11 Argenton 473p
17 Noyon 1.029p
18 Noyon 662p
67 Nat(z) Chateauroux 3.614p
265 Nat 24.617p
279 Nat Issoudun 9.777p
Father BE 16-6032331 Diamond Elektro
Top breeder
Father of “Gini” 8 Nat Limoges 10,319p – 68 Nat Argenton 16,496p – 41 Nat (z) Limoges 5,115p
Gr.F. BE 08-6174630 Elektro Ancestor
Gr.M. BE 14-6175134 Dolly
Won self 10 Nat La Souterraine 2,939p – 73 Nat Bourges 19,736p – 41 Nat (z) Chateauroux 7,877p
Daughter of “041/08” Mambo 1 Argenton 419p x “009/05” Beauty 2nd Fastest National Argenton 30,045p
Mother BE 17-6026617 “Mustang Princess”
Gr.F. BE 14-6175237 Mustang
Won 1st Nat Chateauroux 22,818p ( fastest of 33,018p )
Father of “Lilly” 1 Nat (z) Argenton 3,961p
Son of “087/09” Tristo x “107/12” LetraGr.M. BE 14-6176883 My Girl – Staf Mertens Won 4 Souppes 1,706p – 14 Nat Bourges 19,736p
Daughter of “049/12” Spartacus 1 Orléans 1.111p x “180/11” Lucille 1 Marne 340p
BE 21-6138106 “Paulina” Hen
5 Nat Ace Gr.M.D. Yls KBDB 2022
7 NAT Chateauroux 5.720p
10 Melun 1.202p ( after 9 loftmates )
21 Melun 2.630p
26 Nanteuil 1.540p
48 NAT Gueret 12.208p
53 NAT Bourges 10.366p
145 NAT Issoudun 12.349p
Father PL 0265-13-400 “Olympic Electro” – Mr.Trzaska
1st Polish Olympiad Pigeon Middle Distance Brussels 2017
1st Olympiad Pigeon Middle Distance Brussels 2017
Won 1/6,305d – 1/3,601d – 1/2,078d – 1/1,892d – 1/1,623d – 2/5,117d – 4/6,131d – 4/4,664d – 4/3,834d
Gr.F. PL 0264-06-9085 “Gold Medal”
1 + 6 + 9 Nat Ace Pigeon Middle Distance Poland 2010 + 2011 + 2012
Gr.M. BE 12-6196536 “Sweety” – Hok Jos Vercammen
Sister “Paulo” 1 I.Prov Blois 1,519p
Sister “Latina” 1 S.Nat Blois 1,165p
Sister “Shakira” 9 Nat Montlucon 17,865p
Sister “Letra” Mother of “Mustang” 1 Nat Chateauroux 22,818p (fastest of 33,018p)
Daughter of “630/08” Elektro Base breeder x “117/06” Gloria
Mother BE 17-6025048 “Shaki”
Best Argenton pigeon 2018-2019
2nd Prov Ace Pigeon long distance club Antwerp
Won herself 13 Nat Argenton 3,319p – 26 Nat(z) Argenton 4,350p - 27 Nat Chateauroux 4,641p – 88 Nat (z) Argenton 6,640p – 115 Nat Argenton 5,158p
Gr.F. BE 12-6196286 “Loki”
Won 19 Nat Tulle 6,972p
Son of “534/10” Milos is grandfather “Gust” 1 Nat Bourges at Jelle Roziers x 3383/09” Manila
Gr.M. BE 10-6052293 “Shakira”
Won herself 1 Bourges 538p – 1 Montlucon 289p ( 9 Nat 17,865p )
Daughter of “630/08” Elektro Base breeder x “117/06” Gloria
BE 20-6166065 “Cuba” Hen
12 Nat Ace Gr.M.D. old birds KBDB 2022
1 Sermaises 1.929p
14 Melun 2.630p
15 NAT Argenton 9.851p
15 NAT Gueret 8.375p
15 Quievrain 654p
50 NAT Chateauroux 4.003p
56 NAT Bourges 7.606p
69 Nat(z) Bourges 5.148p
Father BE 16-6032120 “London”
Super breeder
Father of “Madrid” 1 Nat (z) Limoges 2,875p – 5 Nat 9,756p
Gr.F. BE 15-6026319 Papa London
2nd Ace Pigeon Long Distance Union – 50 Nat Limoges 9,162p
Son of “312/10” Alkis x “212/11” Tigo 1st Poitiers 323p
Gr.M. BE 11-6332484 Mama London
Daughter of “483/03” Extreme 1 Prov Blois 586p x “811/08” Messi's Girl
Mother BE 19-6016360 “Iron Love”
Gr.F. BE 17-6025089 Iron Man
Won himself 1st Melun 10,781p – 1 Chevrain 907p
Son of “NL 371/16” Bruce Lee Verkerk x “277/09” Mulan
Gr.M. BE 17-6025201 Electric Princess
Mother of “Sunny” 1 Nat (z) Chateauroux 819p ( 3 Nat 2,850p )
Daughter of “630/08” Elektro Stock father x “134/16” Dolly 10 Nat La Souterraine 2,939p – 73 Nat Bourges 19,736p – 41 Nat (z) Chateauroux 7,877p
BE 21-6138214 “El Muro” Cock
1 Melun 1.160p ( fastest prov 7.006p )
1 Noyon 324p ( 4th fastest prov 9.176p )
2 Melun 2.110p ( 2nd fastest prov 7.238p )
3 Sermaises 1.684p
7 Melun 302p
8 Noyon 401p
9 Melun 1.202p ( after 8 loftmates )
11 Noyon 645p
Father BE 16-6272999 “Spartacus 999” Co-breeding loft Jos Vercammen x Staf Mertens
Gr.F. BE 12-6198049 “Spartacus” Staf Mertens
Won self 1 Orléans 1,111p ( 3 Prov 3,717p ) – 1 Dourdan 1,245p – 1 Dourdan 484p
Son of “020/11” 020 Vereycken Gommers x “041/09” 041 Geerinckx x Heremans
Gr.M. BE 11-6282176 “La Strada”
Won self 2 S.Nat Vierzon 3,585p – 5 Nat Gueret 2,656p – 1 Dourdan 214p – 1 Vierzon 197p
Daughter of “608/08” Samir x “103/10” Tamara
Mother BE 18-6015798 “Young Lilly”
Gr.F. BE 16-6032012 “Electro Junior”
5 Nat Ace pigeon middle distance yearlings KBDB
Won 1 Chevrain 480p – 1 Chevrain 418p – 1 Noyon 393p – 1 Chevrain 278p
Son of “630/08” Elektro Stock father x “004/11” Delphine
Gr.M. BE 15-6026002 “Lilly”
Won self 1st Prov Argenton 1,517p ( 1st Nat (z) 3,961p – 3rd Nat 13,730p )
Daughter of “237/14” Mustang 1 Nat Chateauroux 22,818p (fastest of 33,018p) x
“628/08” Polina is mother “Alladin” 1 Nat Bourges 37.357p
BE 20-6166100 “Super 100” Hen
1 Fay Aux Loges 601p ( 6 Prov 1.709p )
1 Quievrain 413p ( 5th fastest prov 14.060p )
1 Melun 227p
3 Melun 1.806p
4 Sermaises 1.226p
5 Nanteuil 822p
6 NAT Chateauroux 4.003p
11 Noyon 538p
12 Noyon 1.613p
14 Bourges 747p
16 Melun 778p
19 Melun 2.063p
21 Sermaises 1.556p
23 Melun 1.131p
72 Nat(z) Bourges 1.210p
111 NAT Chateauroux 7.674p
114 NAT Argenton 9.851p
Father BE 17-6025089 “Iron Man”
1 Ace Pigeon Middle Distance ZAV 2018
Won self 1 Melun 616p ( fastest of 10,781p prov ) – 1 Chevrain 907p – 1 Noyon 669p -1 Chevrain 654p – 1 Chevrain 379p – 2 Chevrain 974p – 2 Melun 710p – 4 Melun 301p – 5 Toury 1,003p
Gr.F. NL 16-1526371 “Bruce Lee” – G & S Verkerk
Son of “NL 957/11” Andy Murray x “NL 948/11” Utopia
Gr.M. BE 09-6248277 “Mulan”
Sister “Alladin” 1 Nat Bourges 37,357p
Daughter of “152/06” Bolo x “628/08” Polina
Mother BE 14-6175418 “Cobra”
Won 8 Final Race Poland OLR
Sister “Mustang” 1 Nat Chateauroux 22,818p (fastest of 33,018p)
Gr.F. BE 09-6248087 “Tristo”
Son of “350/01” Barco x “DV 433/02” Kitty
Gr.M. BE 12-6196107 “Letra”
Daughter of “630/08” Elektro Base breeder x “117/06” Gloria
Young pigeons
There is always a large young gang ready (180 to 200 pieces) in case something happens (birds of prey, high voltage and disaster flights) are now part of modern pigeon sport, even though we don't like that either. The youngsters usually fly 2 national races, but will never fly 4. The pigeons are first selected in terms of performance, then pedigree and quality are the following parameters for the selection.
The youngsters are all darkened and they all have to fly Noyon before they go on the sliding door.
Then the wheat is separated from the chaff and we can really start. They do not come together before basketing because you can only make youngsters crazier and they are already crazy enough. We had noticed this detail in 2018 when we didn't let our youngsters together before basketing due to very hot days and yet they came just as fast, so that extra effort is no longer made before the competition.
During the training, some time is spent with the 1st group to take them away several times at a shorter distance, leaving and trust is very important in our opinion. We drive them for 25 to 30 km and then they are ready for Quievrain. The 2nd group is then fully trained during the season and we go a little faster with that, mainly due to a lack of time. Additional lighting is started from the end of July until the end of the season.
The youngsters are in spacious, large lofts with grids on the floor (a depth of approximately 80 cm under the grids) and small boxes everywhere. Behind the racing lofts is a corridor to a rear loft with breeding boxes where motivation is raised. These lofts are always open when they return home from a race, so they never come here during the week. Little bits help to stimulate the young violence a bit.
Furthermore, there are also large windows in the racing lofts that can be put in a tilt position, so that we can give oxygen in warm weather so that it certainly does not get too hot in our lofts.
Accompaniment
Jos has been a loyal customer of Versele-Laga for many years and intends to remain so for a while. Before the racing season starts they get 50 to 75% Gerry Plus together with 25% Master Widowhood. They always get enough and after half an hour the food is taken away. During the season he mainly uses 50 to 75% Gerry Plus together with 25% Master Widowhood until Tuesday morning and then 100% Master Black label until basketing.
During the feeding, the last feeding will mainly consist of peanuts a few hours before basketing together with sweets, hempseed and peeled sunflower seeds. The racing pigeons always get food twice a day and when they return home there is heavy food on the menu as recuperation. The next 2 days is then Gerry Plus Black label to let the intestines relax. When they return home, they always receive Belgasol from Belgica – De Weerd and Optimal Start from Versele. We also give the latter as an extra during heavier flights during the week to bring and keep the proteins up to standard.
Before the racing season starts, they are given a 6-day cure against tricho with Tricho Groen from Schroeder Tollisan over the feed, after which we use the yellow drops every week, which are put in the nose on the day of their return. We really have few problems with the airways, so we have a maximum of 1 or 2 times a year for treatment and then for a very short time. What we do find important is a cure of Prange
Suppe before the racing season, we do this for 8 days and during the season on Monday and the day before basketing. Finally, Sedocol and Probac 1000 is a weekly combination used here.
When the season is over, all our pigeons receive a cure with parastop or para-coli against paratyphus, but no vaccinations are given because we have had few problems with this until now.
Best results 2022
24/04 Quievrain 413 old birds : 1,6,19,32,34,35,… 14/25
01/05 Noyon 1.613 old + yls : 3,10,12,13,23,28,31,39,40,44,45,46,71,72,80,82,86,87,92,… 48/64
Noyon 645 old + yls: 8,11,18,19,21,38,40,42,43,46,50,58,59,61,63,… 52/67
07/05 Melun 1.329 yls : 2,4,8,10,12,14,15,16,20,28,35,36,37,48,49,50,54,68,89,90,92,95,97,… 41/54
Melun 2.630 old + yls: 3-6-10-11-13-14-16-21-25-26-28-34-44-46-48-52-66-71-72-93-94-95-… 65/87
08/05 Noyon 638 old + yls: 1-6-8-9-14-17-19-21-23-31-32-38-40-42-45-46-49-52-54-57-60-… 39/45
Noyon 449 yls : 1-3-6-8-10-12-17-18-20-21-23-25-30-42-43-44-46-48-… 30/35
14/05 Sermaises 1.838 old + yls: 1-11-16-62-67-78-79-81-85-… 32/51
22/05 Noyon 324 old + yls : 1-2-3-7-8-10-11-14-15-20-22-23-31-32-… 35/44
Noyon 244 yls : 1-2-3-6-7-9-10-11-12-18-19-24-25-… 27/34
Province Antwerp 9.176 birds in total : 4,8,9,11,13,14,15,26,…
28/05 Melun 670 yls : 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-19-20-23-24-26-28-29-30-32-33-34-42-44-45-
46-51-52-54-55-… 52/55
Melun 1.160 old + yls: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9-10-12-13-14-15-27-28-30-34-35-37-41-42-43-46-48-49-
60-63-67-68-69-81-85-88-89-… 57/59
28/05 Bourges Nat (z) 5.148 old birds : 18,32,69,83,103,132,133,134,148,159,…
Bourges Nat (z) 4.913 yls : 23,54,60,…
04/06 Melun 2.110 old birds : 1-2-3-5-12-15-21-22-23-31-46-48-56-78-97-… 33/41
Melun 2.063 old + yls: 1-2-7-18-19-25-29-33-69-70-74-92-… 39/49
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 fastest province 7.238 birds
25/06 Melun 231 old birds : 1,4,7,11,13,14,19,22,… 15/35
26/06 Issoudun Nat 12.349 yls : 95,145,170,345,… 9/12
Issoudun Nat 8.151 old birds : 156,179,207,… 12/16
28/06 Tulle Prov 892 old birds : 8,44,… 6/7
09/07 Melun 652 old + yls: 1-2-3-4-5-6-8-16-18-20-23-… 28/35
Melun 426 yls : 1-2-3-4-5-6-8-13-15-16-18-… 24/31
Melun 725 old + yls: 1-2-6-13-14-… 24/33
Melun 430 yls : 1-2-9-10-… 19/26
Melun 1.288 young birds : 3-4-7-9-12-13-14-18-19-20-21-24-26-32-33-41-44-… 43/76
Gueret Nat 8.375 old birds : 15,80,…
Gueret Nat 12.208 yls : 37,48,87,…
10/07 Noyon 1.339 young birds : 2-4-5-10-11-12-18-27-35-36-… 51/80
15/07 La Souterraine Nat (z) 994 yls : 1,2,30,43,60,.. 8/16
La Souterrraine Nat (z) 704 old birds : 3,9,17,25,34,35,50,51,85,… 15/21
16/07 Melun 572 old + yls: 1-2-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-18-24-25-26-32-42-44-49-… 28/35
Melun 363 yls : 1-2-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-17-22-23-33-34-… 24/31
Melun 778 old birds : 3-5-7-8-9-16-27-30-40-46-51-64-70-… 26/38
Melun 513 yls : 2-3-5-6-7-17-19-23-28-32-… 22/32
Melun 1.329 young birds: 3-4-6-7-12-15-17-18-19-22-23-26-27-34-41-47-59-64-66-72-79-… 49/70
17/07 Noyon 1.312 young birds : 6-8-12-16-20-21-38-45-47-… 57/83
30/07 Tulle Prov 350 old birds : 1,2,3,5,17,19,29,… 12/19
Tulle Nat 4.185 old birds : 3,5,7,23,…
Tulle Nat 4.993 yls : 30,57,…
Bourges Prov 1.684 yls : 4,10,23… 22/44
Bourges Nat 10.366 yls : 18,53,111,…
Nanteuil 1.306 young birds : 1-2-3-4-5-8-12-13-14-15-16-19-20-21-23-24-25-27-… 48/81
(1+2+3+4+5 fastest from 1,757 birds )
Nanteuil 451 old + yls: 2,4,6,8,13,14,16,26,28,… 22/23
Nanteuil 297 yls : 2,3,5,9,10,12,17,25,26,… 18/19
06/08 Chateauroux Nat 4.003 old birds : 6,16,50,73,81,82,148,… 17/21
Chateauroux Nat 5.720 yls : 7,8,59,72,73,127,… 25/44
Melun 1.467 young birds : 1-2-3-4-12-13-20-21-23-25-28-29-30-38-40-41-42-52-54-55-56-
57-58-59-60-61-68-70-71-76-78-79-84-85-97-98-99-… 66/94
Melun 262 old birds : 1-3-4-6-7-9-13-17-20-23-… 13/14 ( snelste provincie 1.279d )
Melun 1.798 young birds : 2-6-20-24-27-28-34-36-42-59-62-71-74-86-87-88-90-… 30/38
14/08 Noyon 260 young birds : 1,2,3,5,9,… 18/22 ( fastest province 9.021 birds )
21/08 Argenton Nat 5.166 old birds : 23,88,96,… 27/30
Noyon 1.090 young birds : 1-2-6-7-8-13-15-16-28-29-46-48-49-50-51-54-55-56-58-64-
67-72-78-79-… 67/96
27/08 Melun 1.528 young birds : 1,3,4,8,9,10,13,14,16,32,46,48,58,61,… 36/59
Melun 834 young birds : 1-2-3-5-6-8-12-13-14-21-22-23-25-27-28-29-30-31-32-34-35-37-40-
41-44-45-47-49-50-51-56-57-59-… 64/87
Prov Antwerpen 4.685 fastest birds ( 1,5,6,11,12,15,16,20,24,27,32,34,36,40,45,… )
Argenton Nat 2.276 old birds : 5,29,32,40,54,59,71,94,… 23/25
18/09 Quievrain 149 young birds : 2,11,12 3/3
21/09 Quievrain 196 young birds : 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10,12,… 22/46
25/09 Quievrain 239 young birds : 1,2,3,5,6,7,9,16,17,18,19,… 25/43
02/10 Quievrain 124 young birds : 3,4,5,6,7,8,10,11,12,… 13/29
09/10 Quievrain 207 young birds : 3,4,5,6,8,9,… 16/31
Lars and Jos, congratulations with these great results from the entire HERBOTS TEAM.
Buelens Kim
