Visseraken, a sub-municipality of the sugar town of Tienen, evolved in 20 years from a quiet country village to a popular residential destination for young families... Pigeon enthusiasts, however, are a dying breed.... Where at the beginning of the century the village was still a 20-25 fanciers were rich, we now have to make do with barely 2... There is therefore no question of pigeons 'pulling' or lying in 'the goal' or, to put it in the words of Toon and Olav: “if we have a pigeon, is it one of us”...
The tandem was created in 2008 from 2 former father-son combinations
- Toon Veulemans, now 49 and PE teacher and dad André, 88 and retired farmer
- Olav Perilleux, 48 and independent IT consultant and dad Jacques, 78 and former banker
Previously, both fathers, especially Andre, were responsible for the daily care. In recent years it was mainly Toon himself who took care of the care before and after work, in the evenings, during weekends and during the holidays… Given the size of the colony, this was no mean feat and the help recently found was more then welcome...
Both friends set out the lines together and usually discuss everything in detail. Since the pigeons mainly live with André and Olav had to contend with 'pigeon lung', Toon mainly takes care of the active care while Olav takes care of the extensive administration. However, selection and pairing are still done together and decided...
The new tandem was immediately successful from the start, so they could draw from the already rich breeding stable of Toon and Andre, supplemented with a number of toppers from Olav's loft. Since the merger, no less than 3 times national, 1x semi-national and 13 times national zone have been won! An overview below...
- 1st National Bourges 24019 YL 2014
- 1st National La Souterraine 9580 YL 2016 Fastest 17211 p.
- 1st National Gueret 2429 OB 2014
- 1st Semi-National Montlucon 7700 YL 2011
- 1st National Zone C Montlucon 6281 YL 2012
- 1st National Zone B2 Argenton 5842 YB 2020
- 1st National Zone C1 Bourges 4977 YL 2014
- 1st National Zone C Bourges 4390 YL 2010
- 1st National Zone C Bourges 4381 YL 2012
- 1st National Zone C1 Argenton 3634 YB 2013
- 1st National Zone C1 La Souterraine 3207 YB 2014
- 1st National Zone C Gueret 3127 YB 2007
- 1st National Zone B2 La Souterraine 2812 YL 2016
- 1st National Zone C Argenton 2647 YL 2012
- 1st National Zone B2 Tulle 1480 OB 2019
- 1st National Zone B2 Tulle 1087 OB 2018
- 1st National Zone C1 Gueret 774 OB 2014
Besides old glories like there were the 'De Armstrong' Rudi Hendrikx and inbred to the “As” Clerinx, 'De Vangrembergen' Lambrechts-Lismont from Kortenaken, 'De Blois 933/99' varieties Pauwels (Herne), Jos Deno, Houben, Jos 'Klak', Vanhove-Uyterhoeven, Voets, Lammens or the best that Belgium had to offer at that time and 'De Limo 809/00' pedigree Sylvain D'Hondt, Eddy Leutenez via Rob Nijs, Visseraken are mainly the descendants of the “Platinum Pair” 279-09 x 375-00 responsible for the broad base of the loft!
The 279/99 was bred from the “Goede Nagels”, a very good racing pigeon with father direct Maurice Nagels (Ransberg) and with mother coming from Serré-Laporte (Tessenderlo). The mother of the 279 was obtained from Mathieu Roox , Veldwezelt. "Nathalia" comes directly from Rudi Hendrikx and is a daughter of his "Mosch Ludo" (Thijs-Peeters) with "Dikke Duivin", varieties Milissen, Borgmans, Smeets and together they formed the "Platinum Pair"...
Platinum breeding achievements, because no less than 13 – you read this correctly! – 13 different children from this couple became parents or grandparents of an (inter)provincial or (semi-)national (zone) winner after their career in the racing loft!
The '318-09' became mother of "Golden Francine", 1st National Bourges 24019 '14 yearlings; 'Black 564-04' became father of “Rinus”, 1st National La Souterraine 9602 yearlings '16 + fastest of the liberation of 17219 pigeons and 'Broken Wing 896-05' produced a.o. “Festina”, 1st National Gueret 2429 olds '14 as well as “Miet”, 1st National Zone C Gueret 3127 youngsters; a son of Broken Wing has already formed a new super pair, more about which later.
Countless sporting successes were also achieved with the children from the “Platinum Pair”, topper “B-52” - 252-08 bvb won ao 10th National Bourges 22516, 26th National Bourges 10906, 38th National Argenton 11001 and, in addition to these 3 local victories, another 2 times beaten by a loft mate from Chateauroux 2nd club 446 p. and Orleans 2nd club 698 pigeons. He also turned out to be an excellent sire in the breeding loft and became the father of now also top breeding hen "Firestar" with a.o. 1st National Zone C Bourges 4381 yearlings and “Skystar 693-16”, mother “708-20” with 1st National Zone B2 Argenton 5842 youngsters, 1st ace pigeon middle distance youngsters Verbroedering Tienen, 5th provincial ace pigeon middle distance and 5th provincial ace pigeon all-round KBDB Flemish Brabant!
With so many children from the same couple in the breeding loft, there is also a need to cross and over the years many enthusiasts have obtained excellent material.
“Terminator Smis” was purchased at the sale of Maurice and Ivan Vandersmissen from Rummen. He was a cock with 10 first prizes in the sprint and he easily passed on his winners' genes. He bred excellent pigeons with no less than 7 different hens, among his children eg “532-14” with ao 7th National Argenton 27267 pigeons, “Ivangeline” who won 10th National Bourges and currently forms a top couple with son “Broken Wing” and “Fantastic Firestar”, 3rd provincial ace pigeon all-round yearlings as the most important examples.
At Albert Derwa, the father of the 1st national Bourges was chosen from a wide selection of youngsters offered when redeeming a voucher.
At 'golden' Gaston Van De Wouwer a number of vouchers were exchanged for 8 grandchildren of the 'Kaasboer', 5 of them bred 1st prize winners and/or ace pigeons locally and with various highlights in the national races! The Van De Wouwer pigeons therefore have a large share in many of the recent successes…
A few pigeons were exchanged with Michel Lossignol and Leon Kemerlincx from Budingen and from 1 of them we bred “Aelina”, with 6th National Gueret 16262, 14th National La Souterraine 7631, 29th National Tours 24097, 2 x 1st regional Blois and 1 more :100 from Soissons, Lorris and Bourges… one of our best hens ever.
Nice victories were also booked with descendants from a pigeon from Hazevoets and sons from Kozen, the “Golden Pair” from Ronny Menten; bought a breeding couple from the total sale of Kitano Masao and driving force Clement Matterne (parents 1st National Zone B2 Tulle); a number of raced youngsters from the Thijs-Peters loft; a young bon pigeon from Jos Thoné; pigeons from Frederik Motton (now Motton-Coel) as well as pigeons from the total sale of the late Hervé and Erwin Vanparijs where we bought back our own pigeons and a number of their crossed descendants...
One of those bought back Vanparijs pigeons, 847-11 “Melita” – full sister “Melito”, winner 1st Nat(z) Bourges 4390 – 4th Nat 17061 p and ao father “737-11” with 11th Nat Chateauroux 22254 p and 13th Nat Bourges 14571 p as well as grandfather 1st Nat. Chateauroux 8594 p and fastest 17447 p - has now turned out to be an absolute top breeding hen and became, among other things, mother of 416-19 “Iron Melita” – 2nd Nat Tulle 5067 p and 627-21 “Iron Melivo” – 2nd Nat Bourges 24220 p !!!
More recently, success was achieved with pigeons from:
Ivo Renders: in addition to a round of youngsters raced in his own loft, 933-18 won a.o. 1st Laon 1363, 1st Laon 493, 1st Tulle 119 – 7th National Zone B2 1790 pigeons, 58th Nat Argenton 16762 and 156th Nat Issoudun 10603, in this last race his nest sister 934-18 won by the way 1st club 175, 27th National), a cock from Ivo became, among other things, father of the above mentioned 627-21 “Iron Melivo” – 2nd Nat Bourges 24220 p !!!
Davy Tournelle (from the purchased '050-15', coupled to our 1st National La Souterraine Rinus, already produced several excellent pigeons, for example '560-19' with 43rd PIPA ranking with 6 national races and 91st place KBDB Ace pigeon heavy middle distance yearlings, where we also her full sister '402-19' in 170th place and also from an exchanged cock we already bred '778-19' with 1st club Gueret 276 pigeons)
and also descendants of the now 14 direct Willem De Bruijn pigeons...
Our few visits to Willem are very successful, not only because of his super inheriting pigeon stock, but certainly also because of his advice and pigeon wisdom. Willem is also a champion in pigeon efficiency and if he spends the necessary time on something, you can decide with certainty that it matters. Everyone who wants to learn reads it weekly in his column!
Under the impulse of Willem, we started to train the youngsters better and, in contrast to the past where they flew Momignies in 5 steps, they are currently released 15 to 25 times. We noticed a clear difference with negligible losses throughout the season and more pigeons at the top of the big races.
In recent years, accents have also been shifted in terms of feeding and playing systems. We were very intrigued by the apparently very simple feeding and playing methods of Willem de Bruijn and the Vandenheede brothers and we adapted our method even further…
In the last 3 seasons, 79 clear first prizes were won in Visseraken… 17 with the old pigeons, 34 with the yearlings and 28 with the youngsters, especially in the (extreme) middle distance… Impressive figures, especially if you know that the different racing teams were very rarely split over several flights or basketting areas…
The backbone of all that violence is formed by a breeding loft with about 50 couples. Every year, 8 cocks are selected that are coupled again and again and therefore, especially during the first months of the breeding season, do not feed youngsters… the Willem De Bruijn system, so to speak… In this way we try to gain a faster and better insight into the individual breeding quality of the pigeons and is it possible to race more pigeons from the best or better breeders…
For example, from “Pearlstone 177-18” in his first year in the breeding loft, 10 youngsters were bred with three different hens. Of these ten youngsters, no less than 7 per 100 won, including for example “647-21” who became Ace pigeon youngsters HAFO OBRAFO with a.o. 1st Melun 474 p – 4th s-prov 3478 p; “762-21” with ao 8th Momignies 669 p, 4th Laon 804 p, 5th Soissons 360 p and 6th Chateauroux 684 p and also “734-21” with ao. 8th Soissons 1060 p and 1st Chateauroux 399 p – 9th Nat. 18741 d. A full sister of the latter for sale at KOOP 1!
“Tudor 787-16” also turned out to be an excellent breeder in this way, he gave 3 different 1st prize winners in 2 years time with just as many different hens! So are “484-21” with 1st Sermaises 672 p – 4th s-prov 3740 p, 16th prov Melun 3478 p, 41st s-prov Lorris 4281 p; “648-21” with 1st Nevers 1189 p – 3rd s-Nat. 4036 p and “141-22” with 1st Sermaises 1075 p all daughters of this top cock! Under KOOP 18, by the way, a beautiful daughter of “Tudor”!
"Tudor" does not rely on strangers because his father "823-13", son "Broken Wing" x "Aura" - 8th Nat Gueret, 6th Nat Chateauroux has been a regular couple with "Ivangeline 140-13" for several years now. They are the parents of 9 different 1st prize winners and/or ace pigeons including Tudor “787-16” with ao 1st National Zone B2 Tulle 1460 and 3rd s-Nat Aurillac 1797 on the list of achievements, “133-18“ 2nd prov Ace pigeon allround and their best child so far the “529-19” who won 5 clear 1st prizes and became 2nd prov and 17th national ace pigeon middle middle distance as well as 3rd best yearling in 7 national races in this year's PIPA ranking!
“798-15 Rinus” – 1st Nat La Souterraine 9602 p and fastest 17219 p - is also an excellent breeding cock and became father of 10 different pigeons that won per 100… “683-20” e.g. who won a.o. 1st Sermaises 1063 d, 19th Sermaises 2975 p and 28th Sermaises 2471 p won or “560-19” who won 9 times per 50 or better and became 43rd best pigeon PIPA ranking 6 national races but also “822-20 Ricard” 1st prov Tulle – 5th Nat 7267 p is a son of "Rinus". By the way, there is a beautiful brother of the latter for sale at KOOP 15.
Finally, perhaps briefly put “336-14 Francine's Foremost” in the spotlight… This beautiful son of “Golden Francine” – 1st Nat. Bourges 24019 p also gives good results with just about every hen and is already father of a.o. 1st Sermaises 4195 p, 1st Momignies 2803 p, 1st Sermaises 895 p, 1st Nanteuil 207 p, 1st Soissons 222 p, 1st Melun 143 p, 2nd Soissons 1018 p, 5th Sermaises 2068 p, 9th Sermaises 2471 p… etc. etc. A wonderful son under LOT 14!
The old racing team consists of about 60 couples that are all raced on double widowhood without much frills. For example, the partners are not shown before departure. When they return home, all pigeons come home to the same loft and it's fun… Since all pigeons mate freely and partners are regularly lost, the pigeons usually stay together until the next morning. This way the pigeons whose partner stayed behind have plenty of time to find a new partner.
The pigeons were coupled around Christmas and usually in 2 'shifts' with a 2 week difference… This gave the opportunity to raise some eggs from the breeding pigeons with the racing pigeons. However, this was not ideal, since the last pen falls from the darkened youngsters until mid to late December and because during the breeding period the pigeons are transferred to the new lofts, often resulting in cold eggs and the like... In the future, the racing pigeons will also be coupled later (presumably around candlelight) and only brood rotten…
In the spring, a health cure is on the program for the old pigeons. Attention is then paid to loosening the old down, degreasing the organism, building up intestinal flora, purifying the airways... in short: trying to increase the natural resistance. The pigeons regularly receive by-products that would stimulate this and are fed lightly. The training sessions will also be resumed during this period. Both cocks and hens normally train once a day and are usually called back in after about 1 hour.
If the pigeons train well, they will race from the beginning of March if the weather permits. How often you drive is very variable, the weather obviously plays a leading role, but everything must also be fitted into everyone's busy full-time work schedule. The partners are then released with fifteen minutes in between to try to avoid the fair on the roof…
In the spring, all the old ones are vaccinated again against smallpox, paramyxo and paratyphoid – the latter without a cure because no antibiotics are given in the spring at all.
Tricho is treated in the spring and then everything is kept under control by using the well-known 'yellow drops'.
If something is really wrong, we have been relying on the expertise of Vincent Schroeder for years, but we can also always turn to our local veterinarians Wouter Kumpen and Benny Jacobs...
In terms of nutrition, 2 self-composed mixtures have been used for a few years now, which are filled and supplied by Hoebregts bvba from Heers. Our "Training" is a light feed ideal for the start of the week and with our "Racing" the pigeons are fed up.... Excellent price/quality and simplicity itself, which means that many fanciers from the area already follow the same system.. .
The by-products provided serve to support the fairly heavy flight program and are aimed at supplementing any moisture and mineral deficiencies after the flight and increasing the absorbed fat reserve before the run-up, plus better fat burning during the flight... We are already doing this mainly relied on the range of Schroeder-Tollisan for years, but a product from Röhnfried, Giantel, Paloma and others was also used here and there.
On the advice of Stijn Rans, we also tried a number of products that would promote immunity, such as "Wonderpigeon" and "Col-Immunity Boost" and we are now convinced that both products offer added value. For example, all pigeons are given a daily product based on butyric acid in their drink.
Great importance is also attached to vaccinations and young and old are vaccinated here several times a year against paramyxo and paratyphoid. A strict vaccination schedule is applied, especially with the approximately 250-300 youngsters for own use, so the early youngsters are vaccinated 3x with a combination vaccination, this year it became paramyxo-herpes at weaning and then paramyxo-rota every 3 weeks , paramyxopox and paratyphus... An additional advantage of these vaccinations is that the pigeons are already used to the basket before the start of training and that each pigeon must pass an individual inspection at least once a month, so that we retain a better view about the general condition and condition of the youngsters.
Of all the combinations of vaccinations, the 'rota' vaccination appears to be especially important and effective against outbreaks of the dreaded 'young pigeons' disease…
The further medical supervision of the youngsters is almost identical aan that of the old. The youngsters obviously have to deal with the typical eye infection every summer, against which nothing is done in principle, antibiotic cures don't help anyway.... Pigeons that are too bad just stay home for a week.
The youngsters are raced with the sliding door and are in principle not released during the week after training. The youngsters fly Momignies 1-3 times, Soissons 3-4 times and then start the middle distance. They also like to participate in at least one national race, which benefits the level of experience as a yearling. Because most youngsters are raced from open aviaries and these lofts are not so cosy, the selection is not just about performance. Of course, the pigeons that already showed something are selected first, but there is usually also room for a number of pigeons that performed little or nothing as a youngster. As yearlings and old birds there must be flown, those who, in addition to a regular palmares per 10 or better, cannot race per 100, will be irrevocably eliminated.
We may conclude with the best victories since 2020 in a row…
Victories against more than 1000 pigeons...
- 1st Sermaises NHV 4195 youngsters
- 1st Momignies 2803 old
- 1st Sermaises NHV 2471 youngsters
- 1st Sermaises NHV 2161 yearlings
- 1st Sermaises NHV 2068 youngsters
- 1st Melun NHV 1994 youngsters
- 1st Issoudun i-prov 1269 yearlings
- 1st Melun club 1265 yearlings
- 1st Nevers 1189 old
- 1st Sermaises 1063 yearlings
- 1st Sermaises 1075 youngsters
Provincial victories since 2020:
- 1st prov. Chateauroux 1519 yearlings (2010679-20) – 14th Nat. 10317 d
- 1st prov. Tulle 872 yearlings (2010822-20) – 5th Nat. 7267 p
- 1st prov. Tulle 493 olds (2002416-19) – 2nd Nat. 5067 p.
- 1st prov. Chateauroux 2664 p. (2105013-22) – 4th Nat. 17081 d.
- 1st prov. Bourges 3866 yearlings – 2nd Nat. 24221 d.
- 1st prov. Argenton 3763 youngsters – 5th Nat. 23280 d.