Walk into Hotel Nobis in Asten on Golden Ten weekend and you feel it immediately. Not noise. Not circus. Focus. Respect. Pressure. The 13th edition confirmed what insiders already knew: this is no longer “just” an auction. This is where the international pigeon sport measures itself.
By the time the last hammer fell, the total had climbed to an impressive €2,648,880. That amount is not a stunt. It is a statement. Serious fanciers, serious buyers, serious pigeons.
Built on trust, driven by people
At the heart of this success is a team that knows exactly what it is doing.
Under the leadership of Rik Hermans, the Golden Ten has grown into a benchmark event for the global market. Year after year, he and his team manage to present a collection that is both exclusive and credible. Not only big names on a poster, but depth in quality, proven lines, and families that have already done the talking in the race results. Everything around it breathes professionalism: clear pedigrees, correct presentation, efficient planning, and a setting where both vendors and buyers feel respected.
And then there is Dirk Leekens.
A top catalog needs a top caller. Dirk brings exactly that. Calm where it should be calm, sharp where it needs to move. He knows the pedigrees, he knows the reputations, he reads the buyers, and he pushes the bids without ever losing class. No theatre for the sake of theatre, but controlled intensity. Thanks to that combination of structure and personality, every pigeon gets the platform it deserves. It is one of the reasons why the Golden Ten is trusted by the very best lofts in Europe and the most demanding buyers from around the world.
The big guns – pigeons over €35,000
The top of the price list speaks its own language. These are not “lucky lots,” they are the logical result of performance, genetics, and trust built over many years.
Pigeons sold for more than €35,000 each
Lot 141 – Jan Hooymans – €168,000
Lot 29 – Team Van de Pasch – €156,000
Lot 25 – Jan Hooymans – €92,400
Lot 133 – Erik Limbourg – €73,200
Lot 125 – Rik Hermans – €72,000
Lot 1 – Deridder-Van den Brande – €66,000
Lot 166 – Deridder-Van den Brande – €52,800
Lot 140 – Team Van de Pasch – €49,200
Lot 33 – Erik Limbourg – €48,000
Lot 81 – Bart & Nance Van Oeckel – €48,000
Lot 58 – Gerard & Bas Verkerk – €45,600
Lot 109 – Gerard & Bas Verkerk – €44,400
Lot 41 – Rik Hermans – €43,200
Lot 57 – Gerard & Bas Verkerk – €43,200
Lot 80 – Comb. Lin – €43,200
Lot 4 – Deridder-Van den Brande – €40,800
Lot 49 – Fam. Eijerkamp – €40,800
Lot 77 – Comb. Lin – €40,800
Lot 9 – Kaier Europe – €37,200
Lot 5 – Dolf & Ruud Bakker – €36,000
Lot 59 – Gerard & Bas Verkerk – €36,000
Lot 110 – Gerard & Bas Verkerk – €36,000
Lot 153 – Jo & Florian Hendriks – €36,000
These 23 pigeons alone already represent a massive share of the total turnover. That is not fantasy money. That is the market confirming: when the very best is on offer, backed by transparent information and strong reputations, buyers are prepared to invest on a true elite level.
Averages that tell the real story
If you really want to know how strong an auction is, look at the averages. One star lot can be an exception. Consistent prices are proof.
Averages per participant (8 pigeons per loft)
Dolf & Ruud Bakker – €13,950
Sabrina Brugmans – €15,900
Cor de Heijde – €2,670
Buck & Martijn de Kruijf – €3,345
Deridder-Van den Brande – €34,050
De Smeyter-Restiaen – €4,095
Fam. Eijerkamp – €9,060
Jo & Florian Hendriks – €10,395
Rik Hermans – €28,500
Jan Hooymans – €38,265
Eddy Janssens – €3,975
Kaier Europe – €17,700
Erik Limbourg – €22,095
Comb. Lin – €21,150
Jan Polder – €2,685
Freddy & Jacques Vandenheede – €4,770
Team Van de Pasch – €40,125
Foppe van der Meer – €4,650
Bart & Nance Van Oeckel – €12,225
Hok Jos Vercammen – €9,405
Gerard & Bas Verkerk – €32,100
These numbers show broad strength. Multiple lofts with serious averages, multiple countries represented, and a buying public that clearly distinguishes between story and substance.
What Golden Ten means for the sport
Let’s keep it simple.
Not every pigeon is worth tens of thousands of euros. Not every loft belongs in this line-up. Not every auction is Golden Ten. But this event proves three crucial points for the future of our sport:
• real results and real quality are still rewarded
• professional organization and clear communication make all the difference
• the international top sees pigeon sport as elite competition, not a nostalgic hobby
The Golden Ten 2025 shows how modern pigeon sport should look when done right: proud, honest, ambitious, and respectful towards everyone who dares to put their best pigeons in the ring.
Respect to the vendors who offered true class.
Respect to the buyers who invested with knowledge, not impulse.
And full respect to Rik Hermans, his entire team, and master caller Dirk Leekens for delivering an event that lifts the standard for everyone.
This is how you build confidence. This is how you keep value. This is how you show the world what racing pigeons are really worth.
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss