We are visiting 50-year-old mechanic Michel Hovens from Viesville (Pont-à-Celles). Owner of one of the best speed colonies found in Wallonia and, by extension, the entire country. Countless mentions in the national speed championships over various years prove that this colony ranks among the national top in this discipline.
How it started
In 1998, Michel came into contact with the pigeon sport through his neighbor and friend Henri Vandenberghe, who at that time was also a well-known pigeon enthusiast in Hainaut. Although Michel could count on the advice and actions of his renowned pigeon neighbor, he still couldn’t achieve great results. Michel invested too little time in his hobby, which led to disappointing results. Because of this, he even paused his pigeon activities at times. However, the passion returned, and in 2006, Michel decided to approach it differently and invest more time, combining this with new pigeons from the well-known champion from Sombreffe: Jean Marc Thibaut. The train was immediately on track. Meanwhile, he did not stand still and acquired pigeons from: Herbots Raf, Thibaut-Boons, Blanc Henry, Vincent Martin & Hermans-Bonne.
Approach
Michel can easily be categorized as a 'small breeder'. With 15 breeding pairs, 25 youngsters from the first round, 25 youngsters from the second round, 20 widowers, and 15 racing hens, it can be stated that quality takes precedence over quantity.
The breeders are paired around November 25 and are allowed to raise 2 rounds of youngsters. The youngsters are darkened and played on the sliding door.
The widowers and racing hens are paired in February and brood for about 10 days. Then everything is taken away from the eggs, and the total widowhood can start. The training of the racing pigeons only takes place in the evening for 45 minutes.
In terms of nutrition, he keeps it simple with the Versele-Laga mixtures Gerry Plus & Sport, supplemented with the sport mixture from Beyers.
As a veterinarian, he consults Kobe Herbots, and medication will only be used when deemed necessary; otherwise, it won’t be used.
Simplicity adorns a man, and Michel applies this philosophy to his feathered friends. Here, quality, natural health, and especially being engaged with the pigeons take precedence.
National results
- 1st Interprovincial Ace Pigeon Young Middle Distance
- 6th National Ace Pigeon Speed KBDB 2015
- 6th National Ace Pigeon Speed KBDB 2020
- 8th National Ace Pigeon Speed KBDB 2014
- 11th National Ace Pigeon Speed KBDB 2015
- 12th National Ace Pigeon Speed KBDB 2020
- 6th National Champion Speed KBDB 2014
- 6th National Champion Speed KBDB 2015
