How do you grow to be number 1 in our Belgian pigeon-sport?

Something that fascinates each and every fancier is the well and how of a super-colony. How can someone achieve this and how did the Herbots family reach the top in our sport?
I wanted to write a commentary about the Herbots colony but where do you start when you can't see te end. This colony has grown to be a little empire and I intend to tell everything I know about Filip and his company.

Personally I began with the pigeons in 1977 and already in '78 I became friendswith Filip. These were the years of the famous Ieverige, 5239278/75. At that time, Halle-Booienhoven was allowed to play in Sint-Truiden, where they had every week 2000 up to 3000 pigeons on the short-distance races and the races to France. They also could win a car every year and this was possible for the players of a very large area. So each and every good colony was always there with their best birds and it was in this play that the Ieverige became Ace-pigeon as a yearling in 1976. Also as an old pigeon he did this for three years successively. In 1978 he was the best mid-long distance pigeon and he brought home the car for the Herbots colony.

A total of 96 prices were won by this super bird, 65 per ten and 9 x 1st. So he deserved to be called the Ieverige just like they called his boss Filip. He also recuperated very fast and he was always ready to leave to wherever he had to go, but he always returned to his own loft. A grip out of his results shows us these toppers : 1/344 Momignies - 1/164 Soissons - 1/244 Laon - 1/355 Crepy - 1/397 St-Denis - 1/283 Laon - 1/265 Momignies - 1/794 Laon - 1/149 Crepy. The Ieverige wasn't only a very good flyer, he also did splendid on the breeding. He himself has fond blood in his veins. His father the 3281663/72, came from the loft of Dendooven, here we find on his fathers side the 43rd Nat. Barcelona of Desmet-Lippens, so we are with Vanbruane-Norman-Stichelbaut-Marcel Desmet. Mother of the father Ieverige was the Boerinne, a full sister of the Motta of Vanhee. The mother of the Ieverige was the 2585563/71, the checkered Carlens hen, coming from the Fabiola Carlens that won the 8th, 26th, 45th International Barcelona and the 25th National Bourges. Her mother, the Mona Lisa, won 1st International Barcelona in 1973. What more do you want, a super-flyer on the speed and the mid-long distance with noble fond-blood. Even nowadays we still find the Ieverige in the descent of the Herbots pigeons.

Recently in 1998 we look at Lucky Number, 2087113/97, the 2nd National Ace-pigeon mid-long distance KBDB, in 1997 as a youngster he became the 1st Provincial Ace-pigeon All Round KBDB-Brabant. With this result he also will be the Olympic pigeon All Round for Belgium in Blackpool.
This Lucky Number is a strongly in-breeding product of the Ieverige. Lets take a look at this descent : his father is the 2208548/96, which was the 3rd Provincial Ace-pigeon KBDB '96. It comes from the 649/86 which is in bred to the Ieverige, he comes from the 386/85 which is a grandson of the Ieverige - mother is the 731/84 from the Ieverige with his daughter, the Bolleke.

The mother of the 3rd Provincial Ace-pigeon is the 261/92, a granddaughter of the Ieverige. Let's take a look at the mother's side of the Lucky Number, here we are with the 5046321/94. This one comes from the 131/89, which is a grandson of the Ieverige. The mother of the 321/94 is the 800/91, daughter of the Hero 19 with... daughter of the Ieverige. So if we look good we find the Ieverige about 6 times in the Lucky Number. Now is there anybodydaring to say that those in-breeding birds only seem to be good to breed with and not to fly!!! The only thing that counts is the origin, a super-origin! Here are some results of the Lucky Number : Salbris Interprovincial 1/2936 - Salbris 1/540 - Chateauroux Interprovincial 1/1290 - Chateauroux 1/123 - Argenton Interprovincial 1/661 - Argenton Provincial 1/414 - Argenton National 6/3503 - Toury 1/160 - Toury Interprovincial 5/856 - St.Witz 2/450 - Soissons 4/1244 - Bourges 6/1184 - Toury 9/766. This pigeon became the father of the best young bird at the Herbots loft in 1998, namely the daughter Lucky Number, 2214128/98. She got several prices : Chateauroux 1/2816 - Bourges 1/248 - Bourges Interprovincial 9/2747 - Toury 1/223 - Toury 2/2602 and Etampes Interprovincial 10/1462. Another topbreeder from the Ieverige line.

In the mean time we jumped from 1975 to 1998, with in-between about 20 years of top-sport. In 1987 the Vooruitvlieger was born, another super-bird of the Ieverige line, with 8 x 1st. Here I would like to say that with a presentation of the Herbots colony, we could go on and on....
Even so when we talk about the Herbots Brothers, we have to mention his brother Jos from Nieuwerkerken. Jos is more the silent type, who always was looking for the best pigeons of several top-colonies. For him the pigeon-sport had several possibilities, he was a searcher and all of his spare time goes to his hobby. To Jos, his pigeons are pure relaxation, getting away from his business as a chemist. Although I think he likes the breeding more than the play, he also puts away his Provincial victories every year. This isn't surprising when you leave with such powerfull birds. Jos likes to take it easy, he prefers the long-distance play and waits silently for his birds to arrive, while Filip is more of a busy type. Jos also likes the contact with his fellow fanciers and his wife, the busy life of a champion is not his cup of tea. But on the other side he still is the one who looked for the good pigeons.

They went to Desmet-Lippens, Kamiel Dendooven, Frans Stoces, Jan Grondelaers and all thsi with the impulse of Jos.

At the Stoces loft, they found a gold mine : the phenomenal '66 and the '74 of Stoces became the ancestors with an unbelievable hereditay basis. The '66, 5079466/66 of Stoces was an exceptional flyer with 6 x 1st from St.Denis and 3 x 1st from Orleans and always with a lead. His son, the '74, 5178399/72 became in 1974 the National Ace-pigeon KBDB mid-long distance. The '66 came from a Van Riel cock with a Stappaerts-Janssen hen. Those who know the Herbots pigeons know that the Diamant Pair, 2574126/83 with the 5316591/83 are mainly filled with Stoces blood and they also are the parents of the Jacky, 230365/87. This last one was 1st Provincial Ace-pigeon KBDB '87 and succeeded with toppers like : Compiegne 1/1205 - Pont 1/1157 - Compiegne 1/658 - Pont 1/217 and 3 x 2nd. The Jacky also grew to be a very good breeder and he is the father of the 318/93 with Toury 1/143 - Bretigny 1/125 - Bourges 6/3081. He also is the father of the Coco 735/91 with : Sens 1/216 - Orleans 2/367, of the Suzy 912/91 with 37th Semi National La Souterraine against 2135 pigeons and 14th Jarnac against 1482 pigeons, of the Mimi 911/91 with : La Souterraine 1/155 - Meaux 1/473 - Bourges 2/944 and the 21st National Argenton against 5548 pigeons.

From the Diamant Pair they got the Senna 490/87, which became the 4th Worldchampion mid-long distance in 1989. Also the Zwarte Crack is a product of the Stoces birds and also many other fanciers had success with the line of the Diamant Pair. So it really is a super pair which formed the basis of many top-colonies. With the Stoces pigeons we are at the basis of the Herbots colony and those pigeons were very important for the enlargement of the colony.

With those Stoces birds we can also mention the Grondelaers and the Schellens-pigeons at the home of the Herbots family because they all have the same basis.For example we take the Nationaal I, 6260314/86, another strong example of the Herbots colony. He won Bourges National 1/7927 - Bourges Provincial 1/1434 - Bourges 1/629 - Orleans Provincial 1/4301 - Orleans 1/889 - Dourdan 1/388 Dourdan - Noyon 1/452 - St.Quentin 1/449 - Bourges National 55/29297.
His father was the 6114062/83, the Argenton. This one was the son of the 603/76 Fenomenale which won the 1st/2301 Orleans and was a son of the Provincialer Stoces, 2 x 1st Prov, with the 024/74 daughter of the 66 Stoces and a sister of the already mentioned Nat. Ace '74. So do you notice the Stoces blood?

Also the Goede Jaarling, 6069591/88 brother of the Nationaal, moved to Halle-Booienhoven, this cock won a first from Dourdan against 2734 pigeons and put his stamp on the present-day pigeons of Herbots. From the line of the Nationaal we remind today the toppers like Betty, 2499862/94, daughter of the Nationaal and 9th National Ace-pigeon Mid-Long distance KBDB '95 with 5 x 1st on the mid-long distance flights against an average of 400 pigeons. This National is also the grandfather of the National Dream, 2087017/97 with : Soissons 1/832 - Dourdan 1/204 - Salbris 1/227 - Bourges 2/134 etc..... Also the Ferrari comes through his father, the Grote, from the Nationaal I, with 2 x 1st from the line of the Nationaal. This Ferrari, 015/97 is the 3rd National Ace BDS '98 with : Toury 1/656 - Etampes 1/243 - Etampes - 1/174 and Etampes 7/1648.

From the loft of Jan Grondelaers, a lot of pigeons moved to Halle-Booienhoven. Between Jan and Filip a bond has been growing and I think that Jan ment a lot to Filip, he was Filips teacher, his godfather. Filip Herbots often talks about Jan Grondelaers and then you can tell he learned a lot about motivation and the handling of pigeons, from Grondelaers. From Opglabeek moved the top-lines of the Orleans I, the Goede Jaarling, 5 x 1st against the average of 900 till 3000 pigeons. Also the Janssen and Vansweefelt- pigeons, one ot the top-breeding hens was the Katoo, 5306543/87, she was called after Jan's wife. She was a full sister of the 1st Nat. Bourges with Grondelaers and coupled to the Mannix, 5320226/84, they discovered a real super-breed in Halle-Booienhoven : The parents of the Musketiers. These brothers are easy to present : The Musketier I, 2104929/89, he won Etampes 1/469 - Orleans 1/195 and 3/7094 Provincial - Soissons 2/416. The Musketier II, 2371933/90 became 3rd Nat. Ace of the Duivenkrant, 9th Nat. Ace KBDB '92 and he also won : Dourdan 1/214 - Orleans 1/175 - Sens 2/216 - Argenton 3/218 - Nat. Argenton 13/2575. Musketier III, 2371932/90 got a 1st/207 Melun - 2/188 Orleans and last but not least Musketier IV who won the 1st National Argenton against 2986 old birds - Dourdan 1/170 - Sens 1/207 - Bourges 4/173 - Soissons 4/263 - S/National Argenton 58/3264 - Meaux 5/470 and was Ace-pigeon mid-long distance '92 - 3rd Nat. Ace Avé Regina etc...and now he is a top breeder. Also the Rita, Prima Donna, Rapido and not to forget the King, they all go back to the golden pair of Grondelaers from which the 1st National Bourges of Jan Grondelaers came from.

The King,2086940/91, became in Halle-Booienhoven the 2nd Nat. Ace-pigeon mid-long distance KBDB '92 - 1st Nat. Ace BDS '92 - 1st Nat. Ace BDS '92 - 1st Nat. Ace mid-long distance the Duivenkrant - 1st Nat. Ace Avé Regina - 1st S/Nat. Ace of Ace. He got super results with 6 x 1st and 4 x 2nd : Argenton 1/334 - Marne 1/358 - Argenton 1/291 - Etampes 1/235 - La Chatre 1/111 - Argenton 1/126 - Argenton 2/2278 - Chateauroux 39/6140 - La Souterraine 56/3895 - Brive 59/3473 - Argenton 5/4024 - La Souterraine 69/6100 - Argenton 42/3330 etc...

In that same year of '92 they made another stunt by buying the 1st National Ace-pigeon mid-long distance KBDB '92. This is the Queen,2195263/92. These two together gave them a royal pair that will take care of a part of history in their breed.

I think you got to know the basis of the Herbots pigeons in this short introduction. So you see that the Ieverige -
Stoces - Schellens and Grondelaers pigeons are at the bottom of all this success. When they buy pigeons, because it's their profession, and they find any of these bases, you can be sure that those birds stay on their own loft. The Herbots family thinks that it is important to keep this golden wire, the basis they can always depend on.

Before I will end this part of the story, I would like to mention Michel Vanlint, for they were and still are very good friends. Michel became Filip's contact in Taiwan and it was a big gamble to do so. This shows a great deal of perseverance and daring. Together they started with an almost impossible mission but they succeeded through a lot of will, power and effort. Filip, the wonderboy in Belgium and promotor - ambassador of the Belgian pigeon all over the world and Michel opened many borders by speaking different languages.

Let's look at some more champion-titles from 1986 till 1992

1986 : 40 x 1st
1st National General Champion "East-Flemish Salon"
1st National Ace-pigeon Marathon Old and Yearlings "East-Flemish Salon"
1st National Champion Mid-Long distance "East-Flemish Salon"
1st National Ace-pigeon Mid-Long distance Avé Regina
1st National Ace-pigeon Light Mid-Long distance Avé Regina
1st National Champion Mid-Long distance BDS
1st General Provincial Champion KBDB - Brabant
1st Provincial Ace-pigeon Mid-Long distance KBDB - Brabant

1987 : 21 x 1st
1st National Ace-pîgeon Marathon Old and Yearlings "East-Flemish Salon"
1st Ace-pigeon Avé Regina Mid-Long distance with the Old and Yearlings
1st Ace-pigeon Avé Regina Long distance Old

1988 : 23 x 1st
1st National Champion Mid-Long distance "De Duivenkrant"
1st National "Melker" (Fancier) De Duivenkrant
1st National Ace-pigeon Marathon "East-Flemish Salon"

1989 : 26 x 1st
1st World-Champion Long distance Youngsters
1st National Ace-pigeon Youngsters Avé Regina

1990 : 29 x 1st
1st World-Champion Best Long distance loft
1st National Champion "East-Flemish Salon"
1st National Ace-pigeon Avé Regina Total

1991 :
1st National ARGENTON 4076 Yrl. Fastest of 35412 pigeons
1st S/National BORDEAUX
1st S/National CHATEAUROUX Hens
1st S/National MONTLUCON Old & 1st with the Yearlings
1st National Ace-pigeon Avé Regina France-flights
1st National Ace-pigeon Avé Regina Total
2nd National Ace-pigeon Avé Regina Mid-Long distance Youngsters
1st - 2nd - 3rd - 4th S/National Ace-pigeon Youngsters
1st National Champion Cureghem Centre
2nd National Champion BDS

1992 :
2nd National Ace-pigeon KBDB Mid-Long distance
1st National Ace-pigeon Total Avé Regina
1st S/National Ace-pigeon Centrum & East
1st National Ace-pigeon Duivenkrant Mid-Long distance Yearlings
9th National Ace-pigeon Speed KBDB
1st World-Champion Long distance
1st National Champion De Duivenkrant Mid-Long distance
7th National Champion KBDB Yearlings