Martin de Poorter: From first ZLU victory to a regular fixture in the marathon

15 Feb 2026

Martin de Poorter from Sluis in Zeeland has been an established name in pigeon racing for many years. In his early days, he immediately made a name for himself in Zeeland as a formidable opponent in the sprint and middle distance races, even at the highest competitive level. He quickly developed into a fancier who had to be reckoned with on a regular basis. He has now been at the top of the national rankings in international competitions in the Netherlands for several seasons in a row.

The origins of his hobby

When asked how it all started, Martin explains that as a boy he kept peacocks and came into contact with the sport through some uncles who kept carrier pigeons. A Belgian racer that ended up among his ornamental pigeons proved to be the turning point. That one pigeon made him switch to racing pigeons for good, partly thanks to the young birds he got from his uncles. That was in the early 1990s. In 2003, he moved and decided to invest specifically in a solid loft and quality pigeons. The results followed quickly. In the sprint and middle distance races, he achieved strong NPO rankings and various championships.

Breakthrough in the marathon

2012 marked a fundamental turning point. He cautiously participated in his first ZLU race and immediately won the 1st National St. Vincent. An exceptional entry at the highest level. From that season onwards, he combined sprint, middle distance, and one-day long distance races with international races from April to September. From 2013 onwards, the focus shifted entirely to the international marathon, a choice he has consistently maintained to this day.

Foundation of the colony

The foundation of the stock started with pigeons from Piet Blancke from Tielt. Two direct acquisitions proved to be absolute pillars:

“Rainman” – winner National St. Vincent ZLU
“New Rainman” – 1st NPO Bergerac and 9th National Agen ZLU

Both not only proved their class in the race, but also developed into exceptional breeders.

Later, the foundation was strengthened with pigeons from A.P. Overwater, Jelle Jellema, Frans Bungeneers, Sjaak van de Velde & Zn., Gerard van Tuyl, and the Van Houten family, among others.

Together with A.P. Overwater and Piet de Vogel, “Levi” was also purchased, another winner of National St. Vincent.

The current stock is mainly based on three foundations: Rainman, New Rainman, and Levi.

Every year, Martin specifically strengthens his stock with one or two proven pigeons, preferably top performers in the races or from breeding. Among others, he acquired the father of the 1st National Narbonne and the father of the 1st National Montélimar.

“Zeus”

A recent investment is “Zeus”, purchased through a sale by Jelle Jellema. Within the pigeon world, “Zeus” is known for his exceptional breeding references.

“Zeus” NL13-1755808 flew 18th National Barcelona himself and became the father of the breeding phenomenon ‘Eline’ at Carlo Gyselbrecht. “Eline” in turn became the mother of:

4th Nat. Barcelona '22
5th Nat. St. Vincent '22
26th Nat. Barcelona ’22
29th Nat. Perpignan ’23
36th Nat. Narbonne ’20
40th Nat. Perpignan ’22
68th Nat. Barcelona ’21

In addition, “Zeus” is the father of the mother of “Anouk” at Herman Hendrix & Zn.

“Anouk” achieved:

13th National Agen 2019 against 10,527 pigeons
15th National Barcelona 2020 against 4,477 pigeons
21st International Barcelona 2020 against 14,586 pigeons

An investment with distinct future value.

Collaborations

Martin has always strengthened his team in a targeted manner. In his early years through purchases, nowadays mainly through collaboration. He exchanges youngsters and breeds jointly with, among others, the Van Houten family, Frans Bungeneers, Leon Roks, A.P. Overwater, and Richard Kuijer. Some of the youngsters remain in his own loft; others are tested externally. This creates sustainable performance lines.

Honor roll NPO

1st NPO Argenton – 3,467 p.
1st NPO Beckingen – 4,852 p.
1st NPO Mantes-la-Jolie – 8,049 p.
2nd NPO Gien – 4,349 p.
2nd NPO Orléans – 6,036 p.
2nd NPO La Souterraine – 3,388 p.
3rd NPO La Souterraine – 3,388 p.
4th NPO La Ferté Jouarre – 13,461 p.
5th NPO Orléans – 3,354 p.
7th NPO Mantes-la-Jolie – 4,555 p.
8th NPO Pithiviers – 8,461 p.
10th NPO Châteauroux – 4,386 p.
10th NPO La Souterraine – 4,033 p.

National marathon performances

1st Nat. St. Vincent ZLU – 3,161 p.
1st NPO Bergerac – 2,343 p.
3rd Nat. Tarbes ZLU – 2,308 p.
5th Nat. Barcelona ZLU – 5,325 p.
5th Nat. Agen ZLU – 6,211 p.
6th Nat. Narbonne ZLU – 3,829 p.
6th Nat. Perpignan ZLU – 4,363 p.
8th Nat. Bordeaux ZLU – 4,447 p.
9th Nat. Agen ZLU – 4,464 p.
9th Nat. Dax NPO – 2,230 p.
10th Nat. Agen ZLU – 6,019 p.
10th Nat. Pau ZLU – 4,255 p.

Results (prizes 1:10 or better)

2025

Barcelona NPO 4,515 p. — Nat. 23, 381 etc. — 1st Prov.

Dax NPO 2,230 p. — Nat. 9, 35, 170, 209, 210 etc. — 2nd and 7th Prov.

Narbonne NPO 4,020 p. — Nat. 72 etc. — 6th Prov.

2024

Agen ZLU JL 5,553 p. — Nat. 24, 25, 66, 77, 80, 341, 506, 542 etc.

Barcelona ZLU 5,325 p. — Nat. 5, 231 etc.

Narbonne ZLU 4,672 p. — Nat. 39, 50, 65 etc.

Perpignan ZLU 4,360 p. — Nat. 6, 232, 273 etc.

2023

Barcelona ZLU 4,820 p. — Nat. 16, 266, 359 etc.

St. Vincent ZLU 2,522 p. — Nat. 41, 108, 217, 294, 313 etc.

Narbonne ZLU 5,837 p. — Nat. 43, 61, 108, 307 etc.

2022

Tarbes ZLU 2,308 p. — Nat. 3, 26, 166, 168 etc.

Agen ZLU 6,019 p. — Nat. 10, 365, 469 etc.

Agen ZLU JL 6,174 p. — Nat. 38, 97, 123, 175, 196, 225, 228, 406, 430, 501, 514, 592 etc.

Perpignan ZLU 3,805 p. — Nat. 73, 116, 135, 194 etc.

Bordeaux ZLU 4,891 p. — Nat. 97 etc.

Barcelona ZLU 4,842 p. — Nat. 178, 198, 333, 443 etc.

Daily care

During the season, the morning routine is strictly scheduled due to work commitments. The evenings are also structured, although the duration of training can vary between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the schedule and weather conditions. Both old and young racing pigeons are cleaned daily; the breeding lofts are cleaned several times a week. In winter, maintenance is kept to a minimum. From the end of September to the beginning of April, the racing pigeons stay permanently in the aviaries. During this period, feed, water, and a weekly bath are sufficient.

Feeding strategy

The feed has been supplied by Vanrobaeys for several years now. During the short flights, the pigeons are fed Pro Revolution, and as soon as they are nesting, they are fed Marathon Pro Revolution. After basketing, they are fed in jars until release: for the old birds, this consists of 100% Marathon Pro Revolution, while the young birds receive a mixture of 50% racing feed and 50% Marathon Pro Revolution. In addition, grit, minerals, and candy seeds are available in the loft every day. The water provided upon their return is enriched with electrolytes and amino acids. Furthermore, the cleanest possible drinking water is always available. The pigeons are not given anything in addition to their feed, as this would be at the expense of their food, which is just as important for the marathon flights.

Game system

The game is played on the nest. Baskets are preferably filled with young birds or eggs of approximately ten days old, although this is not considered decisive. The decisive factors are quality, health, daily form, and suitability for distance. Start: 50 to 60 pairs of old birds. Pairing: beginning to mid-April. After one breeding round, the pigeons are separated until the first major race. A team is paired weekly. From the second pairing onwards, the partners remain together until the end of April of the following year. In fact, they are only separated for a few weeks per year. From the end of September until the first pairing, they stay permanently in the aviaries — this saves labor and is beneficial for their resistance and respiratory tract. Neither young nor old birds are trained in advance and go directly to the transport truck. Only towards Perpignan, at the end of the season, is an extra training flight sometimes made.

Support

On Fridays, his father regularly helps with cleaning and other tasks. Martin takes full responsibility for the daily care and training. Since this year, a neighbor has been helping with thorough cleaning several times a year. Given his physical limitations, efficient planning is essential. Nevertheless, Martin strives to ensure that his pigeons are always optimally prepared for the start and competitive.

Barcelona auction

Martin selected two quality pigeons for the Barcelona auction: