He is considered one of the most successful pigeon breeders of recent years: Heinz Bindacz. The northerner competes in Regional Association 100 in the strong RV 24 Südholstein. With his females, he has been at the forefront of the German Championship for many years, and his offspring are also doing well. In 2021, he secured the title of 1st German Yearling Champion. For his females and young pigeons, he uses the Mifuma feeds Relax, Energy, and Power-Mix. Mifuma Relax holds a special position, as it forms the basis during the travel season. Heinz Bindacz and Frederik Wolf met for an interview at the home pigeon loft in Hamburg.
Frederik Wolf: I congratulate you on behalf of Mifuma for your successes last year! In 2021, you became the 1st German Yearling Champion. But the title didn't come out of nowhere; you were always at the forefront in previous years as well.
Heinz Bindacz: Thank you! 2021 went very well and was crowned with the title of 1st German Yearling Champion. But even in the years before, things went great. In 2019, I was doing well with the yearlings and became the 9th German Yearling Champion and had the 4th Ace Female. In 2020, I was the 4th Old Master and had the 10th Ace Female.
You compete with Wolfgang Roeper in the travel association and with Alfred Berger in the regional association, and you are always at the forefront, alternating with the titles at the national level. How is it possible that there are so many German champions in a regional association and an RV, and such good results are achieved?
We are a strong RV. One of the strongest in Germany. The same goes for the regional association, which results from that. When three from an RV are among the top ten German champions, that's quite an achievement. It speaks for good flights and a good flight manager - that counts too. Our flight manager Alfred Berger has managed it superbly. We always had good flights. In recent years, hardly any flight has been canceled for us, and we were always able to carry out our program. Let's say, if one falls away, the 500er, then you're already out.
Nevertheless, the right pigeons must also come in good flights!
Yes, of course, you have to have the right pigeons. The difficult part is naming the right six that will fly well and come on time afterward.
You managed that particularly well last year. But even in the years before, you often had a really good hand. How do you name the pigeons?
I start with a total of 45 females: About 25 yearlings and 20 older ones. From this team, I name pigeons that I already expect beforehand. As an experienced breeder, you know in advance what might come out well. I always name the pigeons from which I hope they will deliver. If you have a good breeding line, you can roughly guess which ones will assert themselves.
Do you also look at the flights before, or do you say, the sisters were always good on the 400 km flights, so I'll take them again?
The latter! If many pigeons from a family show themselves well, then I take some from this family again.
What are your goals for 2022?
Of course, to be successful again as much as possible.
Would you say or can you say that you want to become German champion again this year?
No, you can't say that. Every year starts anew. It depends on the flights, the weather, the form of the pigeons. It all plays a role. If everything works out, then yes! But it only takes one bad flight, and the chances are gone.
3 or 4 years ago, your breeding pigeons were notoriously stolen. Do you now have breeding pigeons again, or how do you generate your young ones?
That was a terrible misfortune for me! Fortunately, they didn't steal all my pigeons. I have two breeding sections; they got into one and took everything. Luckily, they didn't get into the other. Actually, the whole thing was impossible because everything in my loft is alarm-secured and very well visible.
Were the pigeons ever found again?
No, no, nothing came back.
What is the first thing you think of in the morning when you see something like that?
It's a shock, that's clear. When you come in, you never expect something like that. You open the door, and suddenly everything is empty, full of feathers and pigeon dust. They must have grabbed quickly and probably packed the pigeons in bags. At first, you might think it's a marten or something. Then I went into the aviary, but it was also empty, and the door was open, so I knew.
Did the quality of your pigeons change afterward?
No, fortunately not. The theft was in 2019, and in the same year, I flew straight to the top again. 2020 and 21 as well. In the last three years, I was always among the top 10 German champions. In 2019, I had already set up a breeding line, so I still had a decent line left.
Do you actually breed from your travel pigeons as well?
No, I only pair dry. The whole thing twice - once in February and once in April. So now they are just paired.
What do you do when the females have to lay eggs during the season?
The females must not pair - it's that simple. In and of itself, I have no problems with it and never had. I lock the hens out in the aviary during the day. Generally, you can "breed away" the strong pairing drive. There are certain breeds and pigeons that pair quickly, and in such cases, you have to take these animals out of the travel.
And if those are the best ones?
They still have to go out. I had that one year, a long time ago, when my three best females paired. They didn't make a prize on the last flight. Such pigeons have to be taken out; it doesn't make sense.
Do you show the females their partners before the flight? If so, why? So you can catch them better?
Exactly, the females then sit in the nest, and you can take them out more easily. The animals have significantly less stress.
You travel exclusively with females. Since when have you been doing this?
I have had an all-female team for 5 years now. Before that, I also traveled with the males, which were always good too, but it became too complicated for me. The loft is surrounded by tall trees. My pigeons go into the trees - especially the males. I can't get them out of the trees for training at the house anymore. And if they don't train at the house, then it doesn't make sense. I can get the females to fly at the house more easily. I thought to myself, I won't bother anymore and will only fly with the females.
You never regretted the step?
No, not at all. You have less work because you only have to let out one party. Of course, you also let the males out occasionally, but they don't have to train once or twice a day like the females. You let them out when you have time.
You rely on Mifuma for travel feed. How long have you been feeding Mifuma products for racing pigeons?
It's been about 10 years.
Which varieties do you feed?
I feed Relax, Energy, and Power-Mix. The feed is not cheap, but the quality is simply good.
How do you give it? Do you feed it in a 3-phase system, letting the feeds transition into each other, or how do you do it?
No, I have my own feeding plan. I am enthusiastic about Relax, and it is also the basis of my system. I feed the mixture at the beginning of the week. Then I give the other two varieties, Energy and Power-Mix, mixed together. At the beginning of the season, when the flights are not so long and difficult, I feed Energy, and at the end, for the longer flights, I mix it with Power-Mix.
Do you make sure to provide the females much lighter than the males back then?
The females must eat just as good and complete food as the males because they have to perform just as well. I feed the females like the males; I also did that back then when I was still traveling with the males.
Why did you switch to Mifuma 10 years ago?
The feed looks good, it has good quality, and I had success with it right away. What I especially like about Relax is that it contains a lot of paddy rice, which means it's a light feed.
When you talk about light flights with 160-180 km, is it possible that you give Relax all week? Or can it be a bit more?
At the beginning, on short distances, I give Relax 1-2 days longer, until Wednesday or even Thursday, and then only Energy. I do the same when the flights are further. Then I start with the stronger feed on Tuesday. You have to adjust it a bit to the flights and distances. You need a bit of intuition for that.
Do you always feed the pigeons to satiety, or do you say, I only give a certain amount in grams?
I always feed the pigeons to satiety. I pour into the trough until they have eaten everything. If I see they are still a bit hungry, I even pour some more.
Do you add individual components over Energy or Power-Mix?
I also give hemp and sunflower seeds. Peanuts are sometimes given as a treat by hand.
You just explained your concept to us, that you feed more richly on heavy flights. Is there anything you want to change this year?
No, I've had the same system for years, and I'll stick with it.
How did your young pigeon journey go?
I'm not very interested in the young pigeon journey. I only use the young ones so they learn. But I don't do anything special - same feeding, same system. I became 4th Young Pigeon Champion, even in the regional association, although I don't do anything.
When do you pair the breeding pigeons if you don't darken or illuminate?
I pair already in January. I have young ones lying right now.
Do you then only keep the females?
Yes, exactly, I only keep the females. I can't accommodate so many animals otherwise.
What advice would you give us young breeders and beginners to have fun with pigeons?
Health is the most important thing! If you have already acquired good pigeons, they must be healthy and in shape. That's why I regularly have fecal samples examined, for example. In addition, clean keeping is essential. If you, like me, keep the pigeons and the loft clean, you have little to do with diseases: neither with coccidia nor with worms. We clean twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Additionally, I experiment a lot with herbs and teas, garlic, and onions. I press garlic and onions, for example, and give the juice to the pigeons 2-3 times a week.
What would you do if you had a flight, and the others started 10 minutes earlier, and you don't get your percentages?
Then I would have the pigeons examined by a vet as soon as possible. With such a performance drop, it must be something serious, then you have to intervene. A healthy pigeon still comes in well. The pigeons must be healthy and fit.
Which parameters are important to you? The loft, good pigeons, good care/health. If you had to weigh these parameters, what is decisive for success for you?
Health and feeding! The feed must be good. The air and ventilation in the loft must be right. My loft has been standing since 1974. During this time, I have only expanded and enlarged it. The ventilation has always been as it is now, windows at the front that are almost always open and roof windows for exhaust air.
If you look at pigeon racing from 40 years ago and think about where it will be in 5 years. How do you assess that?
30 years ago, it was nicer! We were more breeders. Today there is more envy, which is very big. If you travel well, you immediately have the envious ones. Fortunately, I have many good friends in my environment. But there used to be more camaraderie. People sat together a lot and celebrated. There was an RV celebration every year where people came together, danced, and laughed. That hardly exists anymore today.
I read in Pigeon Sport International that two ace females sit in your loft at the national level. And they are even nest siblings?
Even three siblings, all three of which flew superbly. These are the pigeons from Leo Heremanns. I once had the luck to get a son from Gus Jansen from the 003. That was a super breeder. And his children also inherit again. The bird that brought these three ace females is also a son from the 043. A daughter, the 55, was
