The decision has been made…the colony of Comb. van Houten, IJsselstein (NL) will later feature in a public auction via PiPa

A performance that not only enjoyed considerable media interest, but also came into the ‘picture’ worldwide. Many journalists must have been ‘scared out of their wits’ when they honoured the accommodation of Wim & Martin van Houten with a visit. The van Houten brothers practice pigeon racing on a derelict piece of land… in ‘the middle of nowhere’ so as a Dutch colleague perfectly described it… where the pigeon loft has been planted in the middle of a kind of orchard. An ‘island’ and ‘oasis’ where the brothers can relax after their busy daily pursuits and activities… and can enjoy their pigeons to the full. A perfect example of ‘real pigeon sport’… pigeon sport as pure hobby… our sport can be wonderful.
But exactly there… this was a worry to the van Houtens. Their pigeons are there all day, at that somewhat deserted and rustic place… all alone. There is not even electricity or running water, only water from the well… let alone an ‘alarm system and/or security camera’s. A negligent moment could be enough… for people with ‘unchaste ideas’… to empty the loft. And they were afraid of this by ‘van Houten’… especially after youngsters were stolen some time ago. And with all the media and press interest… what if it happened to you. Up until now the ‘van Houtens’ have never had the publicity that they deserve… they have never gone in search of it… this Barcelona brought some change. And admittedly… there is a very strong loft of pigeons hiding behind this combination, of which several could have a very nice price tag attached to them. Once again… this commercial aspect of the pigeon sport doesn’t interest them at all… pedigrees and other nobility letters leave them ‘cold’! Performances were their only guide, which were based on their successes. But now… they began doubting, what had ‘Nellie’ inflicted on them. In place of being able to enjoy this magnificent international victory in all serenity amongst family and friends, while having a party… they were ambushed by a legion of press, interested parties and potential buyers. Prizes and amounts were juggled… which only increased their doubts. The ‘fear’ for the safety of their pigeons… not only for their ‘Nellie’, but also for the other 60 pigeons that bring them pleasure. They requested police surveillance and the pigeons were guarded for 2 days and 2 nights… but something like this can’t be kept up. After a ‘family consultation’ the ‘van Houtens’ came to the decision that it would be better to house the pigeons somewhere else… and an auction seemed to be the best option for this. Preferably that to the other possible risks…
Various media put in capital letters that the pigeons would be placed in a ‘public auction ‘with  PiPa… but of course it’s not that simple. When the van Houten family revealed their plans, we naturally showed our interest… but of course, we were not alone. The first contacts were made, and after a few days of negotiating… the ‘van Houten’ family finally made their decision and chose resolutely for PiPa. The level of trust that arose during the negotiations gave both parties a good feeling… so much so that the agreement was sealed that they would do business with each other and later put the colony in a public auction… around the end of October (more details later).

Strong stock of pigeons
The ‘van Houten’ family have quite a nice stock of pigeons. So as stated earlier… only based on performances! Being able to race within the first 300 at national level… say achieving prizes per 20… is more or less the selecting standard that they have strictly kept to over the years. Buying pigeons from small but strong racing fanciers… was, and is, their starting point. This is how they have built up their stock… though this sometimes includes quite a bit of top origin… although this doesn’t play a part for them, and is of secondary importance. Racing and performing…that is ‘their’ pigeon sport, their basis for selecting!
Their breeding loft is a collective breeding loft that ensures the supply of the separate racing lofts of the ‘van Houten’ brothers (Wim & Martin and from Koos…) and stands in the garden of father Kees, and contains no more than 10 couples. When they started in 1982 they visited Frans van Loenhout in Nieuw-Vossemeer. At the time Frans was a ‘handyman’ by the Long Distance crack Marijn Van Geel, yes… the man of the legendary ‘Dolle’. Frans was able to choose whatever he wanted from  M.Van Geel… it didn’t take long then before he was to be found at the top of the results with his direct descendants from the ‘Dolle-line’ Marijn Van Geel (in crossing with pigeons from Jantje Cools and Ton van Schilt). A fact that didn’t go unnoticed by the ‘van Houten’ family, and so they went to pay a visit. Their brand new winner 1° Internat. Barcelona stems for 75% out that ‘Dolle-line’… a breeding line with a phenomenal ‘over domination’… this is also evident in ‘Nellie’, who in addition to the plumage has also inherited other important features from this ‘Dolle’!
The brothers also found what they were looking for by Herry Peters from Panheel, who won 1° Nat Bordeaux (sector 1)…. the rich Gebr. Saya-blood flows through the Peters pigeons! In 2002 (just before the thefts by Gerard) they were allowed to choose a few pigeons from the top pigeons by Gerard van Tuyl  (winner 1° Intnat Barcelona 2007)… one of these has now grown into a ‘real stock father’! In the meantime pigeons have also moved from Martin Vinckenborg from Volendam to IJsselstein… In 2008 Martin had the ‘Best Barcelona pigeon’ in the Netherlands over 5 years, and also won the ‘Golden Double’ from Pau!
The best pigeons with ‘concrete papers’ … that form the foundations of the ‘van Houten’ colony! Say… a solid basis, with which they have marched on to top prizes, just rewarded with international victory from Barcelona with ‘Nellie’! In addition to ‘Nellie’ (at 10h39) they clocked a total of 6 prizes from the 9 pigeons basketted, and this at 14h19, 15h36, 17h35, 18h46, 19h19 and this from a distance of more than 1.200 Km. Class… because this resulted in the following prizes at national level:
Barcelona     Nat. ZLU    8.042 p.    1-118-315-658… and 6/ 9.
In this same Barcelona their brother Koos also won 20° National, and made the party complete!
The honours list up until the day of Barcelona is also nothing but ‘brilliant’ with:
29/5 Limoges     Nat NPO    13.195 p.    3-33-77-79…  and 20/ 38 (per 4)
Koos also won here 20° Nat NPO and achieved a handsome 14/19.
12/6 St.Vincent Nat NPO    6.765 p.    17-96-153… and 8/25 (per 4)
29/6 Bordeaux    Nat ZLU    5.183 p.    45-72-96… and 6/8
03/7 Montauban Nat NPO    5.524 p.    162-286… and 3/4

The last weapon offences, seeing that the pigeons have now been moved to another, and hopefully safer, loft , in anticipation of the public auction.
The fact that the ‘van Houtens’ have a very strong pigeon stock is proved not only in their own loft, but also in several other lofts which have found the way to national top successes with ‘van Houten’-pigeons, we quote:
-Comb.v.d.Berg & son from Utrecht who won amongst other things:
1st Champion overnight + ZLU races Fondclub Utrecht and surroundings 2008

2nd Ace pigeon Marathon north
3rd Champion Fondunie 2000 ‘07
3rd Champion Fondunie 2000 ‘08
3rd National Montauban
19th National Barcelona
24th National Perpignan… etc
-Stewart Roodenburg from IJsselstein, who was:
2nd Cat. II National Fondspiegel 2005
2nd Cat. II National Fondspiegel 2006
4th Cat. VII National Fondspiegel 2007
2nd Total classification National Fondspiegel 2005-2007
6th National champion overnight long distance  2006
6th Champion ZLU-races Fondclub Utrecht and surroundings 2008
6th National Mont de Marsan
8th National Bergerac
12nd National Bordeaux ZLU
- Jurrian van Amerongen from Bunnik was in turn:
Winner ‘Trophy from Luxemburg’ 2007
Winner ‘Pyreneeëncup’ Fondunie 2000
7th West European Counties cup 2007
3rd National Ace pigeon overnight long distance 2002
4th ‘Golden Barcelona pigeon 2005-2007’
5th Champion overnight + ZLU races Fondclub Utrecht and surroundings 2008
2nd National Pau 2002
2nd national Narbonne hens 2007
3rd national Narbonne hens 2007
3rd national Bordeaux 2005
7th International Brive 2007
-W.H. Murk & son, IJsselstein were:
1st Champion district Central Netherlands 2006
2nd Champion overnight long distance prov.7 2006
7th Champion overnight long distance Fondclub Utrecht and surroundings 2008
1st NPO Perigueux 2009
11th International Perigueux 2009
-C.P.J. Galjé from IJsselstein won 4th Nat. Dax Z.L.U. 2002
-P. Ruyten from IJsselstein won top with 5th St. Vincent prov. Central Netherlands  2008
-A. Hogendoorn from Nieuwegein won last year 29th NPO Perigueux 2008

Nice credentials that perfectly illustrate the class and quality of the modern ‘van Houten’-pigeon. Once again… no pedigree pigeons, but pigeons with sound performances after their names.
A nice anecdote here is the history surrounding their 2° Nat Montauban last year. At the time Martin had cycled to the lofts for the daily care of the pigeons when a pigeon from Montauban sat waiting for him… so early, they clearly hadn’t expected that! The problem was that the clock was still in brother Wim’s car… so he had to cycle all the way back to Wim to get the clock… and then, after losing several minutes, finally clocking the 2nd° Nat Montauban !It illustrates perfectly how the ‘van Houtens’ see the pigeon sport, pure as hobby… nothing compulsory, anything goes… pigeon sport without any frills! Sport so as we would all like to regard it. At the end of October you will be given the opportunity to buy the pigeons. With the  ‘absolute top offer’ being of course the 1° International Barcelona winner 2009 ‘Nellie’ and both her ‘parents’, the entire Barcelona team ‘van Houten’, 2 pigeons that have won no less than 5 x ‘Top-50’ National…  Unique in the archives of the pigeon sport that the ‘International Barcelona winner’ will be offered for sale publicly… normally they are already resting on their laurels  in another place… this is also thanks to the ‘van Houten’ family’s life philosophy!
Something definitely to look forward to then… the exact details follow later!
We will keep you informed…