You have those fanciers in the sport who it’s impossible not to admire …

You have those fanciers in the pigeon sport who it’s impossible not to admire …
Kurt Platteeuw is one of them. You can be for or against him, but you cannot help see that he is a truly devoted pigeon fancier. Nothing is too much trouble, no effort is too big if it means he can be busy with his pigeons, be fascinated by them, and also to play the top.
Together with his father, he has filled the websites and gazettes with top results for a number of seasons in the past few years. After an almost total sale they had to re-start, but it did not take long before they were back in front.
Kurt and Raf like to have a lot of pigeons, and like to play with a lot of pigeons. Kurt does not get his hunger from playing with a small basket of pigeons. It is the full monty or it is nothing. He uses the approach of the Verkerk’s and De Bruyn’s of this world.

1st Provincial, 1st National Z, 2nd National Bourges old birds with “New Magic”
Two years ago, Kurt collected a number of pigeons from Guido Van Caeneghem in Merelbeke. Guido has been a topper in the middle distance and heavy middle distance for years. He has a strong breeding strain and can also put them in the right direction. His numerous top prizes at provincial and national level are proof of this. Kurt acquired quality, and this year it has been proven.
“New Magic” (BELG:16/4249510) is a two year old cock who in the past has already put his nose to the window several times with 105th Provincial Limoges 3,128 birds; 268th Provincial Argenton 2,714 birds; and now at the top – 1st Club, 1st Provincial, 1st National Z and 2nd National Bourges.

Bourges
Club 1st 688 birds
Provincial 1st 4,226 birds
National Z 1st 6,271 birds
National 2nd 20,280 birds

New Magic is on the father’s side a crossing of the Barnaby line Deno-Herbots x Guido’s own old lines. On his mother’s side, he is a Vandenabeele product. His mother is a granddaughter Mister Magic x the Beckham-line Deno-Herbots. Knowing that the Deno-Herbots lofts were very strongly based on the Vandenabeele pigeons, the influence of the strain in this pigeon is clearly present.
103 pigeons were basketed on the National Bourges race and 6 of them flew in the 101st of 20,284 pigeons. Yes, 103 is a large number but so also is 6 in the absolute top.

Limoges National : 7 pigeons in the first 100 National !!!
The pigeons came home the previous week from Bourges at a minute speed of 1,250 meters, so a pretty tough flight … and yes, on Wednesday they were basketed back for the National race from Limoges. Another flight of average of 1,200 meters per minute. When the form is clearly on top, you do not have to keep them home. It’s clear that Kurt’s team are in condition, they are flying well and are in shape. At the National Limoges 98 pigeons were basketed and it was again uphill.
With 7 pigeons in the first 100 National (of 15,783 pigeons) an incredible National result was made for the second weekend in a row:- National: 16.17.51.61.81.82.100 (from 15,783 birds). Provincial was also started with the 2nd & 3rd place.

“Isabel” (BELG:16/3116397) flies 1st Club 759 birds, 2nd Provincial 3,128 birds, and 16th National 15,783 birds.
This hen is the product of the crossing Erwin Samyn x Eric Vermander on the father’s side and on her mother’s side the old lines with a pinch of Etienne Devos.

“Gone Bliksem” (BELG:16/3116326) flies 2nd Club, 3rd Provincial, 17th National.
This hen already flew many top prizes on speed and middle distance, but also on the one day long distance with 47th Jarnac 5,117 birds, 200th Tulle 9,576 birds, 573rd Limoges 10,554 birds, and now the cherry on the cake – on top at Limoges National.
She is the daughter of a Martyn Mitchell pigeon (crossing Vandenabeele x Limbourg) and the mother is a direct hen of Eric Vermander.

The question we must ask now is … what motivated these pigeons to get the top now? Playing with many pigeons on total widowhood sometimes creates something more in the pigeon than the traditional approach. Were they suddenly jealous of another? Was their territory suddenly occupied by another couple? Were they suddenly the boss at one or another site? Who knows … but at least there was something in their environment that ensured that they could adjust that extra gear.
Kurt and Raf will certainly not leave it here. The cork is out of the bottle, and the biggest pressure is gone, but relaxing is not in their vocabulary. They will continue to roll up their shirt sleeves to enter the arena, and try to perform more incredible results. You have been warned!

Taken from Report written by Geert Dhaenens for Herbots 6-6-18