This Friday, 20 June 2025, the pigeons from Pau were released at 7am and the flight conditions were very difficult due to the heat and wind. Jean Calonne's BE22-1117324 delivered a real top performance by being the only Belgian pigeon to reach its loft in Péruwelz on the day of release. This little blue pigeon covered the 853.552 km at a speed of 923.14 m/m. Clocked 22h24', much to the satisfaction of his master Jean Calonne. The night was stressful and he eventually won 2nd Nat. Pau, narrowly beaten by the winner of Gino Verheyen (Meer) who was clocked 6h37' the next morning for 982.28 km and a speed of 928.53 m/m. Of the 4 pigeons basketed, Jean Calonne realised 3 prizes : the 2nd, the 128th and the 470th National , to info ... the 128th Nat. is the nest brother of the 2nd Nat. Pau.

History of the Calonne colony

The name “Calonne” is part of the Belgian pigeon racing heritage. For more than half a century, this colony has collected top results, thanks to the breeding of a robust strain capable of handling marathon and long-distance races in difficult flying conditions. The story began with Jean's father, Robert Calonne, who won the 1st Nat. Bourges with his famous crack “Le Petit Bleu” , a pigeon born in 1980, and who also won the title of “1st National Ace Pigeon Fond KBDB” in 1984 by writing the 2nd Nat. Cahors, the 9th Nat. Montauban and the 27th Nat. Périgueux on his record. In 1990 he also won the title of 1st Champion Fond KBDB and in 1993 the colony ‘Calonne’ represented Belgium at the Pigeon Olympiad in Las Palmas.

When Jean Calonne was 8 years old, he already had his own pigeon loft. Now 76 years old, professionally he was a florist for more than 50 years. In 2010, he retired. As Jean is not a man of “papers and pedigrees”, by searching the internet (and I must have forgotten a few), I was able to find some results and rankings he achieved in 2023 and 2024:

 2023 :

• 1er au classement général 2023 du Royal Belgian Flying Club
• 3ème au classement national RFCB 2023 Route du Rhône (déjà 3ème en 2022)
• Valence du 24/6/23
• Nat. 129, 208, 297 (3.655V) de 4 engagés
• Agen du 30/6/23
• Nat. 194, 803, 1.280, 1.435 (5.851V) de 9 engagés
• Int. 435, 1.762 (15.317V)
• St Vincent du 16/7/23
• Nat. 167 (2.853V) de 2 engagés
• Int. 480 (9.516V)
• Marseille du 21/7/23
• Nat. 389, 415 (2.590V) de 2 engagés
• Int. 1.652, 1.730 (9.887V)
• Narbonne du 30/7/23
• Nat. 164 (5.000V) de 2 engagés
• Int. 290 (12.491V)
• Perpignan du 7/8/23
• Nat. 177, 2.102 (5.722V) de 2 engagés
• Int. 694 (16.033V)

 2024 :

• Pau du 24/6/2024
• Nat. 207, 596 (3.368V) de 4 engagés
• Int. 796, 2066 (13.199V) 
• Marseille du 19/7/24
• Nat. 151, 368, 389 (2.082V) de 4 engagés
• Int. 621, 1418, 1489 (8.557V) 
• Narbonne du 28/7/24
• Nat. 332 (4.983V) de 2 engagés
• Int. 673 (12.453V)
• Perpignan du 5/8/24
• Nat. 64, 347, 423 (4.850V) de 6 engagés
• Int. 137, 1112, 1311, 3211 (14.170V)

The foundations of the colony

The basic stock comes from pigeons obtained in 1955 from milkman Victor Verlinden who owned pigeons from Van Thuyne (Schoten). Over the years, Calonne invested in pigeons from Paul Gilmont (Houdeng), Henri Van Neste (Féluy), Raymond Cobut (Anderlues), Daniel Dutrannois (Boussu-en-Fagne), Yvon Deneufbourg (Estinnes), Daniel Arens (Drongen), Vergaerde-Denolf (Jabbeke), De Smeyter-Restiaen (Melden) and a Dutch starter donated by his owner, “Jan Verstegen” (Nistelrode NL). 

The “Calonne” breed is thus the fruit of more than 60 years of selection and crossing.

System

Jean has single-handedly converted the attic of his house into several small pigeon lofts and made both partitions and living boxes. It currently houses 15 breeding couples and 33 widowers (25 old and 8 yearlings), which are played according to the classical widowhood system. The widowers (yearlings and old ones mixed together) are divided over 5 lofts. Each year, 70 youngsters are bred from the breeders and the 8 best widowers. 

Like his late father Robert, who in his time did not hesitate to cross parents with their offspring to discover toppers like “Le Petit Bleu”, Jean Calonne is a fan of close inbreeding. In fact, some matings were made between mother and son, between father and daughter, and after rigorous selection of their first offspring based on physique, those that survived the selection were immediately put into breeding and crossed with other bloodlines that met the same criteria. The Calonne breed is the result of more than half a century of selection and crossing.

Breeders and racers are paired only on 20 February. After 15 days of breeding, the hens are removed from the widowers and widowhood is a fact.

In their year of birth, the youngsters only participate in 2 speed races. The yearlings are played to big middle distance and the least successful ones take part in a few long distance races at the end of July. 

The widowers train twice a day, always with the windows closed. The youngsters only train in the late afternoon. All widowers (old and yearlings) see their partners every week, whether they participate in races or not. 

In terms of feed and complementary products, Jean does not make things difficult for himself. Only 2 “Columbi” mixtures (via Frédéric Leclercq of Taintignies) are used for the widowers, who are fed in their residential boxes with a light mixture on the day of their return and the following day, and a more calorific mixture on the other days. Grit and vitaminéral (renewed weekly) are available on the ground in each loft. Once a week, brewer's yeast and turmeric are mixed into the mixture, along with sunflower oil (a clove of garlic is added to the bottle containing this oil). When the youngsters are weaned, Aviol is added to their drinking water.

Jean Calonne is a man close to nature who has been running his colony in a simple and natural way for many years and does not force his pigeons to perform, giving his pigeons a long sporting career and allowing them to participate in the various competitions with experience. Some of these pigeons are more than five years old and still cover long-distance kilometres with ease, even in sometimes very difficult flying conditions.

On the medical front, Camille Van Renterghem from Angres or Pascal Lanneau from Zwevegem are consulted 3 times a year (once before the racing season and twice during the season). Jean has full confidence in the vet, who provides him with the vitamins he needs to keep the pigeons in good condition. The pigeons are vaccinated against paramyxovirosis and parathyphosis, but not against smallpox. 

On behalf of Team Herbots, we congratulate Jean Calonne on his long and successful pigeon racing career, the brilliant results he has achieved with few pigeons and wish him a great continuation of the 2025 season. Thanks again to Jean for the warm welcome, his anecdotes and his simplicity.

Bernard Henry