Once again, Richard van den Bos from Stad aan ’t Haringvliet makes headlines in Dutch pigeon racing. On June 21, 2025, during the demanding race from Lamotte-Beuvron (487 km) against 4,381 pigeons in Afdeling 5, his cock NL23-9287637 stormed home first with a velocity of 1302.411 m/min — claiming the 1st prize! What followed was a masterclass in team performance and consistency.
But make no mistake — this wasn’t a lucky result. It’s the story of a young, passionate, and highly respected fancier who is quickly becoming one of the brightest stars in Dutch pigeon sport.
🥇 Dominating the Result Sheet
Richard entered 35 pigeons and saw an astonishing 27 on the prize list:
That’s a 77% prize ratio!
His results included:
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🥇 1st prize with NL23-9287637
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🥉 3rd prize with NL22-8430639V
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Also 25th, 29th, 69th, 86th, 105th, 160th, 194th, 211th, 241st, 344th, 351st, 463rd, 563rd, 646th, 657th, 717th, and 738th...
➡️ 17 pigeons in the top 750 — this is total dominance!
🌞 “Sunshine”: Full Brother to Super 55 and Born from Golden Bloodlines
The winning pigeon NL.23-9287637 “Sunshine” descends from an absolute top pairing and is a full brother to the renowned “Super 55” — a national ace pigeon with multiple first prizes to his name. His sire, “Crack 22” from J.M. Visser, was a standout racer on the longer middle-distance races. The dam, “Mother 1st Nat Ace”, is a daughter of the legendary foundation pair from J. Nijman and has produced several champions herself. The pedigree is further enriched with blood from iconic names such as Witpen Boni, Okidonia (Peter Crans), and Adonia (Arie Dijkstra).
This isn’t just a one-time race winner — “Sunshine” is genetically designed for greatness, both in the racing loft and for future breeding success.
💎 The Champion Behind the Champions: Olympic Max
The name most closely tied to Richard’s rise is undoubtedly “Olympic Max” (NL19-1636427) — a true phenomenon on both the racing circuit and in the breeding loft. His list of achievements is simply staggering:
Major Tittles
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1st Ace Pigeon Day-Long Distance and Old Birds, Pv. de Combinatie 2021
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2nd Ace Pigeon Old and General, Samenspel ZHE 2021
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3rd FCI World Best Pigeon Long Distance 2021
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5th National Ace Pigeon Mid-Distance “De Allerbeste” 2021
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12th National Ace Pigeon Old “De Allerbeste” 2021
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15th Olympiad Pigeon Netherlands, Yearlings Category, 2020
Exceptional Flight Performances
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Quiévrain: 1st against 2,066 pigeons – fastest of the entire release of 8,100 pigeons, with a lead of 2.5 minutes.
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Vierzon: 1st against 732 pigeons – 8th National Sector 2 against 11,257 pigeons.
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Pontoise: 2nd against 294 pigeons – 20th in Afd. 5 West against 1,343 pigeons.
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Peronne: 3rd against 5,955 pigeons.
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Issoudun NPO: 3rd against 3,219 pigeons.
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Blois NPO: 4th against 2,296 pigeons.
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Châteauroux NPO: 6th against 1,780 pigeons and 10th against 1,460 pigeons.
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Fontenay: 49th against 5,502 pigeons.
With more than 10 top 1% results and over 25 prize wins at the highest level, “Olympic Max” has already proven himself as an elite breeder. His offspring are excelling in multiple regions.
🧬 Building the Future with Vision
In addition to “Olympic Max”, Richard’s loft features elite bloodlines built from:
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Koopman 737
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419 x granddaughter of Harry
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Jan & Chris van der Made
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Wolvers-’t Oever
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Verkerk
Other notable stars include “Super 55” (NL20-1467455) – a 1st prize winner and National Ace Pigeon in his own right.
This mix of proven genetics and razor-sharp selection makes Richard not only a top fancier but also a very talented breeder. His results show consistent class, depth, and development.
❤️ More Than Results: A True Ambassador for the Sport
What truly sets Richard van den Bos apart is his humble, positive personality. Always willing to share knowledge, offer advice, and talk pigeons, he lives and breathes the sport. His enthusiasm is infectious — and he’s an inspiration to both young and veteran fanciers.
He represents everything that makes this sport beautiful: passion, sportsmanship, hard work, and a deep love for the pigeon.
📅 What’s Next?
With upcoming middle-distance races and the first marathon race from Bordeaux on the horizon, all eyes are on Stad aan ’t Haringvliet. And one thing is certain:
👉 Richard is in top form. His team is sharp. And the future looks incredibly bright.
Until the next blog,
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
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