1st NATIONAL Issoudun vs 5,737 pigeons — and a legacy carved in steel!
Saturday, July 19th, 2025 – The moment the clock struck 14:01:46 in Hardinxveld, a rocket hit the antennas of S. & P. van Helden. Their cock NL24-8422151 didn't just win... he destroyed the field. A jaw-dropping 579.744 km at an average speed of 1479.811 m/min, securing:
✅ 1st National Sector 2 Issoudun vs 5,737 pigeons
✅ 1st Afdeling 5 Zuid-Holland vs 4,100 pigeons
This wasn't a victory. This was an exclamation mark from one of the most consistent racing lofts in the Netherlands!
🔥 A powerhouse bred for greatness
The winning cock NL24-8422151 isn’t just fast. He’s a product of elite genetics. His father is none other than SVEN JUNIOR, the No.1 Ace pigeon of ZHO in 2022 and one of the all-time greats of the loft. His mother? The phenomenal GP502, who won 3rd National Châteauroux vs 8,122 pigeons and carries the unbeatable genes of CHER AMI, SVEN, and the iconic hen Kannibalina.
His pedigree screams champion DNA, stacked with winners like:
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SVEN – the legendary foundation cock, responsible for NPO and national winners
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GOLDEN BUCK – from the family of SABINE 1, KBDB Ace!
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KANNIBALINA – a turbo breeding hen with children winning 1st Provincial & NPO
This bird is no fluke. He is the product of more than a decade of intense selection and clever pairings. He was born to lead.
🧬 The SVEN Dynasty: A Loft Built for War
The story of S. & P. van Helden is the story of a vision. A vision to build the most dominant allround racing strain in the country – from 100 to 700 km. And they’ve succeeded.
At the heart of their loft stands SVEN – a pigeon who not only won at the highest level but passed on his brilliance to sons, grandsons, daughters, and beyond. SVEN is responsible for:
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1st NPO Fontenay 15,396 pigeons
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1st NPO Pont St Maxence 19,399 pigeons
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1st Prov. Niergnies 12,570 pigeons
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1st National Issoudun 5,737 pigeons
…and countless other victories.
And it's not just the home team. Pigeons from their lines are winning all over Europe – with fanciers scoring national wins and ace titles from direct children of their breeders.
🏆 Racing vs the strongest: and still they rise
S. & P. van Helden don’t fly in the shadows. They compete week after week against the biggest names in Dutch pigeon racing:
Willem de Bruijn, G. & S. Verkerk, Peter van de Merwe – and they beat them.
In 2024, they finished 2nd Overall Champion Young Birds in South-Holland, behind only the giants. Their birds fly hard, fast, and consistently – always in the top layer of the results.
📊 Issoudun – Race Summary:
- Date: July 19th, 2025
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Location: Issoudun (France)
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Distance: 579.744 km
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Release Time: 07:30 CET
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Weather: Cloudy, east wind, 19°C
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Participants: 403 fanciers
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Total pigeons: 5,737 (Sector 2)
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Winner’s Speed: 1479.811 m/min
🎤 The Pigeon Boss Says…
Listen, we all know how hard it is to win in Sector 2. It’s the gladiator arena of Dutch pigeon racing. But to not only win — but do it with a direct son of SVEN JUNIOR and GP502 — that’s next level. That’s a bloodline proving itself. Again. And again.
Sim and Peter, you’ve built a loft that is feared, admired, and now officially legendary. The SVEN dynasty just added another National Victory to its résumé. BAM 💥
I’ll say it loud: NL24-8422151 might just be the best pigeon in the Netherlands right now.
Untill the next blog,
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
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