The name of Batenburg-Van de Merwe and success in extreme long distance racing have been connected ever since Hugo Batenburg’s first interest in pigeon racing in the seventies. Hugo now co-owns (together with PEC) probably the most impressive marathon colony in the world.
The famous ‘Witbuik’ dynasty
Hugo’s memories go back to the seventies, 40 years ago, when he wanted to help his father Bas Batenburg in homing a very successful colony of long distance racers. ‘You manage the winter youngsters’ his father said and Hugo developed unique skills as a fancier. Only two years later, as a 12 years old boy, Hugo managed to win the NPO race Saint Diziers with 24,000 birds competing. The years after Hugo grew as fancier, married Anita van de Merwe and together with their two kids they manage one of Hollands most successful marathon colonies ever – very much based on one super founding father!
And that founding father is the glorious NL81-1533120 ‘De Witbuik’. A sensational Jan Aarden cock that is one of the most well-known breeding pigeons in the world.
Direct son “De Witbuik”
Direct son “De Witbuik”
An era of unequalled success
Especially the way Hugo Batenburg and his wife Anita van de Merwe guided their super team of ‘iron men’ through the modern era of marathon racing, is beyond all limits. Resulting a/o in the prestigious triple 1. Nat. marathon, 1. Western European Super Marathon & 1. European Marathon in 2010 …a year later the 1. National Cahors victory, 1. Barcelona Master in 2011 and again the National & European marathon (twice in a row; unique) … in 2012 the dream result on National Bordeaux with 6 pigeons in the National top 14 and last years the focus and the success on International top classics … A survey of some exceptional highlights:
1. National Cahors – 10,381 b. 2011 Fastest Cahors pigeon – 22,264 b. 1. National acebird Perpignan 2011-2015 1. Nat. marathon 2010 1. Nat. marathon 2011 1. Western European Super Marathon 2010 1. European Marathon in 2010 1. European Marathon in 2011 1. Barcelona Master in 2011 2. National Bordeaux – 13,574 b. 2009 2. National Mt. de Marsan – 7,245 b. 2003 3. National Bordeaux – 4,447 b. 2012 3. National Cahors – 7,321 b. 1999 3. National Cahors - 5,267 b. 2015 4. National Marseille – 2,916 b. 2013 4. National St. Vincent – 6,385 b. 2004 5. National Perpignan – 5,607 b. 2011 6. National Barcelona – 6,909 b. 2013 6. National Bordeaux – 4,447 b. 2012 6. International Perpignan – 15,107 b. 2011 6. National Montauban – 8,514 b. 2009 6. National Barcelona – 7,520 b. 2007 7. National Cahors - 5,267 b. 2015 8. National Perpignan – 4,978 b. 2013 9. National Bergerac – 7,655 b. 2013 9. National Bordeaux – 4,447 b. 2012 9. International Barcelona – 26,044 b. 2011 9. National Barcelona – 7,046 b. 2011 9. National Perpignan – 5,409 b. 2010 9. National Cahors - 5,267 b. 2015 9. National Bordeaux – 3,235 b. 2006 10. National Montauban – 5,711 b. 2000 10. National Narbonne - 5,338 b. 2015
‘New Laureaat’-dynasty
Hugo Batenburg found a real soul mate and inspired Barcelona-idolater in Nikolaas Gyselbrecht … By sharing their ideals and their financial power they managed to create a Dream Team of Barcelona champions. In 2013 they purchased the 1st International Barcelona 2013 winner and named him ‘New Laureaat’, for a record amount of 250,000 euro ( most expensive pigeon ever sold in Europe ). It was one of the very few times that an international Barcelona winner was not transferred to Asia. The “New Laureaat” was so exceptional because the 2013 Barcelona race was one of the hardest ever and “New Laureaat” already won his 3rd top price in 2013 on Barcelona.
How remarkable? One of the other few international winners that had not been moved to Asia was the pigeon ‘Laureaat Barcelona’ BE92-4428350 from the Gyselbrecht family, which won the international Barcelona race against 20,925 pigeons (also one of the toughest Barcelona races ever, only 3 pigeons racing over 1000 m/m and the 4th pigeon internationally being 90 minutes behind the ‘Laureaat Barcelona’)… his granddaughter was actually the mother of BE08-2222675 ‘New Laureaat’! (the mother of ‘New Laureaat’ was bred by Dr. Carlo Gyselbrecht and given as a present to Luc Wiels, who raced ‘New Laureaat’ ; also the ‘Laureaat Barcelona’ was bred by Dr. Carlo Gyselbrecht)
‘New Laureaat’ was a super racer on Barcelona; in his career he won
- Barcelona 2013 1. Int. Barcelona 25,382 b. 1. Nat. Barcelona 10,685 b. Winner Golden Wing Barcelona 2013 - Barcelona 2011 1. prov. Barcelona 1,550 b. 8. Nat. Barcelona 12,281 b. 41. Int. Barcelona 26,650 b. - Barcelona 2012 323. Nat. Barcelona 11,590 b.
‘The Special One’; the new legend?
In 2015 again Batenburg-Van De Merwe together with PEC managed to purchase the International Barcelona winner … and again it was a stunning winner … excelling in exceptionally demanding conditions with temperatures of up to 39°C. Only one pigeon was able to arrive back home on the day of the release, which indicates that this pigeon had steered his own course, probably flying on his own for hundreds of kilometres …. A special one indeed.
The purchase of ‘The Special One’ by Hugo Batenburg and Nikolaas Gyselbrecht is arguably one of the most significant transfers in the history of pigeon racing. This cock will be get a spot close to the international winner of Barcelona of two years ago (New Laureaat), which they managed to obtain as well.
Golden future ahead
In the winter of 2014/2015, all the best racers in the Batenburg-VD Merwe racing team were transferred to the breeding loft … as cross material to especially the latest introductions and their youngsters, especially of ‘New Laureaat’ and ‘The Special One’. Add co-breeding with more modern icons and the status ‘Best marathon colony in the world’ is fully justified … at Batenburg-Van De Merwe co-breeding is done with a/o
– 1. Int. Barcelona 2014 (‘Kleine Jade’ – Jelle Jellema)
– 3. Int. Barcelona 2014 (‘Sylvie’ – Jelle Jellema)
– 1. Olympiad bird marathon 2015 (‘Olympic Romée’ – Jelle Jellema)
– 1. Internationaal Perpignan 2014 (‘Black Magic’ owner Ali Adel Obaed)
– 1. Nat. Barcelona 2014 (‘New Remy’, owner Green Xiang)
Together with soulmate Nikolaas Gyselbrecht these super pigeons are paired up to the finest ‘Witbuik’ descendants to create the modern marathon champions
Gyselbrecht successes
With the introduction of ‘New Laureaat’, the bloodlines of the legend ‘Laureaat Barcelona’ Gyselbrecht found their way to the Batenburg-Van De Merwe lofts … Hugo considered it an honour to test a round of late youngsters of Dr. Carlo Gyselbrecht in 2014 for racing; with success in 2015 directly!
The Batenburg-strain bred many Nat. & Int. winners
2015; 1. Nat. Agen YL (Jean-Paul Balcaen, France)
2015; 1. Nat. Narbonne YL (Daniel Dominique)
2014; 1. Nat./2. Int. Marseille 12,054 b. (Jan Polder, NL)
2014; Best hen Int. races 2014 (Ludovic Dubois, France)
2013; 1. Nat. Barcelona 6,903 b. (Trio Vollebregt, NL)
2013; 2. Int. Barcelona 25,382 b. (L. & R. Buyl, BE)
2012; 1. Nat. Mont de Marsan 3,934 b. (Hugo de Jong, NL)
2012; 1. Nat. Marseille 3,248 b. (Wilfried van Vossole, NL)
2011; 1. Nat. ace YL long distance Rumania (Dario L. & C.)
2011; 1. Int. acebird Marseille 2009-2011 (Jules Hardy, BE)
2011; 1. Nat. St. Vincent 5,481 b. (W. van Nederpelt, NL)
2011; 1. Int. acebird Perpignan 2007-2011 (J. van der Velden, NL)
2011; 1. Int. acebird Perpignan 2010-2011 (Ad Fortuin, NL)
2011; 1.-2. Nat. Marseille hens (Janssen-Hausoul, NL)
2009; 1. Nat. Bordeaux 1,455 b. (Freialdenhofen, DV)
2009; 1. Nat. Montélimar 8,193 b. (Erik Peeters, BE)
2009; 1. Nat. / 2. Int. Narbonne 14,457 b. (Hans Knetsch, NL)
2009; 1. Int. Bordeaux YL 17,642 b. (Sjaak VD Velde, NL)
2008; 1. Nat. Bergerac S1+2 – 23,512 b. (Pleun Sluimer, NL)
2008; 1. Int. Perpignan 17,643 b. (Roobol, NL)
2007; 1. Nat. Bergerac S3 – 15,490 b. (Arjan Beens, NL)
2005; 1. Nat. & fastest St. Vincent S2 32,149 b. (J. Polder, NL)
2005; 1. Nat. St. Vincent S1 – 16,057 b. (Louis Boden, NL)
2004; 1. Nat. Barcelona 7,875 b. (Vrosch-Meijers, NL)
2004; 1. Nat. Barcelona 1,933 b. (Robert Ben Calais, FR)
2004; 1. Int. Pau hens 1,544 b. (Delrue, FR)
2004; 1. Nat. St. Vincent 6,385 b. (W. Schouten, NL)
2003; 1. Nat. Mont de Marsan 7,245 b. (Ad Fortuin, NL)
2003; 1. Nat. Bergerac 28,402 b. (J. van ’t Land, NL)
2003; 1. Nat. Bergerac 9,354 b. (A. van Berkel, NL)
2003; 1. Nat. acebird marathon (A. van Berkel, NL)
2002; 1. Int. Pau 7,867 birds (Piere Verove, FR)
2002; 1. Int. acebird Pau 1998-2002 (J. Polder, NL)
2001; 1. Int. Perpignan 20,859 b. (Menne, DV)
2001; 1. Nat. acebird marathon (G.J. van Kooten, NL)
2000; 1. Nat. Montauban 7,281 b. (G.J. van Kooten, NL)
1996; 1. Int. Barcelona hens (Felix Roosendaal, NL)
1996; 1. Nat. Bergerac 16,828 b. (C. v.d. Linden, NL)
1996; 1. Nat. Dax 3,662 b. (J.H. den Haan, NL)
1991; 1. Nat. Dax 12,797 b. (Felix Roosendaal, NL)