The winning hen “Fabienne” (B23-4066237) feels like “pure power”. She is of the average type, but has an iron carcass and large wings with ideal ventilation between the feathers. The first national long distance flight of the 2025 season and it was immediately one with “obstacles”. Due to bad weather forecasts on Saturday and Sunday, organizer “Belgische Verstandhouding” – in consultation with the KBDB and the transporters – took the opportunity to release the pigeons on Friday. We will not get involved in the discussion whether this was a good or bad decision. The fact is that on Friday the pigeons left with a lot of east on the wing and that during the journey home the wind blew from the southwest. The wind determines where the winners will sit and that was clearly visible at the first arrivals that were on the axis West and East Flanders. The national winner was Dirk Speybroeck from Vinkt in East Flanders (part of the municipality of Deinze). His blue hen was the only one of the 13,016 Limoges flyers to exceed the 1400 m/m mark. A fantastic performance that, when we were present at the Speybroeck home to admire the winner, gradually dawned on both Dirk and good friend Piet Blancke.

If you know that the 2nd national placed an average speed of 1392.33 m/m and the 3rd national an average speed of 1384.59 m/m behind their ring number, then you can imagine that things were very tough in the leading group of this Limoges peloton.

Second national victory

Just to clarify. Dirk has only been racing under his own name since 2023. Previously, he formed a combination with Bart De Clercq and veterinarian Piet Blancke. The name BDS may sound more familiar to you. In 2022, their widower “Fabio” won the 1st national Issoudun and at the end of the season all pigeons were sold. Despite Dirk now racing under his own name, the collaboration with Piet Blancke was never ended. Both know each other's pigeons very well and they regularly breed together.

When he restarted, Dirk still had a few hens that had performed more than superbly as young pigeons. Such ladies were hard to ignore and Dirk took on the challenge of racing with hens for the first time in his pigeon career. This season, there were 12 of them and now that a hen has brought home the national Limoges victory, Dirk will not be saying goodbye to the hen game any time soon.

The winning hen “Fabienne” (B23-4066237) feels like “pure power”. She is of the average type, but has an iron carcass and large wings with ideal ventilation between the feathers. “Fabienne” was not new to the game. Take a look at her full palmares that is included further in the photo report. In it you will find top performances such as 1st Nat (z) and 17th Nat. La Souterraine 7,368 p. – 80th Nat. Bergerac 3,180 p. and 141st Nat. Chateauroux 13,852. “We were surprised by her arrival” says Dirk “In fact we were not expecting any pigeons when she registered. Nobody saw them coming. We could not believe our eyes… that speed… then we knew that we would be very close to the national victory. Fortunately for us no pigeon made a higher speed and we could get the champagne out of the fridge.” “I am a contractor by profession and it is more than juggling with time to get everything done on time. Before I leave for the yard I let the hens train. I don't have time to keep the hens in the air with a flag, no... if there is a 30 minute training here that is certainly more than enough.

In terms of feed the hens get Aidi Mix, while the cocks have Galaxy Sport Light and Galaxy Energy from Beyers on the menu.

From a medical point of view I naturally have blind faith in Piet. His advice is always followed blindly.

Dirk and family... congratulations on this 2nd national victory and on to number 3!

You deserve it

Stefan Mertens

B23-4066237
1st National Limoges 13,016 old birds

Distance: 629km
Velocity: 1,408.86 m/m

Stefan Mertens