At 12.13.27, the first pigeon dropped onto the landing board in Vijlen.
Thirteen seconds later, the second arrived. Six seconds after that, number three was safely on the clock.
Piet Lindelauf had been waiting for pigeons from Lorris, but what followed was much more than a single early arrival. His young team returned in waves.
Piet entered 20 pigeons and won 11 prizes against 1,030 pigeons from 78 fanciers. That produced a prize percentage of exactly 55.00 percent.
The first three Lindelauf Pigeons arrived within only 19 seconds. Seven were clocked within 6 minutes and 13 seconds.
Once again, the loft from Vijlen showed what depth, preparation and generations of selection can produce.
A Fast 407 Kilometer Race from Lorris
The pigeons were released in Lorris on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at 07.50. They faced a journey of 407.279 kilometres to the Lindelauf loft in the hills of South Limburg.
NL26 8275792 led Piet’s team home. The pigeon was clocked at 12.13.27 after recording an average speed of 1,545.943 metres per minute.
NL26 8275797 followed at 12.13.40.
At 12.13.46, NL26 2632233 completed the opening trio.
After more than four hours in the air, only 19 seconds separated these three pigeons. That is the kind of arrival that makes a fancier’s heart beat faster.
But Piet was far from finished.
At 12.19.30, four more Lindelauf Pigeons began arriving. They were clocked within ten seconds of each other.
Seven pigeons were home before 12.20.
All Eleven Prizes Won by Piet Lindelauf
These are the complete results of the Lindelauf Pigeons from Lorris against 1,030 pigeons:
- 81st with NL26 8275792 at 1,545.943 metres per minute
- 85th with NL26 8275797 at 1,544.672 metres per minute
- 87th with NL26 2632233 at 1,544.087 metres per minute
- 144th with NL26 8275803 at 1,511.238 metres per minute
- 146th with NL26 8275765 at 1,510.958 metres per minute
- 148th with NL26 8275762 at 1,510.491 metres per minute
- 149th with NL26 8275776 at 1,510.304 metres per minute
- 199th with NL26 8275768 at 1,481.282 metres per minute
- 271st with NL26 8275764 at 1,446.387 metres per minute
- 273rd with NL26 8275806 at 1,445.960 metres per minute
- 303rd with NL26 8275804 at 1,425.962 metres per minute
The final score was 11 prizes from 20 pigeons, equal to 55.00 percent prize.
Seven of the 20 entries finished among the first 149 pigeons. That means 35.00 percent of Piet’s complete team placed inside the first 14.47 percent of the field.
All 11 prize winners finished inside the first 303 positions, placing them within the first 29.42 percent of the competition.
That is a solid team performance from beginning to end.
When the Landing Board Comes Alive
Results are numbers on paper. Every fancier knows that the experience at the loft is something completely different.
The first pigeon brings excitement. The second confirms that the team is coming. When the third follows almost immediately, instinct takes over. You watch, clock and look back towards the sky.
Then came the second group.
NL26 8275803 arrived at 12.19.30. Three seconds later, NL26 8275765 was recorded. NL26 8275762 followed at 12.19.38, while NL26 8275776 completed the group at 12.19.40.
Four pigeons in ten seconds.
That is what makes pigeon racing such a magnificent sport. Months of care, training and observation are suddenly compressed into a few unforgettable seconds.
Fast Conditions Still Demand Sharp Pigeons
Weather reports for August 29 described a changeable day, with the south enjoying relatively dry periods during the morning. The general airflow came from a southwesterly direction, while the risk of showers increased later.
The leading speeds confirm that Lorris developed into a fast race.
Fast conditions can help pigeons cover distance quickly, but they also punish hesitation. At more than 1,500 metres per minute, a small navigational mistake can cost dozens of positions.
Piet’s first three pigeons recorded speeds between 1,544.087 and 1,545.943 metres per minute. They travelled almost as one unit.
That does not happen by accident. It points to a team in form, racing with confidence and commitment.
Three Performances That Define the 2026 Season
The Lorris result fits perfectly into a season in which Lindelauf Pigeons have repeatedly dominated large fields.
Three performances deserve special attention.
Sourdun Against 3,471 Pigeons
On May 9, Piet captured 1st, 2nd and 3rd from Sourdun against 3,471 pigeons.
He won 33 prizes from 42 entries, producing a prize percentage of 78.57 percent.
At Section level, the same leading pigeons achieved 2nd, 3rd and 4th against 14,304 pigeons. Piet recorded 35 prizes from 42 entries, equal to 83.33 percent prize.
Three pigeons among the first four against more than 14,000 competitors.
That was a masterclass.
Sens Against 1,256 Pigeons
From Sens, Piet entered 41 pigeons and won 37 prizes.
That is an extraordinary prize percentage of 90.24 percent.
The result began with 1st, 2nd and 3rd against 1,256 pigeons. The next arrivals took 11th, 12th, 14th, 20th and 21st.
Only four of Piet’s 41 entries missed the prize list.
Winning a race is special. Dominating almost the entire result with one team is championship level pigeon racing.
Rethel Against 3,681 Pigeons
On April 25, NL25 1472774 won 1st from Rethel against 3,681 pigeons.
Piet collected 34 prizes from 47 entries in the combined result. That represented 72.34 percent prize.
At Section level, NL25 1472774 achieved 2nd against 14,638 pigeons. Piet won 39 prizes from the same 47 entries, producing an outstanding percentage of 82.98 percent.
Rethel was an early warning to the competition.
The Lindelauf Pigeons were ready for a serious season.
NL26 8275796 Is the Young Star of 2026
A strong loft needs more than numbers. It needs individual pigeons capable of deciding races.
For Piet Lindelauf, NL26 8275796 has developed into the outstanding young bird of the season.
The pigeon has already won:
- 1st against 1,417 pigeons
- 2nd against 1,217 pigeons
- 2nd against 2,800 pigeons
- 12th against 3,601 pigeons
One victory can be the beginning of a story. Four leading performances against fields of this size reveal genuine class.
NL26 8275796 has shown speed, consistency and the ability to recover between races. Most importantly, the pigeon continues to appear at the front.
This young bird does not need one perfect day.
It keeps delivering.
The Real Strength Sits Across the Loft
Piet’s season cannot be explained by one exceptional pigeon. The prize percentages make that impossible.
From Rethel, Sourdun and Sens to Lorris, entire groups have arrived together. That reveals the true strength of the system in Vijlen.
Piet observes, compares and selects. Pigeons must prove that they can remain healthy, recover naturally and perform when the basket asks the question.
There are no shortcuts in a loft that has remained competitive for decades.
Feeding, training and motivation all matter, but everything begins with quality. Without intelligent selection, the rest is decoration.
Piet and his late father Gerard built their family by allowing results to make the final decision.
The clock does not care about reputation.
It only records performance.
The Origins of Lindelauf Pigeons
Piet Lindelauf began racing pigeons in 1971 at the age of 14. Together with his father Gerard, he developed one of the most respected racing and breeding colonies in the Netherlands.
An important breakthrough came through pigeons descending from the old Janssen lines of Geeloger and Merckx. These pigeons helped create a family capable of performing from sprint racing to demanding longer distances.
One of the great foundation pigeons was Wonderboy.
As a yearling, Wonderboy won:
- 1st NPO Orléans against 11,500 pigeons
- 1st NPO Étampes against 5,359 pigeons
- 1st Sens against 837 pigeons
His first two children immediately won 1st and 2nd in a major car race against 4,359 pigeons.
Wonderboy was not only a brilliant racer. He passed his winning ability to the next generation.
That is where a successful pigeon becomes a foundation pigeon.
Mirakel Became a National Champion
Mirakel continued the rise of the Lindelauf family.
He became 1st National Ace Pigeon Sprint and built an exceptional racing record that included:
- 1st Laon against 21,108 pigeons
- 1st Mettet against 6,476 pigeons
- 1st Ciney against 996 pigeons
- 1st Reims against 789 pigeons
These victories confirmed that the Lindelauf family could perform against massive competition while retaining the speed required to win outright.
Mirakel became another essential link between the original Janssen foundation and the modern Lindelauf Pigeons.
Lorris Produced Magic for Gerard Koopman
Lorris, a full brother of Mirakel, became one of the most internationally significant pigeons ever bred in Vijlen.
He won 1st NPO Lorris against 5,256 pigeons with a lead of seven minutes.
After this victory, Lorris moved to the loft of Gerard Koopman. There, he became the father of the world famous Magic Man.
This remains a powerful reference for the Lindelauf bloodline.
Lorris proved himself as a racer in Vijlen and as a breeder in another elite loft. His descendants showed that Lindelauf quality could travel, adapt and continue winning under a different system.
That is genuine breeding value.
A Proven Connection to Gerard and Bas Verkerk
The influence of Lindelauf Pigeons also appeared in the colony of Gerard and Bas Verkerk.
Their famous breeding hen Magic Amore carried 25 percent Lindelauf blood. Magic Amore became the mother of Olympic Solange and Eye Catcher.
These names matter because they show how the Lindelauf family contributed to successful pigeons outside its original loft.
For fanciers studying future auction pigeons, references like these are important. A pedigree becomes much more valuable when the family has already produced outstanding results in several generations and several lofts.
The best blood does not only win at home.
It improves other lofts.
Liam Is the Modern Breeding Powerhouse
NL13 1544966 Liam stands at the heart of the modern Lindelauf breeding family.
According to the official loft history, Liam is the father or grandfather of more than 25 first prize winners.
That single statistic deserves attention.
Producing one winner is excellent. Producing winners through several children and grandchildren is the mark of an exceptional breeder.
Liam has helped connect the historic strength of Wonderboy, Mirakel and Lorris with the current generation winning for Piet.
For buyers preparing for the coming auction season, descendants of Liam will naturally attract interest. The reason is not fashion or promotion.
The reason is performance.
What Buyers Should Study During the Auction Season
An auction catalogue can make every pigeon sound special. The serious buyer must look beyond the headline.
When evaluating Lindelauf Pigeons, study:
- The exact relationship to Liam, Wonderboy, Mirakel and Lorris
- The pigeon’s own race results
- Performances by brothers and sisters
- The number of winners already bred by the parents
- Results against large fields
- Repeated performances under different conditions
The 2026 season provides fresh proof that the Lindelauf family remains competitive today.
NL25 1472774 won against 3,681 pigeons. NL26 8275796 repeatedly reached the top. Complete teams dominated Rethel, Sourdun, Sens and several young bird races.
History creates interest.
Current results create confidence.
National Champion Piet Lindelauf
Piet entered the 2026 season as the 1st Best Fancier of the Netherlands Unnominated for 2025.
He also achieved five additional national top ten classifications that season, including leading rankings in middle distance, one day long distance and young bird competition.
In the Eastern competition area, Piet became 1st Best Fancier both nominated and unnominated. He won championships across sprint, middle distance, one day long distance and young bird racing.
That versatility explains the reputation of Lindelauf Pigeons.
This is not a family developed for one distance, one wind or one short period of form. These pigeons have delivered across disciplines and generations.
Lorris Confirms the Strength of Lindelauf Pigeons
Piet did not win the Section race from Lorris. That fact should not be hidden, and it does not need to be.
The performance had its own value.
Eleven prizes from 20 pigeons.
A prize percentage of 55.00 percent.
Three pigeons within 19 seconds.
Seven pigeons within 6 minutes and 13 seconds.
After a season filled with victories, massive prize percentages and complete podium sweeps, the young team from Vijlen delivered another convincing result.
That is how reputations survive for decades. Not through one lucky race, but through relentless confirmation.
The story of Lindelauf Pigeons began generations ago. In 2026, Piet Lindelauf is still adding new winners, new references and new reasons for the international pigeon racing world to watch Vijlen.
The past is legendary.
The present is flying.
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
