It is fantastic to see how pigeon racing continues to challenge both me and my feathered athletes. For my team, this past weekend centered on the race from Oudenaarde, which serves as a vital stop on the journey toward my ultimate goal. While the results are now on paper, the story behind the numbers reveals so much more about the passion and vision I have for this incredible hobby.
Everything for the King’s Race
My focus this year is undeniably on Barcelona. Every kilometer we fly and every night my birds spend in the basket is in service of that one big dream. This Sunday race was purely intended as preparation and necessary experience for my squad. In this sport, it is all about building a foundation that I can blindly trust come July.
Showing Character on the Flight Line
The weather played a crucial role during this edition of Oudenaarde. A stiff North West wind blew across the course. For my inexperienced team, this meant they faced the wind diagonally from the front, making the flight significantly tougher. The birds could not simply surf home on the wind; they had to fight for every single meter.
The release took place at 08:15. With a distance of approximately 136 kilometers to cover and the atmospheric conditions of that day, it became a grueling test that separated the wheat from the chaff. This kind of weather is exactly what makes the pigeons stronger for the long distance work later, provided they get the chance to recover properly.
A Baptism of Fire for My Summer Youngsters
The team I brought to the start yesterday consists of pigeons born after Barcelona 2025 in July. Although I have spent the entire winter driving with this group to give them rhythm, this was only the second time they encountered the large federation truck. To make it even more exciting, the race was immediately postponed by a day.
Such experiences are worth their weight in gold for these young birds. Learning to stay calm in a full basket and dealing with an extra day of waiting is an essential part of their education. I basketed 12 pigeons for this trial. Two of these brave warriors managed to secure a spot in the results:
Position 31: Bird 5.1255539, which I clocked at 10:21:50 with a speed of 1078.998 m/min.
Position 46: Bird 5.1232474, arriving at 10:23:44 with a speed of 1063.072 m/min.
As I write this at 09:00 AM on Monday, there is still one warrior on the way home. In pigeon racing, we never give up, and I fervently hope this bird finds its way back to the familiar loft in Delft today.
Recovery is My Key to Success
After such a tough Sunday, my focus shifts immediately to care and recovery. A pigeon that needs to perform must first be able to recover optimally. My attention is now fully on rest and replenishing their reserves. The team is currently getting an extra handful of Berger Pearls, and Vital Drink is on the menu for a few days to boost their vitality back to the highest level.
Next week, we already have a race scheduled that reaches 50 kilometers further than this week. It is a matter of steadily building up the training and absolutely not tearing it down. In my eyes, a well thought out recovery plan is the only real way to prepare the pigeons for the great distances ahead. With pleasure and a healthy dose of bravado, I look forward to the next step in this season.
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
