After selling all old pigeons last year, Donald is forced to downsize even further and most of the youngsters, yearlings and 2-year olds are also auctioned. Perhaps a last chance to get hold of something from the lines of Van Eynde-Goovaerts, De Troy, Van Gils, Slaets, Engels and Van De Wouwer that give color to this breeding loft.
Stock building
The lofts of Donald Iwens (66) are located along the Linstesteenweg in Lier. Donald learned the pigeon sport at a very young age, more specifically in the early 1960s, through his father, who at the time was a formidable vitesse player and dominated the races from Quiévrain and Noyon. After these first steps in the pigeon business, Donald later switched to the middle distance and went knocking on the door of proven fanciers such as Van Eynde-Goovaerts (Putte), Wim De Troy (Berlaar), Frans Van Gils (Ravels), Alfons Slaets (Lint ) and Bogemans Brothers (Lier). In 2012, 4 pairs of pigeons were acquired from Van Eynde-Goovaerts in Putte. A year later 4 couples from the Tornado line Engels (Putte) x Kaasboerin of Gaston Van De Wouwer from Berlaar. These pigeons were bred from and in 2014 Donald became General Champion in the Lierse Duivenbond. In 2015 he played in the Zuiderbond in Mechelen longer middle distance and became 1st champion old birds, 1st champion yearlings, 5th champion youngsters and 1st ace pigeon longer middle distance. In 2017, 6 pigeons were obtained from Wim De Troy, pigeons were added from Frans Van Gils from Ravels and from the 'Panter' line of Alfons Slaets (Lint). A brother of 'National Alex' was purchased at the total auction of De Bruycker – De Craene (Eeklo): 1st National La Souterraine and 1st Prov Blois (37th National) 4260967/15 and also top racer 4165583/12 who won 12th Nat La Souterraine 4161p won, 32nd Nat Argenton 9228p and 2nd Bourges 1062p. Youngsters from these great pigeons are also included in the current auction.
Game system
40 breeding couples raise two rounds of youngsters of about 70 each. Coupling takes place around December 7 and the youngsters are darkened from the end of March to June 21. Illumination does not happen. They are trained quite spartan: 2x 5km, 2x 10km, 2x 20km, 2x40km and then they go to 100 km with the club.
The youngsters are put through their paces and raced with the sliding door, so that only the very best survive the selection and only about 15 widowers and 4 racing hens are kept. The old and yearling racing pigeons are on traditional widowhood, are only coupled on 10 January and are also darkened from March to the end of May. They are taken away twice to 20km and then they go with the association 2x to 100km, 2x 200km, 2x 350km and then it goes towards the longer middle distance.
Medical and supplements
Veterinarian Ludwig Lens from Mechelen is consulted before the season and a cure against tricho, coccidiosis and worms follows if necessary. There is also vaccination with Zoosal T (salmonella) and Paramyxo + herpes. During the season Donald visits the vet about 4 times for regular check-ups.
The lofts in Lier are garden lofts with aviaries and provide oxygen in abundance. Furthermore, general basic health is maintained by protein powder and electrolytes after the flight, 'Energetica' on the last days before basketing and vitamins 2 days a week.
The numbers
From 1999 to the present, Donald has taken his place among the champions every year. When he switched from Sprint to Middle Distance in 2002, he even immediately won 1st and 2nd Ace Pigeon Young Birds in the Zuid Antwerps Verbond that year.
2003: 2nd general champion of the Lierse Pigeon Association
2004: 5th overall champion
2005: 6th champion young middle distance
2006: 9th champion long distance youngsters St Job In 't Goor
2007: 2nd general champion middle distance Lierse Pigeon Union
2009: 1st general champion Noyon young Lier
2010: 2nd general champion Noyon young Lier
2014: 1st champion youngsters
1st champion yearlings
1st General Champion Middle Distance Lierse Pigeon Union
2015: 1st champion old grand middle distance
1st champion yearlings longer middle distance
1st Ace pigeon yearlings longer middle distance
5th champion youngsters longer middle distance Zuiderbond Mechelen
2016: 3rd champion yearlings longer middle distance
2020: 2nd champion youngsters longer middle distance Zuiderbond Mechelen
A small selection of the results, past and present:
Chateauroux 127p: 1,19,29
La Souterraine 61d: 1,4,7,11,12,13,14,15,16,20,22
Vierzon 60d: 1,3,6
Vierzon 94d: 1,18,22,27
Bourges 51d: 1,3,11
Bourges 325p: 11,13,21,24,27,33,36,39,45,56,57,58,63,80,83,88,95,98,101,102
Chateauroux 8d: 1.2
Chateauroux 98p: 9,11,15,18,25,26,27,29,33
Chateauroux 208d: 2,35,45,48,66,67,68
Chalons-sur-Saone 131d: 3,4
Chateauroux 309d: 6,17,31,37,44,47,53,62,65,66,70,74,78,81,82,83,84,86,87,88,89,90,96,101
Bourges 394p: 19,22,37,38,41,43,47,48,51,63,67,85,86,95,100,101,102,116,118,119,120,121,125
2021:
- Bourges 141p: 2,11,15,37,44
- Bourges 415p: 2,29,30,47,55,131
- Issoudun 251d: 26,40,48,50,70,71,84
- La Souterraine 171d: 10,28,30,36
- Argenton 365d: 13,28,30,41,86,91,92,93,118,120,121
- chatauroux 379d: 11,40,46,50,53,59,72,77,79,81,84,96,102,113
- Bourges 454p: 19,61,64,72,76,114,121,122,125,137,138,139
- Sermaises 657d: 10,25,30,55,60,76,86,87,131,139,157,167,186,187,209
- Sermaises 919d: 36,46,108,197,236,262,290,303,304
- Melun 596d: 33,87,91,99,112,126,133,144,147,152,159,169,171
- Chateauroux 37d: 6,7,10,11
2022
in local Wijnegem
- BOURGES 102 OLD / 5-13 (2/6)
- SOUILLAC 55d. 10 (1 /2)
- MELUN 513d. 9-15 (2/3)
- ISSOUDUN 156d. 19 (1/1)
- MELUN 563d. 15-25-42-63-65-89-91…
- CHATEAUROUX 361 YOUNGSTERS d. 1-3-11-20-95 5/12.
