Delbaere - Sampers (Menen) General Champion of Belgium 2024 KBDB

‘The GENERAL CHAMPION will be contested with the first nominated pigeon, on 13 races, classification by 5 (full prizes) ......’

This phrase, like in the past a catechism (for those who still remember what this was.....), must be rats by heart to want to compete for this coveted title with a healthy dose of ambition, a pigeon loft with many different talents, and a lot of patience, willpower and a dash of luck.

It is alert and keen from the first flight in spring, to just about the last flight in early September. Many are called, few are chosen. It is a marathon race spread over the whole season, punctuated by intermediate sprints and intermediate classifications. Hence the consequence of this logic that so few lofts a) dare to enter it and b) manage to get the maximum of points.  The maximum of points is then also immediately the minimum of points, because from this wafer-thin selection you also have to try to get the smallest coefficients on paper. In the 2024 season, there were 22 lofts in the whole of Belgium that scored the maximum of 13 points, and of these 22 lofts, the successful tandem from Menen had the lowest coefficient of all (17.7743 %).

And the winner is Delbaere-Sampers from Menen

When you see the lofts in the Dynastiestraat in Menen, you rather imagine yourself in the Netherlands where it is a typical set-up of many lofts on a very small area. The Dynastiestraat is located in the Barakken district of Menen, close to the city centre. The Barakken district, in the past, as the name makes it sound, was a densely populated working-class neighbourhood with small houses (formerly barracks). 

Meanwhile, this neighbourhood has been completely renovated over the years and has now become a pleasant city neighbourhood close to the centre, close to the Lys and close to France....because the border with France is only 100 metres as the crow flies.

In Dynastiestraat, Filip Delbaere (63 years young) lives and houses the lofts of racing pigeons. Filip is one half of the tandem. The other half is his friend-sedert-his-youth Eddy Sampers (63 years young) who, after living in Menen, now lives in Dadizele and houses the breeding pigeons with him.

In the past, they played pigeons separately and in their own names, but since 2001 have been a more than successful tandem (including 1st national Issoudun in 2021). They never argue, the tasks are neatly divided, they consult well, with a glance they understand each other and they both really enjoy it. You notice this during the conversation where each gets the floor, each gives his input and they complement each other smoothly. Enjoying their hobby together, very valuable.

About four years ago, they had the ambition to one day play for the overall title of national champion. Easier said than done because they suspected they did not have the right pigeons for the entire programme. They had the best in speed, middle-distance and very long distance, but they did not think they had the right pigeons for middle-distance and very long distance.  In that context, some pigeons were brought in for the heavier work...but the fruits of that are not quite reaped yet...because the title was there sooner than expected. 

Since 4 years, the breeders live with Eddy and the racers with Filip. Eddy is also the man for basketing and driving back and forth while Filip prefers to be active between the pigeons ‘on the farm’.

A remark here is that many players in middle-distance and heavy middle-distance do not always realise what they can or cannot do because they do not test it...the proof of the pudding is in the eating ! 

This strong tandem won the national championship with in their wake :

2nd Pierre Philippens from ‘s Gravenvoeren
3rd Harchies Christian & Cyril from Warchin

Both Phillippens and Harchies are very formidable competitors in this field and have already been on the podium of this championship several times.

To show that we are dealing with a real top loft, here is an overview of the championships of recent years:

- 2012    
8th national champion speed young pigeons
12th national ace pigeon speed

- 2015
1st national champion middle distance youngsters
13th national champion speed young pigeons

- 2017
3rd national ace pigeon speed youngsters
14th national champion speed young pigeons

- 2018
24th national champion speed young pigeons

- 2019
3rd national champion speed young pigeons
4th national ace pigeon speed youngsters
8th national ace pigeon speed youngsters

- 2021
6th national ace pigeon small middle distance
10th national ace pigeon small middle distance

- 2022
11th national champion small middle distance

- 2023
26th national ace pigeon speed yearlings

- 2024
1st General Champion of Belgium

The finesse of pigeon racing is an asset

In every part of the conversation here, it is palpable that we are dealing with a tandem that masters pigeon sport in all its facets. No large loft, no mega-colony, but pigeon experts who know how to get everything out of a pigeon.

The pure art of stilemanship (a word we like to use because it makes the difference between good and super) as it were a kind of craft to let a pigeon blossom into a champion with a very fine eye and strong observation.

Everything on the hour and on time, leaving nothing to chance, a great eye for detail and above all seeing immediately when something is not right and having enough knowledge and skills to intervene wisely and well. They possess this like no other.

That is why they manage to score pigeons at the top in every field and in every discipline.

Their basic strain is built with pigeons (and also their teacher) Willy Vanhoutte (in the past a top specialist in speed and middle-distance). These pigeons were crossed with pigeons from Gino Clicque, Hok Demely, and more recently the pigeons from José and Stijn Van Laere and Gaston Van de Wouwer via Patrick Vervloesem.

With the intention of succeeding on the further work, pigeons were obtained from Colpaert S & P (winners 1st national Dax and winners Gouden Vleugel Barcelona...) and Luc Decabooter.

Given the rather limited space of the lofts, it is also a case of drumming to get a place. Their ‘national colony’ consists of a team of youngsters of 80, about 20 hens (old and yearlings) which are paired and played as lesbly as possible, 16 yearling cocks, 1 loft with 7 cocks for middle-distance (300-500 km) and 7 cocks for speed.  All this in separate lofts to make the preparation as specific as possible.

Eddy houses around 30 breeding couples, 20 of which breed for speed and middle and long distance. Everything is coupled Sinterklaas and normally only 1 round is kept for itself (with the best couples being moved as a supplement).

The speed pigeons are also paired early and the youngsters from these are kept.

The racers are paired in early March and are allowed to incubate for a few days to develop some nesting instinct.

Lofts of the widowers

Lofts of the racing hens

Youngbird loft

How are the trainings going ? 

- When the weather is good and sufficiently warm, the racers (widowers) train freely twice a day

- The hens train freely in the afternoon (and after the youngsters fly at a good flying rhythm, they train with the youngsters)

- The youngsters train together once a day until a week before Bourges National. Then they are separated and played on the sliding door.

- There are yearling and old hens that are then played between the youngsters on nest, and this with success. They train well, there is a lot of enthusiasm on the lofts of the youngsters and the urge to nest only increases. Even if the youngsters are already played on widowhood, the lesbian hens between them still house on nest.

The cocks and hens (yearling and older) are not darkened and pens are not pulled. The speed pigeons have to hit the mark from the first week on and score top.

How do basketing take place?

- The speed pigeons get to see their partner shortly before basketing and, depending on the evolution of the season or the nature of the race, shortly or long. Here the real classical widowhood ‘from the old days’ is still played with success.

- The pigeons in middle-distance and long-distance flights get their nest dish and as the season progresses, their hens ‘in full glory’ so to speak.

- The nest hens are allowed to breed their 1st nest dirty and afterwards, if necessary, a youngster can be put in the nest. These hens go into the basket weekly to keep the rhythm sufficiently high.  The greatest successes with the hens have been achieved with ladies kept as a lesbian pair on a nest among the youngsters. Normally breeding on 4 eggs, very strong nesting urge and strong protection of the environment is an incredible drive to achieve top results.

- When returning home, it is the race duration and intensity that determine how long the pigeons stay together.

Feeding, by-products, medical.

• The mixtures used are the Vanrobaeys mixes, Beyers Soontjens and Diet, and the Vanrobaeys Clicque mixture. They are fed ‘to measure’ i.e. with a spoon.  The speed pigeons are kept short and fed lightly (even tightly).  We make sure they eat until basketing and Filip succeeds quite well. The further the flights go, the more the food is weighted down towards basketing with the different mixtures mentioned above mixed together. Every pigeon in the races gets 2 peanuts in the morning and in the evening.
• Filip is also an avid follower of all things natural to get and keep condition or form top. A private ‘bottle of Gust’ with onion, garlic, thyme, sage, water and alum goes into the drinking pot regularly. On returning home, tea is served which is supplemented with electrolytes. With this, a few more additives are bought from the market but all based on herbs and natural remedies. In the run-up to the season, a few days of Hepateveto, a few days of garlic juice and a few days of herbs for the respiratory tract are administered one after the other.
• - Medically, Pascal Lanneau is their adviser and besides the vaccinations (paramyxo and paratyphus for the breeders / paramyxo and paratyphus racing pigeons as close to the season as possible / paramyxo rota young pigeons...), treatment is only given if ailments are detected. Filip is fancier enough to observe if such are in good health or not.
• Some kingmakers
• However had the player tried his damnedest, it will be the pigeon that has to fly in whatever conditions. It is then only honourable that we highlight some of the kingmakers :

BE22-3002035 Geert

BE21-3107505 Ohna

BE-302044 Vechter

BE24-3055603 Lotte

No Tita wizards...but not much difference !

The Delbaere-Sampers tandem are not Tita wizards, although some fellow competitors dare to refer to this among top players as one. No, they are two good friends, two highly motivated pigeon passionists, they know very well what their ambitions are and also their limitations.  With all this in their backpack, they play top every year, in their own way, small-scale and brimming with motivation and quality. 

Housed on a limited space, with a relatively limited number of pigeons, the title of General Champion of Belgium is a highlight on the already rich record of the past.

Worthy champions !

Congratulations from the Herbots team !

Geert Dhaenens