Race 5 at Derby As Croatia was far more than an ordinary speed contest. Across 389 kilometres, under a burning summer sun and with temperatures rising to 35 degrees Celsius, the young pigeons had to reveal their true quality.
At the front, the race produced a magnificent battle. Dirk De Keyzer won Derby As Croatia Race 5 with BE.26-4170854, completing the distance in 5 hours, 52 minutes and 2 seconds.
The winning pigeon was clocked on 30 August at 12:52:02 and recorded an average speed of 1105.0074 metres per minute. Emanuel Ćibarić followed only 3.29 seconds later.
This was championship level racing.
A Demanding Race From Slovakia
The 792 pigeons were released from Novo Mesto nad Vahom in Slovakia at 07:00 on 30 August 2026. From there, they faced a 389 kilometre journey to the Derby As Croatia loft.
Conditions were clear and sunny at liberation, with a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius. The pigeons encountered a light side wind of approximately 5 kilometres per hour and a limited headwind of around 2 kilometres per hour at the start.
Later in the day, the temperature climbed to 35 degrees Celsius. Race 5 therefore became a serious examination of orientation, condition, recovery and determination.
This contest demanded much more than raw speed. The pigeons had to hold their course, conserve energy and remain mentally sharp enough to locate and enter the loft after almost six hours on the wing.
Dirk De Keyzer Wins a Battle of Seconds
The arrival of the first two pigeons produced a genuine thriller. Dirk De Keyzer claimed victory with BE.26-4170854, but Emanuel Ćibarić was only 3.29 seconds behind with CRO.26-4043.
Zuid Oost arrived 53.24 seconds after the winner and secured third place with NL.26-8432105. Goran Gusak and T.E. Breeding Lofts Heinzinger followed shortly afterwards.
The first five prize winners were clocked within less than one minute. The first seven pigeons arrived within only 1 minute and 23.30 seconds.
A significant gap then appeared. Tim Vila Velebita reached the loft in eighth position, 6 minutes and 12.61 seconds behind the winner. That gap indicates that the first seven pigeons had established a decisive leading group during the race.
The First Ten Prize Winners of Race 5
The tenth prize winner arrived 10 minutes and 51.60 seconds after Dirk De Keyzer. The difference in average speed between the winner and tenth place was more than 33 metres per minute.
Six Countries Represented in the Top Ten
Race 5 once again highlighted the international character of Derby As Croatia. The first ten included ring numbers from Belgium, Croatia, the Netherlands, Germany, Slovenia and North Macedonia.
That means six different countries were represented inside the top ten. Belgium claimed the victory, Croatia secured two positions among the first four and the Netherlands placed two pigeons among the first seven.
The numbers tell the real story. Derby As Croatia brings international fanciers together in one competition, under the same care, from the same loft and through the same demanding race programme.
No excuses. No differences in management. Only the quality of the pigeon decides the result.
479 of 792 Pigeons Recorded at 09:00
The demanding nature of Race 5 became particularly clear through the pattern of arrivals. At 09:00 on 31 August, 479 of the 792 competing pigeons had been recorded.
That represents a return rate of 60.48%.
The winner arrived at 12:52:02 on race day. The 479th recorded pigeon was clocked the following morning at 08:56:06. While the winner achieved almost 1105 metres per minute, the average speed of this latest recorded arrival was just under 250 metres per minute.
The enormous difference between the leading pigeons and those returning the following morning demonstrates how selective this race became. Race 5 was a major test and an important indicator of quality for the rest of the season.
The Battle for €60,000 Continues
Race 5 represents a crucial step towards the main conclusion of Derby As Croatia 2026. The competition continues to build towards the final, where speed, consistency and recovery will become increasingly important.
A total prize fund of €60,000 is available across the programme. The winner of the grand final will receive €12,000. Cash prizes will also be awarded down to fiftieth position, while outstanding performances will be rewarded through the Ace Pigeon competition and the different distance categories.
The prize money adds extra prestige to the remaining contests, but the sporting value reaches far beyond the financial rewards. Every demanding kilometre provides valuable information about the quality, intelligence and character of these young pigeons.
Race 5 has reshuffled the rankings. The winner deserves the spotlight, the top ten displayed international class and every returning pigeon completed an important examination.
Derby As Croatia Is Growing as an International Arena
Derby As Croatia offers exactly what modern fanciers want: a strong international field, professional electronic timing, transparent live arrivals and a race programme designed to expose genuine quality.
Race 5 over 389 kilometres combined speed with serious selection. Dirk De Keyzer and BE.26-4170854 claimed victory with absolute class, while the battle behind them demonstrated the depth of international quality in the competition.
The road to the final remains open. The pressure is rising, the prize money is waiting and only the strongest pigeons will continue to stand tall.
This is Derby As Croatia. International pigeon racing driven by ambition, transparency and a genuine winning mentality.
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
