Eddy De Martelaere (Gavere) 1st National ace KBDB 2022 short distance old

The national ace bird of Belgium short distance old 2022 has been given a nice name, Louis Vuitton or as it is in the fashion world a real icon.
With an unseen performance over the whole season, this two-year old cock has brought this coveted title to the Baaigemstraat in Gavere. And that he has done this with bravado is the fact that this has been flown with a coefficient never so keen in the past. Then, with much pride, this pigeon can be called Belgium's fastest pigeon in 2022.
This two-year-old beautiful dark-shelled cock achieved this with the following outstanding results
17-04 Noyon 3,776 b. 4th
24-04 Noyon 4,849 b. 5th
08-05 Noyon 2,958 b. 4th
15-05 Noyon 2,313 b. 2nd
22-05 Noyon 1,881 b. 1st
10-07 Noyon 1,123 b. 2nd

Sharpest coefficient ever achieved in history
These popping performances resulted in a coefficient of 0.66% which is the sharpest coefficient ever recorded on short distance and this over a period of 112 years ! It is always a surprise, both for the fancier and the outside world, when records are broken, but with this pigeon it was lightly written in the stars that he was capable of top results.
As a youngster he already flew a 1st prize on Noyon out of 588 pigeons. As a yearling he flew :
Noyon 3rd out of 361b
Noyon 6th out of 178b
Noyon 7th out of 325b
Noyon 8th out of 414b
Noyon 9th out of 371b

It showed early on that he was capable of a lot. In the past season 2022 he then unleashed all his devils and made a sublime season. Besides the results that earned him the title of national KBDB ace pigeon, he flew some top prizes such as :

Noyon 6th out of 344 d
24th out of 1,624 d
Noyon 10th out of 422 d

Louis Vuitton was bred out of "de soixante neuf" (BE14-4015369) a cock that flew very well with Eddy himself. He flew top 10 8 times with a first prize included. This pigeon was bred from pigeons by Eddy Den Haese and the late Louis Cooreman. The mother is Christiane (BE14-4163295) a hen direct from the lofts of the late Louis Cooreman of Moorsel. 

Louis Vuitton is a wonderful pigeon in the hand. The very good news is that he has also already given promising signs as a breeding pigeon because he is in fact the father of a pigeon that already flew 1st Noyon, 3rd Noyon and 5th Noyon (Remco).

Proud as pie
That is the feeling that prevails with Eddy and his family. The pride that something like this brings is a feeling that cannot be matched, Eddy says spontaneously. It is a feeling Eddy had to get used to. After all, he is simplicity itself by nature. Pigeon sport is a really beautiful hobby where, besides the effort and pleasure of taking care of it, the nice results are a weekly welcome highlight at the weekend. But for that, Eddy will not walk next to his shoes and that also graces him above all else. 
Eddy is a welcome companion in the pigeon circles, always in for a cosy chat over a coffee or a beer, competing with each other, but above all practising pigeon racing as a hobby and with an unlimited love for speed. In his club, his environment, everyone warmly wishes Eddy this top ranking, that is beyond doubt.
At 59 years old, Eddy is looking forward to the next step in his career. He will retire on 1 May next after years of hard work in the construction industry. There is some body damage here and there and it shows in all kinds of physical ailments....and in the De Martelaere family it is definitely from the hard work, no doubt.
Eddy and his wife Anneke have been living in their own house in Baaigemstraat in Gavere since 1993. In the area where Eddy grew up and now lives, champions were born, raised and honoured in the past. Names like De Smet Brothers, the Dhont family, Leutenez, Vermassen, Bauters and so on all lived or live there on a handkerchief. Surviving there in pigeon racing was playing on the edge every week and with pancakes you were soon tackled out. The ideal biotope to breed resilience and select for good pigeons.
It once started, as with so many, together with father. Once at home, the further distances were also played and with success, but the love for the pure sprint took over from everything else. Resolutely, the card of speed was drawn and pigeons in that sense were bred, added and raced
 

The widowers loft

Top sprint breeds as a basis
It would be surprising if Eddy had not built his breeding loft with top sprint strains. For years, there were pigeons of his own that flew very well at Noyon. 
When you achieve strong results, you come into the sights of other strong players...and so the late Louis Cooreman contacted Eddy to exchange pigeons. Both improved and this exchange exercise was repeated several times. Also from burentandem Van De Voorde - Verlinden from Baaigem (1st national Bourges youngsters 2006) came really good ones.
From the lofts of Eddy Den Haese from Balegem came sons of e.g. line Diamant x Goed Grijs from Gebroeders Leideman (actually the type from Van Den Brande Gebroeders) and the type from Eijerkamp from Brummen (Nl). Also pigeons of 'the strain' of Olympic Kittel from Dirk Van Den Bulck came from at Eddy Den Haese.
Good pigeons came from Raphaël De Clercq from Nederename and from Bondue Maurice from Vlamertinge. 
As you can see very well known names, but also possibly more unknown names, but certainly hidden diamonds.

How do you breed and achieve the ace pigeon short distance of Belgium ?
It is all manageable, well organised and tailored to a real hobby with Eddy. The youngsters are bred from 30 pairs of pigeons, namely 18 breeding pairs and 12 racing pigeons on widowhood. Yes, indeed, only 12 pigeons arrive at the start of the season.
Everything is paired around 15 December and the racers also raise 2 youngsters. All this results in 55 to 60 youngsters, which in a later phase will be supplemented to a team of 70 youngsters.
After breeding, the racers are not reunited and at the end of March, beginning of April, when weather conditions are good, the pigeons are trained. They are trained 5 times with their own transport to about 30 kilometres, then twice through Doornik with the club and then immediately to Noyon. Quiévrain is not basketed. Eddy did not have good experiences with this because of too many pigeons on too short a distance resulting in quite some losses. By basketing them immediately to Noyon, this is by no means the case.
The Noyon races are races that release not only pigeons from East Flanders but also pigeons from Antwerp and Flemish Brabant. So you have to watch out. With young pigeons this is sometimes a course with obstacles in the initial phase, but once they have passed this learning phase, the orientation is very well honed.
The cocks train once a day at 7 o'clock in the morning, this is not compulsory training, but if they are in normal condition, they are unpacked quickly. They are allowed to spend 1 hour outside. Each pigeon is fed individually in the nest box and Aidi food is given as feed. On Sunday and Monday and Tuesday this is M1, on Wednesday 50/50 M1 and M2, and on and Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning this is M2. The pigeons are basketed on Saturday afternoon and always fly on Sunday.
Supplements are the products of the De Reiger range. Since about two years, these have been added to the feed to Eddy's great satisfaction. Eddy follows the schedule provided by the producer (products such as Elexir De Reiger, Fortipur, Vit Smix...).
Medically, the pigeons are examined by vet Van Snick from Zottegem 3 weeks before pairing (and also vaccinated with the paratyphoid vaccine) in addition to the compulsory vaccinations. To combat trichomonas, ¼ Flagyl is given during the breeding period and alternated with Trichoplus during the season. Treatment against any respiratory ailments were not necessary last season. However, eye drops of Bony are administered.
The pigeons are always motivated for basketing in the same way. The nest dish is turned over and for half an hour they are allowed to rest in the nest dish. Afterwards, they get to see their hens for about two minutes and are not allowed to kick. Then they go into the basket. Upon returning home, they are allowed to be with their partner for half an hour at the start of the season. As the season progresses, this becomes one hour. After five flights, they are allowed to stay with their partner until Sunday evening.
Another remarkable thing about Louis Vuitton was the fact that he always came from the same flight line and Eddy could set his clock to the fact that, when he was on his flight line, he flew top of the competition. So do toppers only fly from the draft?
The good genes of Louis Vuitton (who now resides in the top breeding lofts of the Herbots family in a partnership with owner ADL from the United States) are promising. Eddy's best yearling last season was Remco who is a direct son of LV. Remco flew 1st, 3rd and 5th Noyon. A promising force for the coming season.
Eddy's youngsters also never go beyond Noyon but are trained very well. They are trained a few times in an increasing kilometre-range with their own transport to then fly a few times learning flight Doornik in club. Then also immediately to Noyon. As soon as they have finished the Doornik training flights, the sexes are separated and the season continues on widowhood. When they arrive home on Sunday, the youngsters always stay together until Monday morning. When the flights of the Tour of Belgium come in sight, they stay together and, if possible, they are played on incubation on these flights. This way they have enough experience to start racing as yearlings.

 

The youngbird lofts

On the short distance races, you become a fancier pur sang
During the conversation with Eddy and a tour of the lofts, it struck us once again that it is on the speed that you master "the stile" of playing. The quality of the pigeons is of prime importance and stands above everything else, but it requires a keen eye, a healthy discipline and excellent care from the caretaker to get the pigeons to the start like knalbombs. Nothing should be left untouched, as this is top-level sport. Every novice player would certainly benefit from a few years of speed racing or a solid apprenticeship with a strong speed player, the ideal basis for a lot of professional knowledge!
It stirred up a lot of emotions at Eddy and Anneke in Baaigemstraat. Eddy also emphasised Anneke's role in all this. Due to some health problems, she fully supported and helped him in taking care of the pigeons and that cannot be highlighted enough. Beautiful and proud moments are yet to come when at the National Days of the KBDB Eddy, Anneke and Louis Vuitton will be honoured as the sprint champions of 2022 ! Being a champion is fun !
 

Congratulations from the Herbot team !
Geert Dhaenens