Double celebration for the Nielen-Van Rossum combination with victories from Morlincourt-Noyon and Melun

On 3 May, the flight from Morlincourt-Noyon (326 km) was scheduled in division 7. The Nielen-Van Rossum combination shone with their first nominated NL23-9188846, which came out on top of 12757 pigeons with a speed of 1,272 m/min. This cock was acquired as a voucher from Visser-Meijboom in Huizen and proved his class with flying colours. As if that wasn't impressive enough, they struck again on Saturday 31 May. This time, Melun (435 km) was on the programme. From the entire field of 6374 pigeons, their blue hen NL24-8289619 ‘Femke’ crossed the finish line first, with an impressive speed of 1373 m/min. She was also purchased as a voucher from Visser-Meijboom. As a tribute to Bert's deceased daughter, she will proudly bear the name “Femke” from this weekend onwards.

Hans Nielen has been active in pigeon racing since 1980, a passion that has lasted for more than four decades. After operating solo for many years, he decided to join forces with Bert van Rossum in 2013. What started as a quiet collaboration was given an official name in 2025: Comb. Nielen – van Rossum. A clear choice to tackle the future together.

The breeders: quality at the core

Bert's breeding loft houses 12 breeding pairs that form the backbone of the game. These have been carefully selected from pigeons from renowned fanciers such as G. & H. Calis, Robin Rigter, Nico van Schaik from Breukelen and Peter Crans. After weaning, the young pigeons from these lines move to Hans, where they are trained for the game.

Feeding and care

Hans swears by a clear, simple approach with a fixed structure. The pigeons are fed using the Embregt-Theunis system, a name that guarantees quality. In the morning, the pigeons are given 10 grams per head, and in the evening they are fed ad libitum, so that they can choose freely according to their needs. Towards the end of the week, NPOmix is added to the menu, an extra treat that prepares them for the flights.

• When they return home, Belgasol is added to the drinking water.
• When they are separated on Saturday, two rounds of BS are added to the water.
• On Monday, Sedochol is added.
• On Saturday, Prestavit is added to the feed, followed by Octavit on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, both supplements also from Embregt-Theunis.

‘That's it!’ says Hans himself. No fuss, no excessive schedules, just confidence in a fixed rhythm and reliable products.

The racing loft: total widowhood in balance

Hans races with 13 pairs in total widowhood. The 12 cocks are housed in classic breeding lofts, while one cock feels at home on a perch, a conscious choice that clearly suits him well. Since this season, the hens have been kept separate, after they had too many encounters in previous years. This change seems to be paying off.

Results: rare, but powerful

Although Hans does not consider himself a consistent player and wins ‘few championships’, there is still plenty to be proud of. In 2011, he produced the 6th best sprint pigeon in the Netherlands, a feat that many will never match.

And then there are those moments that make it all worthwhile. Like on 3 May 2025, when both 1st and 9th place were achieved on Teletext from Morlincourt in Section 7. A major highlight!

But the absolute icing on the cake followed not long after with the victory in the first Grand Prix TGV Melun of Section 7. A victory at the highest level that proves that even those who work with a limited number of pigeons and a down-to-earth approach can make a difference.

"Here you can see the wing of last weekend's winner.

Hans & Bert, congratulations on your beautiful victories, from the entire Herbots team!

Christophe Mathues