Mario Vyvey: 1st prov. champion KBDB OVL speed youngsters

I am visiting a 'pigeon fancier/enthusiast' with a small basket. Kluizen, a village in the Belgian province of East-Flanders and a sub-municipality of Evergem. Kluizen is known for its water reservoir and its many green areas. A cozy town center with lively associations. A fair in town is not to be missed! And basketing where Mario Vyvey baskets, is not to be missed either ... They do not basket large numbers, but the few pigeons they basket are pure quality. And that is what it is all about in Mario's opinion. Participating for the prizes / championships, both locally and provincially. The national level is a work in progress. And that's it! What started as a 'friendly joke' over a glass of beer in the spring of 2012, is now operating at full capacity in a few years time. Having a drink with friends can have serious consequences ... Patrick De Sy (Boekhoute) and Geert Couvreur (Bassevelde) were teasing Mario constantly that they were going to 'work' him if he built a small loft. Mario Vyvey had been brought up amongst the pigeons by his late dad Raymond Vyvey. However, Mario had practically no interest in the pigeon sport. Visiting the lofts once in a while, when dad allowed it, to 'fight' the pigeons, that was all the interest Mario had. The ties of friendship with Patrick De Sy and Geert Couvreur, made Mario start to look at the pigeons' homecoming at De Sy & Couvreur's in 2012. And that is when it started to 'tingle' ... Had he been hit by the 'pigeon microbe'? And so it came to pass, Mario started looking for a 'small' loft. He soon found it and had his 1st loft standing at his home in no time. 20 youngsters from the second round of the best pigeons/breeders of Raymond Vyvey & Patrick De Sy and Geert Couvreur came to the loft (10 Raymond Vyvey – 8 Patrick De Sy – 2 Geert Couvreur). So, for the build-up of the loft, he did not knock on the door of several lofts, but limited himself to these 3 strains. Magically, he immediately hit the mark with his breeding season 2013, so Mario could rest assured the first years. Every year, he adds a pigeon here or there, but only if it has real "added value" for the lofts. If they are not capable of flying ahead, they can stay there according to Mario.
After much online research and with the help of dad and his friends, Mario appeared at the start with his team of youngsters. Now be ready for a stunning fact ... He instantly came in 1st! In order to start the year 2013 with widowers and chicks, he needed a second loft. The widowers were to come where he had started with the chicks.

5 garden lofts
1 loft for +-60 chicks(with sliding door). Mario only plays with the 1st round. Nothing is added in order to keep the peace in the two chicks lofts. 1 part of the youngsters is obscured, the other part 'flies' naturally until moulting starts. Widowers breed 1 round – breeders 2 to 3, depending on the demand for chicks & vouchers donated in different societies.
1 Loft for 14 widowers, which are played on classic widowhood. In the evening, after work, the widowers take to the air at about 5:30 pm. This is given quite some attention. How my guys train, is very revealing according to Mario Vyvey ... I do not need them to train a long time, but we do watch the intensity closely. The widowers get to see their hens briefly upon basketing for motivation. This advice was given by dad, who was an excellent pigeon fancier as well ... Always show the 'hen' before basketing, son! And Mario still follows this good advice.
At homecoming, their 'lady' is waiting and they can fool around a while in the 'Ghentelman's' box. (depending on the severity of the flight).
2 lofts for about 20 breeding couples.
1 large aviary for 40 hens.

Pigeons that fly ahead weekly, get/have a place in the lofts, the rest must go! No matter what their lineage is.
The feed that is given, is Versele. From Monday to Wednesday morning, a low-fat kind ... After that I start fattening them with Black Label I.C. My pigeons have had to learn to eat this, but once they were used to it, they liked it. Before breeding, the pigeons are given Versele 'Kweek Subliem'. Upon homecoming, 'Electrolytes' are added to the drinking water. During the week, home-made tea, some Naturaline and … pure water! That is all a good pigeon needs, according to Mario. The medical accompaniment is taken care of by doctor Roeland van Wynsberghe from Kaprijke. They are administered a treatment against Paratyfus - Coccidiose - Tricho … before breeding. In Mario Vyvey's opinion, pigeons must be kept as clean as possible at the beginning of the breeding season. All the pigeons (widowers & breeders) are put together somewhere between November 25 and December 1. After breeding and therefore a few weeks before the season, doctor Van Wynsberghe is visited again with a few pigeons & the required manure. The treatment is adjusted or not on the basis of his advice. This is how they start the racing season. During the racing season a 4-week treatment is given against Tricho and doctor Van Wynsberghe is visited twice to three times a month. If Mario detects anything, he immediately contacts the doctor by telephone.
Wednesday is `bath time' at Vyvey's and the aviaries are provided with a bath.
Oh yes, and do not ask for pedigrees. Paper does not fly, Mario tells me ...!
Who can blame him, seeing the results he obtained in a few years time.
Here is a "concise" overview of the results Mario Vyvey obtained on speed and small middle distance "2012 - to date":

2012 - House “Land van Belofte” - Ghent
- 2 x 1st – speed

2013 - House “Land van Belofte” - Ghent
- 6 x 1st – speed
- 4 x 1st – small middle distance
- General Prince – “Land van Belofte” - Ghent
- King ‘Youngsters’ below Paris
- 1st – Final ranking ‘honorary’ prize of the board
- 1st – Final score ‘honorary’ prize ‘t Land van Belofte
- 1st – Final ranking ‘honorary’ prize Marcel Heirman (team of 3)
- 1st – Team race ‘t Land van Belofte (team of 2)
- 1st – Kingship youngsters below Paris
- 1st – Championship ‘all’ Arras flights

2013 - House “Recht & Plicht” - Lembeke
- 1st – Fall Championship – Noyon – Youngsters

2014 - House “Land van Belofte” - Ghent
- 16 x 1st – speed
- 2 x 1st – small middle distance
- General King – “Land van Belofte” – Ghent
- King 'Youngsters' below Paris
- King ‘Young pigeons’ above Paris - (Fontenay flights)
- 1st – Kingship youngsters below Paris
- 1st – Kingship youngsters above Paris
- 1st – Volontarily payed championship old pigeons (team of 2)
- 1st – Championship ‘all’ Arras flights
- 1st – Championship ‘all’ Clermont flights – Yearlings
- 1st – Final score ‘honorary’ prize – Yearlings
- 1st – Final score ‘honorary’ prize – Youngsters
- 1st – Team race ‘t Land van Belofte (team of 2)

2014 - Championships "Meetjesland"
- 3rd - Meetjesland Cup ​​
- 3rd - Meetjesland Cup - Small middle distance
- 3rd - Ace Pigeon - Speed ​​- Youngsters (6 prizes)
- 4th - Points Championship (20 prizes)

2014 – Youth club "East Flanders"
- Provincial Champion – Eastern Flanders – Beginners above 25 y

2015 - House “Land van Belofte” - Ghent
- 27 x 1st – speed
- 4 x 1st – small middle distance
- General King – “Land van Belofte” – Ghent
- 1st – Kingship old pigeons below Paris
- 1st – Volontarily payed championship old & youngsters (team of 2)
- 1st – Championship ‘old & yearlings & jonge’ pigeons – Arras
- 1st – Championship ‘Clermont’ old pigeons
- 1st – Championship ‘Clermont’ yearlings
- 1st – Championship ‘Young’ pigeons
- 1st – Championship ‘Yearlings’ Fontanay
- 1st – General champion
- 1st – Kingship youngsters below Paris
- 1st – Honorary prize 1 & 2 & 3rd del youngsters
- 1st – Honorary prize team game 1 & 2 & 3rd del old & youngsters (team of 3)
- 1st – Ace pigeon yearlings
- 1st – Ace pigeon youngsters
- 1st – Honorary prize team game 1st del old & youngsters (team of 2)
- 2nd – Ace pigeon old pigeons

2015 - Championships "Meetjesland"
- 1st - Meetjesland Cup - Speed ​​
- 1st - Points - Speed ​​(20 prizes)
- 1st - Ace Pigeon - Speed ​​Old (6 prizes)
- 6th - Ace Pigeon - Speed ​​Young (6 prizes )
2015 - "Provincial" - East Flanders
- 1st Provincial Champion - Speed ​​- 1 & 2 delivered pigeon - Old
- 4th Provincial Ace Pigeon - Speed ​​- Old
- 11th Provincial Ace Pigeon - Speed ​​- Young

2016 - House “Land van Belofte” – Ghent
- 24 x 1st – speed
- 3 x 1st – small middle distance
- Emperor (3rd year in a row king with 1 & 2nd delivered pigeon – in the old pigeons & yearlings & youngsters)
- 1st – Kingship old pigeons below Paris
- 1st – Honorary prize 1 & 2 & 3rd del youngsters
- 1st – Honorary prize team game 1 & 2 & 3rd del old & youngsters (team of 3)
- 1st – Ace pigeon yearlings
- 1st – Ace pigeon youngsters
- 1st – Championship ‘Clermont’ old pigeons
- 1st – Championship ‘Clermont’ yearlings
- 1st – Volontarily payed championship old & youngsters (team of 2)
- 2nd – Ace pigeon old pigeons
- 2nd – Kingship youngsters below Paris
- 2nd – Kingship youngsters above Paris
- 2nd – Championship ‘old pigeons & yearlings & youngsters – Arras
- 2nd – Honorary prize team game 1st del. old pigeons & youngsters (team of 2)
- 3rd – General champion
2016 – Championships “Meetjesland”
- 1st – Meetjesland Cup – Speed
- 2nd – Punten – Speed (20 prizes)
- 3rd – Ace pigeon – Speed Old (6 prizes)
- 4th – Ace pigeon – Speed Youngsters (6 prizes)
2016 - House “Recht & Plicht” – Lembeke
- 1st – General Champion – Old & youngsters – Arras & Clermont
2016 – Provincial – Eastern Flanders
- 1st – Ace pigeon – Speed – Old & Yearlings
- 3rd – Speed Championships Youngsters 1 & 2nd delivered
- 10th – Speed Championships Old & Yearlings
2017 - House “Land van Belofte” – Ghent
- 17 x 1st – speed
- 3 x 1st – small middle distance
- General Prince – “Land van Belofte” – Ghent
- 1st – Kingship old pigeons below Paris
- 1st – Honorary prize team game 1 & 2 & 3rd del. old pigeons & youngsters (team of 3)
- 1st – Ace pigeon old pigeons
- 1st – Ace pigeon yearlings
- 1st – Ace pigeon youngsters
- 1st – Volontarily payed championship old pigeons & youngsters (team of 2)
- 1st – Championship ‘Clermont’ old pigeons
- 1st – Championship ‘Clermont’ yearlings
- 1st – Honorary prize 1 & 2 & 3rd del. old pigeons
- 2nd – Kingship old pigeons above Paris
- 2nd – Honorary prize 1 & 2 & 3rd del. yearlings
- 2nd – Honorary prize 1 & 2 & 3rd del. youngsters
- 2nd – Team game – 1st delivered pigeon – Old pigeons & yearlings & youngsters
- 2nd – General championship ‘verbond’ with St-Martens-Latem -
2017 – Championships “Meetjesland”
- 1st – Meetjesland Cup – Speed
- 1st – Ace pigeon – Speed Youngsters (6 prizes)
- 2nd – Points – Speed (20 prizes)
- 3rd – Ace pigeon – Speed Old (6 prizes)
2017 – Provincial – Eastern Flanders
- 3rd – Ace pigeon – Speed – Youngsters - 4074990 ‘17
- 3rd – General Championship 2017
- 3rd – Ace pigeon – Speed – Old & Yearlings - 4026416 – ‘15
- 4de – Speed championship – Old & Yearlings
2017 – National
- 12nd – Nationale Ace pigeon – Speed – Old – 4026416 – ‘15
2018 - House “Land van Belofte” – Ghent
- 12 x 1st – speed
- 1 x 1st – small middle distance
- General Prince – “Land van Belofte” – Ghent
- King youngsters below Paris
- 1st – Kingship younsters below Paris
- 1st – Volontarily payed championship old & youngsters (team of 2)
- 1st – Championship ‘Clermont’ youngsters
- 1st - Championship ‘Fontenay’ yearlings
- 1st – Honorary prize yearlings
- 1st – Team game – ‘t Land van Belofte (team of 2)
- 1st – Championship ‘verbond’ with St-Martens-Latem – yearlings
- 2nd – Kingship old pigeons below Paris
- 2nd – Kingship old pigeons above Paris
- 2nd – Kingship youngsters above Paris
- 2nd – Championship ‘Clermont’ old pigeons
- 2nd – Championship ‘Clermont’ yearlings
- 2nd – Honorary prize old pigeons
- 2nd – Honorary prize youngsters
- 2nd – Honorary prize team game 1 & 2 & 3rd del. old & youngsters (team of 3)
- 2nd – Championship ‘verbond’ with St-Martens-Latem – old pigeons
* Ace pigeons - House “Land van Belofte” - were not known at the time.
2018 – Championships “Meetjesland”
- 1st – Meetjesland Cup – Speed
- 1st – Ace pigeon – Speed Youngsters (6 prizes)
- 2nd – Points – Speed (20 prizes)
- 10th – Ace pigeon – Speed Old (6 prizes)
- 15th – Punten – Small middle distance (14 prizes)
- 18th – Ace pigeon – Small middle distance – Old
2018 – Provincial – Eastern Flanders
- 1st - Speed championship - youngsters (1 & 2nd del)
- 3rd – Ace pigeon – Speed – Youngsters – 4111093 –‘18
- 9de – Speed championship - old pigeons and yearlings (1 & 2nd del)
- 11st - Ace pigeon – Speed – Old & Yearlings - 4026416 – ‘15
Anno ‘2018’ we have arrived at a dazzling number of “121” – 1st prizes:

Congratulations from the Herbots team!

Luc Den Dooven