Herbots Kobe and Kato (Velm) guarantee top national performances.

2026 9月15日 16:04

herbots kobe and kato (velm) guarantee top national performances.

We are well acquainted with the quality found in the lofts of Kobe & Kato Herbots in Velm, Limburg. Father Raf manages operations alongside his son Kobe, and once again this year, they have impressive credentials to show for it—both from their own loft and through the references accumulated this season.

They race a small team of yearlings—all hens—using the classic widowhood system. They train in the morning and follow a rigorous schedule involving extra midweek training sessions and weekend races. The hens are confined to their nesting boxes at 2:00 PM and are fed once daily; during the morning hours, they simply stay in the aviary.

Like the young birds, these hens were subjected to darkening and lighting programs; everything here is geared towards the middle-distance and national races, where these birds are capable of top-tier performances.

The young birds performed exceptionally well, securing the title of 1st Champion (Middle Distance, Young Birds) in the Central Limburg region, as well as the regional Ace Pigeon title—achievements largely driven by two outstanding young birds from the same pair. You can admire them later in this article under the designations "598" and "600." Additionally, they had another superstar young hen named "Manon." Bred by Jo Claeskens, she was one of ten youngsters tested in Velm; it is truly fantastic when a bird of such caliber emerges from such a small group. She won 4th National Châteauroux and 38th National Bourges, having previously achieved a top result in the provincial race from St. Soupplets.

Raf and Kobe are refreshingly honest about the fact that, after a grueling season, only 30% to 40% of the original flock remains. When looking toward the national races with the ambition to excel, only a select few remain. Those that performed less impressively but still completed the full race schedule get their chance as yearling hens.

The focus is primarily on intensive training, eating, and resting. The pigeons must train vigorously around the loft and are also regularly taken away for training tosses; the more they build condition this way, the better they settle into the rhythm of training, eating, and resting. The more they train, the more easily they maintain their appetite.

They primarily use Beyers mixtures, occasionally adding Aidi Breeding mix to replenish reserves. Naturally, they also use their own Herbovet products, with MA Liquid and ALR serving as the core components. Additionally, they regularly use Elite Pigeon, and the pigeons always receive a "Top Pil" (Vitamin B12) before departing for middle-distance races.

We are all familiar with the super-breeder "Geof," who has established numerous national-level references over the years. Later in this article, you will be able to admire new references from other lofts and see that this remains a fantastic breeding line to possess. To date, this line has produced multiple national top racers across the second, third, and fourth generations.

Results season 2026

7 x 1st with the yearlings

1st Sens 1.917p
1st Momignies 575p
1st Laon 425p
1st Sourdun 375p
1st Sourdun 149p

7 x 1st with the young birds

1 St.Soupplets 837p
1 Momignies 422p
1 Sourdun 337p
1 – 3 – 11 Chateauroux 856p
1 Bourges 247p
1 Orléans 137p
1-2-3 Argenton 74p

Best pigeon of season 2026

BE 26-5071907 “Manon” Hen
Breeder : Jo Claeskens

8th National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Youngsters (over 2 KBDB races) 2026

1 Club Chateauroux 293p – 4 National 12.504p
1 Club Bourges 247p – 38 National 16.705p
46 Prov St.Soupplets 7.041p

BE 26-2018598

This hen won
1 Momignies     422p
1 Orléans            137p ( 13 Prov 2.544p )
3 Sourdun           418p
7 Soissons           543p
9 Momignies     280p

This is the nest-sister of the pigeon known as “600”. Both were bred from a son of Willem De Bruijn’s “Uranus” paired with a daughter of “New National Geof” x “Juliana”—two National winners that raced for Van den Abbeel – Van Paesschen.

BE 26-2018600

This young top performer was crowned 1st Semi-Provincial Ace Pigeon (Middle Distance, Young Birds) in Central Limburg and capped off a brilliant season last Saturday by taking 27th National from Issoudun against 7,527 pigeons.

BE 25-6049037 “Sprint Elena”
Breeder : Bart & Nance Van Oeckel

Granddaughter of “Olympic Super Werner” x “Olympic Elena”
two proven Olympiad pigeons from the Van Oeckel loft

Winner of 4 x 1st and a total of 11 x Top 4 finishes

1 Momignies      1.002p
1 Soissons           160p
1 Momignies     151p
1 Sourdun           130p
2 St.Soupplets 3.036p
2 Momignies     736p
2 Momignies     318p
2 Momignies      151p
3 Sourdun           494p
4 Dizy                   480p
29 Nat Bourges 13.213p
270 Nat Bourges 9.070p
611 Nat Sancoins 15.830p

BE 25-2102810 Hen

Won 1 Sens        1.917p
2 DIzy                   1.024p
3 Laon                  651p
21 Orléans          624p
456 Nat La Chatre 15.447p

The father is a son of Dirk Cloetens’ “Magic Dries,” and the mother is a daughter of “Queen Victoria.” The latter is the mother of “Super Geof.”

Fantastic results in 2026

Surinx – Pletsers (Nieuwerkerken)

BE 25-5023247: Won 1st National La Châtre against 15,447 pigeons (fastest of 25,747 pigeons).
Previously won 3rd Chimay against 2,814 pigeons.

She is also a granddaughter of the foundation cock “Geof”.

Herbots Jo & Raf (Halle-Booienhoven)

BE 26-2030184
Wins 20th National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Young Birds KBDB 2026

7 Prov Chateauroux 1.866p
87 Prov Argenton 1.952p
119 Nat Bourges 16.705p

This one, too, is a grandson of the founding sire "Geof".

BE 25-2091217
Wins 11 National Ace Pigeon Heavy Middle Distance Yearlings KBDB 2026
4 S.Nat.Sancoins 2.664p ( 36 Nat 15.830p )
81 Nat Bourges 9.070p
91 Nat La Chatre 15.447p
287 Nat Bourges 18.985p

This is a direct child of the super breeder “New National Geof,” who won 1st National La Souterraine against 14,315 young birds (he himself is a grandson of the foundation cock “Geof”).

Beelen Daniel (Kumtich)

BE 25-2081275

This hen becomes 17th National Ace Pigeon Yearlings Middle Distance KBDB 2026.

Won 1 Toury 439p
1 Melun 241p
1 Soissons 188p
1 Angerville 151p
2 Angerville 318p
6 Angerville 1.012p
7 Toury 596p
8 Melun 1.468p

This hen, too, is a granddaughter of the foundation cock “Geof”.

Brondeel – Van Caelenberg (Steenhuize)

He purchased this granddaughter of foundation bird Geof and National Geof in the autumn of 2024 via www.herbots.be.

The children and grandchildren are winning.
2 Prov Issoudun 1.167p ( 43 Nat 7.527p )
2 Noyon 552p
3 Valpuiseaux 507p
8 Noyon 3.480p
8 Pont St.Max 1.087p
9 Orléans 643p
17 Orléans 996p
27 Noyon 3405p
67 Valpuiseaux 3.677p
78 Noyon 4.577p
192 Prov Orléans 10.180p