François Callebaut (Meldert-Aalst) winner of Silver Wing Barcelona 2023 and owner of a great mini colony!

Yes, the hidden beautiful pearls still exist. It sometimes requires some detective work or an eye for detail, or taking the time to objectively read the results of a competition flight, to discover them. Personally, we had noticed for a number of years that there is such a player in Meldert-Aalst with a small basket, but a basket with a golden edge in the extreme long distance that plays strongly year after year with few pigeons.

The 2023 season was a real grandcru year

The proof that you do not need to house a large colony of pigeons to regularly excel in the toughest flights has once again been provided. It was no coincidence, it was not a "one-season fly" because François has been top in the extreme long distance for years. Always with a few pigeons in the basket, he easily scores top nationally. The quality is there, the diamonds in the breeding loft are cherished and he is loyal to his basic stock.

The 2023 season was a very nice season, with the crowning achievement of course being the winning of the Silver Wing Barcelona... but above all and perhaps even more so, the regularity of the results that have led to very nice and strong rankings in the toughest competitions:

Winner Silver Wing Barcelona 2023
1st National Marathon (best Belgian player over 7 international extreme long distance races with the 1st pigeon awarded) 
3rd European Cup La Colombe Joyeuse 
1st nominated Euro Diamond Pigeon Club 
3rd place Man of the Year 9th place 2 year ranking 
6th place Silver 
6th champion extreme long distance old birds KBDB East Flanders Club Land van Aalst 
1st General King extreme long distance 1st and 2nd excl 
1st Champion extreme long distance most prizes awarded 1st

It was therefore no surprise to us that we were allowed to visit the Silver Wing Barcelona 2023 in this loft. And even more remarkable is the fact that François won 6th nationally from Barcelona last year (2022) and can repeat this in 2023 (albeit with a different pigeon).

The master reveals himself in simplicity

It is pleasant to visit François and Gerda, friendly, tasty coffee and cookies and strong in their simplicity. François is one with head and hands. At 74 years old, he looks spry and lively. He is not an idler, he is always busy with something. If it isn't his pigeons, he is making a beautiful wooden toy the traditional way, i.e. without using a nail or a screw. Delivering solid work... that was the case in his professional history (self-employed construction worker for many years) but also in the practice of pigeon racing. He has been addicted to pigeon races in the extreme long distance for a long time. Born in a pigeon racing nest, he has been playing with pigeons since he was 15 years old. He learned the ins and outs of caring and motivating in the speed races that were and are (fortunately still) extremely popular in the Aalst region. In a later phase (and at their current home) he was bitten by the bug of the extreme long distance and knew where the mustard should be found, namely in the Netherlands. He looked for these strong racers very early on from the then star in the extreme long distance Sam De Jong, where he bought some young pigeons and eggs. He met the Dutch long-distance racers in other places, but the most success came from the pigeons of Sam De Jong. With one of these pigeons, the basic breeder Geschelpte Witpen, a very broad foundation was laid of pigeons that can cope with the toughest weather and in the toughest conditions. The simplicity of this extreme long distance discipline is mainly due to the quality of the pigeons and a transparent, simple care system. This is the case with François and that is how he is structured. It must be clear, manageable and structurally sound...and then the results will come.

The lineage of Den Bonten and his family is the common thread

François had been performing very well for years, but he did not receive much publicity. He does not show off the performance of his pigeons and a true expert will be able to distill this from the results. But when Den Bonten disbanded his devils in 2016, the spotlight was focused on Meldert. Den Bonten (BE13-4255775) was ringed with an old ring and was only sent out on a very limited basis in 2014. In 2016 (as a 2 year old) he achieved a blistering performance on two Rhône flights in brutal weather.

Montelimar 
1st provincial 423 p 
21st national 4,000p 
Marseille 
1st provincial 226p 
3rd national 2,166p 
8th international 9,641p

Achieving this as a two-year-old pigeon on 2 tough flights was a sign that there is a lot of power in these pigeons. His brother de Montélimar had also shown that they were strong with 3 early prizes from Marseille and Montélimar. François traditionally likes to race the races in the Rhône Valley because the pigeons that can perform there are usually strong pigeons.

Den Bonten is a direct son of Geschelpte Witpen (BE07-4368749) progenitor of the loft and directly from the lofts of Sam De Jong. François further spread this breeding line over his breeding loft and racing team. Here and there a dash of foreign blood is added (Peiren Noël, Boonen Gebroeders, Gilbert Van Hassel via Kris Steeman...) but he also does not shy away from breeding within this family (and that can be quite dense).

The line of Den Bonten (and even more specifically his father the Scalloped Witpen) is a line that inherits very well. For example, there is a superb reference with the Boonen brothers from Buggenum (Nl) who out of a hen by François (Miss Callebaut) won the 1st national Barcelona ZLU 2021 with their Caatje (1st national of 4,381 d). Miss Callebaut is a direct daughter of Den Bonten. 

The "Silver Wing" (BE20-4214417) brings glory to Meldert 

At 6.01 a.m. he arrived beautifully out of the flight line from Barcelona. 1st in the Club, 2nd provincial O-Vl, 6th national was the result. And with this, this beautiful blue cock, which from now on will go through life as the Silver Wing, brings honour and glory to Meldert. He repeats what a loftmate did to him in 2022, namely flying 6th national.

It is a very nice one in the hand, not too big but all just in proportion and very strongly built. This is also how François likes his pigeons. Big or small makes little difference to him as long as everything is in the right proportions....and preferably a soft plume.

He has a very strong pedigree in his blood. His father is a direct cock of Noël Peiren from the line of the Carcassonne and the As Perpignan. The mother is a half-sister of Den Bonten and comes from the basic breeding cock De Geschelpte Witpen x inbred to the progenitor. 

On the first flight Valence this year, he flew the 259th national and that was enough of a signal for François to basket him 1st for Barcelona with a Silver Wing as a reward.

He will now move to the breeding loft where he can try to perpetuate the brilliant tradition of top-flyers on the heaviest flights.

With the K for quality

You will not find the large crowd of pigeons here. About 20 breeding couples are kept and occasionally something is added... a little milk in the coffee, but the coffee remains the old line of the Geschelpte Witpen (Sam De Jong) and the old stock.

The focus is on the international races of the extreme long distance and nothing else. 

The longer middle distance and the one day long distance are used as a benchmark for form and as a training course for the young pigeons and yearling pigeons. This season started with 15 old pigeons (older than yearlings) and about 20 yearlings. The yearlings preferably complete two longer middle distance races and one or two one day long distance races as a basis for the future. A maximum of 50 young pigeons are ringed and trained so that they can fly several times such as Noyon or a little further in their wings. Breeding only takes place from March onwards because the losses of young pigeons are much more limited. The racing pigeons do not breed before the season and are allowed to breed for about 10 days. learning it and making it a little easier to handle. 

After the season they are allowed to raise a pair of young pigeons to increase their nesting skills and nesting stability. Many frivolities are not included in François' care. Before the season, a manure sample is sent by post to the veterinarian. Based on These findings may or may not require intervention, but this is usually a no-brainer. François' lofts are healthy, tidy and daily maintenance is included in the hotel service... but nothing more. Regularly add garlic and onion in the drinking jar, electrolytes when you get home, some brewer's yeast and with this the menu is known. 3 Paloma mixtures are combined as food (moulting, diet, flight) and fed in a food bowl on the floor of the cage. After half an hour the table is cleared away. During the season the pigeons also get some candy seeds as a snack. On the other hand, we can say that nothing is left to chance. François is a winner and if the flight is not as good, he will make an extra effort to get them to the start in top condition for the next flight. That also characterizes the truly passionate players! In addition to the Silver Wing, there are some cocks that have more than earned their stripes. 

We will pick out another one as an example, namely Saint Vincent (shall we baptize him, because he did not have a name yet..).

Saint Vincent (2021) 
1st club 51p
17th prov 721p 
64th national 3,080p 
Marseille (2022) 
1st club 34d 
28th prov 328p 
161st national 2,326p 
Pau (2023) 
7th club 69p 
59th prov 822p 
176th national 3,080p 
Saint Vincent (2023) 
1st club 71d 
2nd provincial 777p 
8th national 2,326p

The father of this pigeon is a cock from Gilbert Van Hassel (Zele) via Kris Steeman, the mother is a half-sister of Den Bonten (from the basic breeder Geschelpte Witpen).

All this leaves you wanting more

For François and Gerda, winning the Silver Wing is a great reward for enjoying a hobby without worrying much about what those around them think about it. In addition, the beautiful rankings (including 1st place National Marathon) confirm that this relatively small colony also has a lot of quality across the board. François decided years ago that the extreme long distance is the branch of pigeon racing that appeals to him most. He started looking for and selecting the right pigeons for this. He practices his hobby passionately, with a lot of drive and dedication and he remains true to simplicity in care. The quality of the pigeon, proper and thorough care and then long-distance testing. And above all, enjoy the beautiful results. A fairly pure form of pigeon racing.

The passion for the extreme long distance is a bug that has struck François heavily. Hopefully in good health, he can 'carry on quietly' as he says, and then we are firmly convinced that top results will still be recorded in Meldert, but what 2023 has brought cannot be ruined!

Especially for the first time, Francois is offering children of his best pigeons in an internet auction 

BE 23-4184597 "Silver Wing 597" 

A beautiful son of “597/20” Silver Wing Barcelona 2023 coupled with a sister of 9th Int.Nat Barcelona 16,832p in 2022. The very best of Noel Peiren coupled together. 

BE 23-4184598 “Barca 598” and BE 23-4184599 “Barca 599” 

This is a ½ sister and ½ brother of “597/20” Silver Wing Barcelona 2023 
Bred from the same father of “597/20” but again coupled to a sister of 9th Int.Nat Barcelona 16,832p in 2022. 

Congratulations from the Herbots team!

Geert Dhaenens