The tandem consisting of Robby Bodson and Marijke Vranken has had a super year in 2024 with great results in Fondclub Maaseik and also on a provincial level. He was “at the front” weekly on races up to 600 km. When Robby arrived, they knew at the Maaskant, "what time it was"... hard to beat last season on his territory.
This year, they became Limburg Champion KBDB 2024 in the large middle distance for old pigeons and 8th Provincial Champion Young Pigeons KBDB 2024 GHF.
Their pigeon stock consists of 95% pigeons from friend Castermans-Maes (Dilsen-Stokkem), supplemented slightly with pigeons from Erik Maes (Maasmechelen).
Robby is also doing very well with a breeding pigeon from the late Nico Jaspers (Nerem).
Below photo and pedigree: 3rd PROVINCIAL AS PIGEON KBDB 2024 GHF OLD
14th NATIONAL AS PIGEON KBDB 2024 GHF OLD
The tandem, for example, won the car from Orléans in 2007. The young pigeons are taken care of by Marijke; she also lets them outside to train. The old pigeons are also let out for their daily training by Marijke. Robby is mainly responsible for the care of the old pigeons and the breeders. They play with total widowhood, both males and females. They have a fixed partner and see them briefly before the race. Even after the flight, they come together with their partner, the duration depending on the difficulty of the flight.
Annually, about 80 young pigeons are bred, of which 22 are still left at the moment... many losses as everywhere. The young ones are darkened and also illuminated. The old pigeons, on the other hand, are only illuminated.
They start with about 22 males (old + yearlings) and 27 females (old and yearlings).
The pigeons are taken weekly and are seriously tested.
As for food, they swear by Beyers, Beyers Galaxy, Energy sport at Leut. Medically, the pigeons (the droppings) are regularly checked by friend Gerry Castermans (employed at Schroeder-Tollisan), and Gerry also assists him with advice in this area. They regularly use Tollyamine (also the nano).
Besides the mandatory paramyxo vaccination, the pigeons are also treated and vaccinated against paratyphoid (all pigeons, including the breeders). They hardly experience any trouble with trichomoniasis, and there was no treatment against the “heads” (respiratory issues).
PERFORMANCE PIGEONS
They have in Leut the 4th best old pigeon over 9 races in the Pipa ranking, which is quite an impressive achievement...:
5098466/22
Bourges I (520 km) Zone C: 9/2273 pigeons
Bourges III Zone C: 5/823 pigeons
Argenton III (575 km) Zone C: 23/939 pigeons
Vierzon (494 km) National: 142/5780 pigeons
Sancoins (505 km) Zone C: 57/1437 pigeons
Argenton IV Zone C: 27/588 pigeons
Argenton II Provincial: 43/756 pigeons
Argenton I Zone C: 107/1693 pigeons
Bourges II Zone C: 67/707 pigeons
They also have the 4th best yearling in the large middle distance over 9 races (Pipa ranking)
5024709/22
Argenton IV Zone C: 3/588 pigeons
Argenton II Provincial: 8/1053 pigeons
La Souterraine I Zone C: 6/685 pigeons
Argenton III Zone C: 17/1074 pigeons
Bourges III Zone C: 27/994 pigeons
Vierzon National: 194/5780 pigeons
Bourges I Zone C: 41/1221 pigeons
Argenton I Zone C: 40/1100 pigeons
Bourges II Zone C: 159/825 pigeons
The 14th National As Pigeon old pigeons GHF KBDB 2024 is another top pigeon from the loft, and she was also 3rd Prov. As Pigeon KBDB Limburg GHF old:
5058467/22
Sancoins Zone C: 3/1437 pigeons
Bourges I Zone C: 6/2273 pigeons
Bourges III Zone C: 6/823 pigeons
Argenton III Zone C: 14/939 pigeons
These are truly performances to be proud of, with 3 different top pigeons!!
Other great results, solely from 2024...
Bourges 25/05/24
Mkfv: 497 old: 1,3,12,30,32,37,... (9/18)
Prov.: 2243 old: 19,22,75,122,173,...(10/18)
Mkfv: 333 yearlings: 10,42 (2/4)
Argenton 08/06/24
Mkfv: 243 old: 3,19,29,55,59,63 (6/13)
Prov.: 1672 old: 13,145,187,337,364,436 (6/13)
Mkfv: 144 yearlings: 9,36 (2/3)
Prov.: 1105 yearlings: 58,264 (2/3)
Gien 13/06/24
1243 old + yearlings: 7,24,68,71,83,123,... (24/38)
Sancoins 23/06/24
Mkfv: 215 old: 1,5,7,10,17,22,27,55,66 (9/29)
Prov.: 1230 old: 22,74,85,96,126,149,... (9/29)
Mkfv: 216 yearlings: 14,59,64 (3/9)
Argenton 30/06/24
Mkfv: 152 old: 3,5,6,10,11,12,33,39,46,50 (10/24)
Prov.: 756 old: 27,43,46,61,67,69,... (9/24)
Mkfv: 133 yearlings: 1,3 (2/3)
Prov.: 1053 yearlings: 8?20 (2/3)
Argenton 14/07/24
Mkfv: 138 old: 1,3,5,6,10,15,21,22,23,34 (11/17)
Prov.: 992 old: 13,24,35,38,69,79,...(11/17)
Mkfv: yearlings: 4 (1/3)
La Souterraine 20/07/24
Mkfv: 70 old: 1,2,3,5,10,14,16,24 (8/17)
Prov.: 339 old: 3,4,7,24,39,59,73,105 (8/17)
Mkfv: 44 yearlings: 1,4 (2/2)
Prov.: 409 yearlings: 15,53 (2/2)
Bourges 28/07/24
Mkfv: 95 old: 1,2,3,4,7,8,10,14,15,... (13/17)
Prov.: 707 old: 39,63,68,71,106,109,142,... (12/17)
Mkfv: 72 yearlings: 3,12,17 (3/3)
Bourges 10/08/24
Mkfv: 106 old: 3,4,7,9,11,12,22,25,27,32,34 (11/15)
Prov.: 796 old: 21,23,43,55,96,105,... (11/15)
Mkfv: 156 yearlings: 11,16,21 (¾)
Prov.: 1079 yearlings: 27,56,63 (3/4)
Vierzon 18/08/24
Mkfv: old + yearlings: 3,4,6,7,19,23,... (9/17)
Prov.: 751 old: 41,52,68,70,154,169,190,... (9/17)
Argenton 24/08/24
Mkfv: 31 old + yearlings: 2,5,9,10,14,16,22 (7/11)
Prov. 553 old: 7,27,76,99,117,130 (6/11)
If you look at these rankings and results, you know that the Bodson-Vranken tandem has had an absolute “grand-cru” year and that this is rewarded with various titles and honors in different championships.
Congratulations on this, and may 2025 continue in this vein...
Geco/Pitts