Marcel Wouters~1-7-9-10 Provincial Bourges against 1,825 yearlings

*Westmalle, Belgium – Winning the race from Bourges is ‘Lion King’ Marcel Wouters’ achieving his second provincial victory this season, after having won 1st and 4th Provincial Gueret against 2,337 yearlings! For that matter, ever since the race Bourges I, Marcel’s team of yearlings has been flying superbly. After the race from La Souterraine, at the beginning of July, this Bourges contest was the first race for which Marcel basketed his entire team.

In the meantime, he coupled the pigeons on the weekend after La Souterraine and let them build a nest. The racing team was basketed when they had been sitting for about three days. Only one couple of hens that had already laid was left together in the original loft, and that couple got a young in their nest before the race from La Souterraine. His first nominated bird was one of these hens, and after becoming 12th provincial Sablis last week, she now achieved 9th Provincial Bourges, even after flying around for more than a minute because she couldn’t get into her own loft. Only when Marcel opened the flap to that loft did she go in, but then she still had to pass the sensor! So, mission accomplished for this hen, and her team members succeeded ‘cum laude’ in the national classic from Bourges as well!

Provincial winner (7th national and also candidate for the zonal victory) became one of the better yearling hens, the ’12-6157113′. Marcel has decided to continue racing with her, already dreaming of a new Olympiad pigeon next year!

Marcel: “It is a very nice pigeon, pied black with white, of average build. She has already won 1st Montlucon against 616 pigeons (12th Zone against 4,106 birds)… 75th Provincial La Souterraine against 1,588 pigeons… 8th Marne against 2,428 pigeons… 11th Quievrain against 1,376 pigeons… 99th Dourdan against 2,456 birds… and so on.” Her father comes by way of neighbour Jef Hermans out of ‘De Schicht’ (3rd Ace pigeon ZAV out of a cross Wouters x Geerinckx/Ludo Verelst) x ‘Bourgesduivin’ (among others 89th National Bourges out of a cross Wouters x Bartholomeeusen). Her mother is an established breeding hen out of ‘De Leeuw’ x ‘Halfzus Gladiator’ (Geerinckx). She also produced the ‘518-10′ (20th National Argenton against 12,390 pigeons… 21st National Bourges against 20,406 pigeons… and 95th National Montlucon against 17,865 birds). In the race from Gueret, Theo Van Genechten won 11th and 45th National against 15,007 yearlings with two of her youngsters. Their father is a brother of this provincial winner!

As mentioned above, the second pigeon was the first signed ’12-722’, that had before won 38th Provincial Bourges against 2,658 pigeons and 12th Provincial Salbris against 769 pigeons. She is a daughter of the ‘Zoon Extreem’ x ‘Kleindochter Leeuw’ (2nd Ace pigeon ZAV 2010… sister 2nd and 7th National Bourges against 20,544 pigeons out of the ‘Bourges’, son of the ‘Leeuw’ x ‘Dochter Broer Leeuw’, grandmother 1st National Bourges Jos Vercammen).

Third pigeon (9th provincial) became the ’12-208′, a direct daughter of the ‘Extreem’ x ‘Kleindochter Leeuw’ (sister mother ’12-722′ and also sister 2nd and 7th National Bourges against 20,544 pigeons). She had also already won 23rd Provincial La Souterraine against 1,588 pigeons… 62nd Provincial Bourges against 2,658 pigeons… 89th Provincial La Souterraine against 2,744 birds… and further prizes.

Fourth top pigeon (10th provincial) was the ’12-121′, nest brother of the first signed ’12-722, who had before won 68th Provincial La Souterraine against 1,588 pigeons and 37th Dourdan against 2,082 pigeons. Notice that the 2nd, 3rd and 4th pigeons are all grandchildren of the ‘Bourges’, who may well be the best breeding son of the ‘Leeuw’.

And the 4th Provincial / 12th National Gueret against 15,007 pigeons was a son of this ‘Bourges’ also! Marcel: “Usually, I have no problem letting them fly again in the race from Chateauroux, but I will make the final decision on Thursday. The Bourges racers are certainly not yet worn out; I think they suffered more from sitting in the basket than from flying. I also think that the youngsters have come through the race in one piece, although I did not have any young in the race out of caution. After the race from La Souterraine, I have not given my pigeons any special care… once a week a yellow drop against tricho in the beak, and only once a training flight, last Saturday from Vilvoorde. Take notice: you don’t need to drive miles with the car to race well, although they were a bit sceptical in the clubhouse when I told them that those pigeons had been sitting still for three weeks and only had one training flight. Indeed, at home they don’t exercise much when sitting on a nest, but those pigeons had all been trained up well before. It is not necessary when they are in good condition. A few years ago, I also raced well with this system. And another thing, I am getting older as well, and we enjoy cycling. But when I go cycling three times a week, the third time will not go so well anymore. If I take a rest for a week, cycling becomes easier again!”

Junior