Today we shine the spotlight on a man who doesn’t just practice pigeon racing but has turned it into an absolute art form. We are talking about the true craftsman from Hoogerheide: Philip Geerdink. In international circles, he is better known by the title “Mr. Perpignan”. This is not a nickname you get for free; it is an honor earned through decades of cold-blooded dominance on one of the toughest races on the marathon calendar.
The Breeding Ground of a Legend
Philip’s story begins at the very roots, working alongside his father Jan Geerdink. This is where he mastered the tricks of the trade, particularly the widowhood system with cocks that he still uses to drive the competition to absolute despair today. Since he started independently in 1989, his focus has remained unchanged: the extreme long distance. He sought those iron-strong powerhouses capable of conquering the Pyrenees and thundering home in one straight line.
Even a cowardly theft in December 2000, which robbed him of his best cracks and all breeding cocks, could not break his spirit. Philip showed the bravado that characterizes a true champion and fought his way back to the absolute world elite at lightning speed. With help from icons like Jac van der Wegen, who gifted him the legendary Jonge Staaloger, he built a new empire that proved even stronger than before.
The System: Quality that Crushes the Masses
At Philip Geerdink Pigeons, everything revolves around the law of small numbers delivering an immense impact. He does not believe in sending massive clouds of pigeons in the hope that one flies lucky. Instead, Philip baskets with surgical precision.
The power of observation is absolute. Philip reads his pigeons in detail, condition, balance, and motivation, and baskets only when everything aligns. Widowhood is applied to perfection, not as a trick, but as a finely tuned instrument. Limited entries are the rule, not the exception. Yet the results are devastating. An average prize percentage of over fifty percent is normal practice here. In 2022, Philip even achieved a one hundred percent prize score on Perpignan against the very best in Europe.
GERSO: The European Standard Bearer of the Loft
Any honest analysis of Philip Geerdink’s modern dominance is incomplete without GERSO (NL.19-1757901), the undisputed top performer of the loft in recent years.
GERSO is not a one-hit wonder. He is a multiple-year European marathon machine, excelling year after year at the highest possible level. After returning injured from his very first overnight race in 2021, having narrowly escaped a bird of prey, he developed into a pigeon of exceptional resilience and reliability.
His résumé speaks the language of the extreme long distance elite:
• Top 10% internationally: 10 prizes from 11 international entries
• Strong performances on Perpignan, Pau, Dax, Tarbes, St. Vincent and Libourne
• Two top classifications in the PIPA multi-year rankings 2024 and 2025
• A decisive contributor to Philip Geerdink’s growing tally of National Ace Pigeon titles, now standing at seven instead of five
GERSO embodies everything this loft stands for: durability, orientation, mental toughness and the ability to repeat under the heaviest pressure year after year. He is not just a top pigeon; he is a benchmark.
The Golden Bloodlines of Hoogerheide
What makes these Philip Geerdink pigeons so special is the perfect blend of indestructible old strains and modern proven gold.
Zwarte Dax stands at the foundation, a legend with 3rd National Dax and 10th National Perpignan, anchoring countless national ace pigeons. Tommy brought modern supremacy with his 4-year Agen ZLU classification victory. Pepan delivered international firepower on Perpignan. Blueboy became a double National Ace Pigeon ZLU on Narbonne. In 2013, Jonge Teun from Jelle Jellema reinforced the breeding loft instantly with top NPO and National results.
GERSO fits seamlessly into this lineage, not as an exception, but as proof that the system still produces European-level champions.
The Worldwide Impact: Gold on Other Lofts
The true strength of a colony is measured by the success of others with its bloodlines. Philip Geerdink pigeons dominate far beyond Hoogerheide.
From Pieter Woord’s International victories on Perpignan and Pau, to national wins for Schoonen & Zn, international glory for Vangronsvelt on Barcelona, Bergerac dominance in Germany, and marathon ace performances for Jos Pepping, the Geerdink stamp is unmistakable.
The Coronation: Fondkampioen Z.L.U.
The circle closed perfectly when Philip Geerdink was crowned Fondkampioen Z.L.U. 2023. A title earned through consistency, not coincidence. Add a second place in the Europe Cup and the next generation stepping up, with son Rogier becoming 1st National Champion Marathon for youth in 2022, and the future is locked in.
Philip Geerdink Pigeons stand for passion, persistence and pure joy in the sport. With icons like GERSO leading the charge, this is not just history. This is continuing dominance.
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
Question? Contact Philip, he will be happy to help...
E-mail: phgeerdink@gmail.com
