In the heart of the Dutch Zaan region where the wind bites hard and the people are as tough as they come one name stands out in the world of Pigeons: M. & M. Kramer. If you have been watching the Dutch one day long distance results lately you already know that Martijn and Marit Kramer are not just keeping birds but they are running a high-performance sports machine. This is a story of pure passion and ruthless selection and the absolute drive to be the best.
The Birth of an Empire
Martijn Kramer is no newcomer. He has had the sport in his blood since he was a young boy walking among the birds of his father Fred. While he learned the old school craft he had a vision that went beyond the overnight marathons of the past. He wanted speed. He wanted to dominate the 500 to 700 kilometer races. Since joining forces with his wife Marit the combination has transformed into a literal factory of champions. Marit is the secret weapon who keeps everything running like clockwork while Martijn focuses on the strategy and the genetic lines.
Genetic Gold: TGV and the Harry Revolution
You can be the best trainer in the world but without the right material you are just wasting time in modern pigeon racing. Martijn understood this better than anyone. He took the rock-solid foundation of his father and injected it with the absolute world-class genetics of the Harry line via Jan Hooymans.
The result was a bird that became a legend: TGV. This cock did not just win prizes he dominated the sky. In 2018 he was crowned 1st National Ace Pigeon One Day Long Distance WHZB/TBOTB. To finish in the top ten of an NPO race three times in a row is almost impossible but TGV made it look easy. And let us not forget Olympic Blueliner who represented the Netherlands at the Olympiad in Romania. That is the level we are talking about here: the Champions League of international Pigeons.
The powerhouse behind it all is the breeding cock Super Harry. This grandson of the world-famous Harry x Doutzen is the forefather of a new generation of winners like Red Harry and many others who leave the competition in the dust every single week.
The System: Jealousy and Natural Power
What makes Martijn Kramer Pigeons so interesting for any serious fancier is his unique approach. Forget standard widowhood. Martijn plays a high-stakes psychological game to get the most out of his birds. He uses a system where two hens are played on one stay-at-home cock. This creates a level of motivation and “fire” in the hens that the competition simply cannot match. When they hit the sky they aren’t just flying home—they are racing to reclaim what is theirs.
And while others invest in expensive ventilation systems Martijn did the opposite: he turned off the fans. He chose a natural climate and saw his birds become stronger and more vital. Health has to come from the bird itself and not from a bottle or a machine. His motto is simple: “You win nothing with ordinary pigeons.” If a bird doesn’t hit the absolute top as a yearling it doesn’t get a spot in the winter loft. Period.
A Global Reputation
The power of Martijn Kramer Pigeons does not stop at the Dutch border. Look at the success of Jelger Klinkenberg. Jelger secured a super breeding cock directly from Martijn and the results were explosive. This Kramer-bred powerhouse sired Sara, the phenomenal 1st National Ace Pigeon FCI Middle Distance 2021.
Everywhere these birds go from the local clubs to the heavy-hitting One Loft Races across the globe the Kramer genetics are appearing at the top of the sheets. Whether it is the victories of Thomas Hullegie or Ronald Veenendaal the common thread is always the same: bloodlines from Wormer.
Why this is the Greatest Sport on Earth
Watching the arrivals at Martijn and Marit is pure emotion. Pigeon racing in Wormer is still a craft performed with joy and a healthy dose of bravado. It shows that with a clear vision and rock-hard selection you can reach the top of the world.
The world of Pigeons needs figures like Martijn: fanciers who dare to innovate and who raise the bar every single year. If the one day long distance is your passion then you simply cannot ignore this colony. It is the ultimate mix of endurance and raw speed.
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
