Bernard Corteel from Koksijde confirms his status as a mini colony and wins 1st Provincial Fontenay against 1,821 pigeons
21 Jul 2023
We visited Bernard Corteel in Koksijde in West Flanders, a mini colony that may be less known to all of us, but for me it is a colony that will stay with me for life. In 2014 we sold all his pigeons up to 2010 because Bernard was a bit tired of the pigeon sport. He took a new reboot and 9 years later you can only say that he has not lost quality. Those who can still race first prizes in the sprint with widowers of 5 years old have very strong and fast pigeons. Take a look at the honors list of these 2 cracks, who have both already been listed 2x in the top 3 of the provincial ace pigeons in 2021 and 2022. This season, of course, it remains to be seen whether they will be there again. In the 2021 and 2022 season he won a total of 49 first prizes.
But beyond that, he has countless references with fanciers in West Flanders, all of whom are successful with Bernard's pigeons and as icing on the cake, he won a 1st and 3rd Provincial Fontenay against 1,821 old and yearling pigeons a few weeks ago with barely 5 pigeons in the basket. Occupying the entire podium against 500 or 800 pigeons and playing 100% prizes is no longer an exception here. It is high time to put enthusiasts in the spotlight as well. Hats off to the HERBOTS TEAM for such achievements year after year with such a mini colony.
Racing pigeons
He starts with 14 widowers and breeds about 25 youngsters to race every year. He has 5 pairs of breeders and in the winter period the widowers raise a round from the breeders that are moved and youngsters are also kept from the best racers. Around the period of 5 to 6 March they are coupled again and allowed to breed for 10 days.
In terms of training, Bernard likes regularity and the pigeons will not leave fifteen minutes later than his own clock is set. At the beginning of the season (month of April) they only train in the evening, but from May this is twice a day. They also train 2x a day on the day of basketing and then they get good food before they go into the basket. A pigeon that flies and trains well will also eat well.
When basketing, the widowers get to see the dish for a few minutes and that's it. When they return home they see their hen very shortly after the first races and afterwards this is a maximum of 2 to 3 hours. If you leave them together for too long, in my opinion, you can never keep it up until the end of July, then the belt will go off for the widowers anyway.
The feeding schedule is very easy and he is not crazy about by-products. The pigeons receive Super Diet on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, from Tuesday until basketing 50% Super Diet and 50% Sport.
Championships and results 2023
2 Prov Ace pigeon sprint old birds KBDB 20222 Prov Ace pigeon sprint old birds KBDB 20213 Prov Ace pigeon sprint old birds KBDB 20223 Prov Ace pigeon sprint old birds KBDB 202227 Nat Champion sprint old KBDB 2022
Clermont 880 old + yls : 1,2,3,17,67,… 6/6
Clermont 346 old + yls: 2,8,18,19,22 5/5
Clermont 547 old + yls: 1,15,16,… 5/5
Clermont 460 old + yls: 1,3,19,… 4/4
Clermont 219 old + yls: 3,8,… 3/5
Clermont 246 old + yls: 1,2,3 3/3
Chateaudun Prov 2.419 old + yls: 8,140,… 3/3
Fontenay Prov 1.821 old + yls: 1,3,53,109 4/5
Clermont 1.297 young birds : 12,16,34,79,98,101,… 9/12
Toppers van het seizoen 2023
BE 18-3001864 Blue Cock
2 Prov Ace pigeon sprint old birds KBDB 2022
2 Prov Ace pigeon sprint old birds KBDB 2021
1 Clermont ‘23 864p
1 Clermont 716p
1 Clermont ’23 460p
1 Clermont 357p
1 Clermont 230p
1 Clermont 169p
1 Clermont 132p
1 Clermont 110p
2 Clermont 833p
2 Clermont 106p
3 Clermont ’23 246p ( after 2 loftmates )
3 Clermont 166p
4 Clermont 2.257p
4 Clermont 445p
4 Clermont 148p
4 Clermont 123p
5 Clermont 2.320p
6 Prov Pontoise 11.089p
6 Clermont 401p
6 Clermont 164p
7 Clermont 365p
8 Clermont ’23 346p
8 Clermont ’23 219p
9 Clermont 462p
9 Clermont 224p
15 Clermont 254p
16 Clermont 2.408p
16 Clermont ’23 547p
18 Clermont 696p
30 Clermont 480p
33 Pontoise 1.019p
37 Clermont ’23 2.337p
117 Clermont 2.198p
Father BE 15-3000529
Mother BE 15-3000527 Weiss Hen
Grandmother from “878/18” results see above
BE 18-3001878 Blue Cock
3 Prov Ace sprint old birds KBDB 2022
3 Prov Ace sprint old birds KBDB 2022
1 Clermont 2.257p
1 Clermont ’23 547p
1 Clermont 462p
1 Clermont ‘23 460p
1 Clermont 365p
1 Clermont ’23 246p
1 Clermont 166p
1 Clermont 136p
2 Clermont 230p after lofmate
3 Clermont 864p (after 2 loftmates)
3 Clermont 411p
3 Clermont 364p
3 Clermont ’23 219p
4 Clermont 106p
5 Clermont 505p
6 Clermont 2.320p
6 Arras 1.744p
6 Clermont 333p
6 Clermont 169p
8 Clermont 480p
8 Clermont ’23 346p
9 St.Just 285p
10 Clermont 304p
10 Clermont 224p
11 Clermont 254p
14 Clermont 716p
19 Clermont 696p
19 Clermont ’23 460p
25 Clermont 319p
52 Clermont 833p
68 Pontoise 1.019p
80 Clermont 2.293p
83 Clermont 2.198p
Father BE 13-3070389 Won himself 7 x 1s
Son from “BE 08-3092822 Blue white feather – Won 4 x 1st
Won 1 Boves 340p – 1 Ablis 145p – 1 Ablis 111p – 1 Ablis 107p
“822/08” is son from “654/06” Blue Bernard 6 x 1st and 2 Prov Tours 2.503p x “617/06” Blue
Mother BE 17-3082708
Sister from super racer “864/18” results see above
Gr.F. BE 15-3000529
Gr.M. BE 15-3000527 Weiss Hen
BE 21-3000155 Blue Cock
1 Clermont 2.320p
1 Prov Fontenay ‘23 1.821p
16 Clermont 2.408p
19 Clermont 1.222p
21 Prov Fontenay 1.176p
35 Prov Fontenay 1.419p
63 Prov Fontenay 905p
99 Prov Fontenay 1.745p
115 Prov Fontenay ’23 4.678p
137 Prov Chateaudun 3.666p
460 Prov Pontoise 12.131p
Father BE 18-3001878
Mother BE 18-3119042 Benny Billau ( 100% Corteel Hen )
Daughter from 2nd National Tulle 4.169 birds
BE 21-3000163 Blue Cock
3 Prov Fontenay ‘23 1.821p
18 Prov Fontenay 2.031p
34 Prov Fontenay 905p
41 Clermont 1.599p
47 Clermont 2.408p
63 Prov Fontenay 1.176p
71 Prov Pontoise 11.48p
98 Prov Fontenay ‘23 4.678p
259 Prov Chateaudun 3.666p
Full brother from “878/18” results see above
Father BE 13-3070389 Won himself 7 x 1s
Son from “BE 08-3092822 Blue white feather – Won 4 x 1st
Won 1 Boves 340p – 1 Ablis 145p – 1 Ablis 111p – 1 Ablis 107p
“822/08” is son from “654/06” Blue Bernard 6 x 1st and 2 Prov Tours 2.503p x “617/06” Blue
Mother BE 17-3082708
Sister from super racer “864/18” results see above
Gr.F. BE 15-3000529
Gr.M. BE 15-3000527 Weiss Hen
Bernard, together with the entire TEAM I wish you a lot of fun in the pigeon sport and many more first prizes.
Buelens Kim
