Daniël Aerens (Drongen): as if Barcelona were a piece of cake!

Does an easy Barcelona exist? Apparently so. In conversations with experienced Barcelona players, the expression “it was an easy Barcelona” is sometimes heard. This sometimes makes me raise an eyebrow and I try to put myself in the place of the pigeon that has to do this job.

Into the basket on Monday for transport to Catalonia. In most cases, the temperatures in that region are such that you will have to sweat anyway. Depending on the weather conditions, and in the best case on Friday, for a tour of an average of 1,200 kilometers (a little less for the French, a little more for the Dutch and some Germans). On top of that, the recent discussion of early release or later release. In addition to the aspects of temperature and weather conditions, this decision has a major influence on the (inter)national result.

So much for the general Barcelona climate among the players. As a pigeon I think I feel differently about this. Over or next to the Pyrenees, the Rhöne Valley or the Massif Central or the coastline, there are plenty of possibilities, but the kilometers will be crunched... and I have to keep a close eye out for the dangers along the way such as the dradeb and the birds of prey around me... not obvious... and yet the flight of flights is flown...whatever the weather or the wind.

They are always there at Daniël Aerens

Warrior of Many Wars fits well here. Whether as a pigeon fancier or as an organizer-driver, Daniël is a diesel with many kilometers on his clock. He doesn't have much to prove yet...and yet his determination and passion for pigeon racing remain almost indestructible. Recently a comment was “they don't make them like that anymore”. Possibly yes, everyone is the child of their generation, which also applies to Daniel.

A mix of a lot of experience and helmsmanship, strongly seasoned with a good dose of decisiveness and determination and a lot of care for the pigeon sport and the pigeon. Daniël is one of those with instructions for use that you should read in advance. And yet at the end of a conversation, discussion or meeting, the concern for pigeon racing (and for Daniël certainly the extreme long distance) always comes up. The dog looks like its owner? 

Daniël's pigeons too, they also have that determination, also that stubbornness, also that determination to perform in any circumstance on the toughest flights. Although Daniël will supervise all flights that fall under his responsibility (OVV-FVOV) with great care and is responsible for the releases with great care, his heart and his pigeons are devoted to the extreme long distance. Here Daniël also emphasizes the not to be despised task that his partner Hélène fulfills. In addition to her involvement in pigeon racing tout-court, she is always busy with him analyzing the weather images and supporting the decisions to release the flights. A hard Barcelona, ​​an easy Barcelona, ​​lots of sun, rain on the way, dirty weather... 

Daniël's pigeons are always ready when they are released in Spain. He has really developed it over the years by flying and selecting them in all conditions. Started with a rock-solid foundation that the Van der Wegen pigeons had and still have, the extreme long distance men of Cyriel Martens, the Didi line of Vanden Broucke, Norman, Peiren, Calonne... have built an armed foundation under this colony. Breeding couples are rarely or never recoupled, pigeons are bred until old age, and early young pigeons are not bred. Young pigeons are trained to a very limited extent as young pigeons... a complete maturation process based on... the later races on the extreme long distance.

Simplicity adorns the master

Even with few frills in the care, the Aerens system is one of simplicity and structure. It is well thought out, experienced and confirmed by years of top results. The pigeons receive very basic guidance. It is ensured, also under the supervision of veterinarian Wim Boddaert, that all pigeons have the necessary vaccinations, it is examined whether they are in excellent health... and then nature must and will do its work. Wim's advice is followed. A few weeks before Barcelona the pigeons are examined by Wim. In the event of a dip in the results of the preparatory flights, Wim's advice is also requested. The breeding loft consists of 25 breeding couples that breed from March to October. 

About 200 youngsters are bred per year, 120 of which are for our own use. The young pigeons receive little or no training in their year of birth. Depending on circumstances and time, this may involve three training flights with your own transport (until the border) or, if plumage and weather conditions permit, two speed flights. As a yearling, the rhythm is increased and they either fly 2 national one-day long distance races or a few fly from Narbonne. Then they are ready for real heavy long distance work, where cocks only fly to Barcelona at the age of 3 and hens may do so from the age of 2. The yearlings are raced as “father”. Narbonne 2022... many of us remember this bad release with large losses and pigeons that came home days or weeks later, whether or not they were able to be used.

An observation made by Daniël, who had used a team of inexperienced yearling pigeons, is that yearlings that searched for a long time and took days to get home, are now performing strongly in the extreme long distance and also in Barcelona. Apparently this hellish journey from Narbonne was an additional learning experience for them in the world of extreme long distance. The racing pigeons consist of about 50 cocks and 30 to 40 hens (aged 2 years and older). Both the cocks and the hens are used for heavy work. The cocks are in widowhood, the hens are raced in a nest.

Outside the racing season, the hens always stay in a spacious aviary. The racing team will be paired on March 15. During breeding, the pigeons are trained about 5 times with their own transport and then complete training flights in a club. Usually this is followed by Arras, Clermont, Toury, Vierzon, Bourges. After this coupling, the cocks go to classic widowhood and the hens (when their young are 12 days old) return to the aviary. The Barcelona team normally does not fly any more flights after Bourges, with the exception of a middle distance flight the week before Barcelona. The hens of the Barcelona team are coupled again to be basketed in a nest position with a youngster of a few days old in the nest for the Spain flight. The cocks that fly in widowhood Barcelona do not receive a nest dish or hen before basketing. The reward follows when you return home. All pigeons train once a day. In the beginning the hens need some encouragement with a flag or ball, but after a few days they get the rhythm and train smoothly on their own. Feeding is also transparent and simple. Two types of feed Mariman Kweek and Mariman Purification. These two mixtures are played with in relation to the intensity of the intermediate flights and the preparation for the tough assignments. No other supplements or fine seeds. Occasionally some vitamins or Naturaline, that's it!

Results to dream of

• Silver Wing 2021
• Silver Wing 2002
• 1st international Barcelona hens 2013
• 1st national Orange 2005
• 1st international Sint Vincent hens 2007
• 1st national Montélimar hens 2004 ....

are the highlights in the long list of achievements in the extreme long distance.

We can briefly summarize the 2023 season as follows:

• Barcelona 68% national prize of which 14 per 10 Agen
• 67% price nationally Marseille
• 60% national prize
• Perpignan 59% national
• Best pigeon from Barcelona over 4 years with BE18-4019406.
• 1st Barcelona Masters

Some Barcelona figures from the last 4 seasons (national)

• 2023: 7-12-59-137-204-229-295-409-495-520-522-587-635-661-815-913-1030-1065-1137-1142-1316-1503 (23/38) of which 14 per 10 out of 6,533 participating pigeons.

• 2022 : 53-80-84-101-120-155-166-413-487-522-551-705-932-939-1027-1057-1091-1203-1262-1334-1490 (21/42) of which 11 per 10 out of 6,560 participating pigeons.
• 2021 : 6-15-30-160-249-277-323-377-398-438-486-593-595-728-900-927-940-1034-1062-1240-1256 (21/35) of which 13 per 10 out of 6,913 participating pigeons.
• 2020 : 33-46-50-90-115-132-156-249-256-331-381-385-522-584-603-616-636-655-702-854-1068-1122-1131-1352-1520 (25/39) of which 16 per 10 out of 6,178 participating pigeons.

Absolutely wonderful what they have up their sleeves in Drongen. The fact that it is not just about Barcelona is also shown by the overview of a number of other top places from the past:

• 1e Internat Barcelona Hens 2013
• 1e Nat Orange 6.751p in 2005
• 1e Internat St.Vincent 1.666 hens in 2007
• 1e Nat Montélimar 616 hens in 2004
• 1e Nat Zone Montélimar 2022
• 2e Nat Pau 2.180p in 2004
• 4e Nat Barcelona 10.542p in 2013
• 5e Internat Barcelona 25.382p in 2013
• 4e Nat St.Vincent 6.521 yls in 2007
• 4e Intnat St.Vincent 7.515yls in 2007
• 5e Internat Pau 8.116p in 2004
• 5e Internat Perpignan 3.131 hens in 2007
• 5e Nat Pau 1.984p in 2009
• 6e Nat Béziers 6.522p in 2001
• 6e Nat Barcelona 13.021p in 2002
• 6e Nat Barcelona 11.484p 2008
• 6e Internat Barcelona 6.520 hens in 2008
• 8e Nat Mont Ventoux 2004
• 9e Internat St.Vincent 1.666 hens 2007
• 9e Nat Barcelona 11.484p 2008

It remains a fascinating story to play the flight of flights. Fortunately, despite the challenges of recent years and the coming years, pigeon racing is still broad enough as a platform to have different disciplines. From sprint speed to the heaviest work. Everyone has their choice, everyone has their preferences and all champions are worthy of being champions.

For Daniël and Hélène this is the story of the extreme long distance and Barcelona par excellence. It is almost a tradition that when the first pigeons from Barcelona report, the name Aerens appears on the screens. Easier said than done and repeating this year after year has strong merit.

Yes, they do have them there in Drongen, and can therefore be called Barcelona specialists par excellence. 

Let's hope that this can continue for a few more years in good health!

Congratulations from the Herbots team!

Geert Dhaenens