Last Saturday was another glorious day for pigeon racing enthusiasts. The birds were released from Quievrain, covering a distance of 180 kilometers under ideal weather conditions: clear blue skies, a gentle southeast wind, and just a few friendly clouds scattered across the horizon.
It was one of those days that reminds us why we love this sport – fair, honest racing weather where only the best pigeons shine. And shine they did!
A Week Full of Chasing The Hens…
Despite the perfect conditions, I wasn’t overly confident heading into this race. As I mentioned in my Loft Insider pre-race column last Friday, my birds were acting a bit too “romantic.” The cocks were chasing the hens all week as they were getting ready to lay eggs – something we call “driving” in pigeon racing terms.
And let me tell you: a whole week of driving and chasing your hen around the loft simply burns too much energy. Energy they should be saving for the race!
The One Pair Barcelona Challenge Takes Flight!
That’s why I was especially curious to see how my young talents from the One Pair Barcelona Challenge would perform. I entered four of the six promising birds from the project:
- ORION (NL.24-8362452)
- STELLAR (NL.24-8362453)
- ECLIPS (NL.24-8362455)
- COMET (NL.24-8362456)
The two hens, GALAXY and CELESTE, stayed home to focus on their upcoming eggs – a calculated decision, as maintaining calm and rhythm is crucial at this stage of development.
Stellar Impresses – 13th Prize Against 180 Marathon Racers!
And who stole the show? None other than Stellar, a promising young cock who did exactly what his name suggests – shining like an eclipse! He clocked in at 10:24:44, earning a fantastic 13th prize against 180 marathon pigeons.
That’s not luck – that’s heart, talent, and class. A great sign of things to come from this new generation aiming for greatness at Barcelona.
The Veterans Keep It Fun and Balanced
Alongside the Challenge youngsters, I sent seven older pigeons – solid, experienced birds who add fun and balance to the loft while the young stars prepare for their long-term goal: Barcelona 2025.
In total, 6 out of 11 pigeons won prizes, a strong result on a race where sharpness made all the difference.
Ton Combrink Dominates the Podium
Full credit must go to Ton Combrink, who completely owned the marathon category in our club Het Westen, taking 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, with 6 of his 8 birds in the results. Ton, hats off – performances like this keep the rest of us sharp and motivated!
All Birds Home – Loft Closed at 11:48
The best feeling of the day? Closing the loft at 11:48, knowing all 11 pigeons had returned home safely. At that time, many respected marathon fanciers were still waiting for their birds. That tells me our team held up well under pressure.
Stellar Leads the Way – And This Is Just the Beginning!
With Stellar delivering such a strong performance, I’m more than satisfied. Of course, Combrink may be dominating the leaderboard for now, but the season has just begun. I can already feel the momentum building in my One Pair Barcelona Challenge team.
This was a promising weekend, and it’s clear: I am just getting started
See you next week, pigeon friends – keep dreaming, keep racing, and keep believing in Barcelona!
With sportive greetings,
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
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