David Brunet
David Brunet, France's 2018 middle-distance runner-up and 2020 French speed champion, opened the doors of his vast loft in Cappelle-Brouck, near Dunkirk, for a series of three interviews devoted to his career. Today, for the first of them, the member of Les Ailes Grande-Synthe, a heating engineer by profession, talks about his beginnings, his installations, his colony...
- How did you start?
"When I was a child, there were pigeons at my grandparents' home, who lived in Grand-Fort-Philippe. My father had pigeons but did not play. On my mother's and grandmother's side, there was also a pigeon loft. An uncle helped me, explained the basics to me a bit. My first competition took place in 1979, in Albert, in Picardie. I didn't have any scorer at that time. Two years later, I went to an old amateur, a farmer from Gravelines, who had ringed three youngsters. I started with his pigeons. And then I played well. I even won a youth championship very quickly. Unfortunately, the following year, all my pigeons were stolen, about thirty of them. Then I started again with one of my brothers. The results started to come back. And then, in 1993, I was robbed again. All of it! I have the impression that as soon as you play well you attract people. At the time, however, I was in town, but all they had to do was climb the wall. In short, once again, I had to start from scratch. I played a bit for two years, and then I moved and went to Saint-Omer, until 2003. In 2008, I met Maurice Cassez, who was the Calais champion. He told me that he had just stopped and that he eventually had a few pigeons to sell me. I jumped at the opportunity and bought about ten pigeons. The results were immediately at the top. Finally, as I was making a lot of progress, I wanted to extend my pigeon loft and, looking for a bigger one, I was able to install it here, in Cappelle-Brouck, where there was a lot more room. We are then in 2011... »
- So Cappelle-Brouck is in a way a new start in your career?
"Yes, with results that were immediately excellent. Afterwards, I invested again in new pigeons and, compared to those of Maurice, there was no photo. I never really understood why. Still, the pigeons of Maurice did not adapt. I even did a lot of crossbreeding. Without much success. »
- What are your facilities?
"I have four lofts, two of which are young birds' loft, which no longer played. My colony is divided into loft apartments of 12 pigeons and everything is on slatted floors. I have arranged the aviaries of the females from the back. It's homemade and it's very practical. Everything is made at home to save time and avoid spending hours in a pigeon loft. Thanks to this efficient organization, I now have enough time to devote myself to a project, that of seriously starting the long-distance races. That is to say, approximately, and initially, about fifteen long distances. »
- And your colony?
"In total, I have a little more than 150 pigeons, including 40 old pigeons and 20 breeding pairs. I raise about 120 youngsters a year, which I educate myself, so as to avoid having pigeons that are always circling around the truck. For me, the pigeon has to take its own direction by its own means, as soon as possible. »
- From which strain(s) was the colony built?
"Previously, when I was in my previous home, I had pigeons from Maurice Cassez, who was a Calaisis champion. At Grand-Fort-Philippe, the pigeons were walking very, very hard. But when I arrived here in Cappelle-Brouck, the results were disappointing. Therefore, I invested in pigeons from Stickers-Donckers, Hermann Donckers, Koopman. With this mix, I managed to create a breed of my own that really defends itself quite well up to 400 km. It's a breed that I've been flying for ten years now. »
- What is so special about these pigeons?
"A very precise sense of direction. As soon as they get out of the basket, they go straight to where they need to go and they have quite a bite. This is due to their character, I think, but also to the fact that they are trained individually. And all of that makes a real difference when they become adults. I have a habit of stopping the careers of players at the age of 5 so that, depending on the results, some of them go on to reproduction. When I reinvest in new pigeons, I do it on the best racers. From then on, I test the pigeons at the age of one year, and so on. Out of a hundred youngsters that I raise, I keep about forty. I don't play either the females or youngsters, because it means extra work. »
- What does the coming year look like?
"Apart from the big background, I plan to get into the female game next year. My son, who is 12 years old, is also a pigeon fancier. He has taken up speed and middle-distance racing. I'm going to help him a little. Besides, he is doing pretty well, even if sometimes he is a bit disappointed because I pass him (laughs). »
- Do you practice widowhood?
"Yes, because it is important to motivate the pigeons. It is inconceivable for me to do the same thing for four months. The pigeon gets into a routine and understands very quickly that something is up. For example, on Saturdays, or the day before a competition, I release them a few kilometres away from the pigeon loft. »
- What products do you use in your diet?
"I give Versele-Laga, among other things. Overall, I avoid mixtures that are too rich. You need something light at the beginning of the week, and something heavy for the competitions. Here, I don't ration, and I don't feed on the box. When we arrive at the end of the season, I buy a moulting mix. Or Bonduelle grain in the winter, which has the advantage of being cheaper than Versele-Laga. In my opinion, there is a season-specific diet. In the breeding season, we can give standard, but it will inevitably take some depurative in season until Wednesday evening, approximately, to gradually switch to the sport. I give a lot of tea and garlic too, to keep the pigeons healthy. This is also my first criterion, well before the performances. I look in particular at the quality of the feather. A healthy pigeon is a fairly compact pigeon. »
- How is the training going?
"About three weeks before the competitions, I start with flights of two kilometres, then I go to Saint-Omer, three to four times at the same place so that the pigeons take their flight line and are as direct as possible. That's how I teach them the job: by repeating the training several times, in particular, to make them understand that when they arrive at home their partner is waiting for them"
- What are your best pigeons?
"The Turbo 624, which I inherited this year. It has won more than ten first prizes for groups. My Mustang too, even though it's been in the breeding program for three years. Moreover, this year, I'm making As pigeon with one of his sons, the 707 2017. I also have two sons of the Turbo who are excellent. Keeping the breed and the blood is as important as having results on the moment. Otherwise, we are always buying the right to left. You also need a little bit of luck in the mating. »
- What do you think the perfect pigeon would look like?
"It's just plain silky plumage, intelligent and healthy. On this subject, I would like to say something that has taught me a lesson. In the past, I have had some excellent pigeons that I have exhausted through competition. You have to pay attention to that. I also remember some pigeons that didn't do any racing at all when they were young but were excellent competitors later on. That's why I don't watch too much youth competitions anymore. It must be said that today, I find, pigeons are more fragile than in the past. My strategy, therefore, is to leave the youngsters alone. You have to know how to give them the time to immunize them. »
- How important is the pharmacopoeia to you?
"I limit myself to what is strictly necessary. I treat common illnesses and make the compulsory vaccinations, of course, and eventually, I take care of the respiratory tract. For this, I give Adjusol. I limit the number and quantity of treatments to the maximum as soon as the season starts, even if it is still necessary to purge. This is unavoidable. And I administer Levamizol for the worms. It would be irresponsible to enter pigeons in the competition without treatments. There is a minimum, at the risk of losing some on the way. »
- What are your favourite competitions?
"The 200 km. It's fast, we lose fewer pigeons, we have free time. On the long distances, we sometimes leave a lot of pigeons on the road, as it happened to me in 2003: five on the tile! But I'm going to test anyway. I give myself three years to succeed. Otherwise, among the 200 km, Pontoise is the competition I prefer. Clermont too. On the other hand, I've never played any Barcelona. »
- What memories do you keep of these contests?
"I won first prize in 1981 in Angerville, more than twenty minutes ahead of time. I replayed this pigeon the following Sunday and it won another first prize. Unfortunately, it was stolen from me in 1983. »
- What do you think of major international competitions?
"I have the impression that many take part in them more for a question of prestige than for purely sporting reasons, even if, at a given moment, one joins the other. But I'm in no position to talk because I've never tried it before. »
- What advice would you give to people just starting out?
"You should start with good pigeons, ideally with a serious and honest fancier. Then you have to be patient: the first good results only come after a long journey. It is also useless to have too many pigeons at the beginning. It is also important to start with speed because this gives very good bases. First of all you have to learn how to play. The pigeon fancier is a profession, even if you are an amateur. I've always been careful not to miss any important step. Then, of course, as soon as you feel ready, it's good to tackle long distances. Something also to know: rarely, at the beginning, a beginner will fall like magic on people who will clearly explain how to proceed. You learn exclusively by yourself, by making a maximum of tests, mistakes, even if you can benefit from practical advice on nutrition, playing techniques... But the "how to play", so to speak, is never transmitted as simply as one thinks. I've read a lot of books for that, I had to get a lot of experience to be a little happy with myself. And then you have to love the sport. And don't hesitate to take a break if, for any number of reasons, you no longer enjoy it. »
INTERVIEW BY DAVID SAGOT
- How did you start?
"When I was a child, there were pigeons at my grandparents' home, who lived in Grand-Fort-Philippe. My father had pigeons but did not play. On my mother's and grandmother's side, there was also a pigeon loft. An uncle helped me, explained the basics to me a bit. My first competition took place in 1979, in Albert, in Picardie. I didn't have any scorer at that time. Two years later, I went to an old amateur, a farmer from Gravelines, who had ringed three youngsters. I started with his pigeons. And then I played well. I even won a youth championship very quickly. Unfortunately, the following year, all my pigeons were stolen, about thirty of them. Then I started again with one of my brothers. The results started to come back. And then, in 1993, I was robbed again. All of it! I have the impression that as soon as you play well you attract people. At the time, however, I was in town, but all they had to do was climb the wall. In short, once again, I had to start from scratch. I played a bit for two years, and then I moved and went to Saint-Omer, until 2003. In 2008, I met Maurice Cassez, who was the Calais champion. He told me that he had just stopped and that he eventually had a few pigeons to sell me. I jumped at the opportunity and bought about ten pigeons. The results were immediately at the top. Finally, as I was making a lot of progress, I wanted to extend my pigeon loft and, looking for a bigger one, I was able to install it here, in Cappelle-Brouck, where there was a lot more room. We are then in 2011... »
- So Cappelle-Brouck is in a way a new start in your career?
"Yes, with results that were immediately excellent. Afterwards, I invested again in new pigeons and, compared to those of Maurice, there was no photo. I never really understood why. Still, the pigeons of Maurice did not adapt. I even did a lot of crossbreeding. Without much success. »
- What are your facilities?
"I have four lofts, two of which are young birds' loft, which no longer played. My colony is divided into loft apartments of 12 pigeons and everything is on slatted floors. I have arranged the aviaries of the females from the back. It's homemade and it's very practical. Everything is made at home to save time and avoid spending hours in a pigeon loft. Thanks to this efficient organization, I now have enough time to devote myself to a project, that of seriously starting the long-distance races. That is to say, approximately, and initially, about fifteen long distances. »
- And your colony?
"In total, I have a little more than 150 pigeons, including 40 old pigeons and 20 breeding pairs. I raise about 120 youngsters a year, which I educate myself, so as to avoid having pigeons that are always circling around the truck. For me, the pigeon has to take its own direction by its own means, as soon as possible. »
- From which strain(s) was the colony built?
"Previously, when I was in my previous home, I had pigeons from Maurice Cassez, who was a Calaisis champion. At Grand-Fort-Philippe, the pigeons were walking very, very hard. But when I arrived here in Cappelle-Brouck, the results were disappointing. Therefore, I invested in pigeons from Stickers-Donckers, Hermann Donckers, Koopman. With this mix, I managed to create a breed of my own that really defends itself quite well up to 400 km. It's a breed that I've been flying for ten years now. »
- What is so special about these pigeons?
"A very precise sense of direction. As soon as they get out of the basket, they go straight to where they need to go and they have quite a bite. This is due to their character, I think, but also to the fact that they are trained individually. And all of that makes a real difference when they become adults. I have a habit of stopping the careers of players at the age of 5 so that, depending on the results, some of them go on to reproduction. When I reinvest in new pigeons, I do it on the best racers. From then on, I test the pigeons at the age of one year, and so on. Out of a hundred youngsters that I raise, I keep about forty. I don't play either the females or youngsters, because it means extra work. »
- What does the coming year look like?
"Apart from the big background, I plan to get into the female game next year. My son, who is 12 years old, is also a pigeon fancier. He has taken up speed and middle-distance racing. I'm going to help him a little. Besides, he is doing pretty well, even if sometimes he is a bit disappointed because I pass him (laughs). »
- Do you practice widowhood?
"Yes, because it is important to motivate the pigeons. It is inconceivable for me to do the same thing for four months. The pigeon gets into a routine and understands very quickly that something is up. For example, on Saturdays, or the day before a competition, I release them a few kilometres away from the pigeon loft. »
- What products do you use in your diet?
"I give Versele-Laga, among other things. Overall, I avoid mixtures that are too rich. You need something light at the beginning of the week, and something heavy for the competitions. Here, I don't ration, and I don't feed on the box. When we arrive at the end of the season, I buy a moulting mix. Or Bonduelle grain in the winter, which has the advantage of being cheaper than Versele-Laga. In my opinion, there is a season-specific diet. In the breeding season, we can give standard, but it will inevitably take some depurative in season until Wednesday evening, approximately, to gradually switch to the sport. I give a lot of tea and garlic too, to keep the pigeons healthy. This is also my first criterion, well before the performances. I look in particular at the quality of the feather. A healthy pigeon is a fairly compact pigeon. »
- How is the training going?
"About three weeks before the competitions, I start with flights of two kilometres, then I go to Saint-Omer, three to four times at the same place so that the pigeons take their flight line and are as direct as possible. That's how I teach them the job: by repeating the training several times, in particular, to make them understand that when they arrive at home their partner is waiting for them"
- What are your best pigeons?
"The Turbo 624, which I inherited this year. It has won more than ten first prizes for groups. My Mustang too, even though it's been in the breeding program for three years. Moreover, this year, I'm making As pigeon with one of his sons, the 707 2017. I also have two sons of the Turbo who are excellent. Keeping the breed and the blood is as important as having results on the moment. Otherwise, we are always buying the right to left. You also need a little bit of luck in the mating. »
- What do you think the perfect pigeon would look like?
"It's just plain silky plumage, intelligent and healthy. On this subject, I would like to say something that has taught me a lesson. In the past, I have had some excellent pigeons that I have exhausted through competition. You have to pay attention to that. I also remember some pigeons that didn't do any racing at all when they were young but were excellent competitors later on. That's why I don't watch too much youth competitions anymore. It must be said that today, I find, pigeons are more fragile than in the past. My strategy, therefore, is to leave the youngsters alone. You have to know how to give them the time to immunize them. »
- How important is the pharmacopoeia to you?
"I limit myself to what is strictly necessary. I treat common illnesses and make the compulsory vaccinations, of course, and eventually, I take care of the respiratory tract. For this, I give Adjusol. I limit the number and quantity of treatments to the maximum as soon as the season starts, even if it is still necessary to purge. This is unavoidable. And I administer Levamizol for the worms. It would be irresponsible to enter pigeons in the competition without treatments. There is a minimum, at the risk of losing some on the way. »
- What are your favourite competitions?
"The 200 km. It's fast, we lose fewer pigeons, we have free time. On the long distances, we sometimes leave a lot of pigeons on the road, as it happened to me in 2003: five on the tile! But I'm going to test anyway. I give myself three years to succeed. Otherwise, among the 200 km, Pontoise is the competition I prefer. Clermont too. On the other hand, I've never played any Barcelona. »
- What memories do you keep of these contests?
"I won first prize in 1981 in Angerville, more than twenty minutes ahead of time. I replayed this pigeon the following Sunday and it won another first prize. Unfortunately, it was stolen from me in 1983. »
- What do you think of major international competitions?
"I have the impression that many take part in them more for a question of prestige than for purely sporting reasons, even if, at a given moment, one joins the other. But I'm in no position to talk because I've never tried it before. »
- What advice would you give to people just starting out?
"You should start with good pigeons, ideally with a serious and honest fancier. Then you have to be patient: the first good results only come after a long journey. It is also useless to have too many pigeons at the beginning. It is also important to start with speed because this gives very good bases. First of all you have to learn how to play. The pigeon fancier is a profession, even if you are an amateur. I've always been careful not to miss any important step. Then, of course, as soon as you feel ready, it's good to tackle long distances. Something also to know: rarely, at the beginning, a beginner will fall like magic on people who will clearly explain how to proceed. You learn exclusively by yourself, by making a maximum of tests, mistakes, even if you can benefit from practical advice on nutrition, playing techniques... But the "how to play", so to speak, is never transmitted as simply as one thinks. I've read a lot of books for that, I had to get a lot of experience to be a little happy with myself. And then you have to love the sport. And don't hesitate to take a break if, for any number of reasons, you no longer enjoy it. »
INTERVIEW BY DAVID SAGOT
