AviRings in the News
12/14/2025
AVIRINGS DERBY 2025: TOUGH, BUT WITH GREAT WINNERS
The fifth edition of the AviRings Derby in Slovenia was one for the history books. The competition, featuring not one but three finals over 500 kilometers, was extremely demanding and put the young pigeons to a severe test. Dutch fanciers were strongly represented: no less than one third of the entered pigeons came from the Netherlands. Once again, they managed to distinguish themselves with many outstanding performances, once more demonstrating how popular AviRings is among Dutch pigeon fanciers.
Strong start for the Netherlands
Things got off to an excellent start on August 1 with the first race over 110 kilometers, where the podium was entirely Dutch:
- Jort Batenburg
- Richard Faber
- Jelle Jellema
Team Heinhuis/Scheper achieved the best loft performance, and Frits Boersma recorded the third-best loft performance.
In the second race (138 km), there was no podium finish, but Jan and Ellie Sas placed second in the loft performance rankings.
In race 3, Nico Blokker & Co finished second, with Mantel and Sas taking second and third places respectively in the loft performances.
The fourth race (237 km) proved difficult, likely due to the high temperatures combined with young pigeons that were not yet fully accustomed to finding the drinkers in the tightly packed baskets. As a result, the organization plans to fill the baskets to a maximum of 50% next year, hoping this will encourage better drinking and further improve transport conditions. There were no Dutch fanciers in the top three here, although Jan Hooymans recorded the second-best loft performance.
Fortunately, the colony recovered quickly. In race 5 (320 km), Jort Batenburg once again finished strongly in second place (also third-best loft performance), with Van Helden & Van de Wetering in third. Race 6 (420 km) delivered another fine third place for E. Boers, while Frits and Wytse Mantel finished second in the loft performances, followed by Team Vennis-pigeons.
(In this article, only the three best Dutch results per race are mentioned; for full results and statistics, please visit derby.avirings.com.)
Three tough finals
The first final over 500 kilometers became, as expected, a true test of strength. Victory went to Hans and Evert-Jan Eijerkamp, with Paul van den Berg taking the top loft performance.
The second final had to be directionally adjusted due to poor weather conditions, but once again several pigeons proved their class by arriving early.
The third final, flown on October 4, provided maximum suspense. Via the live leaderboard and YouTube stream, fanciers around the world were able to follow which pigeon achieved the shortest total flying time. The win went to Team De Ruijter from Helmond, with a pigeon that had already finished fourth in the second final. Frits Jonker achieved the second loft performance, and Crusador Racing Pigeons the third.
Remarkably, more than 50% of the pigeons arrived on the first day—exceptional for a 500 km race in October, when it is already dark in Slovenia by 7:00 p.m.
Festive finale in Odranci
On the day of the last final, a fantastic celebration was held in Odranci, attracting around one hundred people—mainly locals, but also about ten Dutch and Belgian visitors. Even the world-famous American Mike Ganus made the effort to travel to Slovenia.
All participants were treated to a large barbecue with everything included: a whole pig on the spit, Hungarian soup, and all of it completely free of charge—including drinks. The weather cooperated nicely: sunny and around 16°C, with some clouds later in the day and a few drops of rain that ultimately created a beautiful rainbow above the lofts.
Before the pigeons arrived, visitors were given a guided tour in and around the lofts. For those at home, there was not only the usual 24/7 livestream, but this time also live interviews with participants, adding an extra layer of excitement for the global audience.
Rankings and champions
Once again, Dutch competitors stood out in the final rankings. W. Blaak took second place in the overall ace pigeon classification with pigeon 1306432—one of only two pigeons to achieve a 1:3 ranking in all races.
The 3×500 Cup went to Wim and Jarno van de Berg, with a sister of their second ace pigeon from 2024. The winner of the first final, Eijerkamp’s top pigeon, became second ace pigeon overall. In the newly introduced Jersey Cup—for the best overall loft performance — Harmen IJzerman finished an impressive third.
Technological innovation and transparency
The AviRings Derby Pro sets itself apart from other one-loft races through its high level of transparency and technological innovation. With a 24/7 livestream, individual pigeon tracking, and regular updates via email or app, participants can literally follow their pigeons day and night. New for 2025 are push notifications upon arrivals and live weather data along the flight route.
In addition, the organization invests heavily in pigeon welfare. Thanks to a strict health protocol, controlled darkening, and a balanced diet (developed in cooperation with Beyers), the young pigeons are optimally prepared for the demanding program.
A true test for young champions
Three finals of 500 kilometers within one month — it sounds almost impossible for young pigeons. Yet AviRings proves that it can be done, provided that preparation, health, and nutrition are all perfectly managed. The fifth edition of the AviRings Derby was therefore not just a race, but a true test of character, class, and condition.
The conclusion after nine races is clear: the strongest pigeons win — and the Dutch are among the very best. Would you like to take part in the AviRings Derby next year and test your young pigeons against the best? Contact Falco Ebben for more information: info@pigeonpixels.com.
Author: Falco Ebben, AviRings Agent for the Netherlands
As featured in HET SPOOR DER KAMPIOENEN; International Duivensport Magazine, NR. 36. (Translated from Dutch).