Saturday, May 17, 2025 – A day to remember in the Dutch pigeon racing world. From the northern town of Donkerbroek, top fancier Henk Douna delivered an absolutely stunning performance in the speed race from Rethel (France). Against an impressive field of 11,293 pigeons, Henk clocked his NL23-48207735 at 16:47:14 after 409.946 km, achieving a winning speed of 1233.850 m/min and taking 1st place in Section Friesland ’96!
But that’s just the beginning of the story…
Henk didn’t just win. He dominated. With 17 pigeons entered, he claimed 15 prizes, including 1st, 3rd, 18th, and 59th, achieving an astonishing 88.2% prize rate – a feat few can rival.
📊 Race Summary:
- Race point: Rethel, France
- Release time: 11:15 AM
- Weather: Partly cloudy, moderate north wind (force 4), 18°C
- Distance to Donkerbroek: 409.946 km
- Total pigeons in competition: 11,293
- Number of fanciers: 616
- Pigeons entered by Henk: 17
- Prizes won: 15
- Top speeds: 1233.850 m/min (winner)
- Prize positions: 1st, 3rd, 18th, 59th, 394th, 605th, 613th, 989th, 995th, 1159th, 1203rd, 1481st, 2003rd, 3100th, 3538th
🧙♂️ A Master in Minimalism
Henk Douna is not new to the sport—but since November 2020, he’s been writing a whole new chapter. After decades of racing in partnership with his father (from 1973) and later with Dolf van der Stouwe (1987–2020), Henk chose to fly solo. And he did it his own way: small scale, high performance.
With no more than 12 racing pairs and a sharp focus on speed and middle-distance races, Henk proves that you don’t need a big loft to achieve big results.
🧬 Top Genetics, Top Results
His loft is built around direct pigeons from Hans & Evert Jan Eijerkamp, enhanced by the elite bloodline of Olympic Marjolein from Meindert de Jong. Henk’s breeding base includes direct children from:
- Vetblauwe Jackpot
- Olympic Hans
- Magic Euro
- Smokey Jackpot
- Fine Fleur (whose offspring achieved 13x Top 10 in Friesland)
🏅 A Few Career Highlights (Last 4 Years):
- 🥇 8 Section wins, including 3 Grand Prix victories
- 📈 55 Top 10 positions in Section Friesland ’96
- 🏆 1st National Ace Pigeon Vitesse – PIPA 2022
- 🚀 1st Grand Prix Chalons-en-Champagne 2024 – fastest vs. 29,197 pigeons
- 🥇 1st Superstar Speed – Golden Duif May 2022
- 🏆 5x 1st Master Fancier – “Spoor der Kampioenen” (2022)
💬 Conclusion: A Champion’s Statement
Henk Douna’s result from Rethel is nothing short of a statement. It’s not only about winning 1st place against over 11,000 pigeons, but also about the consistency and depth of his loft. With 15 prizes from just 17 birds, he proves once again why many call him “The Wizard of Donkerbroek.”
Quality over quantity. Passion over pressure. Precision over power.
Until the next blog,
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
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