Yvan Eeckhout (Ronse) wins with "Mozaïek": 1st National ace marathon KBDB 2021

Ronse, mon amour.....

Driving to Ronse has a double meaning: you love it or you hate it!  As a city, Ronse is beautifully situated between the hills of the Flemish Ardennes and Pays des Collines.  Flanders and Wallonia rub up against each other with their high backs, and at their two feet lies this beautiful city.
Ronse has a long history in the textile industry, once flourishing, then declining, and then rising again under other forms of industry. This history has left traces, scars, monuments. Many terraced houses dating from the period when the typical working-class neighbourhoods were built around the factories, many beautiful mansions, villas and manor houses....
For a certain period, Ronse suffered from a negative image due to the phase of reconversion the town had to go through.  But in recent years a very positive trend has emerged.  Many neighbourhoods are being rediscovered and renovated, many mansions are being restored to their former glory, new forms of industry have taken root in the surrounding industrial zones, the town centre is attracting more and more tourists, whether they be pedestrians or hikers - there is something for everyone!  ...And the most typical heritage that Ronse possesses is not so tangible and appeals strongly to everyone, namely the renowned Fiertelommegang. An annual tradition at the beginning of June in which the relics of Saint Hermes are carried in a procession of 32.6 km around the borders of Ronse. The purpose of this "pilgrimage" is to protect the inhabitants within these borders against mental illness.  Crowds of spectators come from far and wide to join in or admire this beautiful tradition.
Ronse is also a place of success in pigeon racing. Many international long distance winners had their home there: Delbar, Vinois, Portois, Carteus, Van Roy, Willequet, Vandenabeele,.... and this tradition can still be found in today's tap water.  Still Ronse and the region of the Flemish Ardennes is characterized by a number of very strong long distance lofts.
Visiting Yvan and his wife Brigitte guarantees animated and fascinating conversations.  Ronse, mon amour, is for Yvan literally anchored in his marriage book.  Yvan was born and raised in (Neder)Zwalm, but his love brought him to the heart of the Flemish Ardennes.  There too, it was a happy reunion with the pigeon sport. A sport that he got with his mother's milk in Nederzwalm he found back with his wife's family in Ronse. Was this sheer coincidence...or a piece of steered drawing of lots.... after so many years, this mystery is still covered with the cloak of love!

Breathing pigeon sport
...that is what Yvan does....and Brigitte breathes with him.  You can be passionate about pigeons, but you can also be committed to pigeon sport in general. And that is what Yvan has been doing for decades.  It was Norman and Vercauteren who asked Yvan to become the secretary of the Belgian Federation of Pigeons.  In addition to this function, Yvan was also active for many years at local and provincial level.  What is striking is that he is stronger than himself. The drive, pride and dedication to do well and deliver good work is in his genes.  During the last champions party of the Belgian Association, Yvan was praised for this by the French government in recognition of the always correct cooperation.
In addition there is of course the experience factor. Yvan knows the pigeon world through and through, has a broad network and has already experienced a lot which allows him to react quickly in many situations. A big factor in all this is certainly the support he gets from his wife and family.

Love for long-distance and very long distance

The love for long-distance and very long distance races grew with Yvan in the 70s of last century. With pigeons from his father-in-law Roger Rubbens and from a long-distance icon from Ronse, Joseph Portois, the first steps towards long-distance were made.  Of course Yvan could not escape from the pigeons of super long distance racer Georges Carteus in the following years. With the pigeons of this great master, dozens of colonies worldwide succeeded in the heavy work.
In a later stage pigeons were bought from that other long-distance top, namely Joost De Smeyter (tandem De Smeyter - Restiaen from Melden).  Joost, who already showed his capacities on the long distance races with the 1st international Perpignan with top pigeon Joost became the basis for the current successes with Yvan.  King Joost (who won the 3rd national Irun) became the basis of the breeding loft and this was coupled to a daughter of the Irun (2nd national) of Marcel Vandenabeele from Ronse.
The colony of Marcel had a lot of Hebberecht blood and Yvan bought afterwards also some pigeons out of the ace pigeons of Chris Hebberecht.  These pigeons were woven into the existing long distance colony.  Here and there we see in the pigeons of Yvan (e.g. in the ace pigeon Mosaic) a grey strike. This comes from a daughter of the top pigeon Museeuw of Jimmy Brands from Berendrecht. This double provincial winner on Narbonne and Dax did not only pass on his colour but also his performance to his descendants.  The mother of the hen that Yvan bought from Museeuw was a Cees Van der Laan hen, so also made for the very heavy work. Via Jan Schepens also the Georges Bolle pigeons were bought.  Also hens from Boudewijn Jonckheere, Jacques Verschuere and Raoul and Xavier Verstraete form the breeding stock.
Yvan emphasizes that long-distance and very long distance racing is a work of a strong basis, patience to let the pigeons grow, mature wisely and test with (and where have we heard that before...) sufficient rest between two races. The present pigeon sport has become more demanding for the pigeons. The shelf life of pigeons is also more limited than before.... but in the heavy long distance races this can often lead to the loss of (good) pigeons.  In this respect, Yvan may still be a bit of an old hand, but he still has enough rest and patience...and with results.
The size of the colony is not really big or spacious, what you would usually expect on a long distance loft.  The racing team consists of about 45 à 50 pigeons (old and yearlings), depending on the cocks that are kept (30 older pigeons and balance yearlings). Normally they do not play with hens, but on the advice of Mario Spileers, who is a regular watchman and a friend of the pigeons, they will test some hens in 2022 in long-distance races.
About 15 breeding couples are in charge and this results in about 70 youngsters that are bred in three rounds. There is no winter breeding and normally Lichtmis is the pairing day for both breeders and racers.
As soon as the spring weather gets milder, the widowers train twice a day for an hour (no compulsory training).  Forcing the forme does not work and is not really necessary in the initial phase. The focus is on the long-distance and very long distance races. At the beginning of June, it is money time and then they have to work hard.
There are no tricks to complete this process. Last year, after Brive, they switched from a lighter feed in the beginning of the week to a more heavy feed and with success.  The pigeons that were a bit short of the top in the beginning became more powerful with the known result.  This more heavy mixture (sports mixture) is supplemented with fatty food the last two days before basketing.  
Yvan gets medical advice from Pascal Lanneau and also his condition powder is used.  In case of some necessary intervention, the products of Pascal are used, but last year this was limited to light tricho infections.  Occasionally B.S. of Belgica de Weerd is used.  After the races, when returning home, electrolytes and recuperation feed from Belgavet.  Hepateveto is regularly used to purify the liver and to improve the general condition.

The installations are spacious, airy and there is room for more than double the amount of pigeons kept today.  It must and will remain a hobby. The lofts above the house were even built on the advice of the late Norbert Norman..... Some lofts contain only a few pigeons.  The youngsters only have 2 tasks in their first year of life: stay healthy and go through some training flights. In principle, all young cocks can stay and they go to the widowers' loft.  As a yearling, they are taught very well, steadily building up to the long distance races, where, depending on the circumstances, they do one or two long distance races.  Then they have to show their nose and show themselves with a good result. From the age of 2 they go to the very long distance. However, Yvan is in favour of letting a pigeon go in the long-distance races from the age of 3.

De Mozaïek (BE17-4000733) a pigeon to dream of...

I still remember vividly the day of the release from Perpignan 2021. The first pigeons arrive and suddenly I saw that Yvan had an early pigeon again.  I called him and told him that he could leave a little prize for me too...and the answer was in a trembling voice: "It's the same pigeon that raced early on Barcelona" and immediately we knew that this bird would be placed early in the ranking of the ace pigeon in long distance.  But early meant in 2021 the 1st place and the title of national ace KBDB...to dream away of.

You could describe Mosaic (named after the grey shades in his plumage) as a typical Eeckhout pigeon. Bred from the best lines and the strongest stock lines. On the father's side, a combination of the breeds Etienne Meirlaen, Frank Howard, Chris Hebberecht and Jimmy Brands. This results in Dark Grizzle, the father of the Mosaic.  Mother is "Die Schone" a direct De Smeyter - Restiaen hen and daughter of Den Draaier by Van Damme - Bodaert coupled to a daughter of Barcelona King (Kurvers-De Weerd) x Sister Colonel by Georges Bolle (via Luc & Hilde Sioen).

With this noble blood, this super soft and well plumed cock was allowed to grow and bloom until it reached full maturity at Yvan's place, to win as a four year old the  

- 8th national Barcelona (6,913 pigeons)

- 6th national Perpignan (3,901 pigeons)

and herewith gaining the coveted title of national ace pigeon.

That he is a slow maturer we can see in his palmares before realising this stunt :

2018

- Tulle 860th national (5,326 d)

2019

- Limoges 1966th national (9,661 d)

- Libourne 363rd national (4,605 b)

2020

- Limoges 351st national (15,979 b)

- Limoges 1,190th national (10,319 b)

- Aurillac 509th national (2,849 b)

Patience is rewarded...and patience is a virtue, is a motto that fits Mozaïek and his owner Yvan!  Meanwhile Mozaïek is living on another Belgian top loft and the positive part of the story is that he can let his descendants fly in Belgium and he will not immediately move to far away places.

Theft.... very regrettable event

What casts a dark shadow over all this since last week is the burglary of a few weeks ago on the loft of Yvan where 33 pigeons were stolen. At the start of the season, this is a serious disappointment that Yvan and his relatives will have to recover from.  We can only hope and keep our fingers crossed that the perpetrators of this cowardly deed will be found and punished and that Yvan and his family and helpers will find the strength to start again with courage and passion.

Congratulations from the Hercules team and a wish for much courage to overcome all this!

Geert Dhaenens