Team Baetens - Sint Niklaas: 1st National Libourne 3,261 old birds
26 Jul 2025
B23-4003301
1st National Libourne 3,261 old birds
Top-candidate 1st National ace KBDB Fond old birds
Distance: 785km
Velocity: 1,284.16 m/m
A unique moment in the history of Belgian pigeon racing… winning 3 national victories from 2 different races in the same weekend!
As far as we are informed, this has never happened before. This remarkable feat was achieved by Team Baetens, namely Ivan Baetens, from Sint-Niklaas in East Flanders.
Last year, Ivan already won 1st National Sancoins against 9,749 old birds with “Miss Sancoins”, and on the same race, he also won 1st National against 12,962 yearlings (fastest of 22,711 pigeons) with “De Super”. A few weeks later, Ivan added another title to his record by winning 1st National Argenton against 8,343 old birds with “Miss Argenton”.
Well... the same weekend that “Miss Argenton” was being celebrated for her national victory, her sister “LS 002” (B23-4003002) won 1st Provincial Orléans against 2,758 old birds. At the end of the 2024 season, “LS 002” was crowned 6th Provincial Ace Pigeon KBDB East Flanders.
Now, a year later, “LS 002” wins 1st National Argenton against 4,077 old birds and was the fastest of the entire release of 9,889 pigeons.
How beautiful can pigeon racing be… two sisters each winning 1st National Argenton. And to underline the class of the Baetens pigeons even more: both “Miss Argenton” and “LS 002” are also half-sisters—same father—to the 1st National Sancoins winner!
Roughly 2 minutes and 30 seconds after “LS 002”, the PAS system gave another beep in the skies of Sint-Niklaas. It was “Rax 256” (B24-4016256) who had just been registered, and in the Baetens household, they could hardly believe what they were seeing: “Rax 256” had just won 1st National Argenton in her category against 5,812 yearlings.
Just like last season in Sancoins, Ivan now wins two 1st national victories on Argenton.
“Rax 256” is the youngest daughter of the founding cock “Rax” that was still raced.
Form is clearly peaking in the impressive loft installation, and the Argenton result deserves to be framed and hung in the offices of Bricon:
Argenton National – 4,077 old birds:
1 - 3 - 5 - 13 - 32 - 133 - 178 - 250 - 267 - 351 (10/10)
Argenton National – 5,812 yearlings:
1 - 14 - 20 - 127 - 155 - 245 - 380 - 471 (12/14)
We quickly went on-site to photograph the winners and noticed some nervousness in Ivan.
"Soon the pigeons from Libourne will storm into the country," he began, "and I have a potential national ace pigeon KBDB Long Distance with 'Riva'. Hopefully, she's also in top form and can secure a place among the best in the national result."
Ivan's wish came more than true, as his hen “Riva” (B23-4003301) did more than just claim a national top prize—she hit the jackpot and placed her ring number at the very top of the results list.
There is now a real chance that she will win the title of 1st National Ace Pigeon KBDB Long Distance – Old Birds.
Libourne National – 3,261 old birds:
1 - 345 - 510 (3/3)
An extensive report on the care and preparation of the racing team was published in March 2025 on the Herbots website.
Stefan Mertens
