A VISIT TO THE VET KARLO VAN ROMPAEY

of Sint-Truiden, Belgium

with Ken & Sue Skelton

We got off the ferry this year and headed for Sint Truiden to visit Karlo, which was an excellent visit, and have planned on returning again in 2010. Karlo got started with pigeons in 1984 when he was 4yrs old as he watched and followed his grandfather Jos Van Rompaey into the sport of pigeons. Jos is now 85 and still a pigeon fancier. He flies short-distance racing between 100 and 200 km and has been a Champion in his club, winning every year several first prizes. Jos lives in the province of Antwerpen.

Karlo started racing his own pigeons in 1990 and named his 1st National Bourges 2005 from 9,896 birds winner “Jos” after his grandfather. This pigeon is his most famous bird in his loft. Karlo’s birds were children off his grandfather's best breeders and he raced short distance with great success. Over the years he also introduced other pigeons such as Houbens of Itegem and Clerinx Bros Nieuwerkerken, but his baseline is from his grandfather.

Karlo has at the moment got 30 breeding pairs and 20 old racing cocks and 30 yearling pairs to race in total on widowhood, and in 2010 he will have 150 young birds. He races in his local club “De Eendracht Sint – Truiden” which has 90 members and races successfully between 70 and 700 km. But his most important distance is between 250 and 500km.

Karlo van Rompaey has been a well-known fancier in Belgium for many years. He became a vet and specialized in pigeons, starting his own practice. A newly established practice means a lot of hard work, leaving not a lot of time free for the pigeons. His 2005 season did not go as expected, but the main reason for a "not so good" season was the very bad races at the beginning of the racing season. The Chateauroux race was more than catastrophic, as it took more than a week for the pigeons to come home. The result was that the condition and motivation of the birds was a long way from being right, so for the next two weeks all the widowers were put on non-activity, and after a few 30km tosses they went to a 140km race and won first prize. After that they were basketed for La Ferte which is 256km and they won eight prizes out of 11 birds, so Karlo was now more than satisfied. It was then coming up to Bourges and Karlo motivated his widowhoods by putting all the birds away which were not going to the race, which meant that in most of the lofts there were only three or four cocks left in them, which also included "Jos" ( later to become the national winner). “Jos” was very happy that a few loft mates were away because now he could be the boss. Once Karlo saw this, he also gave "Jos" his box back in which he bred last year. So "Jos" was motivated not only because he was the boss on the ground but also because he got his extra box back. On basketing day "Jos" was closed up, together with his hen, in a box and the other birds (who had been put away) came back into the loft. Now and then "Jos" came out and then all the other pigeons had to leave his new territory. Super motivated, "Jos" went to Bourges with a victory as the result. Before winning the 1st national, "Jos" also won 1st Vervins 655birds, 1st Orleans 222birds, 53rd provincial against 4316birds, 4th Melun 379birds, 4th Chimay 240birds, 7th Nanteuil 409birds, 8th Chimay 344birds, 13th Nanteuil 2933birds.  

Breeding: Karlo pairs up at the end of November and has his lights on until 9pm from the beginning of November. He feed grains rich in fat and twice a week vitamins and Oil, Garlic, Soya, codfish and cormoil.

Widowhood: The pigeons have a nest in the winter and start racing the beginning of April. He exercises 1 hour in the morning and one in the evening. At the beginning of the season he trains twice a week 30km. He also says they should stay on form for 8 to 10 weeks. At the end of the season he uses a box to motivate the most dominant cocks, which makes them only fly for their partner. At the beginning of the season he shows them their hen for 30min but later on they only see the hen when they come home. In 2010, he is racing his yearling hens and cocks together. He locks his hens up but only when they are pairing up together. When they return from the race his cocks stay with the hen for 2 hours and are given electrolytes in the water for the day

Young Birds: Karlo does his darkness from 1 March until 15 June. He open it in the evening when it is dark as they always have a normal morning sun. Youngsters train 10 times before their first race, 10 to 70km then later on twice a week 30 to 100km. After the race they stay together until the evening.

Treatment: He tests them for Tricho, cocci and worms at the beginning of March and treats if it is necessary, but checks regularly.

Vaccination: He vaccinates for Paramyxo, Pox and Paratyfus in February and March. Lofts with a lot of pigeons that are from different places need to vaccinate against PT. First you treat 10-14 days with antibiotics, then 3 days sedochol or vitamins and then vaccinate them.

Feeding/Vitamins: They have vitamins all the time in the loft. During the season he gives a lot vitamins such as amino-acids, oil, sedochol, Zell Oxygen etc. on the food. Karlo feeds a lot in the evening, because when he trains they need good, rich food. They use up a lot at the race and training!! Normally he races them every week.

Results

Best of 2009

PROVINCIAL

2 Prov. Orleans 3.756 YL (granddaughter JOS)

2 Prov. Orleans 9.383 Y Niet-Derby (Dirty Dancing)

2 Prov. Orleans 6.163 Y Derby

4 Prov. Vierzon 541 Y

6 I Gew. Troyes 3.901 Y

7 Prov.  Bourges 1.747 Old (Granddaughter JOS)

8 Prov. Argenton 1.020 YL (Granddaughter JOS)

9 Prov. Gueret 1.111 Y (Granddaughter JOS)

9 Prov. Gueret 466 Old

10 Prov. Bourges 2.237 YL (Granddaughter JOS)

 

NATIONAL

5 Semi-Nat Vierzon 2.278 Y

24 63 Nat Gueret 2.636 Old

27 Nat Bourges 11.756 Old (granddaughter JOS)

34 Nat Gueret 14.245 Y (granddaughter JOS)

44 Nat Bourges 15.508 Yl (granddaughter JOS)

44 Nat Argenton 6.444 Yl (granddaughter

 

2008

2nd Prov Asduif Halve Fond Jaarduiven KBDB Limburg ‘08

2nd Prov. Kamp Halve Fond Oude KBDB Limburg ‘08

4th Prov. Kamp Halve Fond Jaarduiven KBDB Limburg ‘08

1st Kampioen Fond De Eendracht Sint-truiden ‘08

2nd Algemeen Kampioen De Eendracht Sint-truiden ‘08

2nd Algemeen Kampioen Trudo Fondclub’08

4th Algemeen Kampioen Zuid-Oost Limburg ‘08

9th Algemeen Kampioen Midden-Limburg ‘08

1st Asduif Jaarse Lichte Fond Trudo Fondclub ‘08

1st Asduif Fond De Eendracht Sint-truiden ‘08

Top results before 2008

1st National Bourges 2005

1st National Zone C  Bourges 2005

1st National Zone C Gueret 2001

1st Semi-National Chateauroux 1994

1st Interprovincial Vierzon 1994

1st Provincial Nanteuil KOTK 2007

9th Provincial Victories

 

BEST OF 2007

1st Provincial Nanteuil Kom Op Tegen Kanker 12.502 Y.

1st Snelste Prov. Nanteuil 17.307 P.

2nd 6th Provincial Melun 1.688 Y.

4th Provincial Melun 3.742 Y.

12th 31st  Provincial Gien 5.031 YL

Highlights before 2003

2nd National Kampioen Jeugd KBDB 2003

1st Semi-National Chateauroux 1994 (520 km)

1st Zonaal Gueret 2001 (600 km)

1st (Inter)Provincial Vierzon 1994 (460 km)

1st Provincial Reims 1995 (200 km)

1st Provincial Perigeux 1997 (700 km)

1st Provincial Gueret 2001 (600 km)

1st Provincial Melun I 2003 (300 km)

1st Provincial Melun II 2003 (300 km)

4th Maal winner Gouden Duif Junior (België-Nederland-Duitsland) 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996

2nd Maal 2nd Gouden Duif Junior 1993, 1997

Algemeen Kampioen (Koning) Sint-Truiden 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003

2nd Maal Keizer (3 jaar op rij Koning) Sint-Truiden 1998, 2003

Algemeen Kampioen Hafo-club Sint-Truiden 1994, 1995, 2001

Algemeen Kampioen Halve fond Fondclub Zuid-Oost Limburg 2001

Melker 1996: 1st oude en jaarlingen Duivenkrant

Ster 1996: 1st Jongen Duivenkrant

2nd Beste Hok Jongen snelheid De Reisduif 1996

4th Beste Hok Jongen snelheid De Reisduif 1998

Melker 2001: 3rd Jongen Duivenkrant

Ster 2001: 5th Jongen Duivenkrant

4th National Criterium Jeugdclubs KBDB

Sens 1992: 3rd Van 14 140 jonge

Marne 1994: 1st van 23 881 jonge

Angoulème 1994: 3rd  Provincial

Clermont-Ferrand 1996: 4th Provincial

Argenton 2001: 3rd Provincial jonge

La Souterraine 2002: 2nd Provincial jonge

Argenton 2003: 3rd Provincial jonge

La Souterraine 2003: 3rd Provincial

Melun 2003: 1st 2nd 3rd Provincial jonge

 

Thanks to Karlo for an excellent visit. This loft is well worth a visit and Karlo knows all there is to know about keeping your birds healthy. Sue & Ken Skelton 01723 377044 sue@skeltonpigeons.co.uk