Smeets – Penris from Urmond ( With a small basket 3x Top 100 National Barcelona )
12 Feb 2020
Visiting a new colony just across the border from Belgium and Holland, in Urmond Robin Smeets and Piet Penris live. They run this colony together since the day that Robin got the hang of it in 1999, then it took about 5 years before also Piet started racing pigeons but from the start on this went really well. First off course on those short distance races but in 2010 they had 4 pigeons basketed on Perigeux where 3 raced head of the race. Since then they started focussing on those extreme long distance race and in 2018 they got rid of all the short distance pigeons and their goal is set now on the ZLU races.
When you can show of after such a decision as in 2018 a 2nd International Marseille against 9,387 old pigeons you know you're on roses. But the stunt where we are here for was their stunt on Barcelona 2019. They only basketed 3 pigeons and won the 26th, 52nd and 79th national against 4,132 old birds. On the international level they won the 52nd, 129th and 181st against 15,981 old birds.
The past years Barcelona has become an even harder race as before with as consequence that only very few pigeons participated to a 2nd international race in the same year. Their 'Lucky 38' did do this, a 53rd National Barcelona and after that a 33d National Narbone. He is a half-brother to the 2nd International Marseille 2018 and his mother is out of the old strains from Florizoone x Brothers Kuypers. I'm really curious what this top pigeon is up to in 2020.
Topresults 2017-2019
1 Euroregion Agen Year birds 2019 ( 1 hour ahead)
1 Provincial Agen Year birds 2019
1 1 Serie Barcelona 1+2+3 International 2019
1 Serie Barcelona 1+2+3 Holland 2019
1 Euroregionserie Barcelona 1+2 2019
2 Serie Barcelona 1+2 Holland 2019
2 International Marseille 9,387 old 2018 “Benny Batman”
2 National Marseille old 2018 “Benny Batman”
2 National Ace Barcelona 2016-2018 “Avatar”
4 National Champion Marathon ZLU 2017
6 International Ace Barcelona 2016-2018 “Avatar”
6 National Ace Marseille 2016-2018 “Benny Batman”
13 International Ace Marseille 2016-2018 “Benny Batman”
How do you race the old and year birds?
We have a racing team of 24 hens and 30 cocks, until last year we raced everything on widowhood until Agen and the hens went on nest immediately after that. As we noticed that this even gave better results we are going to race the hens on nest from their first race on.
During the Winter period only the best old pigeons can breed one round of youngsters. After this there isn't a second coupling until the season starts off.
A thing that is important for them is the training in Spring and during the season itself. The widow cocks train mostly twice a day unless they train really hard the 1st training as we don't want them to train of all their energy. For the hens it depends how we are racing them at that moment, are they on nest than we will toss them a bit more from 50km than when they are on widowhood and then they just train twice a day around the loft.
The goal is that the old pigeons race 2 international races or with exception 3 races and mostly these are the ones that do Pau. The old race weekly in April and May and get mostly a Limoges (that is now being replaced by Montluçon in 2020), a first test beginning of June. Afterwards the team is being divided over all the international races. For the yearlings it is important that they do Limoges, Agen and Narbonne.
So in 2019 the hens raced until Agen on widowhood and could have a nest after this race before Narbonne. They were basketed on 10 days breeding with a much better result. So in 2020 we will basket them twice on 10 days breeding and they will train at ease in between and have a short race as well.
Widow cocks on the extreme long distance on classic widowhood....
Yes, we might be one of the few lofts that still do this but the results are good so we will keep this system. The pigeons will always see their hen before the race, at the beginning this isn't very long but once the beautiful races are up this will be one hour.
At arrival they are being locked up together with their partner, at the beginning they are waiting but once the longer races are up they will only be placed on the lofts from the moment the cocks get home. They don't want to make the other cocks to crazy so we give them eating and drinking separate and can stay together until the day after in the morning. You would say this makes the other cocks crazy but we don't think so.
Toppers from the past seasons
NL 16-1795838 “Lucky 38” Chequered white pin cock
33 Nat Narbonne ’19 2.352b
53 Nat Barcelona ’19 4.129b
129 I.Nat 15.981b
63 Npo St.Vincent ‘18 1.706b
90 Npo Limoges ‘17 2.109b
167 Npo Issoudun ‘18 4.709b
199 Npo Dax 4.772b
Father NL 12-1892105 Light chequered
Super breeder
Father to ao. “Benny Batman” 2 I.Nat Marseille ’18 9.387b
Gr.F. NL 09-1497008 H Nijsten
Son to “NL 99-623” H Nijsten x “NL 07-327” Granddaughter 606 Best long distance pigeon
over 5 years Fondspiegel ‘99
Gr.M. NL 03-1510079 Daughter 606 H Nijsten
Daughter to “NL 92-606” Best long distance pigeon over 5 years Fondspiegel ’99 x “NL 99-987” Lei Kurvers
Mother NL 07-1077197 Kuypers x Florizoone
Super breeding hen
Mother to “563” 3 Nat Bordeaux jl ’11
Gr.F. NL 04-1136827 Dark
Son to“BE 00-126 R Florizoone x “NL 00-688” Kuypers
Gr.M. NL 04-1136826 Kuypers x Florizoone
NL 16-1795825 “Alberto 25” Chequered cock
27 Nat Barcelona ’19 4.129b
Full brother to 99 Nat Narbonne 3.829b – 104 Nat Bergerac 8.170b – 131 Nat Agen 5.935b
Father NL 10-2009712 Son Blue Sjek
Gr.F. NL 04-1218462 Blue Sjek – N Haesen
Won 4 Cahors 2.863b – 7 Nat St.Vincent 16.340b – 13 Nat Mont de Marsan 11.326b
Son to “NL 99-331” Montauban Comb.Caubergh x “BE 01-291” Daughter Pau S Meremans
Gr.M. NL 05-1775207 Daughter Blauwe Vanoppen – Wijnands & Zoon
Daughter to “BE 88-833” Blauwe Vanoppen Super breeder x “NL 95-291” Bontje Saya
Mother NL 14-1304050 Super 050
Gr.F. NL 10-1975622 Grandson Casartelli
Son to “NL 09-193” Zoon Casartelle 1 Nat Ace bird ’04 Corstjens x “NL 08-332”
Gr.M. NL 10-1955646 Sister 865
“865” won Nat Ace bird Fondspiegel ’07 ( 100% Thijssen )
NL 13-1539677 “Avatar” Light chequered cock
2 Nat Ace bird Barcelona 2016-2018
6 I.Nat Ace bird Barcelona 2016-2018
12 I.Nat Ace bird Barcelona 2016-2017
This top cock won 11x prize on 12 races with also these 3 wonderful results on Barcelona.
51 Nat Barcelona ’16 5.239b
133 I.Nat 17.729b
115 Nat Barcelona ’17 4.504b
367 I.Nat 17.026b
227 Nat Barcelona ’18 3.912b
627 I.Nat 15.700b
Father NL 04-1136825 Blue – Gebr.Kuypers
Gr.F. NL 95-2377829 Inbred Beatrix - Gebr.Kuypers
Father Beatrix x Sister Beatrix
Gr.M. BE 00-3167127 Blue – R Florizoone
Daughter to “BE 97-230” Son Primus Inter Pares Florizoone x “BE 98-003” Daughter Witneus
Primus Inter Pares Barcelona 1993-1997
Mother NL 10-3049812 Diamantje Jellema
Gr.F. NL 09-3949867 Light chequered – Jellema x Bax
Son to “NL 06-777” Grandson Zwart Goud x “NL 06-739” Sister Stef
Gr.M. NL 09-3949851 Light chequered – Jellema
Daughter to “NL 06-100” Son Bergerac Doffer x “NL 06-701” Jelle 701
Guidance
The racing pigeons get Paloma breeding / moulting now until the races start, than we switch onto Purification and Gerry Plus at the beginning of the week and use Duo Sport Paloma at the end of the week with some additional candy and peanuts.
The widow cocks always get their food separate in their box while the hens get food together until they are on a nest position.
At arrival there is are always electrolytes waiting and get 100% purge as food.
As extra's we like to believe in garden vegetables such as carrots, beetroot and also a lot of garlic is given.
For the medical story we especially pay attention in April, a short distance race with cold head wind can kill your entire racing season so we like to interfere here quicker as during the season. With interfering we mean given a cure for the respiratory so they are surely open and we don't have to give a long antibiotic cure.
In a matter of trichomoniases we always treat them when they are breeding and during the season itself this will depend on the results. We only focus on a few races so we only need to treat them once or twice during the season.
A new colony we got acquainted with, Piet & Robin a big congratulation from the entire Herbots team.
Buelens Kim
