Daniël Aerens from Drongen wins 1st International Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2023 with “Night Flyer”
25 Feb 2024
In East Flanders we visit Daniël Aerens in the municipality of Drongen. Daniël has been passionate about pigeon racing for more than half a century and his passion for extreme long distance and especially Barcelona is very intense. But he is also not afraid of clocking in early here on the other side of the country from the Rhone Valley. He won 1st National Orange in 2005 and 1st National Montelimar Hens in 2004 and last season he won 1st Provincial Montelimar with his classy bird “Monti 580”. But of course this is mainly about Barcelona, which he loves. Real top performances have been achieved nationally here in recent years, with both early pigeons and several pigeons in the top 100 nationally and a nice series of prizes per 10. Or a racing loft that is simply there in width in Barcelona. In 2023, a new superstar who has already been confirmed for several years with the title of 1st International Ace Pigeon Barcelona in 4 years, “Night Flyer” is a hen that can break through a wall and can shine in Barcelona and Perpignan in one year. This hen is the successor of “Silver Wing II” who ended his career at Barcelona 2021 with 1st Provincial Barcelona and 6th National Barcelona against 6,913 pigeons. In total, this super crack won 5 x TOP 80 nationally in the extreme long distance, such toppers are very rare in Belgian pigeon racing.
If you look at the list of pigeons in the Barcelona ranking, this is really impressive.
We can briefly summarize the 2023 season as follows:
1 Int.Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2023
2 Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2022-2023
2 Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2023
4 Int.Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2023
4 Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2023
7 Int.Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2022-2023
7 Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2019-2023
8 Int .Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2019-2023
8 Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2023
10 Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2021-2023
14 Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2023
15 Int.Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2023
20 Int.Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2023
- 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
Highlights of his career
Silver Wing Barcelona 2021 with “Silver Wing II”
Silver Wing Barcelona 2002 with “Silver Wing I”
1st National Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2021 with “Silver Wing II”
1st International Barcelona Hens 2013 with “I Have a Dream”
1st National Orange 2005 6,751 pigeons
1st International St.Vincent Hens 2007 1,666 pigeons
1st National Montelimar Hens 2004 616 pigeons
1st Provincial Barcelona 2021 with “Silver Wing II”
1st Provincial Montelimar 2021 with “Monti 580”
2nd National Pau 2004 2,180 pigeons ( 5th Int.Nat 8,116p )
3rd National Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2019-2021 with “Silver Wing II”
4th National Barcelona 2013 10,542 pigeons ( 5th Int.Nat 25.382p )
4th National St.Vincent 6,521 yearlings 2007 ( 4th Int.Nat 7,515p )
5th Int.Nat Barcelona 2013 25,382 pigeons with “I Have a Dream”
5th Int.Nat Perpignan Hens 2007 3.131 pigeons
5th National Pau 2009 1,984 pigeons
6th National Beziers 2001 6,522 pigeons
6th National Barcelona 2002 13,021 pigeons
6th National Barcelona 2008 11,484 pigeons
8th National Mont Ventoux 2004
9th Int.Nat St.Vincent 2007 1,666 hens
9th National Barcelona 2008 11,484 pigeons
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!
Superstar “Night Flyer” BE 18-4219406
1 Int.Nat Ace Barcelona 2020-2023
2 Nat Ace Barcelona 2022-2023
2 Nat Ace Barcelona 2020-2023
12 Nat Barcelona 6.533p ( 119 Int.Nat 16.569p )
84 Nat Barcelona 6.560p ( 210 Int.Nat 16.832p )
106 Nat Perpignan 3.901p
134 Nat Perpignan 3.766p
156 Nat Barcelona 6.178p ( 401 Int.Nat 12.315p )
486 Nat Barcelona 6.913p
Father BE 09-4197623 Son Perpignan Hen
Son from “448/99” 1st Barcelona x “096/01” 1 Prov Perpignan
Mother BE 17-4228668
Daughter from “273/02”Brother 1 Int.Nat St.Vincent and grandson Didi Etienne Devos x “135/10” Daughter Onvermoeibare Vanderwegen x Didi lijn Etienne Devos
Toppers in this auction
BE 23-4192778 “Night Barca 778”
Daughter of superstar “Night Flyer” 1 Int.Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2023
BE 23-4192808 “Barca Girl 808”
Daughter of “60” 16 National Pau 1,910p x “Barcake 79” 4 Nat Ace Pigeon Barcelona 2020-2023.
BE 23-4192831 “Barca 831”
Daughter of “Grandson 1 Nat Montelimar” x “Full sister of father 7 Nat Barcelona '23 6,533p )
BE 23-4192849 “Barca 849”
This is a daughter of “Perpi 155” 34 National Perpignan 3,915p and granddaughter of “I Have a Dream” 1 Int.Nat Barcelona hens 6,642p
