Race facts
On August 17th, 2025, in Region 2, exactly 376 pigeons were released from Marche at 10:30 AM. Covering a distance of 353 km to Ternaard, the challenge was set. At 15:27:05, the first pigeon from Hoekstra / Mendes da Costa stormed onto the loft with a speed of 1188.449 m/min – securing a convincing win.
The race turned out to be fair and selective: lofts from both the coastal area and the inland managed to get their pigeons at the front. Eventually, the top 3 was formed by Hoekstra/Mendes da Costa (Ternaard), Tj. Kooistra (Veenwoudsterwal), and W. Wagteveld (Tjalleberd).
Hoekstra/Mendes da Costa: vision and power
What makes this victory stand out is not just the winning pigeon, but the whole performance.
18 sent, 11 prizes → 61.1% prize ratio
Eight times in the top 50 – positions 1, 11, 14, 16, 28, 39, 41 and 45
A consistent stream of arrivals all above 1000 m/min
This is no coincidence – it’s the result of a loft that has been rebuilt with vision and passion.
The Winner, NL 25-4261527 V – The Golden Blend of Olympic Marijke × Best Kittel × Olympic Shakira
This NL 25-4261527 V, bred by F. Hoekstra, is no ordinary blue hen – she carries the scent of victory in every feather. She is the heir to some of the most powerful bloodlines in modern pigeon racing.
Father: NL 23-9195633 – “Br Olympic Marijke” (G & H Calis)
Full brother to the legendary Olympic Marijke, 2nd Olympic pigeon Speed and 1st National Ace PIPA Ranking. From this line also comes the famous hen “Iris” (NL 12-1431899), a super racer and breeder, winner of 1st Chateauroux 3587 pigeons, and the foundation of countless champions. This is pure Olympiad bloodline excellence.
Mother: B 22-4040901 – “First Bl Best Kittel” (PIPA Breeding Loft)
Direct from the golden pair “Blue Best Kittel” (B 18-1045025) × “Olympic Shakira” (B 20-4186684). Blue Best Kittel was 1st National Ace KBDB 2021 and 4th National Ace KBDB 2019. Olympic Shakira became 1st Olympic bird Cat. A Sprint and has already produced a dynasty of top-performing descendants. Together, this pair has stamped their mark with head-turning results from Duffel, Marche, Pont, Boxtmeer, and beyond.
And the best part: this young hen doesn’t just shine on paper. She has already proven herself in the basket, with a 1st Marche against 1217 pigeons and a 3rd Tongeren against 1792 pigeons – showing that her genetic gold translates directly into performance.
In summary: NL 25-4261527 V is a genetic masterpiece – an explosive mix of Olympic Marijke (NL 23-9195633) × Best Kittel & Olympic Shakira (B 22-4040901). She represents the future of pigeon racing: bred for victories, destined for history.
The restart in 2019: building a new dynasty
After a restart in 2019, Foeke Hoekstra invested heavily to build a solid foundation. But not with Heremans pigeons, as some might think – instead, the core comes from the bloodlines of Maurice Hasendonckx.
The base pair: produced the well-known 603, but it was his brother 883, better known as “Blue Dream”, who proved to be in a league of his own.
Blue Dream’s line shines: he is the father of the exceptional 704 – crowned 1st Olympic Pigeon 2024 and 1st World Best Pigeon Speed.
The 704 won among others: 1st vs 1,510 pigeons, 1st vs 3,715 pigeons, and 2nd vs 2,630 pigeons.
Her nestmate also took a 1st against 4,000+ pigeons, although that cock unfortunately escaped while on loan.
Another full brother, the 744, won 4× 1st prizes after being transferred to another fancier.
A daughter of Blue Dream is currently pole position for the Olympiad, underlining the depth of this line.
New blood additions: While the Schaerlaeckens pigeons have nearly disappeared from the loft, the spotlight now falls on a trio of brothers and a sister from Blue Best Kittel x Olympic Shakira. These birds are already making their mark and are expected to play a leading role in the future.
This is a loft built on quality, results, and forward thinking – and it is now paying off in style.
The Top 10 of Marche F33
Hoekstra / Mendes da Costa – Ternaard – 1188.449 m/min
Tj. Kooistra – Veenwoudsterwal – 1141.547 m/min
W. Wagteveld – Tjalleberd – 1125.423 m/min
J. Spruijt – Heerenveen – 1120.061 m/min
Comb. Tjitte & Lesley – Tietjerk – 1118.644 m/min
A. & C. Bijlstra – Garyp – 1110.010 m/min
W. Wagteveld – Tjalleberd – 1108.620 m/min
J. Spruijt – Heerenveen – 1107.696 m/min
J. Spruijt – Heerenveen – 1107.429 m/min
R. Visser – Holwerd – 1102.468 m/min
Master Loft ranking & analysis
In the Master Loft competition, the combination only had to bow to one loft: A. & C. Bijlstra from Garyp. With 7/6 prizes and 475 points, they took the crown. But with 421 points and 2nd place, Hoekstra/Mendes da Costa showed that they not only had the winning pigeon, but also outstanding depth across the team.
The Pigeon Boss verdict:
This is a loft that plays the game the right way. Smart investments, world-class bloodlines, sharp breeding, hard racing. The victory in Marche F33 is not luck – it is the logical reward for vision, dedication, and expertise. These are the results that give the sport goosebumps.