Martin Ravelingien (Tiegem) 1st National Champion KBDB Marathon 2024

It is again one of those days as we have known so many in the past spring and summer.  Unsteady as ever with just the sun in the morning and then showers, showers, showers and more showers.
It's the weather that characterized the whole of last season and as a pigeon fancier (but also and especially as a release manager), it was difficult to navigate between the accidents on the pigeon highway (read : pigeon releases). 
As we slowly approached the famous Tiegemberg, we could barely see 50 meters away and our windshield wipers were wiping the windows of our car at the highest speed. A beautiful weather to talk cozily inside about a national title at a time when we should be doing it outside on the terrace in the sun.
So, we can't change much about the weather and the wind, just adjust our sails and “en route to Tiegem” where a glowing champion Martin and his wife Arlette provide a nice cup of coffee and a fine reception.

Marathon and nothing else 

Yes, Martin admits, he is heavily addicted....to marathon pigeon racing. He also follows other disciplines because of his general interest in pigeon racing, but he wants nothing else than the heavy work on the longest distances.
Although he has already achieved a lot, has won many titles, he is and remains a very motivated fancier who, in his own approach and in this fully supported by his wife Arlette (who also provides the necessary help and assistance in the care), goes for the highest. But even more enjoying the pigeon, the homecoming of the pigeons and everything around it.
And in the past season 2024 he was able to realize this again, namely Champion of Belgium KBDB Marathon Old birds.   
Congratulations, a beautiful title to add to the already rich palmares.

On the podium, he outdistances the 2nd (Frederik Everaert) and the 3rd (Dirk Martens) by a wide margin, but everything Martin and Arlette say about the pigeons shows their greatest respect for the pigeons and their fellow/opponents (however you want to call it). A big heart for the sport in general adorns them. 

For anyone who doubts the quality of the pigeons in Tiegem, here's a short overview of some past successes:

1st national ace Marathon KBDB in 2007
2nd national ace pigeon Narbonne 2019-2020
Winner of all European championships (European marathon - Western European Supermarathon)
1st international ace pigeon Perpignan 2006-2010
1st champion of Belgium Marathon 2016
4th champion of Belgium Marathon 2017
4th champion of Belgium Marathon in 2020
1st international ace pigeon Perpignan 2015-2016 and 2014-2015-2016 with Urbi.
1st internat ace pigeon Perpignan over 5 years with Uno.
2nd nat ace pigeon Pau 2016-2017.
3rd nat ace Marathon (3 flights)2016 with B-ufo as well as
5th nat ace Marathon (3 flights)2016.
3rd nat acebird Barcelona over 4 years in 2020 with Black Barca.
2nd prov ace Marathon with Pino.
4th nat ace pigeon St Vincent 2016-2017 with Black Spirit.
Barcelona Masters: 2nd in 2016 and 3rd in 2020.
4th and 10th Olympian pigeon marathon Brussels 2017.
2nd nat ace Perpignan 2014-2015.
2nd nat ace pigeon Narbonne 2019-2020 with Good Rosten.
9th and 13th Olympiad pigeon marathon 2020-2021 with Goede Rosten and Broekpenneke
7th Olympiad pigeon marathon 2019-2020 with Big B

The basis of this colony was laid with pigeons from Vandendriessche-Benoit with whom Martin was a familiar face (and this strain was built on the Catrysse brothers, Pol Bostyn, Andre Lietar, Jozef Huysentruyt, Noël Peiren, Marcel Desmet...). Later on pigeons were bought from Marcel Demeyere from Tiegem and under Marcel's impulse the heavy long-distance card was fully drawn.

The most successful crosses came from the breeding with the late André Verhoest, Waarmaarde (80 % Noël Peiren). There were pigeons from his good friend Dr. Antoon Lenaert from Anzegem with mainly André Vanbruaene pigeons and also a cock and an hen from the son “Kleine Tee” from Emiel Denys, Tielt and a daughter “Laureaat” from Remi, André and Carlo Gyselbrecht from Knesselare.

Martin also got some pigeons on loan from the Haerinck-Poelmans loft, Genk. An hen from Jozef Vandenberghe, Landegem and an hen from Menne und Tochter, Hamminkeln (Dl) got a place in the breeding loft. There was also a contribution from a sister of “Armstrong” from Van Pamel-Demulder, Zuienkerke. “Armstrong” won 1st internat. San Sebastian and 1st nat. Bordeaux. There was also co-breeding with Silvere Toye, Otegem with a.o. the best daughter of “Zatopek”. “Zatopek was acebird in the Belgian Resistance and 2nd nat. Ace KBDB Great Distance in 2007 after “U 2”.. 

 

Give them time at “Villa Patience”

Many roads lead to Rome, the trick is to search and find the one that suits your own disposition to have a lot of fun with your hobby. Coming to Martin's loft is an entry into the house of experience. Pigeons are not forced here, here they are allowed to have a rather carefree youth and only at the age of 3 they have to go full time. 

This means that for Martin and Arlette the word patience is not a hollow slogan, but a daily reality and that they keep more pigeons than the average fancier. Here they get plenty of opportunity to grow. And sometimes their approach seems rather controversial within today's pigeon sport.

The 35 breeding couples that house on a spacious loft are paired on the Friday of the release of the Marseille international flight (in 2024 this was July 19). Then the impetus is given for the breeding of the first youngsters of the year. These youngsters are released into the open air at the end of September and are then allowed to enter the autumn carefree. A total of 120 youngsters are kept each year. The year after, Arlette takes care of training these pigeons and they are trained 12 times with their own transport. Afterwards, they normally fly 3 times Arras and 6 times Clermont (both short distance races - as young yearlings). The losses are relatively limited because they are trained in small steps and frequently. We only race with cocks on widowhood.

Once they are 2 years old, they fly after the training flights from Chateauroux, Poitiers, Limoges and Narbonne, and they are ready for the heavy work.

This whole preparation results in a racing team of +- 68 pigeons (3 years and older) which are used for the marathon program. Next to these 68 there are about 40 ”18-month old birds” who will take care of the rest the following year.

Yes, they have a lot of patience with their pigeons and this in contrast with a general evolution in pigeon racing where things go faster and faster and where pigeons have a shorter shelf life than in the past. It is therefore no exception that Martin's pigeons of 5,6,7 and even 8 years old still deliver top performances.  They have not been squeezed out and their odometer has not gone round twice.

A nice example of this was the past flight from Marseille.  For East and West Flanders, this was a rock hard cracker where the pigeons got home very slowly and after very hard work.  For Martin, it was an 8 year old and a 7 year old who could pin a 10th national and 17th national on their lapel early in the morning (6.20 am and 7.14 am).

Care and approach during the races

The care of the pigeons and the approach during the races can be summarized as nothing is left to chance but without frills. It is a form of eliminating everything that can challenge the natural talent of the pigeon to show itself to the full during the races.
The lofts are solid, cared for but therefore not spic and span.  They have proven their soundness in the past more than enough to change much. In the past 40 years, these lofts have already produced an impressive record that does not require any changes.
Before the season the racers (3 years and older) are allowed to brood for 5 days and are trained twice with their own transport. Then they usually go directly to Clermont and the preparatory flights are reeled off. The main goal is for them to have enough kilometers in the wings before heading to Pau as an opening flight.
Normally the goal is for the 3 year old pigeons to fly Argenton and Sint-Vincent. The older pigeons are divided into two teams with the goal of flying Agen Perpignan or Pau Narbonne. A number of other pigeons are then reserved for e.g. Barcelona, Marseille, etc... This can be adapted according to the course of the races during the season.
In principle, the pigeons train once a day with closed windows and are then outside for 2 hours. Exceptionally (depending on the temperature) they train twice a day. Nothing is shown at basketing to preserve all peace and quiet. An exception was made in the 2024 season for basketing for Marseille where the 2 pigeons that flew national top were shown their hen for a few minutes. Was this the trigger for the top performance ?  It got Martin thinking for the future.
The feed used is the Bonduelle brand from Poperinge. Within their range Martin buys according to the season a number of mixtures that are fed. This has been the house supplier for many years to the satisfaction of player and pigeon.

Soyez le bienvenu !

Waiting pigeons in the real sense of the word is the ultimate thrill for Martin. Seeing them come, seeing how deep they have been or how fresh they come before the day. This is what the pigeons are taken care of day in and day out.  The alarm clock is set, even before dawn, Martin is there.
And then you also like to be pigeon with Martin.  Pigeons coming home are welcomed in the truest sense of the word. Respect for performance and a special approach when they come home. 
There is a welcome pen, quarantine pen, call it what you will. The pigeons don't go to their nest box home loft when they come home, but there is a small loft free where they are segregated and cared for for 3 days. They get a buffet of kemp seed, flat bird seed, sunflower seeds and good food so they can quickly regain their strength and replenish their reserves. In the drinking pot is a “disinfectant” from veterinarian Norbert Peeters and this to avoid that other home stayers would be infected with possible diseases. After three days they may return to their loft and are as it were reborn. A method that Martin has used for years and which both fancier and pigeon agree with and which always results in fresh and healthy pigeons.

Is it medical?

It must be in the blood of Martin, who is a doctor himself and has a special eye for the health of man...and animal. To keep the pigeons healthy, they are well observed and if necessary helped to become healthy again. Young pigeons are vaccinated twice with paramyxo-rota and once with paramyxo-vaccine. Breeding pigeons (cocks and hens) are vaccinated biannually. Every year all pigeons are vaccinated with 'dead vaccine' paratyphoid in the month of January. This is preceded by a 12-day cure with Baytril.
At the start of the important races (read heavy long distance) the pigeons are treated for 3 days against possible head diseases. In case of a light infection with trichomonas, Flagyl and/or yellow drops are used.  On Friday before basketing on Monday of a long distance race, the pigeons are individually administered a coccidiosis pill. The pigeons are examined four times a year by Pascal Lanneau in order to have all this analyzed properly.
By-products ? Oh yes, says Martin, under the motto “what does not help does not harm” the pigeons get some vitamins-amino acids from Norbert Peeters and sometimes Hepateveto, but for the rest good food, enough rest...and the necessary quality.
When Martin asks what a heavyweight pigeon looks or feels like, the answer is relatively standard: good back, strong skeleton, strong wing. Big or small does not matter as long as they fly early enough.
Next some individual pictures of the strong guys who provided the national palm. We had a few in hand, they look “racial” (understand it as strong, healthy pigeons whose pigmentation and depth of plume color is intense).
A strong greenhouse they all have, but even more they are pigeons bred from a proven strain of top pigeons over many years. 
There is no fooling around with the pigeons here. Martin keeps more pigeons because they get the chance to mature quietly. They are not forced but nothing is left to chance. This approach can also be seen in the top performances over many years. A regularity in which a top title is brought to Tiegem every few years.  Continuing to do well is a slogan that would fit here, but above all and even more, it is enjoying the pigeons. Call it oldskool, call it what you want, but the kick of seeing the pigeon arrive..... nothing can match it!

Congrats from the entire Herbots team

Geert Dhaenens