THE KEY TO MY SUCCESS IN PIGEON RACING
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FROM STARTER TO SUCCESSFUL FANCIER.
NECESSARY ELEMENTS.
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When I started with pigeons 15 years ago, I thought that I would never stand on the national stage. Yet the road to Ostend was shorter than I expected. Which elements made this possible?
If you take the time to read the text about loft-building you will see that it is very much similar to the construction of a house: one needs first solid foundation, then good building materials, a hard worker and a good architect.
1. It all started here with a foundation of excellent short-distance pigeons, descending from 1st prize winning lofts. Every pigeon family has an intrinsic value, which can only be altered on the long run. It is, after all, a matter of genetic quality. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to start the first breeding year on a basis of 1st prize-winners that proved themselves at least 8 times early, out of 10 flights. The slightest weakness in blood strain will show up, sometimes generations later, but will show up!
I was very lucky with my first pigeons from Rudi Hendrikx, Jaak Koninx, Henri Welkenhuysen, Jean Vanbrabant, Robert Vernijns and an excellent hen of Peter Stakenborg. A basis of fast-ones on the short-distance was made.
2. After providing this solid foundation I crossed in with pigeons that had shown features of character, endurance and sense for orientation on tougher mid-distance flights. It is a slow process of selection and testing. But now the stronger quick-ones remain.
3. I was extremely lucky to get everything tuned up and refined by 3 great architects: Jaak Koninx, Pros Roosen and Ludo Panis. The three visited me a few times per year, to make selection after selection. Good flight results was not good enough for some of my pigeons. Only a few birds found their way to the breeding loft.
4. And finally the last basic element was I myself, the worker on the field, Ruben Hermans.
THANKS TO PROS ROOSEN, JAAK KONINX, RUDI HENDRIKX, PETER STAKENBORG, WIL DE BAERE,MARIN-DULLAERT…
It all started with about 15 pigeons. Most of them from excellent fanciers Henri Welkenhuysen and Jean Vanbrabant.
At that moment I lived alone with my father, and with the help of some friendly neighbours we built a nice loft. “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.
I had the tremendous luck that “Uncle Benny”, my dad’s brother, was a good friend of one of Belgium’s best pigeon fanciers of the moment, namely Jaak Koninx from Zonhoven.Jaak had just risen to fame with his Magic Star, the 1st National Ace-Pigeon KBDB short-distance (a direct pigeon from Pros Roosen). When Jaak heard from my uncle that I was interested in pigeons, he promised to help. and he would visit me with his friend Pros Roosen to help me select the pigeons. As promised I soon received a telephone call from Jaak and he said: “Ruben is it o.k. that I drop by with Pros. Put your pigeons already in the baskets”. From that moment on they helped me like their own son.
From the very beginning I owned “fast devils- snelle duvelkes” as Henri Welkenhuysen called them, winners of first prizes in Union De Pijl Kermt, well-known for its excellent fanciers, among whom Pros Roosen himself. In addition to these fast-ones I got pigeons from Pros and also a "golden egg" from Jaak (022)
A little bit later other top material came from National KBDB Champion Peter Stakenborg, with whom I exchanged some eggs, from Marin-Dullaert with his extremely fast Golden Rings Waasland and from Will Debaere Nieuwstadt. Also Fons Omloop Halle-Boeienhoven with his 448 (strain Vansweefelt) was a perfect match with Jean Vanbrabant's descendant from Zwarte 12 TIMES FIRST- (Vansweefelt) and resulted in the 1st Provincial Ace KBDB 2007.
And top of the bill national winner Rudi Hendrikx Maasmechelen gave me some birds from his famous Bange Moshe. All this class material already caused unease among some fellow-fanciers. There were already years with 20 first prizes (without doubles) and excellent results on national flights: 1st National Bourges Young p., Cat.- 30 y., 15th National /32.762 and a 12th National Bourges /12755 yearlings.
THE FAMOUS PROS ROOSEN BRINGS ME IN TOUCH WITH THE BEST OF BELGIUM ON THE NATIONAL DAYS OF KBDB.
Pros was widely known as a sort of Ambassador of Belgian Pigeon Fancying, with his interesting personality and his great charisma. He thought that there was also a role for me by doing the same for young starters..
When a few months later KBDB was looking for a President of the West-European Young Pigeon Fanciers Committee
Pros urged me to take up the post, which I did after some thought.
But the job of West-European Youth President was also very exacting and time-consuming. The job, the pigeons and school was a difficult combination. Regularly I had to spend a few days abroad, leaving the loft to the care of my father. But on the other hand it opened a new world. I made the acquaintance of top fanciers even abroad, and it became a practical school for later. In return for the work I did - or just out of sympathy - they offered me eggs of their top birds.
Tony Raha, one of Austria's best fanciers thanked his success to Pros Roosen.After a visit to Austria he gave me a fantastic cock from " Pros' 1st Provincial Orléans/7067p" to breed from. (My excellent breeder 803-06, "Father Twins", is a descendant). Even the great Johny Jonckers from Linter offered me eggs from his famous winners. Unfortunately, the best-ones didn’t return from a disastrous flight.
PROS OFFERS ME A PIGEON AT THAT MOMENT WORTH 4000 EUROS
Pros kept showing his gratitude for the hours that I spent for the West-European Youth Committee and sometimes he even bought pigeons for me on auctions, on his own expense, whenever he thought there was a good opportunity.
One day there was an auction of a deceased fancier of De Pijl Kermt. Pros, who knew the loft well, bought the most expensive pigeon. Everybody thought that Pros was making a good deal for himself. But after the auction he came up to me holding the pigeon and said: “Ruben, that’s for you. Give this male a good place on your breeding loft.”
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Another time he said that I could get something from his own loft. When I arrived there I saw 5 pigeons in a basket: 4 to the left and 1 pigeon on the right. He said: ”You may choose. If you pick the 4 to the left, you must race them this year. For those that don’t meet with the expectations I give you 1000 Belgian Francs for each. (much money at that time for me). But, If you take the one to the right, you must place it straight on breeding. After some thought I decided for the single-one to the right. The first young bird that I bred from it won the 1st prize already on its 1st flight.
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Another time that we were together on the National Days Pros offered a very young bird for the KBDB auction. A bird with excellent pedigree. The pigeon was sold for -what is now- more than 4000 euro. Pros said “if you come tomorrow you can have the nest sister”.
JAAK KONINKX, PROS ROOSEN AND LUDO PANIS DIEPENBEEK HELP ME WITH THE SELECTION EACH YEAR .
Further refinement of quality becomes of course more and more difficult, and new combinations are allowed only on the condition of outstanding references.
Racing the pigeons was only possible during school holidays. The combination of studies for engineer at the University of Louvain, with pigeon racing and The West-European Commission becomes almost impossible. It is no longer possible to race several categories of pigeons and from now on attention is focused on the youngsters in the summer months. Some good racing-pigeons are sold and the rest is subjected to an even stronger selection. Due to lack of time the pigeons are raced only with the small basket. The results in the championships for young pigeons were already excellent.
1st Provincial Champion KBDB Mid-Distance Young Pigeons 2007
1st Provincial Champion KBDB Long-Distance Young Pigeons 2007
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1st Provincial Ace-Pigeon KBDB Mid-Distance Young Pigeons 2007
1st Ace-Pigeon HAFO Midden-Limburg Young Pigeons 2007
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5th Provincial Champion Short-Distance Young Pigeons "De Duivenkrant" 2009
5th s-National Ace Short-Distance Flanders Young Pigeons "La Colombophilie Belge" 2009
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A FRIENDLY WIDOW OFFERS ACCOMODATION FOR MY BREEDERS
An older lady is so kind as to offer me help with the daily care and the accommodation of my breeders But she doesn’t like separating the couples after breeding season. The number of unraced pigeons increases. But every year this also has the advantage that I can always find a suitable breeder when there is need for it.
COMBINING TOP SPEED WITH ENDURANCE
Always looking for quality, like Pros did, I succeeded with the help of Valère Magchiels Koersel in moving other exceptional DNA to Kuringen. Valère’s 091 is the mother of one of my supercocks who succeeded to fly the distance of 600km in a little more than 5 hours, winning the race, also winning a fast Bourges (440km) in the union of world champion Jos Thoné. Valère Magchiels also brought me exceptional material from his top breeding couple
2e semi-Nat.9506d X 1e Nat. Bourges Fernand Schroyen –Hendrix. (Schroyen is 1st Nat.Champion KBDB Kleine Halve Fond Jonge duiven and 1st Nat. Ace-pigeon KBDB Kleine Halve Fond Jonge duiven 2016) .
Additional top quality genes came from Marcel Dekeyzer uit Messelbroek. Marcel had just won
1st National Argenton 2007 Jonge /20.921d. It is no coincidence that the 203/10, 204/10, 205/ 09, 208/10 and 209/10 were exceptional racers.Het Duivenblad honoured me with the title of 5th Best National Loft Midfond 2011
CO-BREEDING WITH PROVINCIAL AND NATIONAL TOP LOFTS: JEAN LOOS, VAN REET-VERMEERBERGEN EN HENDRIK POESEN…
I also went for co-breeding. A super-pigeon from my own loft against a super bird from another loft. Hendrik Poesen had 2 exceptional birds: his 1st and 2nd Provincial Ace KBDB. He chose for the 008, the 2nd Prov. Ace, whom he called the best of the two. Result: very good birds out of which Theo Boutsen bred his Ace-Pigeon East Limburg Short Distance.
With national top loft Van Reet- Vermeerbergen (2e Nat.Argenton jonge 20.921d , 2007 just after Marcel Dekeyzer)
I made a gentleman’s agreement . We coupled one of their best hens (2 x 3rd Prov. and 1st of 629p) with my top breeder “Father Nationale”. One of the results was the excellent 152/12 who became 7e sNat.Asduif ( Hele Regio Vlaanderen) LCB 2012.
Same top quality I obtained by co-breeding with Jean Loos’ supercock "522/99" ( winner of 2nd Prov.Orléans 4589p)
and later with his legendary “810” (“8 TIMES FIRST” without doubles). Their genes crossed in with Rudi Hendrikx, Pros Roosen etc.gave astonishingly strong and fast birds: Sperwer II e.g. won 17th National (260-14). Others became 1st prize-winners, ace-pigeons and even superaces in the bigger unions .
FANTASTIC CO-BREEDING WITH PROS ROOSEN HIMSELF
SOONTJES BLOOD LINES AND DE CHATEAUROUX LINE: ENORMOUS QUALITY BOOST .
PROBABLY THE WORLD'S BEST
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One afternoon Pros dropped by. He was holding a beautiful checquered cock and said to me: “Ruben, couple him with your 3 best hens and you can get along for years. I’ll get him back in 2 months and then we pick out the best youngsters."
His ancestors were absolute top pigeons with great results on national flights Chateauroux, Argenton etc.
Of course, I did what my master told me, and a few months later Pros dropped in to check the 5 birds I had bred.He looked very satisfied with the youngsters of my 03-955 ( Sister of 1°Ace Golden Rings Waasland - M.Dullaert) and also with those of my 00-904 (Mother of 1st and 15th National Bourges/ 32762p). Pros selected 4 beautiful youngsters taking one for himself, leaving the others to me. I placed them in the run.
At that time I was getting a problem of luxury: too many good-ones on the waiting-list.It was only when Pros died that I realized the true worth of his gifts, and I gave them the possibility to prove their exceptional genes. Through lack of time I also wanted to race the pigeons on further distances, on national flights. Pros always said: ”The further you race them the less time they demand from you ”. The results were astonishing. I became the lucky owner of absolute top birds. Two halfbrothers, "788" and "768" became the reproducers of pigeons fit for all distances up to 600km. Birds with the famous Soontjes and Chateauroux Strains. Pigeons with the blood of Flits, Tarzan, Blauwe Prins, Het Bourgeske, Computer II etc.
One of the first breeding results of 788 was Hercules 633-11, who became 8°National Ace De Duivenkrant 2011, with 15 prizes out of 15 consecutive races !! He was raced only one year, because of lack of time with school!
Two years later his sister did even better and won 3°National Issoudun /5760p. She was placed straight on breeding, and has, in her turn, already become the proud mother of super birds such as Issouda and Mr Sourdun. "Thank you Pros".
For my "768" I found the right match ( through N&E Didden) with a full daughter of the famous" Crack, R.Schots".
De Crack had been one of Belgium's best long mid-distance racers ( R. Schots' Auction - 2005). and Crack's dark-chequered daughter combined the super genes of Pros Roosen's Chateauroux and Freddy. With cock 768 she formed an excellent breeder.Unfortunately I found her dead-bitten (with 7 other birds) by a prey-animal that had found its way inside.Luckily I had already bred some excellent ones .( Cracky and Cracky Boy...)
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6h National Champion KBDB Short-Distance Young Pigeons 2011
5th Best National Loft Midfond “Het Duivenblad” 2011
6th Best National Loft "La Colombophilie Belge" Young Pigeons 2011
ALSO EXCELLENT MATCH WITH THE STRAINS OF LESS FAMOUS FANCIERS
Father and I used to visit regularly an absolutely outstanding short distance fancier, called Fons Omloop. A very humble, nice man who never sold a pigeon. Every end of the season he selected 49 birds, no matter how good the season had been. Birds with sometimes even 3 first prizes couldn’t get a place in the loft. I happened to pass by just when Fons' selection was made. But on the day of my visit a lost pigeon of his returned home. Fons' selection had been made and 49 places had been appointed.He took the returned cock from the loft and said: “ You can take him. He is a son of my best."
At home I put him in the run and forgot until I was preparing my breeding, and one of my cocks wasn’t interested in his partner. So, I replaced him by Fons’ bird. Result: 1°Provincial Ace KBDB Mid Distance.
Also Ferdinand Vereycken's super 908 (7 X 1 ST) , and Georges Corstjens' Daughter 1°Provincial Orléans, crossed in with my Pros Roosen strain gave outstanding 1st prize-winners (Twin,Twina,Twinus)
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WAS THERE AN EASY FORMULA TO SUCCESS ?
I think that there are more ways than one.My Formula looks easy, but is not always evident, because it involves goodwill and generosity of great people.
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Element 1
Pigeons throughout the years from perhaps 30 or more excellent lofts in Belgium and Holland became carefully selected on a basis of both racing and breeding. Then they were mutually crossed, and the new birds were raced and tested again.This resulted in a group of " value-added birds" out of the best lofts: a goup of breeders with improved blood strain.
Basic Element 2
Thisafter years newly obtained improved group of breeders became mainly crossed in with the Soontjes, Chateauroux and Freddy pigeons from Pros Roosen, J.Koninx and with the pigeons of top fanciers Jean Loos and N.&E.Didden. Jean Loos had excellent pigeons from Rik Custers, Meeuwen in return for the gardening and woodwork jobs he did there.Interesting to know: Rik Custers and Didden had many Pros Roosen Pigeons.
My formula is, as you see, easy to understand, but difficult to work out. It involves the good luck to find the right people, and requires lots of patience and endurance of your own.
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POSTHUMOUS TRIBUTE
I would like to thank all those that helped me, also those that I may have forgotten to mention, and those who have already passed away from us. They all helped to realize a dream. They helped me through periods of bad luck. There will always be periods in pigeon racing that are full of disappointments, especially when one of your favorites hasn’t succeeded in finding his way home. My friend and tutor Pros comforted me then, and always said: “The best pigeon fancier is he who can deal best with bad luck”.
Pros Roosen, Henri Welkenhuysen, Jean Vanbrabant, Ferdinand Vereycken, and Fons Omloop can’t read this no more, but deserve my utmost respect. May this be a posthumous tribute to the men who supported me morally, materially, with advice and deeds.
