Team Bassez-Vanleemput (Dilsen-Stokkem) wins 3rd Nat. Argenton V against 9,401 youngsters

Dilsen-Stokkem - Team Bassez-Vanleemput delivered an impressive performance on the national flight from Argenton last weekend. Their young pigeon, "Lowie-Lion," managed to capture not only first place in the province of Limburg, the zonal victory in Zone C, but also third place nationally against 9,401 youngsters.

Lowie-Lion: A Rising Star

The checkered cock with ring number B24-5019131, better known as "Lowie-Lion," left 547 youngsters behind in the province of Limburg. He also grabbed the zonal victory in Zone C by being the fastest of 641 pigeons and even leaving a loftmate behind in second place. His most impressive performance, however, was third place nationally against 9,401 youngsters. 
Earlier this year, "Lowie-Lion" already flew some impressive results:
71st Nat. Bourges against 26,549 pigeons
79th St. Petersburg. Soupplets against 2,404 birds
91st Dizy-Le-Gros against 1,539 birds
131st Chimay against 2,350 birds
165th St. Soupplets against 6,758 birds
166th Trélou-sur-Marne against 1,492 birds
469th Nat. Vierzon against 16,895 birds

These results ensure that "Lowie-Lion" is provisionally in 2nd place as National Ace Pigeon Great Middle-Distance KBDB Young Birds and even ranked first over four flights.

Below is a summary of the main achievements:

System and Motivation: The Formula for Success

Team Bassez-Vanleemput plays on classic widowhood with the sliding door. What stands out about their approach is the strong motivation given to the pigeons. "Lowie-Lion" had a place at the very bottom of the loft where no one was allowed, which was accentuated by a special motivation box that was only open on the day of basketing. Even then, he took this motivation box and no other pigeon should take it into his head to come near it.

Despite the less favourable location nationally and the presence of many birds of prey in the region, the team managed to finish near the top. With only five pigeons from the entire province of Limburg in the top 100 nationally, including two from Bart, this is a remarkable achievement.

Training Method and Health Policy

Bart from Team Bassez-Vanleemput firmly believes in "driving" the pigeons, but says he does this too little. The week of Argenton there wasn't driven, yet the pigeons are in top form. Both cocks and hens pull away for 25-30 minutes and then train at home for another 20 minutes or so. A smart strategy of the team is also the use of light supplementary lighting, an hour longer each day after Argenton and all night on Wednesday.

As for health, Bart has a nuanced approach. He says: "I was a firm believer in the yellow drops, but in this season the pigeons spent so many more days in the basket than in a normal season, and because of this I have unfortunately had to find that sometimes they did bring a tricho infection. Then the yellow drops don't help." He has therefore had to change his approach to ensure the health of his pigeons.

His love-hate relationship with antibiotics ensures that he gives it only when really necessary, such as a Baytril cure just before the season and a vaccination against the increasingly emerging silent killer paratyphoid. Still, this season he had to intervene more often than he wanted because of unfavourable conditions such as cold, humidity and south-west wind in his open aviaries.

He stresses the importance of good hygiene and precautions: "I would like to remind readers of the importance of fresh grit three times a day, and I believe giving chlorine tablets one day a week can suppress most incipient bacterial infections." He alternates this with Virkon S (5 grams to 10 litres of water). He also uses Nano and Tollyamin from Schroeder to support the pigeons' health.

As for feed, Bart relies on the expertise of Karel Leyen, who provides him with feed. "I always take as many different brands as possible that I mix, under the motto: every brand will be right," Bart explains. He also gives yellow protein powder daily during the season to provide the pigeons with the right nutrients. When they arrive home after staying in the basket a day longer, the pigeons get 2 feedings with Schroeder's Total Desinfection over the feed, followed the following week by 2 feedings with TTK (tricho).

Successful Results and Future Prospects

The results of Team Bassez-Vanleemput do not lie:
3 times 1st provincial
3 times 1st zonal
8 times Top 10 provincial

Since Bart's arrival in Limburg, the performances are impressive:
91 times top-10 zonal
8 times 1st zonal
89 times top-10 provincial
5 times top-10 national
43 times top-100 national
1st prov. ace pigeon YL HMD KBDB Limburg
2nd prov. ace pigeon LD YL KBDB Limburg
2nd Nat. Ace Pigeon Rhone Valley
250 times 1st prize (including doubles) from 145 to 954 km

With these impressive performances, Team Bassez-Vanleemput from Dilsen-Stokkem remains an opponent to be feared in pigeon racing, and "Lowie-Lion" proves itself as a young pigeon with a great future.Team Bassez-Vanleemput, congratulations from the entire Herbots team!

Maarten Herbots