The long-distance and extreme long-distance empire that the colony of Etienne Meirlaen has been able to develop over the past 10 seasons, bears to a large extent the stamp of golden base hen "Yelena." It is almost unimaginable how a hen knows/knew how to leave her mark on the international pigeon sport. Especially because a hen can only lay 2 eggs per nest and has a limited number of nests per season. Yes, to find a real base hen is quite sparing. It pleads to the enormous breeding dominance of this Yelena that she displayed in such a short time. An exceptional hen with an enormous "hereditary power," one of a kind! This proves her genetic potential, because she is of the most exceptional LDHA genotype A / A.
Although it could have been completely different. Because in fact Etienne Meirlaen lost almost 3 years of use with Yelena, because only since 2010 a place was reserved for her in the breeding loft. She was born from a joint breeding between Etienne Meirlaen with Raoul & Xavier Verstraete. Breeding star Topstar (Verstraete) was paired with the best extreme long distance pigeon in Belgium, the Marathonlady (Meirlaen). The breeding wonder Yelena was born from this pairing
There is a special anecdote to this golden base hen. As a late summer youngster she was coupled to the racing pigeons. In the spring of 2008, a fellow fancier had ordered a round of youngsters from Etienne Meirlaen's better racing pigeons. It may be said, Etienne Meirlaen is still extremely grateful to him for his sportsmanship by letting him sit with these youngsters and not to come and collect them. A loft was built to place this youngsters and let them out in Deurle. Among these youngsters were 4 mighty long distance toppers from Yelena in the form of Monar, Montali, Montauban and Monty. A person can rightly ask himself the question: what if the man had collected his pigeons? Perhaps Etienne had not discovered Yelena's breeding dominance until much later, or even never, and she simply would have remained a widower hen.. How a dime can roll ...
What is good shows quickly. In 2009 - as a yearling - these toppers already showed the first signs of enormous class, before striking out mercilessly from Montauban in 2010. The signal to let 'Yelena' immediately make the move to the breeding loft, where she would become one of the best - if not the best - breeding hen in the world of the modern pigeon sport.
Thanks to the 3 musketeers born in 2008: Monar (1. Internat Narbonne 13.779 p. ‘11), Montali (1. Best Montauban Pigeon over 2 Y 2010-11: 4. Nat Montauban 9.091 p. ’11, 12. Nat Montauban 6.654 p. ’10 ) and the Montauban (1. Best Montauban Pigeon over 3 Y 2010-12: with 1. Prov and 5 Nat Montauban 6.654 p. ’10, 10. Nat Montauban 6.822 p. ’12, and 73. Nat Montauban 9.091 p. ’11). An unbelievable series of breeding and racing talent followed in their tracks, which made the Meirlaen colony almost elusive for the competition to catch. Almost every nest from Yelena produced a new topper. You can review the list of top pigeons and their performances within the "National Top-10" at the bottom of this portion
Yelena is breeding gold
Breeding wonder Yelena quickly emerged as the predominant figure in the Meirlaen breeding stable. A hen with, as it were, a piece of gold on every feather. Today we can say that her breeding dominance is fully expressed up to the 3rd and 4th generation, with year after year new crack pigeons, winners and ace pigeons up to the national level. There is no need to argue, this success story is well known. The past 2020 racing season was no exception. Two main players from the racing team of the old pigeons have the golden Yelena blood flowing through their veins. They are:
-Yelena’s Ace BE18-4216081
2. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2020
2. Internat Ace Pigeon Europacup 2020
10. Nat Agen 5.140 p. ’20
26. Nat Narbonne 4.454 p. ’20
40. Nat Souillac 4.056 p. ’19
130. Nat Limoges 10.783 p. ’19
etc…
This new super crack from the golden Yelena dynasty was bred from a cock from Jan Hooymans NL11-1911801 (grandson 1. Nat Barcelona x 1. Nat Perpignan x line of the golden Don Michel- Cor de Heijde), crossing with one of the top hens in the Meirlaen breeding stable with Miss Agen BE13-4077154, herself winner of 1. Prov Agen 659 YL and 3. Nat Agen 3.180 YL, and daughter of base pigeon Montali (son of golden stock hen Yelena) x Daughter Ace Pair (from the 1. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2008: Cor x Perpignanlady: 1. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2009). National Ace pigeon blood at the basis of a new national Ace pigeon.
The proverbial apple didn't fall far from the tree here either. Just like with the other crack in the extreme long distance
-Son Superbreeder BE16-4235389
41. Nat St.Vincent 3.038 p. ’20
76. Nat Pau 2.797 p. ’19
111. Nat St.Vincent 2.949 p. ’19
163. Nat St.Vincent 2.758 p. ‘18
He is a son of the current "No. 1" in the Meirlaen breeding stable, Superbreeder BE11-4312214 (father ‘Provincial Pau’ - 3. & 7. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB, the Provincial St.Vincent – 2. Nat St.Vincent 2019…) coupled to a hen of sports friend Adri-Jan Hoes from the line Cor-Meirlaen (1. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB ’08).
Olympic Monar: 1. Best Extreme Long Distance Pigeon of Belgium over 3 races in 2018 and 4. Olympiade pigeon Marathon KBDB Poznan 2019 (son Monar)
The Top-100 winners in 2020 on the extreme long distance with the Yelena blood in the veins
In addition to the above-described classy Yelena dynasty, the racing lofts of Etienne Meirlaen are home to a cartload of top athletes who understand the art of decorating the national top of the results with ease. Despite the fact that due to Covid troubles, the international race calendar had to be completed within a time frame of 5 weeks - with even 2 races twice during the same weekend (so that the pigeons could participate in a maximum of 2 races) - a group of descendants from the Yelena Dynasty ranked within the national 'Top-100'. In addition to the Yelena’s Ace and Son Superbreeder described above, we list the other pigeons - with Yelena blood in their veins - that managed to do this:
7. Nat Agen 5.140 p. ’20: with Son Ace Agen BE17-4214224, an excellent long distance athlete, himself a son of Ace Agen (1. Best Agen pigeon over 2 Y- 2015-16) a grandson of the Ace-pair Cor (1. Nat Ace Pigeon ELD KBDB ’08) x Perpignanlady 1. Nat Ace Pigeon ELD KBDB ’09). Perpignanlady is a sister of Marathonlady, in turn the mother of Yelena.
18. Intnat Agen 5.388 Hens and 19. Nat Agen 5.955 YL ’20: with BE19-4113090, a daughter of base pigeon Superbreeder 214/11 (grandson Yelena) coupled to a granddaughter of Montali (son Yelena).
31. Nat Agen 5.140 d. ’20: with BE17-4214143, with a son of the top couple Marseille Starlight 512/10 (from Marseille x Daughter Starlight) x Miss Starlight (granddaughter Ace Pair: Cor x Perpignanlady)… the parents of 5. Nat Jarnac 3.879 p., 27. Nat Brive 5.952 p., 28. Nat Libourne 3.176 p., 33. Nat Narbonne 3.873 p., 47. Nat Agen 4.078 p… etc).
45. Nat Agen 5.955 YL ’20: with BE19-4113084 a daughter of the ‘ace pigeon couple’ Provincial Pau 314/12 (3. and 10. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB in ’17 and ’16) x Diamond Anita 053/14 (1. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB ’17)
47. Nat Pau 2.919 p. ’20: with daughter Montalisa BE18-4216149, also winner of 84. Nat Agen 4.664 p. ’19. Her mother Montalisa won herself also 94. Nat Narbonne & 142. Intnat Agen and is in turn a daughter of racing & breeding star Montali (son of Yelena)
49. Nat Agen 5.140 p.’20: with Miss Narbonne BE18-4216017, also a winner last year of 1. Prov & 3. Nat Narbonne 3.580 p. ’19 from Son Olympiad Marseille 197/12, a son of Yelena.
52. Nat Agen 5.955 YL ’20 and 75. Intnat 14.799 YL: with BE19-4113087 with daughter Olympic Monar 054/13 (grandson Yelena), in crossing with a daughter of Super 80 Daan Besseling 510/13 (1. NPO Mont de Marsan 4.144 p., 4. Nat Bergerac 7.471 p., 14. Nat Bordeaux 6.299 p.)
52. Nat Agen 5.955 YL ’20 and 75. Intnat 14.799 YL: (ex-aequo with previous ones) with BE19-4113197, daughter of Son Yelena 288/13 (from Superbreeder x his grandmother Yelena), coupled with daughter of Marco (1. Nat Pau).
58. Nat Agen 5.140 p. ’20: with the BE18-4216051, an inbred cock of the golden Yelena-lines. Son os super crack Provincial Pau (3. Nat Ace Pigeon ELD KBDB ’17, 10. Nat Ace Pigeon ELD KBDB ’16, 1. Prov Pau, 1. Prov St.Vincent… son of Superbreeder 11/214, grandson Yelena) x Mona (1. Prov & 6. Nat Agen 3.173 p… daughter of Montali, himself son of Yelena)
60. Nat Pau 2.919 p. ’20: with granddaughter Yelena BE17-4214008. This classy hen had already won before 261. Nat Agen 3.935 p. ’19, 159. Nat Agen 4.078 p. ’18, 239. Nat Narbonne 3.017 p. ’18… Her father is son of Starlight (2. Intnat Tarbes, 9. Nat Montauban, 21. Nat Montauban…) x Yelena. Her mother is Miss Marseille (daughter of base hen Marseille… 3 years in a row x 1. Prize Marseille-Carcassonne with 21.-46.-72. National), who is already grandmother of the 1. Internat Barcelona 2018.
60. Nat Agen 5.955 YL ’20 and 85. Intnat 14.799 YL: with the BE19-4113186 from Son Starlight 786/12 (Starlight x Yelena) coupled to Montalisa (daughter Montali… see above)
77. Nat Agen 5.140 p. ’20: with BE18-4216060, son of Marco (1. Nat Pau) x Daughter Superbreeder
78. Nat Agen 5.955 YL ’20: with BE18-4216060, a daughter of Brother Fenomeen 698/10 x Daughter Yelena 711/15 (from Superbreeder x Yelena)
92. Nat Agen 5.140 p. ’20: with BE17-4214223, nestbrother of 7. Nat Agen (see above)
98. Nat Narbonne 4.120 p. ’20: with BE19-4113337, with another daughter of the golden base pigeon Superbreeder BE11-4312214 (father Provincial Pau – 3. & 7. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB, Provincial St.Vincent – 2. Nat St.Vincent 2019…) x Daughter Olympic Monar 425/18. Olympic Monar 054/13 was 1. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance over 3 International races (PIPA-ranking), and 4. Olympiade pigeon Marathon Cat E - KBDB 2019 Poznan.
For those who might still have doubts… the last word is far from written about the Yelena dynasty. On the contrary. Year after year new breeding and racing toppers, crack pigeons and national ace pigeons are born from this line. Top athletes who understand the art of easily classifying themselves at the forefront of (inter) national competitions. Just say within the "top-100" nationally.
The impressive list of top performances below proves this 100%. This is one of the best breeding lines in the world for long distance and extreme long distance. Yes, the golden Yelena blood is world top!
Diamond Anita, 1. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2017 (a granddaughter Monar)
Breeding wonder ‘Yelena’: The Nr. 1 base hen Meirlaen
‘Yelena’ is of the exceptional LDHA genotype A/A -
3 generations of top pigeons, direct descendants of "Yelena" are winners of
1. Olympiade Pigeon Marathon Belgium 2019 Poznan with grandson ‘Yelena’ 031/13
1. Nat. Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2017 with ‘Diamond Anita’
1. Nat. Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance over 3 Int. races 2019 with ‘VIPau’
1. Best Perpignan pigeon of Belgium over 2 years 2018 & 2019 with 14-4261155
1. Best Belgian Extreme Long Distance Pigeon over 3 Int. races 2018 with ‘Olympic Monar’
1. Int. Narbonne 2011 - 12,605 p. with ‘Monar’
1. prov. St Vincent 512 p. / 2. Nat.’18/ 7. Int. 9,544 p. with ‘G.son Yelena’
1. prov. St Vincent 542 p. / 2. Nat. ‘19/10. Int. 10,623 p. with ‘Prov. St Vincent’
1. prov. St. Vincent - 515 p. / 11. Nat. 3,053 p. 2017 with ‘Prov. Pau’
1. prov. Pau - 266 p. / 11. Nat. 1,661 p. 2016 with ‘Provincial Pau’
1. prov. Agen 659 / 3. Nat YL 2014 – 3,180 p. with ‘Miss Agen’
2. Int. Ace Pigeon on Int. races 2020 with ‘Yelena’s Ace’
2. Nat. Ace Pigeon Cat. E Europa Cup Dortmund 2012 after loft mate with ‘Monar’
2. Olympiad Continental Cup Budapest 2012 (cat. E) after loft mate with ‘Monar’
2. Nat. Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance over 3 races 2018 with 4216020/14
2. Nat. Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2020 with ‘Yelena’s Ace’
2. best Perpignan pigeon Belgium over 2 years 2017 & 2018 with ‘Olympic Monar’
2. OLR winner Derby Del Mediterreano 2020 with 20-4118310
3. Nat. Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2017 with ‘Provincial Pau’
3. Nat. Narbonne 2019 - 3580 p. with ‘G.child Yelena’
3. prov. Perpignan - 795 p. / 7. Nat. 4,620 p. 2017 with ‘Provincial Pau’
4. Olympiade Pigeon Extreme Long Distance Poznan 2019 with ‘Olympic Monar’
4. Nat. Montauban 2011 - 9,091 p. – 1. club with ‘Montali’
5. Nat. Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance over 3 races 2017 with 14-4261020
5. Nat. Montauban 2010 – 6,654 p. – 1. prov – 1. club with ‘De Montauban’
5. Nat.Souillac 2019 4056 p. with ‘James’
6. Nat. Agen YL - 3,173 p. - 1. prov. - 1. club with ‘Mona’
6. prov. / 25. Nat. Ace Pigeon Fond KBDB 2017 with ‘151/13’
7. Nat. Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2014 with ‘All in One’
7. Nat. Barcelona - 7,847 p. / 27. Int. 16,759 p. with ‘Diamond Anita’
7. Int. winner Thailand OLR / 1. Belgian pigeon with ‘321/16’
7. Nat. Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance YL KBDB 2014 with ‘All In One’
7. Nat. Montauban 2014 - 5,935 p. with ‘Yelco’
7. Nat. Perpignan – 4,620 p. with ‘Provincial Pau’
8. Nat. Perpignan 2018 – 3,966 p. / 21. Int. 12,339 p.
8. Nat. Jarnac - 4,559 p. with ‘981/14’
9. Nat. Cahors - 5,267 p. by Batenburg-VD Merwe
10. Nat. Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2016 with ‘Provincial Pau’
10. Nat. Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance YL KBDB 2014 with ‘Monar’s Pride’
10. Nat. Perpignan - 4,620 p. / 35. Int. 14,673 p. with ‘Diamond Anita’
10. Nat. Montauban 2012 - 6,822 p. with ‘De Montauban’
10. Nat. Agen - 5151 p. with ‘Yelena’s Ace’
And many other winners of (inter) national top performances and Ace pigeons within the National "Top-20"
Provincial Pau: 3. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2017, 10. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2016, 1. Prov Pau, 1. Prov St.Vincent... a giant of a super crack from the golden Yelena-dynasty
Racing and breeding topper Montali, father of phenomenal winners and crack pigeons. These are also the grandparents of Yelena's Ace: 2. Nat Ace Pigeon Extreme Long Distance KBDB 2020