B22-4060425
1st National Argenton 14,171 yearbirds - fastest 22,951 birds

Distance: 499km
Velocity: 1,549.22 m/m

The race programme had listed La Souterraine, but organiser AWC did very well to change the release point to Argenton due to the high temperatures predicted. Argenton is closer, less driving time for the transporters and the accommodation at Argenton lends itself better to keeping the pigeons tiptop during these hot days. 
Nationally, 22,951 pigeons were basketed and fastest of all was clocked by 32-year-old Gregory Tallieu from Ename in East Flanders. Gregory is one of those fanatical guys who is working his way to the top of Belgian pigeon racing. Two seasons his "Marco" won provincial Orleans and was the fastest of 20,000 pigeons. Now it is the widower "B22-4060425", later renamed "Finn-Li", who won 1st national Argenton against 14,171 yearlings and also became the fastest of all Argenton racers. 
"Unfortunately, I didn't see him coming" Gregory starts his story "first of all, I didn't expect that the Argenton pigeons would reach a speed of more than 1,500 m/m and secondly, I was disappointed inside in the youngster race because my 50 youngsters that were with me on Pont St Maxence were only 5 at home around noon. I lost courage, it was so bad that I got a terrible headache and went inside to rest. As I sat in the seat I started scrolling on my mobile phone and saw that in the front Argenton pigeons had already been clocked. A quick calculation warned me that I had to go outside if I wanted to spot early pigeons from Argenton. I gathered my "courage", shuffled outside and, my goodness, there was already an Argenton flyer on the sputnik. My feelings turned to euphoria! To make sure everything was correct, I ran to the widowhood loft and indeed the "425" was in its box. With an average speed of 1549.22m/m, he moved to the top of the national entry list a place he never relinquished. My luck could not be better! What an experience!

95% Tom Van Gaver

Gregory continues enthusiastically: "I have 12 metres of loft, 3 metres of which are for the youngsters. My colony is built 95% with pigeons from Tom Van Gaver and the other 5% with pigeons from Davy Neirinck (Tom's brother-in-law). 
Ad Schaerlaeckens once wrote "tell me against whom you play every week and I will tell you if you have good pigeons", well locally (indeed you read it correctly "locally") we have to cross swords with national toppers such as Gebr. Vandenheede, Joost De Smeijter, Youri Deblanc, etc... Can assure you, it's bad eating cherries with those fanciers.
I have a group of 30 widowers (18 yearlings and 12 old ones) and they train once a day around 16h30/17h. I feed them from light to heavy and I mix the Aïda, Beyers and Versele-Laga mixtures by feeling. Medically, I fully follow the advice of Wim Boddaert (Oostkamp) and in terms of by-products I provide "Daflor 3 in 1 Mix" + brewer's yeast, Ropa-B, Rookbom (Winners) and "Energy Boost Forte" (Winners) on a regular basis.
"Finn-Li"
And then we got to the national winner. Asked if he was specially motivated, Gregory replied "Well, yes...I had tickled him a bit anyway because the empty bin, just above his bin, was set up on the day of basketing and it was a pleasure to watch him take control of this extra place. 
Gregory, congratulations on your first national win, enjoy it! 



 

Stefan Mertens