Fourteen young pigeons, an impressive collection of marathon genetics and one passionate Dutch breeder who has spent more than half a century pursuing excellence.Â
Mat Janssen from Gennep is presenting a premium selection on Columbofil.net, giving ambitious fanciers another opportunity to introduce proven racing families into their own breeding lofts.
There are breeders who collect famous names, and there are breeders who study what those names have actually produced. Mat Janssen belongs firmly in the second category. His approach to breeding has always been about much more than an attractive pedigree. He wants pigeons that carry the qualities needed to perform when the kilometres increase, the conditions become demanding and only the strongest competitors remain in contention.
Through his Flying Home Pigeons breeding programme, Mat has assembled an impressive collection of bloodlines from some of the Netherlands’ most respected marathon specialists. The current premium auction on Columbofil brings fourteen youngsters from his 2026 breeding season within reach of fanciers across Europe and beyond.
For anyone serious about strengthening a marathon breeding programme, this collection deserves attention.
A Breeding Philosophy Built on Proven Performances
Anyone familiar with Mat Janssen knows that he has a particular passion for exceptional breeding pigeons. His experience stretches back more than fifty years, and throughout that time he has developed an appreciation for the families capable of delivering results over generations.
His breeding foundation includes genetics from Verweij de Haan, PWA van der Meulen, Arjan Beens and other respected Dutch lofts. Names such as Milos, Red Rose, Mister Gijs, Crack 61 and Superkweker 823 feature among the bloodlines associated with his wider breeding programme.
These pigeons are connected to some remarkable chapters in modern marathon racing. They represent families developed through demanding competitions such as Barcelona, Perpignan, Bergerac and Dax, where endurance, navigation, recovery and determination are tested at the highest level.
What makes Mat’s approach interesting is the way he brings different families together. Rather than simply relying on the reputation of one famous pigeon, he studies breeding combinations and searches for the qualities that might complement one another. His objective is to produce youngsters with the potential to contribute to serious long distance racing programmes, whether through their own performances or their eventual value as breeders.
Of course, a famous pedigree never guarantees a champion. Every youngster must still prove its worth. But beginning with families that have repeatedly produced exceptional competitors is a breeding strategy with a clear foundation.
The Blood of Crack 61 Deserves Special Attention
One particularly interesting youngster in the Columbofil selection is the 2026 cock NL-26-8515498, presented under the name INBRED CRACK 61.
This youngster carries closely concentrated genetics from the remarkable Crack 61 family of PWA van der Meulen. Crack 61 himself achieved 44th National Dax and became an important breeder whose descendants contributed to outstanding national marathon victories.
His family produced the winner of 1st National Bergerac in 2019 and helped establish the breeding foundations behind the 1st National Barcelona victory against 4,842 pigeons in 2022. The family also features in the bloodlines connected to the 2023 National Barcelona winner.
These are meaningful racing references. Success on Barcelona and Bergerac is never handed out easily, and producing descendants capable of winning at this level gives a breeding family genuine credibility.
For a fancier looking to introduce or consolidate these marathon genetics, a youngster with close connections to Crack 61 offers an interesting pedigree to study. The final judgement, naturally, must come from examining the complete pedigree, the individual pigeon and the breeding objectives of the buyer.
That is precisely how serious breeding decisions should be made.
From Gennep to the International Racing Community
The presence of Mat Janssen’s pigeons on Columbofil also demonstrates how international the modern racing pigeon community has become.
A Dutch breeder can develop a family over decades, a Romanian fancier can introduce those genetics into a local colony, and the resulting descendants may eventually be tested in an entirely different racing environment.
The Columbofil auction presentation highlights an interesting Romanian marathon reference from 2026 involving a pigeon described as carrying 50 percent Gebr. Janssen genetics acquired through the platform. According to the auction description, this pigeon achieved 1st Oltenia Young Bird Marathon and 3rd National Romania Young Bird Marathon, with leading positions from Pyrgos over 731 kilometres and Athens over 713 kilometres.
Although this is a reference presented by the auction organiser rather than a result achieved by one of the fourteen youngsters currently offered, it illustrates the international interest in these breeding lines.
That international exchange is one of the most exciting developments in our sport. Successful breeding programmes do not have to remain confined to one region or country. When dedicated fanciers exchange good pigeons, knowledge and experience, the entire racing pigeon community benefits.
And that is something The Pigeon Boss will always encourage.
Fourteen Youngsters, One Serious Opportunity
The current auction is presented on Columbofil under the name Gebr. Janssen, Olanda, with Mat Janssen identified on the individual listings as the breeder and seller.
According to the organiser, all fourteen youngsters are accompanied by DNA documentation relating to their breeding origins. Their sex has also been professionally determined by Gendica, with the auction advertising guaranteed sex determination.
These details are particularly useful for breeders purchasing internationally. Understanding the pedigree and knowing whether a youngster is a cock or hen makes it easier to plan future pairings with confidence.
The pigeons remain at Mat’s loft in the Netherlands during the auction. Buyers can arrange collection or transport in consultation with the seller, with transport costs remaining the responsibility of the purchaser. Columbofil also specifies payment by bank transfer within five days of the auction closing.
Every serious buyer should take time to examine the individual pigeons, compare pedigrees and read the full auction conditions before placing a bid.
Meet the 14 Youngsters in the Mat Janssen Premium Auction
Fourteen youngsters, each carrying a piece of Mat Janssen’s carefully assembled breeding programme. The selection brings together the renowned Mr Gijs and Crack 61 marathon families, the legendary Milos bloodline and competitive One Loft Race genetics from Team De Hoogh, Bakhuis and Canela.
For breeders searching for a particular family or looking to introduce fresh genetics into their loft, the catalogue offers several interesting directions.
Lot | Ring number | Name and breeding highlights |
|---|---|---|
1 | MR. GIJS X DE HOOGH. Brother or half brother to pigeons achieving 11th Extra Final Yupi over 900 km against 952 pigeons and 12th Ace Grand Fondo Yupi. | |
2 | INBRED MR. GIJS. Granddaughter of Mr Gijs, whose descendants include a 1st National Barcelona Belgium winner against 6,310 pigeons. | |
3 | INBRED CRACK 61. Grandson and great grandson of Crack 61, with family connections to 1st National Bergerac 2019 and 1st National Barcelona 2022. | |
4 | DOUBLE MILOS. Double grandson of the legendary Milos. Half brother to pigeons with 21st National Marseille 2019 and 60th National Marseille 2018 performances. | |
5 | DE HOOGH X BAKHUIS. Brother to pigeons achieving 38th Final Yupi Spain over 500 km and 61st Extra Final Yupi over 700 km in 2026. | |
6 | BAKHUIS X DE HOOGH. Brother to a 5th Hotspot Yupi Spain winner against 2,446 pigeons. His father is a brother of Robin, 1st National Ace Marathon NPO. | |
7 | INBRED MR. GIJS. Granddaughter of Mr Gijs, from a family associated with the Belgian National Barcelona victory against 6,310 pigeons. | |
8 | INBRED MR. GIJS. Another granddaughter of Mr Gijs, carrying genetics associated with National Barcelona and National Ace Marathon achievements. | |
9 | NEW CANELA. Brother to a 2nd Final Yupi Spain over 500 km in 2024, with family connections to the Derby Arona 2022 Ace Grand Average runner up. | |
10 | DTR. CANELA. Direct daughter of Canela, 2nd Ace Grand Average Derby Arona 2022 and 7th in the Derby Arona Final. | |
11 | 100% TEAM DE HOOGH. Half sister to an 11th Ace Grand Fondo Yupi over the combined 700 km and 900 km competitions. | |
12 | 100% TEAM DE HOOGH. Granddaughter of Simon, 9th National Ace Sprint 2021/2022, with a 2nd Provincial Niergnies against 17,929 pigeons. | |
13 | INBRED 823. Concentrated Super Kweker 823 breeding, a family associated with National Barcelona victories in 2018, 2022 and 2023, and National Bergerac 2019. | |
14 | INBRED MR. GIJS. Grandson of Mr Gijs, carrying genetics from the family behind a 1st National Barcelona Belgium victory and National Ace Marathon honours. |
What makes this selection particularly interesting is the balance between established marathon breeding families and pigeons related to successful One Loft Race competitors. The Mr Gijs, Milos, Crack 61 and Super Kweker 823 descendants will naturally appeal to marathon specialists, while the De Hoogh, Bakhuis and Canela combinations provide another dimension for breeders interested in demanding international One Loft Race competitions.
Some fanciers may be attracted by the concentrated blood of Mr Gijs, while others will immediately recognise the potential breeding interest of a youngster closely related to Crack 61. And then there are the One Loft Race families, where competitive results over 500, 700 and even 900 kilometres offer additional pedigree references worth investigating.
That variety is one of the strongest attractions of this collection. Every breeder has different ambitions, and the right pigeon is not necessarily the one with the most famous name. It is the one that fits the breeding programme and brings the qualities the fancier is looking for.
Auction closing date: Tuesday, 27 October 2026 at 20:00 local auction time.
View the complete auction and individual pedigrees:
Mat Janssen Premium Auction on Columbofil.net
Why Mat Janssen Deserves the Pigeon Boss Spotlight
We have featured Mat Janssen on Pigeon Boss before, and there is a good reason for that.
His passion for the sport extends beyond collecting exceptional pigeons. He is part of a generation of dedicated fanciers who understand that building a successful breeding colony takes patience, knowledge, continuous selection and the courage to invest in quality.
Just as importantly, his breeding programme creates opportunities for other fanciers. The real satisfaction of good breeding comes when descendants perform, new partnerships develop and someone else experiences the excitement of an outstanding racing result.
That is the spirit we want to see throughout the pigeon racing community.
Mat Janssen has already invested decades of experience into building his colony. Now fourteen youngsters provide an opportunity for other breeders to explore the genetics behind that work.
Whether your ambitions lie in Barcelona, the international marathon classics or the increasingly competitive One Loft Race circuit, this is a collection worth examining carefully.
The pedigrees are there to study. The opportunity is on Columbofil. And the next chapter for these youngsters will be written by the fanciers who believe in their potential.
Take a look, study the bloodlines and discover whether one of Mat Janssen’s youngsters could become an important part of your breeding future.
The Pigeon Boss Approved!
