International victory for Combination C.J.J. van Wijk from Benschop at Agen 2025!

International victory for Combination C.J.J. van Wijk from Benschop at Agen 2025!

What an achievement! The international winner of Agen 2025 in the old birds category comes from the Netherlands: C.J.J. van Wijk Comb. from Benschop. Their top pigeon was clocked on Friday evening at 8:12 p.m. after a gruelling flight of no less than 949.921 km, good for an average speed of 1246.12 m/m.

This performance not only earned them 1st International against 26,796 pigeons, but also a great reward for the entire team behind the loft.

The winning pigeon NL22-8463756, a beautiful grey hen, came from an exchange with Comb. Hauser-Bullee: five young birds from each other, two of which turned out to be strikingly grey. A bull's eye, as it turns out.

The name C.J.J. van Wijk has been familiar in pigeon racing since 1972. What started with general racing has grown into a successful marathon colony, focused on both afternoon and morning releases. The combination consists of father Erwin and his family, with support from Miranda van Wijk, Ton Metzke, Johan Janszen and André van Dopperen. Son Ruben is also becoming increasingly involved, especially in the morning releases.

The breeding programme is firmly anchored with, among others, descendants of the 1st national Perpignan 2013, supplemented with pigeons from Martin Vinkenborg and a top hen from Johan den Hartog.

The pigeons are fed generously and carefully in the loft – with mixtures from De Patagoon, supplemented with Beyers All-in-One. Medical supervision is in the hands of Stefan Göbel.

The loft had already won the title of Best Marathon Pigeon FCI 2022/2023, and now this impressive international victory.

The most important breeding pigeons of the moment.

The 14-1739275 is a hen owned by Johan den Hartog and is the mother of:

1st Bordeaux sector 3 

2nd Cahors division 7

1st Dax division 7 etc.

The 14-1922459 is a ‘young promise’ and is the father of:

2nd Cahors department 7

1st Dax department 7 etc.

The 19-1488412 is the son of 2x 1st nat and is the father of:

FCI best Marathon Pigeon of the Netherlands 2022/2023.

The 18-1525857 is the daughter of Deugniet and is the mother of:

FCI best Marathon Pigeon of the Netherlands 2022/2023.

The 20-1321939 is Vincent 1 and won:

1st St Vincent afd 7 in 2023.

The 19-1488328 is Fabio and won:

1st Dax Afd 7

2nd Cahors afd 7.

Congratulations from the entire Herbot team to the C.J.J. van Wijk combination on this top performance at Agen 2025!