Herbots | Jasper Haselager, Westbeemster 1st National ace bird short distance

Jasper had a fantastic season and crowned it with a 1st National ace Category short distance old birds. Time to ring Jasper's bell but first we go to his hometown of Westbeemster.

History in pigeon racing

Jasper says: "I came into contact with pigeon racing through my father and grandfather. When my parents moved back from Belgium to the Netherlands, they lived with my father's parents in Muiden for a short period. My grandfather had pigeons there and I was regularly in the loft with him. When my parents bought a farm in Westbeemster, my grandfather immediately put up a pigeon loft for me and my father and I started flying. Afterwards, my parents moved to Brabant (Nuenen) and my father and I stayed closely involved in pigeon racing there, even when I moved back to Amsterdam afterwards. Calling every day about how and what regarding fattening/training/showings etc etc. And of course early on Saturday or Friday evening in the car to Brabant to basket the pigeons together or to see them coming home. So from the age of 4 I have been involved in pigeon racing. Since then I have also been active and was never without pigeon racing. My eldest son Joaquim (9) now plays in combination with his mother and we have had racing pigeons independently at our current address since 2016."

The game played and the present

"I played everything i.e. the General game, which I see as a prestigious title. If you ask what my favourite distance is, it is day long distance. The distance suitability, the individual class of the pigeon itself and the mordance that this pigeon must have to put down a good price on the heavier flights really appeals to me. The competition time as well! I intend to fly only on these in the coming years. However, the yearlings must be raced on sprint and middle distance flights. I play all sexes on widowhood but for every cock or hen on the flight I have a partner at home. About 20 years ago, A.v. d. Voort from Eindhoven once said to me that playing total widowhood is to the detriment of the cocks and I have, except for the 2017 season, always applied this successfully here. In 2018, I paired hens from the racing cocks against the breeding cocks but this was not as expected. The following year, I paired them against the stay-at-home birds, including raising youngsters. It was an instant hit with a TT listing on Châteauroux with a hen. This year I paired them twice for 1 week (without breeding and youngsters). Apparently this is not enough motivation for hens to come home quickly. The whole year, except the 1st one-day long distance flight, I first had 10-15 cocks at home before the first hen arrived".

Motivation and the accommodation

"I never actually motivate hens or cocks before basketing. They have to go into the boxes so I can catch them more easily when they have to be put into the basket. This does have the breeding dish in it as standard. But I don't do this for motivation or anything like that. Nor do I lock them up for a certain time so they can lie in here for a while. I lock them up, put the baskets in the loft and take the pigeons. My entire racing loft is about 15 metres. From left to right are the different sections: race-wedding hens (15 baskets), widowers (20 baskets), then the hall, next to it the youngsters with 70 perches, then the day distance (12 baskets)-run. The loft faces south. It has a high ridge (tiled roof) of about 130 cm. 30mm pir. boards on the inside of the ridge. The ridge is also insulated with PVC pipe inserted every 30 cm. There are sliders in the lofts but I never touch these. The 10-cm strip at the front of the loft is fixed. In my view, a good loft is one that heats up quickly and manages to retain this heat. With a watery sun in winter with an outside temperature of around 8-10 degrees, it is also very quickly around 20 degrees in my loft. Pigeons like that very much. And yes for the fancier it is not so nice when they have to scratch in the summer and in the loft it is 47 degrees....but yes....a cold beer as a reward when they are ready is a welcome cool-down"!

The colony

"My father has always been very good friends with Anne van Meerkerk and when he moved from Westbeemster to Brabant, many or maybe all pigeons went to Anne at that time. From the moment the first loft was reinstalled in Nuenen, pigeons from Anne came to us every year. Because of the new friendships in pigeon racing in and around Eindhoven, pigeons from our region went to Anne again. Among others pigeons from Joop Koch, descendants of which flew very well with Anne as yearlings/old pigeons! Among others the 2 cocks 'Seabiscuit' and 'Seabiscuit 222' were absolute toppers with many 1st prizes, National titles and Olympiad nominations. Also 'Best old Lady 433' (niece of the aforementioned) won a national title B.O.T.B. After Anne's sale in 2009, the father of 'Seabiscuit' came back to us.
I still have children of his in my breeding loft and these still produce top flyers! Since Brabant is not far from the Belgian border, Victor Massart once came to us because of a coupon we gave him in his club. The pigeons he brought including some eggs were immediately a great success in crossing with his 'Good Black Line'! After his death, I bought 2 children from the 'Goede Zwarte' and the mother of 'De Crack'. This paid off immediately in top prizes and ace pigeons on the speed races on my own loft when I crossed it with a full sister of 'Olympic Ranomi' of J.v. Boxmeer!
A hen from one of those eggs was later moved to J. Hooymans to be put against the 'Harry'. To stay in Belgium with successes from crosses, also a co-breeding with Jos Thone 'son Avril' line on several lofts brought the successes we all wait for as pigeon fanciers. 'Lundi' ringed and named in Nuenen became (grand)mother of 'Oliver', 'Tora' and 'Marceline' with Jos Thone. 'Marceline', played by Gert Noels, played more than 10 minutes on Argenton Provincial loose under heavy conditions, National the 21st against 25,949. She later became a foundation queen with Gert Noels. (Grand)children won a.o: 1st National Jarnac,1st Provincial Montlucon,1st Provincial Châteauroux etc.
In 2012, when I still lived in Amsterdam but experienced the pigeon sport together with my father in Nuenen, at some point a dozen pigeons from Dave van Zon from Amsterdam came to Nuenen to increase the day long distance level. Of the 10, 7 did super with 1st prizes on the heavier sprint and middle distance flights, a real pleasure to have experienced.
A close friendship with Dave has always remained, and in more difficult times, proved to be a supportive and supportive person of great class. For that reason alone, I am eternally grateful to Dave. His pigeons also have a great influence on today's top prizes. Among others, I bred the 16-975 (mother 228) from 2 direct pigeons by Dave. What this hen has already put on the world and what the progeny does (ace pigeon sprint 2023!) is magisterial. The same line through B. Ooms wins for example in Poland 2022 the 1st prize in the category sport G!!! With Jos Goessen I bought pigeons from the Argenton and Sagan line. I never regretted this contribution either. As a youngster, a direct from this won TT on a leaden Fontenay sur Eure and became 15th best youngster WHZB J+F. As a 3-year old he became 4th Ace pigeon in the North Holland long distance division. Most recent input I got from Team van Oss from Velddriel. The successes from the crossed line of 'Harry' x 'Mother Vici' (the given egg to V. Massart!) did not escape my attention so from 'Lady Harry' I bought some pigeons. The first youngster successes with this are already a fact and makes me very positive for the one-day long distance".

Breeding

"I can put 24 breeding couples, however, this does not always happen. I pair up every year except couples of which I am 100% sure I need those youngsters. And if I have done exceptionally well with one or more pigeons, I put the parents together again in the same way. At the start of the breeding season, I put all present breeding pigeons on paper and first look at them a few times, then I write down my thoughts about certain pairings. I write down the pairings and that's how I start putting the pigeons together. Often, it doesn't end like that because some pigeons don't like each other, or I think differently about them than what is written on paper. Putting together usually stands or falls with the discipline of the descendants. I never put a sprint pigeon against a day long distance pigeon. A proven long-distance pigeon that has also won 1st prizes in long-distance races is of course. I like big pigeons, but I try to stay in the middle when it comes to size.
I am a supporter of pairing with full moon. Which month that ends up being then depends on plans/schedules/holidays. Last year, for example, we went on holiday at Christmas/Early New Year. When we left, the racers were not paired and all the breeders were quietly breeding. Very nice for my temporary loft keepers E. Klos and N. de Groote and D. Heijdt! I usually breed around 65-75 youngsters, at the beginning of the racing season I actually always have around 45-50. Pigeons that in any way stand out negatively are then removed from the loft, these are roof sitters/do not enter easily/do not listen/are always the last ones home and so on".

Towards the start of a new racing season for old and young

"To adhere to the most recent season 2023, I lapped the old pigeons only 3 times prior to the start to participate in the practice flight from the department afterwards. I first put the youngsters in the basket in the garden a few times and then also let them loose in the garden. The first gestation for the youngsters is also the test of whether they can get home on their own. They are immediately released 1 by 1 at a distance of about 3-4 km. The 2nd time at about 7 km and then released basket by basket every 10 minutes. The 3rd time at about 14 km and then 2 baskets at a time. The 4th gestation flight I only release them all at once at about 18 km. The 5th gestation at about 22 km. The 6th gestation at 43 km. I keep this last release point if, for example, I want to give pigeons self-confidence again after a bad flight or if I want to give them enough flying minutes when they are training badly at home.
I play young pigeons as much as possible when health permits. So all youngsters races, natour and any extra youngsters race at the end. I don't participate in the autumn classics. If I have been competing for six months, I don't feel like continuing in October. The experience a young pigeon gains in its birth year is something it feeds on all its life. So in my eyes it is very important and I will do everything possible to achieve this. I hardly ever lose yearlings. Not even in odd flights or disaster flights. I attribute that to the experience the youngsters have gained".

The feeding schedule from Sunday to basketing day and on homecoming day
"On Sunday to Wednesday morning I give 50% Champion Plus and 50% Finesse Light. Wednesday evening 75% Champion Plus with 25% Finesse Light Natural. Thursday morning 80% Champion mix with 20% NPO mix from Embregts-Theunis. Thursday evening 200% Champion mix/NPO mix (2x the normal amount). Friday morning 50% of Champion mix with 50% Finesse Light Natural and Friday afternoon handfuls of NPO Mix on 20 pigeons. On arrival home, there is almost always BS in the water. I usually add brown sugar to this. I throw 2 hands of feed in the trays with some grit/allhand from the Embregts-Theunis bucket. Only when separating before/after firing cocks/ hens, do they really eat significantly again. Then they get 75% Champion mix with 25% Finesse Light. I don't really have a schedule/time for separating that I stick to. I look at what suits me best".

An excellent short distance season and some top winners highlighted

In the North Holland department, Jasper was the man to beat with the 1st National Pigeon Champion Category short distance as a hit, of course.

With a 2nd Un-nominated, 1st Nominated and a 1st and 10th ace - Pigeon he also scored high in the department. Jasper entered 157 pigeons of which 128 were prize winners, a prize percentage of no less than 81.52%. He also scored a Clean Sweep at the Grand Masters with 10 out of 10.

Performances short distance 2023

22/04 – Duffel – 3,614b.: 2-5-35-42-84 enz.. (29/41)
30/04 – Lennik – 3,345b. : 2, 7, 19, 32, 42, 45, 56, 57, 66 enz (26/30)
06/05 – Quievrain – 3,427b.: 1, 24, 42, 48, 83, 85 enz. (24/30)
27/05 – Quievrain – 2,000b.: 29, 55, 69, 95, 97, 98 enz. (15/18)
10/06 – Lennik – 1,787b.: 1, 3, 9, 17, 18, 28, 31, 34, 68 enz. (13/14)
24/06 – Quievrain – 1,328b.: 2, 15, 38, 43, 44, 47, 81 enz.
8/07 – Lennik – 1,056b.: 1, 2, 24, 35, 61, 63, 102 enz. (10/10)

The topper of the loft though was 'Young Bertus' NL 2021-1082701, 14 x bets and 13 prizes including 7x1:100. This beautiful blue-banded cock became:

1st National ace NPO/WHZB/TBOTB speed 2023
1st National ace Pipa Ranking speed 2023
1st World Best Pigeon speed NL 2023
11th Best Dutch pigeon speed/half distance 2023 (with 10 prizes)

Looking at his pedigree, we see that the father NL 2018-1792576 comes from a co-breeding between Jasper (mother '228') and B. Ooms with the 'James Bond'. Further back we see pigeons from Jan Kaman and Dave van Zon. The mother of 'Jonge Bertus' is NL 2014-3437299 and she is out of a cock from Wim Klaverstijn against an hen from Dave van Zon.

A second topper is the NL 2022-8352640, 'The 701's Match'. With performances such as 2nd Lennik/1,056 d., 11th Roosendaal/1,857 d., 7th Morlincourt/755 d., 15th Niergnies/1,506 d., 35th duffel/3,614 d. and a 22nd Quiévrain/1,593 you can be satisfied with this blue-banded cock. The father of this pigeon is 'Grandfather 228' from Dave van Zon, the mother is 'Blue Playboy Bliksem' from Guy Heyvaert.

Finally the 3rd topper, there are more but here I'll stop here, is NL 2021-1082720 '228 Rivival'. He flew a/o 1st Roosendaal/3,431 d., 1st Lennik/1,787 d., 2nd Duffel/3,430 d., 5th Duffel/3,614 d., 11th Niergnies/1,506 d. and 12th duffel/3,614 pigeons. The father of this ace pigeon is 'the late 053' from Jasper with pigeons from P. Veenstra, Ed Mol and Dave van Zon in his forefathers. The mother is 'mother 228' and she is a 100% Dave van Zon pigeon.

Are you nervous while waiting for the pigeons and what if the results are disappointing?

"No, not really nervous. I look at the first notification from the department and then I put my phone away. I think it's a waste to be looking at a screen and not see the pigeon arrive. After all, that's the best thing about home arrivals. If a 1st prize can be linked to that memory with the beating, the weekend is completely successful! If it is not there for some inexplicable reason, I am not satisfied at first of course, because after all, you do enough for it. If for the most obvious reason it can be properly explained, then it is unfortunate but no more than that, in the present tense. A few years ago, I dealt with this differently".

Jasper as working and do you see certain qualities reflected around the care of your colony?

"I don't see a direct link between the qualities needed in my job and taking care of the pigeons. I am blood-fanatic when it comes to races, though, so I always want to win! Work actually only hinders my hobby in that respect because when you're at work, you can't spend time on your hobby. Before I go to work, I cleaned everything, fed and let 1 loft train for 1 hour compulsorily. In the afternoon, Joaquim releases the youngsters and gives the food I have already prepared. The youngsters are trained so that when the flap opens and the whistle blows, all 50 youngsters are inside in about 15 seconds. The widowers can then get out and when they have flown for about half an hour, I am home and pick it up further, with the last loft being the hens that have to go back in at 19.00."

In your opinion, what is a good racing pigeon and a good breeding pigeon?

"The better racers in my loft fly top prizes more often than the others. Top prizes in my eyes are the fastest of the circle (V-M-EF) in which I fly or top 10 division on one-day long-distance races. A criterion I often look at is the number of times 1:100 prizes have been flown. A breeding pigeon simply has to have raised one or more good pigeons every year. With me, they get 3 years against different partners. In my breeding loft there are exceptional ex-flyers of my own breeding. There are good breeders from whom I get one or more good pigeons every year, or there are children from exceptionally good breeding couples from elsewhere. Once in a while I buy a pigeon and in 9 out of 10 cases these are successful crosses with my blood pigeons. I then put these back into my own breeding loft".

Darkening and supplementary lighting

"I start darkening from the 1st week of March and I keep this up until 21 June. Then the light goes on from 6am until around 11pm. I keep doing this until the end of the season. I do not darken the old pigeons for sprint/mid distance. Day long distance cocks I do".

The objective

"My objective does not change from year to year. Every year I want to get the most out of the pigeons and one year it pays off better than the other. This can be down to the pigeons, weather conditions or other external factors. If it is down to the pigeons, even though they performed well in other years, having them tested is always the first step to find out what exactly the problem is, in combination with an anti-biogram in order to work as specifically as possible. If the results do not improve, then it is better to stop using all kinds of cures and hope for individual success on a flight. Usually the problem the pigeons are suffering from that year resolves itself after the moult. I have experienced this a few times. The soup pigeons of the year before, became the champions the year after"!

The association and tasks within the association

"My son and I are members of PV De Postduif in Wormerveer. I dare to claim without any doubt that we are the most sociable and strongest association of Division 6 North Holland. There are no islands or groups of people in our association. We always sit at 2 joined tables and everyone talks to everyone else. Possible problems with the pigeons in our association are also discussed publicly here. A chain is as strong as its weakest link so if everything and everyone pays attention you will get much further as an association than if you try to be ahead of or solve everything as individuals! I myself also try to help as many fanciers as possible with hopefully good pigeons or assist with advice and action. The pigeon sport has been in decline for several years now so if I can contribute my bit in this, I will always do so. In the club, I usually tie the labels to the baskets, a few of us put the baskets on the cart and unload them at the truck".

In conclusion

"Currently all my performance pigeons with parents (sprint/mid distance) are auctioned on internet sale Pigeon Bids. I got a new job, so I will not be able to play with the old pigeons as I used to in 2024. I have therefore decided to give up the sprint/midfond/general game and will focus entirely on the one-day race. I am sure I will miss it. However, this is the only and right decision for me. I am convinced of the quality of the racing and breeding pigeons on my lofts so a possible buyer will experience this as well".