Matterne Emile, Overhespen
| Matterne Emile, Overhespen Already for a long time now the name of Emile Matterne is known to be the overnight colony of the century. For many years Emile was the president of Curgehem Centre, the organiser of the world famous Barcelona race. Besides Matterne is also another word for the "Iron Long distance racers". Already from the very beginning this 85-year old man, was obsessed by the long distance races. Throughout the years he got in contact with the Cattrijsse Brothers and Pol Bostijn. But after all he held on to the old Hansenne-race of his father and so he build on a unique race that grew to become the base of several classical flights of the long distances. The fundament of MATTERNE This almost goes back for about 100 years. It was 1910 when his father started to play with the pigeons. This was a pure Hansenne-cock that won several top-prizes and that’s why father Matterne was always ahead of all other fanciers in his area in 1913-1914. Then the first world war came and stopped the game but nevertheless Emile’s father could hold on to 6 pigeons of the pure Hansenne blood and after the war these 6 birds became true winners. In 1924 they bought a cock in the province of Luik for 1000 Bfr., which was a whole lot of money at that time but the results of this one were super too. So in 1932, at the age of 12, Emile was allowed to help his father on the loft sometimes and so he became more and more interested. Some years later, in 1936, some other pigeons reinforced the colony with a base of Ernest Duray, Ecaussines and some of Charles Bremdoncks from Berendrecht. During world war II, they hold on to 5 breeding couples of which they got several youngsters in ’44 and so they already scored within the top at ’46. in those days the Matterne-colony was known as one of the best Middle Distance colonies of the country. In 1945 they brought in another "Hansenne-cock", 1114332-45, out of the string of "Les Courtes Pattes". This was a very important bird for the future breeding loft. He became father of the 1st Bordeaux, which still can be found in several present top-birds. The after breed of the Hansenne cock of ’45 was fantastic with names like: 1946 : Brutus – 1st Dourdan – 360 km 1947 : The Grote Blauwe – 2x 1. Orleans – 400 km 1948 : The Bordeaux 1120789-48 – 1 Bordeaux with 30 min. ahead 1949 : The Lange, a true top-pigeon that reached the age of 20 and kept on fertilising till that same age. In 1950 Emile moved from the centre of the village to the Grote steenweg 68 in Overhespen, together with his family he build themselves a house but all depending on the pigeon sport. On the first floor he has his loft, all very simple but of quality, a healthy loft with a lot of fresh air. At that time Emile was far ahead of his time but because of his job as a sports teacher, he couldn’t spend that much time with his feathered friends. Every day he had to drive for about 50 km and this didn’t please him, being an obsessed fancier. Nevertheless his wonderful loft on the first floor was dry and healthy and so he decided to go for the dry-manure-method. A system which he still handles till today, with a lot of respect for nature, trying to get pigeons of quality and surely he succeeded. On the new loft he soon scored with very good results. The period ’50 – 70: It was 1951 when he started playing on his present address. The 1120789-48 was moved from the elderly house to the new house and he soon scored with very good results like among others 1st Bordeaux against 1.583 other competitors with about half an hour ahead of the others. The way to success was opened and the young Emile was ready to do as well as his father did before. - Some results of that period 1960 : Tergnier – 270 km: 2-10-25 Cognac – 700 km: 5-9-17-22-29 Bordeaux –780 km: 21-42-53 Clermont ferrand – 550 km: 2-14-16-24-49-56-57-64 Barcelona 1.070 km – 4.114 p. I.Nat. / 29-240 Limoges – 620 km: 1-7-8-14-17-23-24-39 St.Vincent – 940 km – 1.388 p.: 8-14-72-161 1961 : Rayon – 750 km 5-7-27-32-34-36-41 St.Vincent –940 km –1.349 p: 1-21-87-123 Barcelona 1.070 km – Luik: 7-8 Freilassing – 700 km – Nat. : 4-33-49 Limoges – 620 km – Nat. : 1-4-5-21-28-30-32 1962 : 4 NAT. Champ of Belgium – CUREGHEM CENTRE 1963 : Cahors 765 km - Nat. : 44-151-208-229-330-417 Bordeaux – Luik: 1-4-5-6 Barcelona – Luik: 1-6 / 3.599 p I.Nat. 7-161 St.Vincent – Hannuit: 1-2 – Luik Nat. / 5-55 Marseille 1.200 p. Nat. : 1 – 4.900 p. i.nat.: 1 1 NAT. CHAMP. Of BELGIUM FOND – CUREGHEM CENTRE 1964 : Cahors 765 km - Nat: 3430 p. 23-39-115-161-214-226-537 Bordeaux I.Prov. – 1.200 p.: 2-3-8-27-38-160 St.Rambert d’Ablon – 613 km – Nat. : 7-11-32-49-57 Barcelona 1.070 km – i.nat. 3.800 p.: 84 1965 : Limoges Nat. : 35-50-67-76 Bordeaux 780 km - i.prov.: 1.010 p.: 7-49-50-111-173-212-218-228 St.Vincent – 926 km – 3.055 p Nat. : 43-156-297-459-506 Dax – 1.594 p. Nat. 10-11-15-18-24-54-210-233-257-295 1966 : Chateauroux – 505 km – 1-46-47-49 Bordeaux – 780 km – 17-61-107-115-122-123-134 Barcelona – 1.070 km – i.nat.: 76-136-305-312 Dax – 910 km – Nat. 17-35-113- 1967 : Orleans – 392 km – 1-2-3-4-6-11-12-13 Vierzon – 452 km – 1-5-6-8-7-10-12-13 Cahors – 750 km – Prov: 1-2-9-12-31-34-40-41-43-47 Cognac – 700 km – Prov. : 3-10-33 Barcelona – 1.070 km – Prov. : 2-7-8-10-26-33-34-48 I.Nat. – 4.876 p.: 26-44-78-140-497-597-637-1.080 St.Vincent – 940 km – 2.760 p. Nat. 18-24-35-36-54-84-173-305 Marseille I.Nat. 37-39-107-138-141-175- 5 NAT. CHAMP. FOND KBDB THE INPUT OF THE CATTRYSSE-PIGEONS Emile Matterne is probably one of a few that still owns several direct pedigrees of Cattrysse, which is surely a unique appearance in our sport. These pedigrees are the prove that he often went direction Moere to get some of his legendary long distance racers. This is a kind of racers that left their mark on the modern long distance racers that win today. Matterne was probably the first who got in contact with the brothers from Moere and besides this friendship he also got in contact with Pol Bostyn but this is another story. Nevertheless it’s interesting to take a look at those carts of the fifties. In fact Emile should put them in a frame to hang them on the wall because of their originality and to show how far ahead the brothers already were in those days. In 1950 Matterne bought two pigeons of Cattrysse – one was a beautiful hen, a daughter of the world famous "Pette" – who was father of the famous "45 – Cattrysse ". The cock was a son of their "Napoleon", brother of the "45". The hen produced at her new loft the "Chateauroux" and the cock gave him the "Beaune" – two pigeons that were very important to the present race of the Matterne-pigeons. Some other important pigeons of that period were: The "Bordeaux" – the interprovincial winner and the "Old Barcelona" – which won 15 times on more than 780 km. The Bordeaux was coupled to his granddaughter (daughter of the 1 Angoulème) – and here he got the Princess. This noble bird got paired to a Cattrysse cock (son of the Trimaer) – these two became parents of the Argenton and the Harry 2579551-59 Another son of the Bordeaux became father of the St.Vincent 1037987-58, that probably was one of the best long distance racers of Belgium. These pigeons make the fundaments of the Matterne-colony. Some examples of top-pigeons that have this noble blood in their veins: The "Young Barcelona " – 6 I.Nat.Barcelona ‘63 The "Limoges" – 1 Nat. Limoges In 1965, the 5 first pigeons arrived in Overhespen from Dax I.National – 5 grandsons of the « Bordeaux » - all 5 scored within the first 58 competitors against a total of 4.807 pigeons. In the period of ’55 till and with ’58 Emile regularly visited the Cattrysse Brothers to buy the very best. So throughout the years about 50 direct Cattrijsse-pigeons moved to Overhespen - which still can be proved by the original pedigrees. These pigeons were brought together with the descendants of the "Bordeaux" – or the old "Hansenne-base" The breeding method of Matterne created a whole new race Those that already red the story from the beginning, will soon notice that Emile always came back to the own old Hansenne-race, which was gathered by in breed and reinforced with the Cattrysse-blood that already was an inbreed race too. The input of other blood, in this case the Cattrysse pigeon, was always for only one generation and he always went back to the Hansenne base. Emile hold on to this system for many years and so you can easily talk about his very own basic pigeon. The Little Blue 2480693-66 was a true topper, a cross-breeding Hansenne-Cattrysse, which we find back in the book "Vleugelkwaliteiten bij sportduiven" by Vic Vansalen. His father was a half-brother of the Old Barcelona and on his mothers side it was the string of the Wittik Cattrysse. This Little Blue flew from 1970 ( 4-years old) till and with 1973 several top-prizes on the long distance: 1970 : 289 I.NAT. BARCELONA 6.851 p. 1971 : 22 I.NAT. BARCELONA 7.284 p. 27 NAT. ST.VINCENT 2.645 p. 1972 : 19 CHATEAUROUX 1.234 p. 133 I.NAT. BARCELONA 7.293 p. 20 NAT. ST.VINCENT 2.268 p. 1973 : 340 I.NAT. BARCELONA 8.515 p. 11 NAT. ST.VINCENT 2.765 p. So the Little Blue won 4 times in the first 27 on national level over Barcelona & St.Vincent – a true super talent on the long distance. We’re all just repeating these results because this is the type of pigeon that Emile created throughout the years. The long distance racer that can spend several hours in the sky Being a sports teacher, Emile Matterne knew very well how an athlete should be build like, to score within the top. He knew about the value of the aerodynamic and that’s why he tries for years to go back to the "ideal long distance type". What does the long distance racer have to look like according to Matterne? Pigeons that have to achieve for several hours must be build to survive. By the constant in-breed method and by selecting them on top-results, Emile succeeded to create his own kind of long distance racer. Pigeons that are middle sized but that look a lot smaller as they are in reality. Their weight is also important because they have to keep that weight in the sky for a long time and so the lighter they are the better. Besides they also must have good and solid feathers to lead them through the hardest tasks. The wing has a short arm at the front with enormous pinions – a kind like a swallow – and this was the target of the master. Of course they also should have very supple muscles that can lead them through the thousands of kilometres. There are the eyes in which you can read their character and the beautiful colours are the finishing touch. Depending on their work, it’s the building of the bird next to the long way the animal has to fly, are both important. The harder the route, the more the type of long distance racer of " Matterne" comes forward. ( These pigeons look a lot like another typical long distance racer of Kipp and Sons from Germany, the Aarden-pigeons of Holland and many other Barcelona winners I already held in my hands before) A very strict education Trying to breed the ideal long distance racer is one thing but long distance is more than that. It’s working on their character, pigeons with an iron will power and a natural resistance and here we arrive back to Emile’s love for nature. Having respect for nature means to follow the rules and the laws of nature. That’s why the windows of the loft are always open, even during the resting period. As well the loft on the first floor of the house as the garden loft that all have the names of the four wind directions. These open windows take care of a good condition and the building on their resistance. Keeping the pigeons that close to nature made them get the ideal weight and a very good quality of their feathers. , From the day the little pigeons are born, they will only get prepared to that one and only Barcelona race. The youngsters should grow and become a fulfilled bird so it’s enough to train them as a young bird. Matterne also always was a follower of the dry manure method and he only cures every two or three years against a certain disease. It’s no problem when the manure layer is about 20 till 30 cm, as long as it’s dry and the wind can get through it. Every once and a while the pigeons get some apple vinegar in the drinking water because here he has some good experience. Then Emile also uses some garlic in the drinking water and some beer yeast over the food. But in these days the birds are sometimes examined by the vet in preparation of Barcelona. In fact this is necessarily in these modern times and this is what you should do to remain at the top. Nevertheless head-diseases don’t show up here and also the tricho-cure should rarely be done. A lot of oxygen on the loft is very important and that’s what they have here, even the garden loft has a lot of openings in between the wood and this to provide the animals with a lot of fresh air. The youngsters and the yearlings are never cured against head-diseases and tricho. The long tradition of a very strict education created these strong pigeons. Here a story of the fifties that describes the will-power of the master. Around the period of ’55 there was paratyphus amongst the pigeons, probably came along with the basket or a stranger. The "boss" saw that something was wrong, some of the birds even died. He had them examined and the result was paratyphus and there were two things he could do: first he could kill every single one of them or a cure with antibiotics. But Matterne choose for the laws of nature, which would decide which pigeon should stay alive or which would die. About 50% of the whole colony died from this disease but Emile was convinced that the strongest would survive and be the base of his future colony. The disease was so tough that most of the birds stayed infertile for about two years. But the master was the winner and after this period the pigeons started to produce in a superior way. The "left-over" survived the illness and became even stronger, the resistance was so high that the breeding results were super again and so were the race-results. The swallow type When you just take a look at those animals, they seem to be of a middle size but very light in the hands so they have to carry not too much weight when they are up in the sky. Also a lot of attention went to the feathers, richly filled, soft and a long wing. Soft feathers and condition are only reached by a lot of freedom. Here the pigeons can fly as much as they want. When they reach the age of two, they get a partner for the first time and this also is a kind of way to motivate them. For 80 % of the loft, Emile has an aviary (they always can get in and out for as much as they like) and here they get the chance to take a bath on regular times. The motto of Matterne is Have respect for nature and be strict - which will give you what you want on a longer term. The breeding principle The base of the Hansenne & Catrijsse will remain here and the input of the last few years always went back to certain Barcelona winners in which we find the Matterne blood. Some examples here are the pigeons of Mornard, parents of the 1 I.Nat. Perpignan that were a product of pure Matterne’s and which stayed at the Matterne loft for a little while. So brothers and sisters of the international winner moved to the breeding loft of Emile. We also find these pigeons at the loft of Philipens from Voeren . Next there also were the Kuypers Brothers, Neer who’s famous Beatrix-hen has some of the Matterne blood in it’s veins. One of these famous basic pigeons is the Pau-hen - 2 Nat. - 3 I.Nat. Pau and 3 Nat. + 9 I.Nat. Barcelona, comes out of a direct Matterne cock. Then there’s also the Beatrix-hen: NL. 85-1892347, which won the hard flight from St.Vincent 1 Nat. against 43.338 p. – Her grandfather is the 2391786-73, directly Matterne and grandson of the 1 Nat.St.Vincent, and on his mothers side the Catrrrysse base, string of the 45 via Matterne. This Beatrix hen also won 2 Nat. Dax 22.931 p.. Her father is also grandfather of the Black Barcelona NL. 94-320 - 2 Nat. + 3 I.Nat. Barcelona '96 - 20.191 p. Kuypers Brothers. Next we also find the blood of this basic cock back within this super hen of Koopman, the Miss Waalre NL. 00-1211188 - 1 Nat. St.Vincent 1.334 p. and fastest of 15.122 p. + 1 Nat. Ruffec 1.835 p. – fastest of 4.338 p. - 2 Nat. Victories in 2004 ! So it’s not very surprising that there grew a friendship between the Brothers from Neer and the sports teacher of Overhespen. Every year again they exchange more than one pigeon. Also within the colony of Hubert Vanherck - Borgloon, who won the European Cup in '97 we find the base from Matterne for 75%. '97 was super for Vanherck with 11 prizes out of 17 long distance racers over the national flights with top-prizes like: 14 Nat. Brive 14.319 p. - 50 - 59 Nat. Pau - 284 & 700 Nat. Barcelona of 2 pigeons that were put in the basket - 3 - 5 -8 Prov. Marseille - 41 Nat. Bordeaux etc…. Also within the famous colony of the Desbuqois Brothers - Kapelle op de Bos we find the Matterne blood. Their famous basic cock is the Wolle 335-82, a son of a Matterne hen. This Wolle grew to become a very good basic cock, who’s descendants are very successful on the heaviest classical flights. Some top-birds of Matterne, which we find back more than once in the descendance of the Matterne pigeons, all go back to the famous couple Dikbek of '37 with the Black of '39. This blood is to be found in the Barcelona hen 320-94 - 2 Nat. - 3 I.Nat. Barcelona '96. Also the 260-93, 43 Nat. Barcelona and the 320-94, which arrived 3 times as the first from Barcelona with a super result of 44 Nat. Barcelona, go back to the old base of the Hanssene-pigeons. The colony Bronswijk, Holland won 1 Nat. Bergerac – with a direct "egg" of Matterne and they were so grateful that some descendants of this winner moved to Overhespen. Then there was the colony Vandepoel , Geetbets which grew and became so successful with the Matterne and the Kuypers pigeons. Next there is Van Haren from Stiptout who scored 14 Nat. '91 and 2 I.Nat. in '93 with some Matterne-birds. Besides the previous birds there are also some descendants out of Lady Barcelona 01600-80-480 which was top on Barcelona and by a friend Schloëmer, Germany, this blood came on the loft too. We also have to mention a sister of the 1 I.Nat. Barcelona Vanoppen '87 – who took care of a good after breed too. Recently we have the present Primus I.Pares Barcelona - the Floere of Albert Bils, Kersbeek in which we find the Matterne blood too. Shining on the Barcelona flight for over 50 years is scarcely seen but here it happens!! The preparation of the long distance racers. Bringing the racers together mostly happens at the end of May, beginning of April. They can raise one youngster and then they turn into racer. The nest hens on the other hand, have to score on all stands but he prefers them to go into the basket on little youngsters for Barcelona. The pigeons are vaccinated against Paramyxo and some weeks before Barcelona they are cured against tricho. Two-year old birds get some training flights of 100 - 200 - 375 km and then up to Brive 670 km before Bordeaux or Orange. The flights of the Rhöne valley are the perfect preparation for the further overnight flights. The older cocks get a Brive or Chateauroux in preparation of Barcelona. To make some extra reserves, the pigeons get some cod-liver oil or 4 oils (Herbots Animal Products). In preparation to the flight the pigeons are lightly fed with barley and in preparation to a bigger flight the percentage of the corn becomes higher. The future Already some years ago Emile choose to specialise. For more than 20 years he was the president of Cureghem Centre and he often joined the pigeons to set them free in Barcelona. Already at that time he choose for specialisation. Barcelona is the queen of the flights, the flight of truth. Here the pigeons get selected and they don’t talk about anything else anymore. On Barcelona the quality of the bird is a priority. Here you have to make sure that the pigeons have a irresistible will-power, let nature do it’s job, is what it’s all about in our sport. Some advice of the master - A lot of fresh air to keep the pigeons healthy - Only few pigeons in one section is another important aspect to their health. - Let the pigeons grow quietly with respect for nature. - Learning them to race the long distance flights comes after they grow out to become fulfilled birds. At the age of 2 they only have to do two long distance races but here they have to have a fresh appearance. - Only when the bird reaches the age of three, he or she has become a true Barcelona racer. - In their year of birth you must give them the chance to grow and build some resistance and this is very important for their future career. - Hens on nest are just as good as cocks and the widowhood. Top-results on the I.Nationals of the last years 24 NAT. PERPIGNAN '97 4.694 p. 42 I.NAT. PERPIGNAN '97 12.367 p. 52 NAT. PERPIGNAN '01 8.041 p. 56 NAT. BARCELONA'99 2.599 Hens 76 NAT. PERPIGNAN '97 4.694 p. 87 NAT. BARCELONA '03 2.652 Hens 96 NAT. BARCELONA '01 13.161 p. 113 NAT. BARCELONA '99 13.966 p. 185 NAT. BARCELONA '99 13.966 p. 1 - 4 - 6 -7 -8 - 9 BIARITZ Obrafo '04 1 ( 2325531-01) - 41 BARCELONA Obrafo - 547 p. 1 BARCELONA Obrafo - 215 Hens 5 NAT. BARCELONA Hens 19 I.NAT. BARCELONA 6.903 Hens 1 - 8 PERPIGNAN Obrafo Hens 3 - 10 - 15 PERPIGNAN Obrafo 207 p. '04 |
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