STEVE SMITS – ROTSELAAR

1st NATIONAL CHATEAUROUX 18,774 OLD BIRDS

FASTEST AGAINST 45,859 PIGEONS

Rotselaar: In 2008 Steve won 1st National La Souterraine youngsters and now 10 years later he wins 1st National Chateauroux. His “Fabergé” (B15-2106417) wasn’t only the fastest against the 18,774 old birds but also the fastest against all 45,859 Chateauroux racers.

Since 2013 Steve races from his current address in Rotselaar. Main goal is to shine on the greater middle distance races and these are marked in fluo as national participation on the racing program. The base of his colony is being formed by pigeons Jespers-Van der Wegen, Baeck John & Jan, Loockx Guido, Van Avondt Danny & Nick, Vervoort Jef (also his tutor), Hennes Christiaan and Delaere Luc.

Being able to shine on these races Steve pulled the cart of the widowhood with cocks. At the start of the season he had a team of 28 cocks ready to race. Due to his busy professional occupations (Steve has to go abroad a lot for shows and customers visits), he only breeds with his breeders in winter. The widow cocks were being coupled the beginning of April, could breed for 7 days and then the eggs were being removed to make the widowhood a fact.

The widow cocks train once a day and this – if the weather allows it – as from 6 in the morning. Steve explains: ‘Since the start of the season my widow cocks train extremely hard during the week. Without any effort they train 1 to 1h15 and once being fed for the races even up to 2 hours. The shape has to be more then present otherwise this doesn’t work out.’

FEEDING SCHEDULE RECOMMENDED BY STEVE

As many amongst us now, Steve is sales manager at feeding producer Paloma. Steve has, thanks to this profession, being able to place all his experience in underneath schedule. Nevertheless Steve wants to point out that you have to feel yourself as a fancier how to feed. Are the pigeons in shape or not, is the weather hot, were the former races hard…all things that influence the feeding pattern.

Home coming (Saturday):
100% Olympic Diamond (mixture D100) + Fettmischung

Sunday:
In the morning: same as at homecoming
in the evening: 50% Olympic Diamond + 50% Relax (D 21)

Both at homecoming as on Sunday he mixes “Metabol Green” and “Recovery Green” from vet Ranst under the food. To the drinking water he adds Maxi Recup + Glucovit.

Monday:
50% Relax + 50% Olympic Diamond
In the morning he adds “Platinum” (acids mix) over the food and Giachol Green in the drinking water
in the evening pure food

Tuesday:
50% Relax + 50% Olympic Diamond.
In the drinking water there is “Respi Green” being added

Wednesday:
In the morning: 50% Relax + 50% Olympic Diamond enriched with Fettmischung accomplished with
in the evening: 100% Fettmischung enriched with Fettmischung.

Thursday (basketing)
As much as fat rich food as possible. Also a mixture of cheese and peanuts is being given.

Important: every day a fresh portion of egg food + Multi Power mix is being given.

MEDICALLY

Before the start of the season the widow cocks were being cured against ornithosis during 12 days. Nothing is being given against trichomoniases but on the day of basketing they give a yellow drop in the beak. Thanks to his position at Paloma Steve has a lot of contact with vet Stijn Ranst and makes use of it by letting him check on a regular basis the manure or the pigeons. If there’s something wrong he treats…otherwise the medicine cabinet stays closed

‘FABERGE’

The national winner got the name “Fabergé”. “Fabergé (B15-2106417) was being named at the famous Russian jewellery in the form of an Easter egg made out of gold, platinum and gems which were made commissioned by the Russian Tsars in the period 1885-1917.

“Fabergé” could, just as all the other loft mates, see his hen on the day of basketing for about 30 minutes. Steve: ‘The hen is only being showed at basketing of a national race. For the other races only the nest dish is being showed.’
On the question whether “Fabergé” was motivated in another special way is something Steve couldn’t reply on directly or yes…at the beginning of the season he took in a box of another cock. Maybe he got his motivation out of this.’

“Fabergé” has an impressive palmaris in the meantime:

1/18,689b Nat Chateauroux
1/948b Prov Chateauroux
1/3,642b C.F.W. Chateauroux
1/517b Melun club
7/1,282b Melun O.V.
11/2,675b Melun N.H.V.
2/263b Tdd La Souteraine
9/1,399b B.U. La Souteraine
24/9,580b Nat La Souteraine
7/174b Tdd Argenton
79/4,582b Nat Argenton
16/383b Tdd Blois
8/137b Momignies
9/344b Tdd Vierzon
15/1,521b B.U. Vierzon
10/205b Tdd Argenton
56/2,007b C.F.W. Argenton
11/115b Tdd Vierzon
65/651b B.U. Vierzon
48/493b Tdd Blois
200/1,743b Prov Blois
9/374b Tdd Bourges
252/3,505b C.F.W. Bourges
9/344b Tdd Vierzon
15/1,521b B.U.Vierzon
5/434b Tdd Chateauroux
18/1,972b B.U. Chateauroux
292/20,473b Nat Chateauroux
5/295b Tdd Blois
32/1,420b Prov Blois
35/1,482b B.U. Blois
6/64b Tdd Chateauroux
28/415b B.U. Chateauroux

Despite the several offers “Fabergé” won’t be sold and Steve will put him on his own breeding loft. Nice detail…a half-brother (same mother) won on Chateauroux the 4th Provincial and the 19th National…racing head of the race is something that runs through the genes of this fantastic family.

Steve…from the entire Herbots team a big congratulations an up to number 3 !

Stefan Mertens

 

 

Loft

Winner