Pipa article
The start in Brussegem
The present success story of the Limbourg-colony has its origin in 1987, which was the year in which Erik bought a house with lofts in Brussegem. At that moment, he did not realize that the former fancier had barely won any prizes with these lofts and furthermore, he nearly lost all of his youngsters each year. Erik moved from Deftinge to Brussegem in 1987 and got started with 12 couples. He for his part had to face the disadvantages of the loft and lost entire rounds of youngsters. But Limbourg decided to investigate the cause of these problems and started working on a solution. Although he previously did not attach any credence to negative terrestrial radiation, water veins and so on, he decided to put it to the test. He organized all the lofts like a ‘Faraday Cage’ to eliminate any negative effects, as he had seen at the lofts of other masters at our sport. Thanks to these changes -combined with some other adjustments to the lofts- Erik Limbourg found himself released from trouble and climbed to the very top of national and international pigeon sport in no time. We immediately noticed the spacious and very airy lofts in which the pigeons are housed: no shortage of oxygen at all.
Super year 2005
Erik started the season of 2005 with about 40 breeding couples of which he invariably kept 2 rounds to himself along with some youngsters of excellent top pigeons from the 3rd and 4th round. These youngsters are not easy to keep though, because of the many training pigeons which are released at lofts in the neighbourhood and which pass by at the lofts during the week.
Erik started the season of 2005 with about 40 breeding couples of which he invariably kept 2 rounds to himself along with some youngsters of excellent top pigeons from the 3rd and 4th round. These youngsters are not easy to keep though, because of the many training pigeons which are released at lofts in the neighbourhood and which pass by at the lofts during the week.
Eric raced with about 24 old cocks, 80 yearlings and 42 racing hens on widowhood, though this number can vary each year depending on the number of free places for yearlings. The season starts the first week of April and the pigeons are basketted as much as possible for speed races each month (if weather conditions are satisfactory) to allow them to gather as much kilometres as possible. At this point, their menu consists of a purification mixture and light feed. As soon as May begins and middle distance races start, Erik alters his feeding strategy.
The purification mixture is gradually being replaced by more ‘substantial feed’ and after Vierzon (so this means 2 weeks after the first national long distance race from Brive) they receive ‘diet’ + sports mixture. Upon their arrival from a long distance race, the pigeons receive a mixture of 1/2 diet + 1/2 sports mixture in their feed boxes during 3 days after which a moderate change to 100% sports mixture takes place. The long distance racers receive a filled feed box of sports mixture 3 days prior to basketting and Erik also tries to provide them with some supplements by giving small portions on the bottom of the lofts to boost their appetite. ‘Energy Plus’ from the company Versele Laga is also administered as an extra source of energy. Erik is aiming to basket the pigeons ‘as round as balloons’; as true sources of energy with substantial reserves. And with success, as prove the attached results.
The purification mixture is gradually being replaced by more ‘substantial feed’ and after Vierzon (so this means 2 weeks after the first national long distance race from Brive) they receive ‘diet’ + sports mixture. Upon their arrival from a long distance race, the pigeons receive a mixture of 1/2 diet + 1/2 sports mixture in their feed boxes during 3 days after which a moderate change to 100% sports mixture takes place. The long distance racers receive a filled feed box of sports mixture 3 days prior to basketting and Erik also tries to provide them with some supplements by giving small portions on the bottom of the lofts to boost their appetite. ‘Energy Plus’ from the company Versele Laga is also administered as an extra source of energy. Erik is aiming to basket the pigeons ‘as round as balloons’; as true sources of energy with substantial reserves. And with success, as prove the attached results.
It is an open secret that Erik Limbourg (sometimes assisted by his father) is often maniacally occupied with his pigeons. Everything has to go smoothly, thus allowing to get the very best out of the pigeons and ‘motivation’ is the most important factor for the race. There are different ways to motivate the pigeons. But remember one thing: Erik Limbourg is a ‘born winner’ and a formidable competitor. If results are not as satisfying as usual, Erik laughs very sourly. Let’s illustrate this by telling an appropriate anecdote that took place in season 2005. The results of the team of old pigeons that raced Limoges Derby back in early July were inferior. The Limbourg-team barely got some small prizes at the end and the jukebox in the pigeon club had never played that loud, even much louder than any time before.
Erik tossed in the clocks very rapidly and returned home with sporty thoughts of revenge but also with his blood boiling. He searched for the reason of the inferior results of the team and found it, but nonetheless, the entire Limoges-team was thrown into the aviary and got the label ‘incompetent’. The answer to this failure was top-class and will certainly be remembered in the region because, during the 3 following weeks, the extra-motivated Limbourg-team won the 1st Prize Provincial every time, respectively in the following order:
1st Provincial (542 p) and 2nd National Souillac 5.985 p.
1st Provincial (417 p) and 6th National Narbonne 4.664 p.
1st Provincial (379 p) and 2nd National Perpignan 3.808 p.
Erik tossed in the clocks very rapidly and returned home with sporty thoughts of revenge but also with his blood boiling. He searched for the reason of the inferior results of the team and found it, but nonetheless, the entire Limoges-team was thrown into the aviary and got the label ‘incompetent’. The answer to this failure was top-class and will certainly be remembered in the region because, during the 3 following weeks, the extra-motivated Limbourg-team won the 1st Prize Provincial every time, respectively in the following order:
1st Provincial (542 p) and 2nd National Souillac 5.985 p.
1st Provincial (417 p) and 6th National Narbonne 4.664 p.
1st Provincial (379 p) and 2nd National Perpignan 3.808 p.
Strain origins and racing method
Erik Limbourg is solely interested in absolute top-class pigeons to populate his breeding lofts. Pretty remarkable with respect to the top results on long distance is the fact that Erik does not possess a real strain of ‘pure distance racers’. We could rather describe it as a crossbreed of 1st National winners + 1st National Acepigeons of Long and Extreme Long Distance with an own strain in which there is a lot of middle distance blood, such as descendants from the famous ‘Swing-pair’ from fellow villager Louis Van den Eynde (a crossbreed of Maurits Voets x Gust Christiaens) that could race ahead for sometimes up to 10 minutes in bright weather and with head wind. Then, there is the Janssen-strain, the "Tarzan-strain" of Scharlaekens and of course the strain of ‘de Slimmen’ (3 x 1st Provincial). The guideline is of course always coupling ‘super’ x ‘super’ !! With only one goal: to bring and to keep speed into the long distance racers !!
Erik does not mind that there are several pigeons in the colony that cannot cope with their distance duties. His tough selection procedure eliminates such birds immediately. The pigeons are not spared at all and race up to 2 x national races as youngsters. The yearling cocks race Limoges Yearlings + Narbonne or Perpignan Yearlings. The hens are now racing St.Vincent (on widowhood) + Perpignan on the nest (small youngsters or end of brood). According to Erik Limbourg, the pigeons are certainly not worn out but this method has the advantage that, in the end, the wheat is separated from the chaff. A method which has not done him any harm, on the contrary…it is in fact the foundation of an endless list of top achievements that fell to his share.
Erik Limbourg is solely interested in absolute top-class pigeons to populate his breeding lofts. Pretty remarkable with respect to the top results on long distance is the fact that Erik does not possess a real strain of ‘pure distance racers’. We could rather describe it as a crossbreed of 1st National winners + 1st National Acepigeons of Long and Extreme Long Distance with an own strain in which there is a lot of middle distance blood, such as descendants from the famous ‘Swing-pair’ from fellow villager Louis Van den Eynde (a crossbreed of Maurits Voets x Gust Christiaens) that could race ahead for sometimes up to 10 minutes in bright weather and with head wind. Then, there is the Janssen-strain, the "Tarzan-strain" of Scharlaekens and of course the strain of ‘de Slimmen’ (3 x 1st Provincial). The guideline is of course always coupling ‘super’ x ‘super’ !! With only one goal: to bring and to keep speed into the long distance racers !!
Erik does not mind that there are several pigeons in the colony that cannot cope with their distance duties. His tough selection procedure eliminates such birds immediately. The pigeons are not spared at all and race up to 2 x national races as youngsters. The yearling cocks race Limoges Yearlings + Narbonne or Perpignan Yearlings. The hens are now racing St.Vincent (on widowhood) + Perpignan on the nest (small youngsters or end of brood). According to Erik Limbourg, the pigeons are certainly not worn out but this method has the advantage that, in the end, the wheat is separated from the chaff. A method which has not done him any harm, on the contrary…it is in fact the foundation of an endless list of top achievements that fell to his share.
Nourishment : As far as nourishment is concerned, Erik puts his trust in the Vandenabeele-mixture Beyers and Super widowhood Van Robaeys.