What a magnificent sport marathon pigeon racing is. It is the ultimate discipline where pure willpower, unconditional motivation, and an ironclad strain come together. Last weekend, the absolute classic from Pau was on the ZLU program. Although it certainly did not turn out to be an exhausting war of attrition and the overall course of the race was excellent, the birds had to deal with extreme heat and local thunderstorms. In Made, De Leeuw Pigeons once again proved what they are made of. With a healthy dose of bravado and immense pleasure, these sky athletes fought their way home through the heat and the thunderstorms.
Extremely Warm with Thunderstorms on the Flight Line, But a Great Course
The release in Pau immediately presented a significant challenge. With a blazing sun, a temperature of no less than 30 degrees Celsius, and a faint southeast wind, the 3,473 Dutch pigeons were sent into the sky at 08:45 AM. This extreme heat demanded true endurance from the birds. In addition, heavy thunderstorms developed along the flight line on their way home, causing local disruptions.
Despite these obstacles, the overall course of the race was excellent. For Rex, Pau was admittedly not a beautiful race due to all the thunder on the route, but the reality is that true cracks stand up exactly at moments like these. The hard numbers prove the craftsmanship in Made. Rex basketed a total of 6 pigeons from his loft and masterfully managed to clock no less than 3 of them in the national prizes. A fantastic prize percentage of 50 percent on a classic ZLU race underlines the incredible depth of the family known as De Leeuw Pigeons.
The Arrivals Under the Microscope: Gold Blood Never Lies
When you study the pedigrees of De Leeuw Pigeons, you instantly notice a rock-solid vision. The focus lies entirely on performance in real pigeon weather. We saw that crystal clear last weekend with the three cracks that stormed the national results sheet.
The First Arrival: The Daughter of Christiane Securing a brilliant 188th national, the hen with ring number 3-2303986V claimed the absolute top spot on the home front. She arrived the next morning at 08:58:15 AM after tackling a distance of more than 1,006 kilometers. This hen is a direct daughter of the legendary Christiane, who during her own racing career won a 5th National Perpignan and an 11th National Tarbes. Gold blood never lies, as this daughter proved she has the exact genes required to reach the top.
The Second Arrival: The Brother of the Living Legend Clocked as the second bird for the loft was the 0-2003593M, taking the 682nd national position. This is not just any racer; he is a full brother of the absolute base breeder Bertus, the pivot of the current successes. The fact that a brother of this legend still holds his own so beautifully on a hot Pau at an older age proves the massive power and vitality of this bloodline.
The Third Arrival: Fayenne Shows Her Class The third prize-winning pigeon at position 950 national was the famous top hen Fayenne, bearing ring number 2-2211964V. She is a direct daughter of Bertus and went into the basket as the first nominated bird. Fayenne has already richly proven her immense class with a breathtaking 36th National Marseille (also 1st NPO) and an 87th National Agen. Once again, she showed that she is an incredibly reliable and rock-solid asset to the loft.
Pigeon Racing is Enjoying with Pure Passion
The beautiful thing about the story of Rex de Leeuw and his girlfriend Toos is the way they experience the sport. Yes, they compete at the very highest level in Europe. Yes, the system is strict and the selection is critical. But the foundation of everything is pure joy, camaraderie, and a giant smile.
Together with his racing buddy Jan van Gijzel, Rex forms a tight-knit team in Made. They train their birds together, basket together at the powerful shipping center in Kaatsheuvel, and share their ultimate passion for the sport across all races. This is exactly how we want to promote the magic of the sport worldwide: positive, connecting, and full of pure sportsmanship.
Rex also shares an important message that every fancier should take to heart:
The most important thing is that we enjoy our beautiful pigeon sport, because after all, it remains a wonderful hobby. Let us always present the sport positively to the outside world, especially on social media. That keeps the sport alive and attracts new people. And always treat the indispensable volunteers with the deepest respect, because they make all of this possible for us.
Looking Ahead to the Rest of 2026
The first blow has been struck, and De Leeuw Pigeons have shown that they are fully ready for the real work. Absolute peak form is tantalizingly close, and the season is still long. The competition in the national and international rankings has been warned: the lions from Made are hungry, and their appetite has only grown larger after this weekend!
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
