Châteaudun 2025 will go down in the books! The fanciers Derksen & van de Keuken from Almelo once again proved why they are considered among the finest one-day long distance specialists in the Netherlands. In a tough mid-distance race from Châteaudun (607.5 km), with 3,586 pigeons competing from 394 fanciers, they achieved a sensational result: 1st, 2nd, 4th and 9th positions, plus 23 prizes from 39 entries, resulting in an outstanding 58.97% prize ratio.
NL22-8124532: The Queen of Châteaudun Strikes Again
The race was won by the blue hen NL22-8124532, clocked at 14:41:57 with an average speed of 1511.504 m/min. “The Champion One Day Long Distance FUT 2024”
This top hen proved herself to be a true star on the one-day long distance races in 2024. A pigeon with stamina, determination, and—above all—outstanding results!
Top results:
1st NPO Châteaudun against 3,553 pigeons
6th Bierges against 824 pigeons
7th Marche against 1,143 pigeons
19th Issoudun against 2,851 pigeons
22nd Issoudun against 3,076 pigeons
She descends from a proven golden pair:
Sire: NL20-1135459 – sire of several NPO winners
Dam: NL20-1135323 – mother 1st & 4th NPO Châteaudun and dam of day-long distance ace “532”
Head-Turning Result List
Aside from the 1st prize, they secured:
2nd – 4-8115162
4th – 4-8115147
9th – 4-8115154
and more: 17th, 26th, 28th, 50th, 64th, 67th, 120th, 141st, up to 1066th!
23 prizes from 39 birds = 58.97% prize percentage
Top-end performance combined with remarkable loft depth.
System, Care & Loft Setup: Built for Results
Anthony Derksen & Edwin van de Keuken are not only top fanciers but also brothers-in-law. Their joint passion? One-day long distance racing — their favorite discipline, where they’ve excelled for years.
Racing with about 48 pairs on total widowhood (both cocks and hens)
Morning: hens train at 6:00, cocks follow at 7:00
Evening: cocks train at 17:00, hens afterwards
Birds are darkened 12 hours per day until 4 weeks before the first one-day race
Around 30 breeding pairs are housed at Anthony’s loft
Each year, approx. 150 youngsters are bred for their own team
Toward the end of the season, more emphasis is placed on racing hens only
This disciplined and structured approach is the foundation of their ongoing success.
2024: A Season of Crowns, Trophies, and Marya
2024 was already a golden year for the duo. With victories across club, combine, and provincial levels, plus a stack of championships, it was capped off by the rise of their ace hen NL22-8124638 “Marya”:
1st FCI World Best Pigeon Netherlands – Category All Round 2024
1st from Marche vs 3,616 birds
Lineage includes Olympic Madison, Dotan, Eye Catcher, and Jaap Schut’s Koopman lines
Marya showed the world that top-class breeding and performance go hand in hand.
National & International Prestige – An Unrivaled Record
National titles:
1st National Champion One-Day Long Distance NPO/WHZB/TBOTB 2023
23rd National Champion Day Fond Unnominated NPO 2024
13th National Champion Day Fond Nominated NPO 2024
10th Best Fancier Nominated NPO 2024
13th National Ace Pigeon Allround NPO 2024
11th National Ace Pigeon One-Day Fond NPO 2022
Olympiad achievements:
2nd Dutch Olympiad Pigeon Maastricht 2023 – Cat. I Long Distance
1st Dutch Olympiad Pigeon Oradea 2020-2021 – Cat. B Middle Distance
1st Dutch Olympiad Pigeon Oradea 2020-2021 – Cat. H Old Birds
2nd Dutch Olympiad Pigeon Oradea 2020-2021 – Cat. D All Round
1st Dutch Olympiad Pigeon Oradea 2019-2020 – Cat. H Old Birds
2nd Dutch Olympiad Pigeon Oradea 2019-2020 – Cat. I Long Distance
The results speak for themselves — a loft that shines at both national and international levels.
Race Summary – Châteaudun, 9 June 2025
Liberation site: Châteaudun
Date: 9 June 2025
Release time: 08:00
Conditions: Clear skies, 15°C, light SW wind
Birds in competition: 3,586
Fanciers participating: 394
Distance: 607.5 km
Winning speed: 1511.504 m/min
Derksen & van de Keuken’s result: 23/39 prizes – 58.97%
The Pigeon Boss Says:
Derksen & van de Keuken don’t just race — they dominate. With a structured system, razor-sharp care, and a deep focus on breeding from performance, they’ve built one of the most respected racing teams in Europe. From 8124532 to Marya, from Châteaudun to Oradea — this loft is pure class, pure consistency, and pure love for the sport.
Until the next blog,
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss