Breeder or Fancier? (adapted from “Doomed to Fail” by Ad Schaerlaeckens)

Within the pigeon sport, I’ve met all kinds of people — great champions, even world-famous ones, and others who will likely never reach that level.

Sometimes, I can’t help but feel sorry for the latter. Their intentions are pure, but they simply don’t see — or don’t have — what’s needed to succeed. Fortunately, not everyone has to be a top competitor to enjoy the sport. Many fanciers find joy in their own way: raising a youngster, watching every arrival, or celebrating when a lost bird miraculously finds its way home.

Yet, what stands out is this: those who struggle year after year often share the same weaknesses — and they keep repeating the same mistakes.

Too Loving for Their Own Good

Their biggest flaw? They love their pigeons too much. They can’t bear to part with them and are far too quick to call one “a good bird.”

Ask around — the real champions rarely show off their best pigeons to visitors. Why? Because what can anyone truly learn just by looking? Who can honestly say they recognize a top bird by sight? This self-awareness is precisely why the best fanciers breed many youngsters. Of course, there are those who believe they can spot quality instantly — some even judge for money — yet notice how they never limit themselves to breeding just ten babies.

Because if all ten were good, what a dream that would be! Culling the bad ones is another story. Some pigeons have such obvious flaws that they simply cannot be good. Yet not everyone sees it. You’ll often hear people claim that “by now, every loft has quality pigeons.” If only that were true. Many lofts are still filled with birds unworthy of the title racing pigeon.

Too Afraid to Take Risks

Some fanciers aren’t just too kind — they’re too scared. Especially when it comes to training. “You can’t lose pigeons if you don’t toss them,” seems to be their hidden logic — sensible at first glance, but completely wrong.

Others avoid racing too much. Even legends like Verkerk, and others who “didn’t want to take risks” and limited their youngsters to a few short races, paid the price the following season — with only rare exceptions.

Meanwhile, Belgian ace Tom Van Gaver has proven himself remarkable at every distance. He once said that ten races in the year of birth are too few. And when a man of his caliber says that... perhaps we should listen.

The Vet Dilemma

On the other end of the spectrum are those who completely ignore specialized pigeon vets. It’s somewhat understandable — a few (thankfully rare) can be expensive.

But most are quite reasonable, especially if you compare them to pet vets. For many fanciers, “never visiting a vet” means taking matters into their own hands — and that’s led many right to the brink of disaster. Treating for coccidiosis when the birds are actually full of worms? You wouldn’t be the first. Sure, some fanciers seldom see a vet and still achieve excellent results. But they’re exceptions — sharp-eyed, disciplined, with spotless lofts and lots of time to observe their birds. The average fancier shouldn’t try to copy them.

Yet the reverse is just as bad — those who panic over every dirty dropping and rush to the vet at the slightest sign of trouble. That’s no good either.

Even Worse: The Vet-Hopper

Even more disastrous are those who jump from one “white coat” to another. Every vet knows the type.

Of course, vets too must make a living — and it often takes courage to tell a client the painful truth: “Your pigeons are healthy... but they’re probably worthless”. That’s the last thing a fancier wants to hear. It’s not why they came — and certainly not what they paid for.

So instead, they leave with a plastic bag full of bottles and powders — filled with hopes and dreams.

The Insecure Ones

Then there’s another category — the insecure fancier, the one doomed to fail.

They read everything, believe everyone, and try every new thing: new feed, new medication, new ventilation, new lighting, new supplements — and of course, a new vet or adviser every season. All that effort leads nowhere.

Take paratyphoid treatment, for example. There are so many opinions that you risk going mad. Five vets will give you five different prescriptions.

Once Again, Fear

Fear also stops many from culling properly. They always find an excuse not to remove a pigeon — usually because of its pedigree (“from a good line”) or its price. But how many lofts are full of four-year-olds and older breeders that have never produced a single decent pigeon? They don’t belong there anymore. Breed only from proven or promising birds.

Get rid of those that have never produced anything worthwhile — no matter their bloodline or cost. Of course, there are rare cases where an old pigeon suddenly breeds a top racer — but such cases are exceptions, best ignored.

Final Thought

Whether you call yourself a breeder or a fancier, remember this: loving your pigeons doesn’t mean keeping them all, and patience isn’t the same as hesitation.

True champions are not afraid to test, to lose, to select — and to start again. Because in pigeon racing, the greatest act of love is often the courage to let go.

source: http://www.schaerlaeckens.com/articles/nederlands/Artikelen-2025-nl/gedoemd-te-mislukken-27-01-25/