Another Saturday, another result that puts Van Win Pigeons firmly in the spotlight.
On 5 September 2026, Milan van Win sent sixteen old birds and yearlings and thirteen young birds to Melun. By the time every district result was complete, his team had collected 29 official prize positions across seven classifications.
The old bird team occupied the first six positions in Verbroedering Zennevallei, while two youngsters finished inside the leading 4.16% against 457 pigeons. Across the largest young bird result, they both remained inside the first 8.60% against 1,268 pigeons.
That is the kind of weekend that confirms the strength behind the name.
A Selective Race from Melun
The Van Win Pigeons had to cover 281.640 kilometres from Melun to Milan’s loft in Machelen.
Weather observations from the wider Paris region recorded temperatures between approximately 17 and 24 degrees, with average winds of around 13 kilometres per hour and maximum winds close to 18 kilometres per hour. Conditions were therefore relatively warm, with no powerful wind turning the race into a free ride. The winning speed among the old birds was 1,241.8902 metres per minute. The young bird leader reached 1,354.7984 metres per minute.
Those figures, combined with the gaps between the arrivals, point to a race that demanded more than raw speed. The pigeons needed condition, concentration and the character to keep working.
BE.23-2113907 handled that test best among Milan’s experienced team. The first nominated pigeon won both locally and in Verbroedering Zennevallei.
De Warande Anderlecht Old Birds and Yearlings
Against 20 pigeons, Milan claimed every available prize from 1st through 7th. Seven prizes from sixteen entries produced a 43.75% team prize rate.
1st prize, BE.23-2113907, position percentage 5.00%
2nd prize, BE.24-2111867, position percentage 10.00%
3rd prize, BE.24-2056186, position percentage 15.00%
4th prize, BE.25-2107785, position percentage 20.00%
5th prize, BE.25-2103645, position percentage 25.00%
6th prize, BE.25-2026275, position percentage 30.00%
7th prize, BE.25-2034318, position percentage 35.00%
Seven prizes available. Seven won by Milan.
Verbroedering Zennevallei Old Birds
The dominance continued against 22 old birds. Milan once again won seven prizes from sixteen entries, giving him another 43.75% team prize rate.
1st prize, BE.23-2113907, position percentage 4.55%
2nd prize, BE.24-2111867, position percentage 9.09%
3rd prize, BE.24-2056186, position percentage 13.64%
4th prize, BE.25-2107785, position percentage 18.18%
5th prize, BE.25-2103645, position percentage 22.73%
6th prize, BE.25-2026275, position percentage 27.27%
8th prize, BE.25-2034318, position percentage 36.36%
Taking the first six prizes without interruption is the result that catches the eye. It shows a complete team arriving in racing condition, not one exceptional pigeon covering weaknesses elsewhere.
Pajo Oost Old Birds and Yearlings
Against 36 pigeons, Milan recorded five prizes from sixteen entries. The team prize rate was 31.25%.
5th prize, BE.23-2113907, position percentage 13.89%
9th prize, BE.24-2111867, position percentage 25.00%
10th prize, BE.24-2056186, position percentage 27.78%
11th prize, BE.25-2107785, position percentage 30.56%
12th prize, BE.25-2103645, position percentage 33.33%
Pajot Brabant Old Birds and Yearlings
The wider Pajot Brabant classification contained 40 pigeons. Milan won four prizes with sixteen entries, producing a 25.00% team prize rate.
5th prize, BE.23-2113907, position percentage 12.50%
12th prize, BE.24-2111867, position percentage 30.00%
13th prize, BE.24-2056186, position percentage 32.50%
14th prize, BE.25-2107785, position percentage 35.00%
Young Van Win Pigeons Step Forward
The old birds delivered the numerical dominance, but the two leading youngsters produced the most interesting results for the future.
BE.26-2009415 and BE.26-4066548 won prizes in every supplied young bird classification. They did not simply scrape onto the result. Both performed strongly as the competition expanded from 457 to 1,268 pigeons.
Verbroedering Zennevallei Young Birds
Against 457 young birds, Milan won two prizes from thirteen entries. This produced a 15.38% team prize rate.
5th prize, BE.26-2009415, position percentage 1.09%
19th prize, BE.26-4066548, position percentage 4.16%
Two pigeons inside the first 4.16% made this one of the strongest parts of Milan’s weekend.
Pajo Oost Young Birds
Against 744 young birds, the same two pigeons delivered again. Milan won two prizes from thirteen entries, equal to a 15.38% team prize rate.
43rd prize, BE.26-2009415, position percentage 5.78%
90th prize, BE.26-4066548, position percentage 12.10%
Pajot Brabant Young Birds
The largest Melun result contained 1,268 young birds. Once again, both Van Win Pigeons remained comfortably among the prize winners.
49th prize, BE.26-2009415, position percentage 3.86%
109th prize, BE.26-4066548, position percentage 8.60%
Two prizes from thirteen entries produced another team prize rate of 15.38%. More importantly, Milan’s first youngster finished inside the leading four percent of the biggest field.
Three Major Highlights from Milan’s 2026 Season
This Melun performance did not appear from nowhere. It belongs to a season in which Milan van Win has repeatedly made his mark.
The Toury Double Victory
On 22 August, BE.23-2113907 won 1st prize at De Warande Anderlecht and 1st prize in Verbroedering Zennevallei.
Milan backed that double victory with twelve prizes from eighteen entries in Verbroedering Zennevallei. It was one of the clearest examples this season of individual class supported by exceptional team depth.
Provincial Ace Pigeon Honours
Milan secured the 1st Provincial Ace Pigeon title in the Short Middle Distance. That achievement confirmed his ability to compete consistently, not merely produce one headline result.
A Provincial Youth Championship Podium
He also finished 7th Provincial Champion Short Middle Distance Young Birds and 2nd Overall Youth Champion.
For Van Win Pigeons, these championship positions are particularly valuable. They demonstrate that the results come from planning, selection and repeatedly clocking the nominated pigeons at the right moment.
Van Win Pigeons Build Momentum for the Auction Season
As the international auction season approaches, serious fanciers will look beyond names and pedigrees. They will look for proof.
The Van Win family can present that proof on its own racing lofts, through provincial honours and in international One Loft Races.
Rani, BE.24-2056256, became 1st Ace Pigeon Young Birds Short Middle Distance Youth in Flemish Brabant. Her performances also contributed to the 1st Youth Championship with the first nominated pigeon and the 28th national position in the young bird championship.
Raya won the final of the MWG Mazury One Loft Race in Poland against 1,934 pigeons representing eighteen countries.
Dani, BE.26-2009697, finished 5th International in the 355 kilometre OLR Pirate Final for Mehmet Koce and Mathias Cuvillier.
The references continue at other lofts. Wonda recorded fourteen top ten results for Erik Masset. Young Fighter won 1st National Zone B4 Argenton against 913 pigeons and placed 57th National against 13,393 pigeons.
These performances matter when the auction catalogues open. They show that Van Win Pigeons can deliver speed, endurance and winning mentality in different lofts and under completely different racing systems.
Milan van Win Keeps Moving Forward
The final count from Melun was impressive: 29 official prize positions across seven results, seven consecutive local prizes with the experienced team and two young talents confirming their quality in fields of up to 1,268 pigeons.
BE.23-2113907 provided the victory. The supporting team supplied the depth. BE.26-2009415 and BE.26-4066548 gave followers a glimpse of what may come next.
That balance between proven racers and ambitious young birds is exactly why the story of Milan van Win remains so interesting.
Van Win Pigeons are not relying on reputation. They are building it again every weekend, one arrival at a time.
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
