The 2026 Agen International will be etched in the pigeon racing calendar for more than just its results: it was the race that had to survive the first major heatwave of the European season. With extreme temperatures in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, the pigeons remained in the trucks longer than usual before the release order was given on Monday, June 29, at 8:50 a.m. What followed was a night race of historic proportions.
23,191 pigeons in the skies of Europe
The Agen International is one of the most demanding races on the European long-distance racing calendar. This year's edition brought together 23,191 pigeons, including both older birds and yearlings, from Belgium, the Netherlands, and France, making it one of the most competitive races of the season. The average distance for Belgian fanciers is around 780 km; for the Dutch fanciers further north, the figure easily exceeds 1,000 km.
It is precisely this difference in distance that makes this race unique within the international circuit. It is neither a sprint nor a middle-distance race: the Agen is a filter that separates good pigeons from exceptional ones.
The flight of the Niks: 1,039 km flying at night
The first international finisher in the old pigeon category was the Raymond and Germa Niks aviary from Westerhaar-Vriezenveen, Netherlands. Their pigeon (a female, ring NL 4-8117538, bred by Rick ter Morsche) crossed the checkpoint on Tuesday, June 30th at 4:37 AM CEST, having covered 1,039.576 km at an average speed of 1,223.031 m/min . This flight extended into the early hours of the morning, while the rest of Europe slept.
What makes this victory even more remarkable is the champion's previous record. In 2025, as a yearling, she had already excelled in the Agen International in her category, being the first nominee in the basket this season. A natural progression for a pigeon that has Agen in its DNA: as soon as the flight became long and challenging, she was the first to arrive home.
In the international yearling category, the first place went to the French breeding farm Scime Frères (Wallers, France), with 743.106 km at 1,056.22 m/min, marked on Monday at 20:33 CEST.
Belgium: Vandemeulebroecke leads in old cows, Pillet in yearlings
Within the Belgian team, the national results also produced top-level performances:
- Belgian Nationals (olds): Carlos and Xavier Vandemeulebroecke (St. Leger). Distance: 777.755 km. Speed: 1,022.11 m/min. Arrival: Monday 9:30 PM CEST.
- Belgian National Yearlings: Peter Pillet (Appelterre). Distance: 803.551 km. Speed: 1,023.39 m/min. Arrival: Monday 21:55 CEST.
Both results confirm that Belgium continues to produce pigeons capable of performing at the highest level in extreme heat conditions, although the star of the day was, once again, the Netherlands.
The heat as referee
The conditions for this year's race deserve special mention. A remarkably intense heat wave affected the entire route in the days leading up to the release, forcing organizers to postpone the launch to avoid endangering the pigeons. By the time the signal was finally given, the sun was already beating down in southern France, and the temperatures along the route were hardly conducive to speed. Only the pigeons with the greatest stamina and best physical condition were able to maintain their pace for hours.
These kinds of races, where the weather makes them unpredictable, are the best way to reveal which lofts breed true pigeons and which depend on favorable conditions. The Agen 2026 International race showed no mercy to anyone who wasn't in peak condition.
A different kind of background than a sprint
For many breeders in Northern Europe, the long-distance racing season kicks off with the Pau International (at the end of June) and finds its second major event in the Agen International a few days later. It's not as high-profile a race as the Barcelona, but its distances and demands are an equally rigorous filter for identifying elite pigeons.
If you keep a serious track of your long-distance pigeons, recording each performance in FirePedigree allows you to analyze progressions like that of the Niks' pigeon: from promising youngster to international champion in two seasons. The pedigree tells you where it comes from; the results tell you where it goes.
Sources: PigeonBoss · GPS-Auctions · PIPA (Agen Int. 2026)