What a wonderful weekend it was again at the lofts in Delft! Pigeon racing remains a magnificent tactical chess match against nature, and we have taken another beautiful step on our journey. The suspense is tangibly building now, because exactly two weeks from today, the birds will depart for my absolute ultimate goal of this year: Barcelona! Everything we do right now is entirely dedicated to that one mythical race.
Melun (395 KM): Minutes Short, but a Gold-Rimmed Experience
This week, the training race from Melun Andrezel (395 km) was on the schedule. I deliberately basketed a select group of just 4 pigeons:
Two experienced, two-year-old hens: They will face the challenge from Cahors in two weeks. Last week, they stayed comfortably at home because I had just broken up their nest positions, making these kilometers perfect for keeping them in the rhythm.
Two inexperienced, two-year-old cocks: Boys who simply still need to put in the kilometers to gain the necessary experience and hardiness for the future.
With a stiff, predominantly westerly wind, it became a lightning-fast race with speeds reaching up to 1450 meters per minute. On paper, we obviously couldn’t make it onto the official results sheet against the pure speed specialists in the club, but then again, that is not why I basket them at all. Still, I step into the week with a healthy dose of bravado and a massive smile.
We ultimately came up just a few minutes short for the prize list, but the most important result? Barely 30 minutes after the very first pigeon in the club, all 4 of our warriors were back safely at the home base! The clock never lies, and this gives a fantastic feeling of control and fitness.
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“Astro” Fliks it Just Again!
Sometimes you have those pigeons that give you absolute goosebumps of pride. Just like last week, the NL24-8362458, better known as “Astro”, arrived first at the lofts! He stormed over the trap at 12:27:00. What a cock he is becoming, and what an incredibly rock-solid trust I have in this powerhouse. Time and again, he proves that his natural drive for home is deeply anchored.
Boss Tip: Stop Scaring Them, Choose Wise Road Training!
While this quartet was blasting home from Melun, I gave the remaining 12 pigeons of the racing team a short toss yesterday from Steenbergen, my absolute favorite spot at about 43 kilometers away. Why? Very simple: to keep the internal compass sharp and to make sure the pigeons currently sitting on a nest for Barcelona keep moving.
Working with your pigeons? Use logic! Real training on their own around the loft is usually out of the question for nest birds. However, I am an absolute, fierce opponent of chasing pigeons away from the lofts with flags or balloons just to force them to fly. In my eyes, that is pure madness. You want your pigeons to see their loft as the safest, most pleasant, and trusted place on earth. If you intentionally scare them away from there, how can you expect them to race home like a rocket during a tough competition? Don’t chase them; instead, take them out for a short drive yourself with love and pleasure!
The Arrival List from Melun (13-06-2026)
The data from the official clocking sheet shows just how tightly and smoothly the pigeons looked for their home loft:
Ring Number | Arrival Time | Status |
NL 2024 8362458 (“Astro”) | 12:27:00 | OK |
NL 2024 8362452V | 12:41:58 | OK |
NL 2024 8362457V | 12:53:56 | OK |
NL 2024 8362499 | 13:03:24 | OK |
Our noses are pointed straight in the right direction now. Their health is perfect, motivation is high, and recovery is optimal. We continue our path with tremendous passion and pleasure towards the big moments in July. Barcelona, we are on our way!
Enjoy your pigeons this week, and until the next update!
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
