A fantastic year…

The results of this father-son team from Nijswiller, Holland (near Maastricht) are simply phenomenal - and year after year! As every year, we visited Jo and Florian again this year to find out a little more about their excellent results.

How do you rate the last racing season 2019?
“It was a rather difficult year. At first it was very cold and windy and we even had to deal with snow and hail. The opposite was the case in June and July when it was very hot. The 2019 season is therefore remembered with wildly variable weather conditions - the spring was cold, it snowed and hailed, and in June and July we had to endure tropical temperatures. Therefore we had to take good care of our pigeons. In the hot months we let our birds train as early as possible in the day and made sure there was good humidity in the loft because when it's too dry it doesn't always do well for the pigeons' condition.'

What unplanned or unexpected things happened this year and how did you deal with these situations?
“Due to the circumstances, the pigeons were paired a little later than usual this year. Everything was postponed by about three weeks, which had a negative effect on the boys. The boys were therefore too young to take part in the program. In Holland we have to go along because the distance between the flights increases every week. "

What do you want to change next year and for what reason?
“We will definitely mate our pigeons earlier so that we have young ones early (late December to early February). So we don't have to worry when it's time to train the boys and let them start their races. "

Which pigeons are currently among your best pigeons and which families do they come from?
“Jan Hooymans' pigeons are very good at the moment. Back then we invested a lot of money in these birds and bought 15 children of the famous Harry. Of course, this investment has paid off over the years, because the offspring have achieved many successes. Gerard Koopman's pigeons are also still very good. The parents of our "Little Gerard" are both original Koopman pigeons. Crossing with the Harry offspring results in top fliers, including National Harry and Bully Harry, who are now the stars of our loft.

What do you do to keep your pigeons in good condition?
“We have been using Röhnfried products for years and are very satisfied with them. Our favorite product is RO200 Tabs, conditioning tablets that contain prebiotics, electrolytes, amino acids, minerals and vitamins. We use these when our birds have completed a demanding race or we give them two days in a row three days before basketing. Afterwards, our birds are always nice and round. In addition to this, we also use a combination of Moorgold (healing earth, various humic acids and fibers) and Entrobac (a powder with probiotics and prebiotics - excellent for the intestinal mucosa) in the feed. These products ensure a good digestive tract and nice round poop balls. It also keeps the birds in the best of health.”

Do these products have a special effect or what do you notice after giving them?
“Our pigeons should train hard and fly high and we are happy about every down feather in the loft. The most important thing is that the pigeons are healthy and you have to work on that 365 days a year. What supports us a lot is the use of Röhnfried products. We trust in these products and from experience we know that the various products deliver what we expect and what they promise. "

What is the key to your success?
“We have a plan and a goal. We make sure that our pigeons are healthy and are cared for 365 days a year and not just during the competition season. What is most important is good health and a healthy moult as well as the breeding period. In the morning, when we enter the loft for the first time, we always try to do everything at the same time and to clean everything carefully. We give our pigeons a lot of attention. We keep our eyes open to see what they need. We try to react to certain situations, including weather conditions, for example. Ultimately, we try to consider all factors.”

What advice would you give to breeders who are not getting good results?
“I would advise you to stay positive even if the results are not good. If everything goes well, you should look ahead. You shouldn't assume you already know everything, but keep your eyes and ears open. If there are no successes, it is worth getting in touch with someone whose results are impressive. It is important to ask someone you trust for advice. "

What would you like to tell our readers?
“Look for a simple system and stay true to it. Don't be dazzled by the large hits, which are more important in terms of quantity than quality. Even with a few pigeons things look good, because you know all your birds and are one step ahead. These pigeons fly faster and better and can assert themselves in the crowd. "

Some top results from 2019
“For several weeks we could look forward to great conditions in our loft. Fortunately, there were great competitions in these weeks and exactly the ones we were working towards. If you are successful in these moments, you feel really good. "

Hendriks Jo & Florian
Netherlands
Tel. +31 43 4512128
florianhendriks@home.nl