BE 24-3056024
1ste Nationaal Dax 1.486 yearlings - fastest of 4,000b.

Arrival : 21:45:37
Distance : 858,688km
Velocity : 948,18m/min

In Flanders Fields…

Anyone who has even a shred of respect or reverence for what our ancestors went through during the world wars cannot help but reflect on it when approaching the region around Ypres. With great care and dignity, this area honors, preserves, and promotes the past that gave us our democracy. It humbles you, evoking a quiet sense of gratitude.

We’re heading toward Langemark-Poelkapelle, where, on Friday evening, a young yearling hen returned home after a day of hard flying and effort from the liberation point in Dax, at the foot of the Pyrenees. The weather conditions were ideal—not for an easy race, but for a true test of selection among the pigeons capable of handling the distance and those in perfect condition or possessing the drive to complete it.

Pigeon racing as a family hobby

Rino, Nathalie, and their daughter Gaëlle have chosen pigeon racing as their family hobby. Rino, who inherited his love for pigeons from his late father Gino, was born and raised in Langemark-Poelkapelle and continues the tradition in what was once the family home. Hobby and passion go hand in hand—when a hobby becomes a passion, success often follows more naturally due to dedication. That extra bit of luck is often earned through hard work and can make all the difference.

They enjoy racing pigeons across all distances and disciplines, and they have the birds to match these ambitions. Their colony consists of about 250 to 300 pigeons. "I enjoy all kinds of races," says Rino, which means a wide range of lofts is needed to support the different categories. Last weekend, it was the long-distance category that took center stage.

Yearling hen "Ria" leaves everyone in the dust

A beautiful yearling hen left all of Belgium in awe during the demanding (inter)national race from Dax. She has all the traits needed for long-distance racing: medium build, strong wing, short forearm, tight feathering, and a bright, intelligent eye. What happened inside that clever little head to motivate her to fly at the very top remains a mystery to all who try to understand the sport.

She raced on classic widowhood, with her partner staying at home. She wasn’t even shown her mate before basketing, yet her motivation was so strong that by 9:45 p.m. she had covered the 859 kilometers from Dax to Langemark. With an average speed of 948 meters per minute, she outpaced a field of 4,000 Belgian competitors.

A truly outstanding performance!

Origins, genetics, pedigree, talent…

These are the things we all look at when striving for the perfect pigeon for the perfect distance. In this case, the story checks out. Rino turned to long-distance icon Hendrik Mortier, world-renowned for top results with a small team on the biggest races. Many have sourced birds from this Bruges-based champion—and found success.

Both the father and mother of hen Ria (named after Hendrik’s wife) come from Mortier's lofts. The father is a son of De Frulle, one of Hendrik’s legendary racing and breeding cocks, paired with a half-sister of De Beste Kweekster. The mother is a daughter of Broer Favoriet, paired with a sister of De 4 Broers. These are the cornerstones of Mortier’s pigeons—and once again, they’ve proven their quality.

Ria had already shown promise with early prizes from Clermont and Agen. As a youngster, she raced nationally and gained enough experience to shine as a yearling in both the long and extreme long distances.

Earlier in the season, she nested with her steady partner but raised no young. At basketing, nothing is shown to her, and she is placed quietly in the basket. Feeding is a blend of top-quality mixes from different brands—Rino combines them to let the pigeon choose what it prefers. Full feeding is allowed, and the birds decide what they want. There were no special interventions from the vet (P. Lanneau) to get the pigeons in shape. Ria wasn’t darkened in preparation for the season.

Upon return, the pigeons receive yellow drops against tricho on the feed and are kept as calm as possible in the lofts. Thanks to this top performance, Ria has earned her place in the breeding loft—and she will now help carry on the Mortier bloodline in Langemark.

Sometimes, life surprises you with something you secretly hope or dream about. And when that dream is rooted in true passion and dedication, the joy is all the greater when success is achieved. That’s exactly what happened for Gaëlle, Nathalie, and Rino. Their love for pigeons has been crowned with a magnificent victory in an extreme long-distance race.

From now on, the city of Dax will hold a very special meaning for the Morent family!

Congratulations from the entire Herbots team!

Geert Dhaenens