It may have been almost a celebration in Brakel last season, but this should not dampen the joy at Saeytijdt's home. After all, what a season Paul and Sven have again put together! They became General Champion Heavy Long Distance in the strong local in Viane. The old birds performed as usual, and the future seems secure when looking at the results of the young bird team: 1st Champion Yearling 1+2+3 Heavy Long Distance '24 & 1st-2nd-4th-5th-6th-7th-8th-9th & 10th Ace Yearling Heavy Long Distance '24! A true feat.
In the prestigious championship, they ranked as 2nd Belgian in 9th place. This European Marathon is an international competition contested on the international flights with the 5 first entered pigeons of the loft, of which the 3 fastest score. It is no small feat to rank here among the elite of the International Heavy Long Distance enthusiasts.
This season also consisted of various highlights such as the 3rd National Narbonne with "Miss Narbonne" (10th International against 12,453 pigeons) and the 2nd National Perpignan with "Miss Perpignan" (3rd International against 14,170 pigeons). The latter was no stranger to success; earlier this year, this beautiful hen had already shown her class at Valence with a 1st in the club, 3rd provincial, and a 27th National against 2,642 pigeons! Another proof of the pure quality they have in store for the heavier work.
History
In 1978, Paul started with his father-in-law Marcel Limpens, who at that time kept meat pigeons. Through some acquaintances, they also acquired racing pigeons and the starting gun was fired with young pigeons. Due to Paul's work and his wife's weekend work, there was little time for the pigeons, and in 1982 they began at the current address with the widow pigeons from father-in-law Marcel. That year, Paul quickly played a 1st prize at Noyon in Brakel against about 800 pigeons. A few years later, they started participating at the nationals with the young pigeons. Meanwhile, Sven was also hard to keep away from the loft; a bench was even made for him so he could reach the top boxes.
In 1992, Paul started as a self-employed contractor, and unfortunately, there was again little time for the pigeons… From this moment, Sven also began taking care of the pigeons after school. At the end of 1992, the colony was reduced because it would only play with young pigeons. This went quite well with regularly early pigeons on the national flights. The following year, they nonetheless participated again with old pigeons and also took the step towards long distance racing.
In 1995, disaster struck, and they lost three-quarters of their young pigeons due to a heavy snowstorm. At that time, Sven was being taught by Luc Van Coppenolle, who noticed the next day that something was wrong. As consolation, he would give Sven 25 young rings from the racing males, paired with breeding hens. This marked the beginning of a lasting friendship to this day and also meant the definitive step towards heavier work! It resulted in great successes with, among others, the ‘Red Perpignan’, which produced several good descendants and still runs through the current colony as a common thread.
Breeding Development
In this breeding line formed by the ‘Red Perpignan’, later pigeons were crossed from Gebr. Van Schoorisse, Carteus, Druwez, and Gebr. Van de Walle, which immediately brought the colony to an even higher level with, among others:
2nd national Pau 2010 (2nd International hens)
3rd National Barcelona 2012 (2nd International hens) Silver Wing 2012
4th International Perpignan 2012
and 2nd International Agen Yearling 2020 with ‘Almost Agen’
Recently, pigeons were also acquired from Team Vollebrecht-Solleveld and Peet-Saarloos Arie & Bert from the Netherlands, as well as Hendrik Mortier from ‘Wimko’ and the lines ‘Kleine’ and ‘Frulle’, which already resulted in 72nd National Agen Yearling in 2021.
System and Medical
The pigeons are housed in a garden loft of 10m x 10m, where all space is utilized for about 30 breeding boxes, 3 young bird lofts, and 5 racing lofts for old and yearlings. These are also equipped with a 10m x 1m aviary.
The colony currently consists of about 100 pairs of racing pigeons, of which 45 pairs are 2 years and older. These are played entirely on nest, which means they can fly 2 international flights. The young pigeons are darkened, allowed to come to nest, and participate in several national flights. All racing pigeons are artificially lit from June 20 until the end of the season from 4:30 AM to 11 PM. The training occurs for both old and young pigeons approximately five times up to 30 km, after which they are entered for Noyon with interprovincial release.
The pairing of the pigeons is done according to their scheduled flight, which essentially means that pigeons are paired practically every week.
After the racing season, they are treated with Parastop and paired again at the beginning of September, and then raise young, which normally does not happen during the racing season.
Regarding the feed, Paul and Sven use ‘Dark Plus’ from Versele-Laga and Beyers depending on the season. These are combined, and additional Bordeaux maize from Vanrobaeys and candy seeds or wild seeds are added.
The usual supplements are from BonyFarma and any medication from Belgica de Weerd or Boskamp. Medical checks and vaccinations are managed by veterinarian Selos.
The Dominance of the Libourne-Pau Pair
- Ace Grizzle Libourne 4245072/2008 (among others, 4th national and international Perpignan)
- Blue Pau Hen 4245011/2008 (among others, 2nd national and international Pau)
Children & Grandchildren
- LibournePau 971 4235971/10 (sold auction 2018, Carpentier Kristof)
- Libourneke 4226049/2014: among others, 1° zonal-11° National Libourne 2015
- grandmother 37-47-54-80 National
- Bordeaux Hen 4236019/2012: among others, 65/5283 National Bordeaux
- mother 30-51 National
- grandmother 2° Nat-2° Internat Agen
- Colletje 4080104/2015: among others, 96° nat Chateauroux-77 Int Provincial Vierzon
- TinTin raced @ Carpentier: 5° nat-9° Int Nat 1° Prov Pau-Bordeaux
- grandfather 4066022/20: 29° Nat Ace Pigeon Heavy Long Distance
- LibournePau 972 45235971/10 (nest brother 971 above)
- Blacks 034 4236034/2012: among others, 51-59-62-68-79-101 National
- Blues Brive 4191463/2013: among others, 73° nat Brive
- Blue Narbonne 4226064/2014: among others, 83 Nat Narbonne
- Black White 4236113/2012: among others, 117° Nat Chateauroux
- mother Blacks 802/19 29-79 National
- Black 006 4011006/2017: among others, 2-3-3-3-4-5-7--10 club Zw Halve Fond
- mother 10/21: among others, 98 nat Agen 2022
- mother Blacks 22/22: among others, 112° nat Chateauroux 2022
- grandmother 841/21 raced Devoet Frederik: among others, 16-22 National
- LibournePau 4191311/2013
- mother 11° National-20° Int National Narbonne 2017
- LibournePau 146 4226146/2014
- Souterraine: 94° nat LaSoutteraine 2021
- Crayonnée: 113° Nat Montelimar
- Gesch Poot 4080016/2015; 23° Aurillac IP
- father: Ace Pigeon 4028761/2019
- LibournePau Breeding Cock at Van Coppenolle Luc
- father 11° Nat Ace Pigeon Heavy Long Distance
- LibournePau 181 4226181/2014
- 4043483/2018 raced @ Team Vollebregt Nederland: 47° Nat Pau-Bordeaux 2022
- Breeding hen at Collet-Dubois: mother 1° prize flyer
- 4105183/2021 raced @ Bodelier Hans Nederland:
***The provincial victory was achieved with a hen from Paul & Sven Saeytijdt, but also the 2nd and 3rd arriving pigeons come from there.
The winner comes from a son of the absolute super breeding pair of Saeytijdt namely ‘Ace Grizzle Libourne’ B08-4245072 (among others, 4th national and international Perpignan) x ‘Pau Hen’ B08-4245011 (among others, 2nd national and international Pau) and (grand)parents of many (inter)national top pigeons.
The mother is ‘Blue Solleveld’ directly from Peet & Paloma Solleveld and is among others granddaughter 6th national Narbonne and 3rd National Ace Pigeon KBDB 2013. She descends from ‘Young Cahors’ Piet de Vogel x ‘Mientje’ Luc van Coppenolle.
Of the 16 prize-winning pigeons nationally, the 1st – 2nd – 3rd – 6th – 7th – 8th – 11th – 13th – 14th and 16th pigeons come from Paul & Sven Saeytijdt,…
To highlight once again that we can rightly speak of a super breeding pair with the ‘Ace Grizzle Libourne’ B08-4245072 x ‘Pau Hen’ B08-4245011, I want to mention that this year at Pau (Bordeaux) in Belgium, the 5th national against 3,734 d., 9th international 15,430 d. and 1st Provincial East Flanders won by ‘Tintin’ from Kristof Carpentier. This star had already won great prizes at national Agen and descends from a full brother of the father of the winner of Agen yearlings with me. And the father of ‘Tintin’ was born in 2010 and the father of my pigeon was born in 2016. A real super pair!***(Source: Marathonduivenjournaal, September 24, 2022)
Results
With “Almost Agen”, they achieved the 1st provincial Agen against 1,456 yearlings in 2020, resulting in a 2nd place nationally and 2nd internationally against no less than 11,823 yearling pigeons!
At that same Agen, they also captured the first prize with the old birds with “Geschelpte 7777”, good for the 52nd national against 5,140 opponents. This class act was no stranger to success, having also won the 14th national zone at Tulle and as a yearling the 31st interprovincial Jarnac.
At Pau, they excelled again that year with a nice 42nd international against 3,568 hens, and with “New Barcelona” they narrowly missed the provincial podium with a 4th place against 1,239 pigeons, resulting in the 22nd national Barcelona against 6,178 pigeons!
Blue Pau 18/4043326 has since also ranked 5th Ace Pigeon Pau 2020-2021-2022!