The race from Barcelona '22 can be best described as a tough but fair edition. After release on Friday 8th July at 8:00AM the first Dutch pigeon was clocked at 10:30AM the next day by Pieter Goeree from Driewegen in Zeeland. His two year old hen, Catalana, won the 1st National with an average speed of 906 m/min across a distance of 1102km. Read about this phenomenal victory in this article. Pieter has only been racing from Driewegen since 2019, making the two editions of Barcelona he participated even more impressive:
Nat.Barcelona '22 1102 km 4,842 p.: 1-12-50-58-69-119-138-154-298-343-354-398-etc. (24/59)
On the latest edition, the 1st and 58th National were won by 2 nest sisters. Pieter has moved these cracks to the breeding lofts indefinitely, together with their parents. These pigeons are not housed on his own lofts, but together with several other top pigeons they ensure offspring elsewhere. A lot is expected from their descendants in the future. Below, we put several top breeders in the spotlights.
NL20-1544052 Catalana, 1st National Barcelona '22 (4,842 p.)
In 2021, Catalana was basketed twice on an extreme long distance race as a yearling. She won 735th Nat. Agen (6,804 p.) and 464th Nat. Narbonne (8,188 p.) Now in 2022, she wins the 1st National Barcelona. Father of Catalana is from 2017 (NL17-1862532) and is a direct Herman Brinkman pigeon. Mother (NL19-1707784) comes from Walter van de Meulen and is bred from two good extreme long distance racers. Catalana isn't the only top pigeon bred from this pair. For instance, nest sister Catalana (NL20-1544051) wins 58th National Barcelona '22. Furthermore, a half-sister of Catalana wins the 134th National Barcelona. 2 sisters win 1st and 58th National Barcelona '22 and a half-sister wins 134th National Barcelona '21. Paired to Jef, 1st International Barcelona 2019 (Jeroen and Stijn Rans), Catalana has recently brought forth some promising offspring.
NL20-1544051 Sister Catalana, 58th National Barcelona '22 (4,842 p.)
Video Sister Catalana
As mentioned above, a full sister of Catalana also knows how to achieve top results, as she won 58th National Barcelona (4,842 p.). Being a daughter of the super pair NL17-532 x NL19-784, she was also transferred to the breeding loft after her spectacular performance on Barcelona. She was paired to NL15-1689388 (Son New Laureaat) of Hugo Batenburg. New Laureaat himself won, 1st Int. Barcelona '13 (25,382 p.) and 8th National Barcelona '11. This Son New Laureaat is father of a/o 10th Nat. Perpignan '22, 11th Nat. Agen '21, 14th Nat. Bergerac SII '14, 51st Nat Agen '21 etc., ...
NL17-1862532 x NL19-1707784, Parents 1st and 58th National Barcelona '22 (4,842 p.)
Top pigeons form the foundation
Back when Pieter started out racing extreme long distance, he made some targeted purchases. In 2017, he went to Herman Brinkman (Tuk, NL). Pieter bought several (late) youngsters from his best. One of these pigeons was the NL17-1862532. In the meantime, he became father of a/o 1st Nat. and 58th Nat. Barcelona '22 and 134th Nat. Barcelona '21. NL17-532 is a son of De Cahors, who won a/o 3rd Nat. Cahors and 28th Nat. St Vincent x Sis with a/o 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc., ... Nat.
Pieter is also very successful with pigeons from Barcelona specialist PWA van de Meulen (Sirjansland, NL). The hen of this pair (NL19-1707784), comes directly from his loft. Father of the NL19-784 is a super breeder (Crack 61) on the lofts of Walter and besides grandfather of 1st and 58th Nat. Barcelona, he is also father of 1st Nat. Bergerac. He himself flew a/o 44th Nat. Dax '12. Mother of the NL19-784 won 32nd Nat. Barcelona '17 and grandmother, De Friezin, won 9th National Barcelona on the tough edition of 2013.