A lot of B S
Two people told me I still looked pretty young. But this did not make me happy.
Such things are only told to people that get older.
The good news is that I learned a lot during all those years.
For example: I lost my belief in things that others wrongly consider important. Feeding for example. Is that really an art as some say? Hmmm.
FEEDING
- Take the so called Moulting mixture.
This term is based on nothing. Mixtures for a better moult just do not exist.
Compare the moulting mixtures of all those different firms and you know enough. They are totally different.
Those companies sell moulting mixtures because fanciers ask for it.
But' healthy birds moult automatically, it is in their nature. If you really want to force things you should manipulate with light and dark. Special feed or a moulting mixture is a waste and nothing more than that.
- Furthermore I do not believe in putting extra energy in a pigeons body the last few days before basketing by means of corn or peanuts, or oil. Scientists will laugh at it.
- "Barley will keep pigeons calm" I once read.
"And the Pope will win the marathon" I thought.
- I began to take feed and feeding less serious in 1997. Then my 144 was always the last bird to enter the loft after training. The consequence was that her loft mates had eaten all the corn when she finally came in.
And is corn not absolutely necessary like many say?
But still this 144, that had not eaten any corn for weeks, won 3 firsts in one month.
So dear fellow fancier, do not believe everything that is written.
Some people deserve the credits because they write interesting articles.
Others deserve all credits because they do NOT write.
THE SAME
People that teach us up to 0,1 of a percent how much protein, fat and so on a mixture must contain should not be taken serious. They are clowns.
l feed the same mixture the whole year round. So all those people that asked me why I never write about feeding have the answer now: I know little about it and moreover: it does not interest me. Still I was never hindered by that lack of knowledge.
In the 80ies and 90ies it was normal that my birds won the Provincial Championship, both with old birds and youngsters. I am talking about a competition of some thousands of fanciers in those days.
In 2012 I won record amount of 15 firsts, in 2013 I became 1st Champion Old Birds in the Fed which includes big and strong clubs/areas and my birds won the 1st Championship in Antwerp, Belgium.
What I want to say is this: When results have been so good for so many years it cannot all be nonsense what I have to say.
ANDRE
Andre once wrote a series of articles about me in the leading pigeon magazine Duifke Lacht from Natural. According to him I was the best young bird racer in Holland and' I think he was right. At least in those days. My system then was racing with separate sexes. WAS because today that system is not possible for me due to circumstances.
Prominent fanciers such as G v d Wouwer, Leo Heremans and coming man John van Wanrooy agree that this system is the best.
Racing young birds natural (on the nests) is outdated.
LESS LONELY
Andre (I mean Andre Roodhooft of course) is a pragmatic man as well. He also claims he knows nothing about feeding.
And like me he gives his birds the same mixture the whole year round.
Like the late Klak did. And Scheele, Jos Joosen, Gommaar Verbruggen and others. It makes me feel less lonely. And who races better in races from 500 to 650 kms than Andre?
As for great long distance Jos Joosen is a superman. When his birds get home from a 1000 km race they get THE SAME mixture as the days before basketing.
As for additives Andre and me have the same ideas as well: Pigeons can do without.
All those ads in the pigeon magazines and today also on the internet about stuff that "birds absolutely need to win" are only made up to fill pockets. If you would follow the advice of some brokers of castles in the air you would find a week does not have enough days to put in the water or on the feed all that stuff of what they mean is a must.
Again and again those so called business men come up with something new. Today there are even pills against stress or for a better orienteering. Thus you would reduce losses. My glasses bounced on my nose when I read this. Only people that are demented, illiterates and gullible naivi people, with all respect, fall for this shit.
What they are not aware of is that they are expertedly robbed of their last pennies. It is frustrating to see that the human intelligence seems to have its limits while the human naivety has not.
Some fanciers that are normal people in daily life turn into kind of teachers after a good result. They advise you about what to do and what not to do. Do not let yourself be trapped.
In life most lies can be heard after a day out fishing, before the elections and after a good race result with pigeons.
UNFORGETTABLE
Who does not have memories that he will never forget?
For me one is the National race from Chartres in 1991. The week before my birds performed extremely well from Orleans. That was the reason why many people stood in my yard that day, watching the home coming of my birds.
Nine arrived almost together, winning Semi National 2, 3, 4, 6 and so on. My 3 first birds were my 3 first nominated.
When I told this to Jos, who had also pooled on my birds, the fellow fanciers in the yard looked at each other suspiciously.
Some moments later:
- John was pissing against some bushes and did his utmost to pretend he was not listening to what I said to Jos.
- "What do you think"? I asked Peter. He did not answer but seemed to concentrate on something fascinating on the bottom of his beer glass.
- Harry picked an invisible piece of dust from his coat and I heard Tom whisper something about a magic bottle.
"What did you say?" I asked him. He startled, nervously shook his head and guiltily looked at the points of his shoes.
REALIST
Some fanciers think that they can think but that is only what they think.
Those birds were NOT drugged. A few years later I had a great old bird team. The same birds that destroyed the race from Chartres.
Take Belgian Charel Boeckx. He is a simple man who knows nothing about minerals, protein, acids, not to speak about medicine. He does not even know the names. Still he has been racing super for decades. And seldom did I see such healthy birds as his. Fanciers like him I know many.
SUCH people have a message but they let others talk and write.
If you feel good by giving your birds all kinds of additives, pills and draughts, I advise you to go on. Feeling good is what matters in life. But believe me, you are wasting your time and money. What matters in this sport is quality birds. And there is no stuff on earth that can turn an average bird into a quality bird.
Thanks goodness.