1st and 2nd NPO Fontenay in 2021 and 2x 1st provincial in 2022. Pigeons from De Mul-Vermeirssen, Dierickx – Visschers, Mark Bugajski, Wim Segboer, Guido Van Canegem, and Chris Debacker are providing top results at Johnny De Visser just over the border from our country.
With only 70 young pigeons, 20 males and 12 females, this year started at the beautiful lofts in the expansive Philippine, just over the border with our northern neighbors. Johnny De Visser is a well-known sprint and middle-distance player here, competing under the name Combinatie Roegiest & Visser. Until last year, the old and yearling females were raced on double widowhood. This year, Johnny switched back to classic widowhood with home-staying partners due to the less favorable performance of the males compared to the females. No breeding was done from the racing pigeons; they were only briefly together in March, just before the start of the season. The males spent 5 days with their female, while the females only spent 3 days with their partner. They were trained separately: 2x 15km, and the weekend before the first race, they all went to Quiévrain.
During the winter months, the racing pigeons are outdoors 3 to 4 times a week, and from mid-March, both the males and females train once a day. The males are not darkened, but the females are, until the second last weekend of April. They are never brought together before the marking; even during the sprint, no nest bowl is provided at marking.
For the autumn races, only 10 old pigeons were raced: 3 males and 7 females. They were allowed to come to the nest and were taken away daily for 2 weeks at +/- 15km; in the afternoon, they trained at home. They were illuminated until the end of the season from 5:30 AM to 11 PM.
Young pigeons
About 70 young pigeons are bred only from the breeding pigeons, which are paired at the beginning of December. They are darkened and then illuminated from early August. Large losses are generally rare, although the many high-voltage cables in the area unfortunately cause some casualties… The young birds are fed twice a day: a small amount in the morning and ample food after training in the evening. Normally, the young pigeons are also separated quite early, but last year the sexes were kept together because their condition was not optimal. And Johnny saw that it was good because the training at home went well again and their form visibly improved.
1st + 2nd Fontenay Section Zeeland 2869d (179 participants) and 1st + 2nd NPO
When Johnny took over a group of young pigeons from his brother-in-law Sebastiaan De Mul-Vermeirssen last year because he was moving, it immediately proved to be a hit! The NL21-1243015, a blue female bred by Sebastiaan, brought home the palm to Philippine in a tough Fontenay (360km), where speeds dropped below 1100m per minute. Barely 25 seconds after the winner, the next young pigeon landed on the board, good for 2nd place at 1094.48m/min.
1st provincial Grevillers
The provincial winner from Grevillers this year also comes from brother-in-law Sebastiaan De Mul. Last year, this pigeon won 5th provincial Pont St. Maxence as a young female. The other lines that form the basis of this top loft are Jules Dierickx – Visschers, Mark Bugajski, Wim Segboer, Guido Van Canegem, Paul de Poorter, and Chris Debacker.
