From almost a hundred first prizes at his own loft to international successes in one-loft races: Ferald van Ark from Heerde, the Netherlands, has proven over the years that quality is no coincidence. With a carefully built breeding strain, he achieved excellent results both at his own loft and with other fanciers. Today, the focus is on breeding, with descendants of national ace pigeons and absolute top flyers forming the basis for a promising new generation.
A passion that goes back more than thirty years
The pigeon sport has been in Ferald van Ark’s blood for many years. In 1992, he took his first steps in the sport as a youth member. Although personal circumstances kept him away from the pigeons for several years, the love for the pigeons was too great to say goodbye for good. In 2009, he made his comeback, determined to build a high-quality colony.
The emphasis was primarily on speed and middle distance. Nothing was left to chance. Ferald made targeted investments in pigeons from reputable lofts such as Leo Heremans, Jacob Poortvliet, Stefaan Lambrechts, and Lambrecht-Lismont.
Not just well-known names, but bloodlines that have proven their worth at the highest level for many years. Through thoughtful selection, Ferald built a strong breeding foundation from this material. The result was a colony that not only performed excellently itself but also managed to pass on its qualities from generation to generation.
96 first prizes and impressive NPO results
That this approach bore fruit is evident from the impressive honor roll that Ferald has managed to accumulate over the years.
Especially the period from 2020 to 2022 yielded some particularly beautiful standout performances:
1st NPO Morlincourt
1st NPO Bierges
2nd NPO Morlincourt
3rd NPO Châteauroux
In addition, various championships and ace titles were won. Over a period of twelve years, the colony amassed no less than 96 pure first prizes in the club! Figures that demonstrate that exceptionally high-level performances were made in Heerde for many years.
But perhaps even more important than the own results was the observation that children and grandchildren of the best breeders also excelled elsewhere. First prizes, ace pigeons, and strong series with other fanciers confirmed the exceptional inheritance strength of the built-up strain.
A forced course change, but the ambition remained!
In 2022, unfortunately, there was an unexpected twist. Due to ongoing health problems following a COVID-19 infection, Ferald was forced to sell the majority of his stock. A particularly difficult decision, especially after all the years he had invested in building his colony.
However, this certainly did not mean the end of his passion. A limited group of young pigeons from 2023 was retained, marking the start of a new chapter.
As active participation in traditional races became increasingly difficult, Ferald decided in 2024 to change his approach. From now on, the emphasis would be on breeding quality pigeons for other fanciers and participating in international one-loft races. With the same drive as before, he set out again in search of exceptional breeding material. This time, he intentionally invested in children and grandchildren of national champions, ace pigeons, and proven breeders.
That Ferald is also on the right track with his renewed approach is evident from his performances in the international AviRings Derby.
In the past seasons, he achieved the following results, among others:
2024: 56th over 607 km
2025: 5th over 501 km
2025: 10th over 405 km
2026: 36th over 212 km in the Hungary Derby
2026: 48th in the final over 500 km in the Hungary Derby
These results underscore that the new generation also knows how to hold its own under international conditions.
Moreover, the pigeons from Heerde also perform excellently with other fanciers. Descendants from Ferald’s breeding shed have already produced among others:
2nd against 1,673 pigeons
2nd against 1,506 pigeons
5th against 2,139 pigeons
6th against 1,444 pigeons
9th against 2,168 pigeons
10th against 2,510 pigeons
An exceptionally fine series of references, which again shows that the breeding value of this colony should certainly not be underestimated.
National ace pigeons and absolute world champions as new foundations
Today, anyone looking at Ferald van Ark’s breeding loft will discover a particularly interesting collection of performance lines. For the rebuilding of his colony, a resolute choice was made for pigeons with an impressive background from lines such as Jan Hooymans, Erik Limbourg, Reynaerts, Dirk van Den Bulck, PEC, Anthony Maes and so on, where both their own performances and proven breeding results were decisive.
Some absolute showpieces from the bloodlines we find here deserve special attention.
"Red Harry" – World's Best Pigeon Long Distance Belgium 2022
One of the big names in the background of the current breeding stock is Red Harry, who was crowned 1st World's Best Pigeon Long Distance Belgium in 2022.
A title that didn’t come easily, evidenced by his impressive performances:
2nd National Brive against 12,002 pigeons
6th National Limoges against 17,356 pigeons
23rd National Bourges against 21,075 pigeons
An exceptional long-distance champion, whose bloodline is a particularly interesting addition for fanciers seeking pigeons with class and perseverance.
"Super Creone Roeper" – National ace pigeon class of the highest level
The line of Super Creone Roeper is also represented. This top performer ranked several times among the very best ace pigeons in Belgium.
His honors list speaks volumes:
1st National Ace Pigeon KBDB Long Distance Yearlings
11th National Ace Pigeon KBDB Great Middle Distance
4th National Ace Pigeon KBDB
6th National Limoges against 9,756 pigeons
Performances that testify to exceptional class and versatility, qualities that Ferald is keen to anchor in his new breeding strain.
"Geeloger" – The national all-round sensation of 2023
Another particularly interesting bloodline is that of Geeloger, a pigeon that established his name definitively among the greatest in 2023.
With the titles 1st National Ace Pigeon Allround Old & Yearling KBDB 2023 and 3rd National Ace Pigeon Allround World Best Pigeons FCI 2023, this class act proved to belong to the absolute national top.
His individual results are also impressive:
1st National Zone Argenton against 2,644 pigeons (24th National against 17,210 pigeons)
2nd National Zone Aurillac against 1,962 pigeons (21st National against 6,512 pigeons)
11th National Zone Souillac against 1,755 pigeons (92nd National against 6,085 pigeons)
42nd National Bourges against 18,729 pigeons
An impressive combination of regularity, speed, and endurance!
"Dream Crack" – From a golden family of national winners
The blood of Dream Crack, a direct pigeon from Anthony Maes, also receives an important place within the new breeding plans.
Dream Crack is a son of the famous Den Bonte Crack, who was crowned 1st National Ace Pigeon Long Distance KBDB in 2019. Moreover, he is a grandson of Sero Sero, winner of the 1st National Argenton.
That this family excels not only in racing but also in breeding is proven by Dream Crack himself as the father of White Limo.
This top pigeon won the 1st National Limoges against 7,211 old pigeons and was also the fastest of no less than 16,181 pigeons!
A bloodline in which national top performances and proven breeding power go hand in hand.
"Blue Rum" – Dutch long-distance class with proven offspring
Finally, Blue Rum from Team van Oss / J.L. Haselager deserves special mention.
This outstanding long-distance pigeon has distinguished itself in various national and international rankings:
3rd National Ace Pigeon NPO One-Day Long Distance
4th National Ace Pigeon World Best Pigeon Long Distance
4th PIPA Ranking Best Long-Distance Pigeon of the Netherlands
Additionally, Blue Rum excelled with, among others:
2nd Fontenay against 3,307 pigeons
4th Tours against 2,516 pigeons
6th Vierzon against 2,137 pigeons
As a breeder, Blue Rum has also proven his exceptional qualities in abundance. He has fathered pigeons that achieved the following results:
1st NPO Saint-Soupplets against 18,841 pigeons
3rd against 10,042 pigeons
6th against 2,130 pigeons
7th against 816 pigeons
A fantastic combination of personal achievements and breeding value, precisely the characteristics Ferald van Ark places so much importance on when selecting his breeding material.
A carefully selected new generation!
The common thread throughout Ferald van Ark's story is clear: quality is always the foundation, but the true value of a pigeon only becomes visible when it knows how to pass on its qualities to the next generations. After years of successful racing himself, Ferald has largely devoted his experience and knowledge to breeding today. With children and grandchildren from renowned national performance lines, he continues to build a colony that should also prove its value in the future.
For the Pitts auctions, Ferald van Ark is offering a selection of young pigeons from his carefully curated breeding stock. Pigeons with a background where national victories, ace pigeon titles, and proven breeding performances are central. For fanciers wishing to strengthen their colony with blood from national and international top lines, this selection offers a particularly interesting opportunity.