In the world of pigeon racing people often talk about peaking. Everyone can get lucky once. Everyone can have that one Sunday where the wind is right and the pigeons fall exactly right. But what happened in Sittard on August 3rd 2025 had nothing to do with luck. It was a demonstration of pure power.
While a large part of the pigeon racing community in the Netherlands was already thinking about the molting period or winter breeding John Ronken struck mercilessly. On the national race from Orléans he left 997 participants and no less than 9673 pigeons behind. This is the story of a 61 year old enthusiast who knows exactly what he is doing.
The Art of Endurance
Most fanciers know the dilemma in August. The old pigeons are tired the feathers are starting to fall and focus shifts to the young guard. It is an unwritten law that you must be careful with your old racing team in the autumn.
John Ronken disregards those unwritten laws completely.
His strategy is as bold as it is brilliant. He just keeps racing his old pigeons on the natour. Where others stop John shifts into a higher gear. This is possible because of a crucial choice in his system. John does not keep lofts full of late young pigeons. Because of this he has no double agenda or divided attention. All his energy all his time and all his powers of observation go to that one racing team. He knows every feather every look in the eye and every change in behavior of his athletes. The result is that his pigeons fly in August with the same freshness as in May.
The Phenomenon ‘202’: A Class Apart
Every great victory needs a main character. In this heroic story that is the hen with ring number 23/9499202. If we look closely at her performance we truly see what kind of quality sits in the lofts in Sittard.
Winning the 1st National against almost ten thousand pigeons is already a performance of world format. But what makes this hen truly special is her consistency. She flew in the prizes no less than 14 times this season. That is no longer a lucky shot. That is top sport at the very highest level.
Her pedigree reads like a classic success story. John consciously chose a mix of local talent and national class. The basis is formed by pigeons from Peter Schmitz and Nijsten Willums. These regional bloodlines are known for their hardness. John crossed this with the national top pigeons of Kuipers. The result is a pigeon that has the speed to win and the toughness to keep going the entire season.
Total Widowhood as a Weapon
John plays his game via the system of total widowhood. Both cocks and hens go into the basket. No one stays home to wait for the partner. This system requires steel nerves from the fancier. You have no safety net. If it goes bad it goes bad with the entire loft.
But if it goes well like with John then a racing team emerges that seems invincible. By racing both sexes he gets the maximum return from his colony. It keeps the pigeons sharp and jealous. The urge to return to the loft is enormous and you saw that reflected on that specific day from Orléans.
The Myth of the Secret Bottle
When someone flies as hard as John Ronken whispers quickly start in the clubhouses. He must be giving them something special. He surely has a secret remedy.
The reality is however sobering for those looking for miracle cures. John keeps it simple. Medication is not a standard procedure but a necessary evil that is only used if it is really needed. A cure against canker or something for the airways if the doctor advises it but it stops there.
His philosophy is clear: a pigeon must do it itself. “They just get the best there is” he says about that. The feed is of top quality and contains everything a top athlete needs. The pigeons determine themselves what they consume. Through this natural approach he automatically selects out the weak brothers. Only the strongest pigeons survive this regime and those are exactly the pigeons with which you win wars.
Conclusion: A Lesson in Mastery
The victory on Orléans and the General Championship of the Limburg Pigeon Union in 2024 prove one thing. John Ronken is not a one hit wonder. He is a fixed value at the top.
He teaches us that success is not in complicated schedules or expensive jars. Success is in the hand of the master. It lies in daring to choose your own path. While the crowd turns right and gives the pigeons rest John goes straight ahead. He trusts the quality that he has built up for years via strict selection.
John Ronken from Sittard has put pigeon racing on edge again. He commands respect through performance not through talk. And for the competition the message is clear: whoever wants to win against John will have to be at their absolute best.
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
