In the picturesque Walloon village Wadelincourt, located close to Péruwelz and surrounded by vast green plains, lives and plays one of the most respected pigeon teams our country has to offer. The husband and wife duo Albert Murez and Lisiane Marichal have been known for many years for their impressive performances in both the small middle distance and national races. A name that certainly does not go unnoticed. Having been active in pigeon sport for years, the ever-sympathetic Albert Murez has established himself as a constant force with some of the most prestigious victories in the pigeon world.
Some of his greatest successes include the 1st National As Pigeon KBDB Large Middle Distance in 2021 with his legendary pigeon “Romulu,” the 1st National Bourges in 2010 with “Le Bourges,” and the 1st National As Pigeon KBDB Middle Distance in 2016 with “As 205.” In 2017, he was also crowned the 1st National Champion Small Middle Distance O+Jl. These achievements are the result of years of dedication and strategic choices in his breeding and flying system.
System with the cocks
What distinguishes the Murez-Marichal team from many other pigeon enthusiasts of today is their adherence to traditional widowhood with the cocks. They exclusively play with widowers, a very deliberate choice according to Albert, as playing with the hens does not suit him at all. With quite a large team of around 100 widowers, he indeed has his hands full.
The spacious lofts are designed with functionality and convenience in mind: equipped with grids and manure conveyor belts, which greatly facilitate maintenance. Before trapping, the pigeons always get a chance to see their partner.
In terms of nutrition, a low-protein mixture ensures a stable condition of the pigeons throughout the season. As the races approach, he switches to the sport mixture from Versele-Laga to fill the tank completely.
In the medical aspect, Albert emphasizes prevention but above all a solid natural resistance. The veterinarian is only called in for mandatory vaccinations, and something is given a few times per season to keep the airways clear. Additionally, he uses yellow drops and brewer's yeast after his pigeons return home and also allows them the deserved recovery period when needed.
Moreover, the young pigeons are only vaccinated against paramyxo, not against herpes, pox, adeno, or anything else… Albert: “I have never had adeno among my young pigeons and maybe once or twice a year have one or two with a small pox. They are simply left home from the races, nothing more. This way they build their own resistance.” It’s clear that the focus is on the old pigeons. A part of the young ones is usually not trained in their birth year. With crucial caution, these then gain the necessary experience as yearlings. From two-year-old pigeons, they simply follow the program like the others, and they are often also raced for 3-4-5 years! The national as pigeon “Romulu” was, by the way, such a product, with well-known achievements as a result.
Although the name Murez-Marichal is synonymous with top performances, Albert remains a modest man who never considers his successes as a given. It is the result of dedication and discipline. He remains true to his approach but is at the same time by no means shy to bring in support. Pitts was able to secure 12 truly magnificent fruits of his breeding tree, including inbred pearls from the “Best Kittel” line, offspring from siblings of national as pigeon “Romulu” and a brother of “L’As 428,” an absolute star with 10 first prizes!
National championships of recent years
2024
- 12th General Champion
- 19th As Pigeon Speed Old
- 38th As Pigeon Large Middle Distance Old
- 74th As Pigeon Large Middle Distance Old
- 61st Nat Long Distance Yearlings 1+2
- AWC 2nd Long Distance Yearlings 1+2
2023
- 10th & 33rd As Pigeon Large Middle Distance Old
- 10th As Pigeon Middle Distance Old
- 19th As Pigeon Middle Distance Old
2022
- 12th As Pigeon Middle Distance Old
- 27th As Pigeon Speed Old
2021
- 23rd As Pigeon Speed Yearlings
- 1st As Pigeon Large Middle Distance Old
- 3rd World best pigeon
- 14th As Pigeon Large Middle Distance Yearlings
2020
- 1st General Championship
- 24th Champion Large Middle Distance Old & Yearlings
- 21st Champion Small Middle Distance Old
- 22nd Speed young pigeons
- 5th As Pigeon Large Middle Distance Yearlings
- 14th As Pigeon Speed Young pigeons
2019
- 6th Middle Distance Old & Yearlings
- 13th As Pigeon Small Middle Distance (1006428/17)
2018
- 2nd Large middle distance old & yearlings
- 13th middle distance old & yearlings
- 14th Middle distance Young
- 10th As Pigeon Large middle distance old
- 13th As Pigeon middle distance young 1029752-18
- 14th As Pigeon middle distance young 1029731-18
- 15th As Pigeon middle distance young 1029754-18
2017
- 1st Champion middle distance old & yearlings
- 20th Champion Middle distance Young
2016
- 7th champion Middle distance old & yearlings
- 1st As Pigeon middle distance yearlings
- 3rd As Pigeon middle distance yearlings
- 13th As Pigeon middle distance yearlings
- 5th As Pigeon middle distance young
- 16th As Pigeon middle distance young
2014
- 11th Champion Middle Distance Old
Some top-100 National rankings
2010: 1 National Bourges 10903 old
2021
29/05 Bourges 37th against 34311 old
19/06 Argenton 62nd against 14787 old
27/06 La Souterraine 2nd, 19th, 95th against 8383 old
11/07 Issoudun 31st, 42nd, 55th, 77th, 94th, 96th, 98th against 9777 old
73rd against 14758 yearlings
18/07 Chateauroux 8th, 87th against 7099 old
07/08 Chateauroux 24th, 31st, 36th, 61st, 92nd, 96th against 5140 old
10th, 27th, 28th, 34th, 35th, 56th, 100th, 106th against 7674 yearlings
07/08 Souillac 51st against 4144 old
2022
18/06 Argenton 17th, 77th against 10634 old
25/06 Issoudun 76th against 8151 old
30/07 Bourges 12th, 90th against 7606 old
46th against 10366 yearlings
22nd against 23846 young
30/07 Tulle 55th against 4993 yearlings
06/08 Chateauroux 72nd, 90th against 4003 old
21/08 Argenton 49th against 5160 old
2023
27/06 Bourges 19th, 22nd against 21075 old
09/06 Argenton 73rd against 13103 old
08/07 Argenton 42nd, 87th against 8777 old
9th, 57th, 97th against 14174 yearlings
05/08 Tulle 49th against 7813 yearlings
09/09 Chateauroux 46th against 13852 young
2024
22/06 Sancoins 9th against 12958 yearlings
28/06 Agen 12th against 7396 yearlings (National)
24th against 15635 yearlings (International)
14/07 Argenton 39th against 8343 old
28/07 Bourges 70th against 965 yearlings
28/07 Bergerac 64th against 3180 yearlings