What a weekend, what a battle, and what an incredible release. Barcelona 2026 has been fought. The queen’s race of the year demanded the absolute limits, gave so much back, and above all showed exactly what our beautiful pigeon racing sport is all about: pure passion, unbelievable character, and enjoying every single moment with immense pleasure!
The baskets opened on Friday, July 3rd at 07:45 AM under a beautifully clear and bright sky. It turned out to be an exceptionally fair but brutal marathon where the true champions rose to the top.
The Hard Facts and Character with a Capital C
At the Pigeon Boss lofts in Delft, the suspense was building to unprecedented heights. With three elite athletes entering the arena, the stakes were high. Looking at the official national clocking sheet, we have every reason to step into the week with a massive smile:
Position 589 National: Our experienced hen Juliette (NL.21-1135850V) clocked in on Saturday at 14:59:34, covering a massive distance of 1169,627 kilometers.
Position 1470 National: Returned Girl (NL.22-8388408V) successfully hit the electronic scanning antenna on Saturday evening at 20:27:25.
Two out of our three warriors secured a spot in the national results. That is an excellent result and a rock solid foundation to build upon for a glorious future!
But the true story of this weekend?
That was written by our second nominated bird, Storm Chaser (NL.20-1436402). On Monday morning at exactly a quarter to nine, we heard a sudden sound on the trap: he was back home! And what a sight he was. Somewhere along the grueling flight line, he was grabbed by a bird of prey and literally lost half his trousers. Seeing a warrior return in that condition gives you absolute goosebumps of pride. It demonstrates yet again how much incredible character and raw power these birds possess to make it back to their home loft from Barcelona against all elements. Stormchaser, you are an absolute living legend!
Deepest Respect for Ad Fortuin and Jelle Jellema
While I view our own loft performance with a healthy dose of bravado, I also have a profound, boundless admiration for the absolute grandmasters of our sport. What was achieved in the skies this weekend is nothing short of world class.
Huge congratulations go out to Ad Fortuin from Strijen, the magnificent overall winner of the entire race! To claim the ultimate victory on such a grueling classic is a masterclass in modern pigeon racing. And well, what is left to say about Jelle Jellema? His fantastic series of arrivals on this Barcelona race once again proves absolute dominance and unshakable class.
The Pigeon Boss has immense respect for these men. It is truly unbelievable how these fanciers manage to nestle themselves at the absolute top year after year. That is not a coincidence; it is pure craftsmanship, vision, and elite sport at its finest.
Raising the Bar: Self-Reflection from the Boss
I am going to be completely honest and critical: things really should have gone a bit better. When you specialize entirely on one single race per year, the Pigeon Boss believes you should definitely finish within the top one hundred National. That was our razor sharp target, and we did not reach it this time.
“You cannot have everything in life. I have already received so much this year, and I am incredibly happy with the performances of my three pigeons.”
The fact that all three are back safely at the home base in Delft is a beautiful victory in itself. I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of this spectacular day.
The Ultimate Dream: Eyes Locked on Barcelona 2027
We are absolutely not backing down! Instead, this race fuels us with a fresh dose of courage and motivation. From this very day, our focus shifts entirely back to the horizon: the road to Barcelona 2027 has officially begun!
We will take these vital lessons, cherish the fit team we have, and continue to build up our colony with love, passion, and pleasure. Because the grand dream remains unchanged and more alive than ever: to win Barcelona once. And believe me, with that rock solid trust in our birds and ourselves… one day, we are going to pull off something special and win it!
Thank you to everyone who followed our updates and supported us through this intense suspense. The pigeon racing sport is beautiful, vibrant, and more alive than ever! Now, on to the next strategic step on our amazing journey!
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
