If you think of passion, pure ambition, and pigeons flying faster than the speed of sound, Vogelwaarde immediately comes to mind. There, Werner and Gerben de Boeij run a colony that regularly takes the competition’s breath away. Last weekend, it was that time again. On the beautiful classic from Toury, these pigeon fanciers showed exactly why they are the absolute tastemakers of modern pigeon racing! With unprecedented dominance, the competition was swept aside. This is the story of a dream flight, a golden patriarch, and two men with a true winner’s mentality.
The Demonstration of Power From Toury
On Saturday morning, July 11, 2026, at exactly 07:00 AM, the baskets were opened in Toury. Ahead of the pigeons lay a journey of over 378 kilometers, flying right into the wind. The conditions were tough but beautiful: a cloudless sky, a temperature of 24 degrees, and a fairly moderate northeasterly wind. This was no day for lucky seekers; this was a day for iron-strong powerhouses.
Werner and Gerben had sent 18 steel-strong athletes into battle, and what happened next borders on the unbelievable:
1, 46, 58, 86, 100, 238, 290, 356, 462, 577, 643, 662, 1097, 1507 against 5,563 pigeons, which amounts to an astonishing prize percentage of 77.8%.
The absolute starring role was reserved for 4-2408427V. This super hen stormed to absolute victory in the section with a speed of 1106.96 m/m. While the competition was still waiting, the winner already hit the landing board in Vogelwaarde at 12:42 PM. A masterful performance that once again underlines the class of this colony.
Dominate the Races with the Ultimate System
The Recipe for Success: The Emilius Dynasty
The success of Combinatie de Boeij & Zoon Pigeons does not just fall from the sky. Behind these performances lies an iron-clad breeding loft and a razor-sharp system. A few years ago, Werner and Gerben resolutely changed course. They invested heavily in the absolute top tier, acquiring birds from Peter van der Merwe, the Scheele Brothers, and Comb. Tj. & J. Elzinga.
The absolute centerpiece of this success story is the stock breeder “Emilius”. This cock was crowned 1st Provincial Ace Pigeon One-Day Long Distance and 1st Golden Crack at the Fondclub Zuid-Nederland in 2021. He was bred from a cock of the Scheele Brothers paired with a hen of Peter van der Merwe. His genes are worth their weight in gold. A direct daughter, the legendary “Marie Louise”, won 1st National Sector Orleans against no less than 6,556 pigeons in 2022, clocking the highest speed of the entire release field. The urge to win is simply anchored in the family!
A Historic Gallery of Honor From Recent Years
To prove that the sights in Vogelwaarde are always set sharply on the target, one only has to look at the fabulous results from the recent top-tier 2025 season:
NPO Melun (313 km): 1st, 10th, etc. against 4,224 pigeons
Niergnies (141 km): 1st, 32nd, etc. against 2,314 pigeons
National Issoudun (506 km): 3rd, 13th, etc. against no less than 22,675 pigeons
NPO Toury (378 km): 3rd, 16th, 34th, etc. against 6,217 pigeons
Provincial Morlincourt (207 km): 4th, etc. against 4,079 pigeons
NPO Vivonne (611 km): 5th, 11th, 93rd, 94th, etc. against 1,681 pigeons
NPO Issoudun (506 km): 9th, 79th, etc. against 1,593 pigeons
The System of the Champions
Werner and Gerben leave absolutely nothing to chance to repeat these top performances week after week:
Total widowhood: They race with about 20 couples of old and yearling racers on total widowhood. They are paired at the end of December and raise a round of youngsters.
Tight daily schedule: Since both men work hard during the day (Gerben in road construction and Werner in shifts as a forklift driver), mother Christianne helps with the morning care. A true family business where teamwork leads to national glory days!
Darkening and lighting: The youngsters are darkened from weaning until the longest day of the year from 6:00 PM to 8:00 AM, after which they receive extra light until the end of the season.
Optimal guidance: Medical guidance is in the trusted hands of veterinarian Domien van Acker, where the pigeons undergo monthly checks. Feeding consists of high-quality Beyers mixtures, enriched with a sports mixture once the flights exceed 200 kilometers.
The Future Is Golden
With this fabulous result on a challenging Toury, Werner and Gerben prove that they definitively belong to the absolute elite of Dutch pigeon racing. Their Combinatie de Boeij & Zoon Pigeons have become synonymous with pure top quality and explosive speed. This is pigeon racing at its very best: passion, family teamwork, and winning at the highest level!
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
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