Last Saturday, the Dutch Pigeon Organization (NPO) held its general assembly, which was broadcast live online. A modern approach that promotes transparency and engagement, and one that many hope the KBDB, with its new board, will also adopt in the future. The principle is simple: what is treated publicly must also be accessible to all members. This is pigeon sport in 2026 – a glass house.
One of the most discussed topics was the flight program. The proposed program for 2025, and especially that of 2026, met with little understanding from the various departments. Numerous amendments were submitted, clearly showing the differing views. In the end, the departments reached a joint proposal for a new national flight program. This amendment was unanimously approved, turning what initially seemed to be a heated debate into a surprisingly quick resolution, thanks to the collective initiative.
Just as in Belgium, the NPO is struggling with a declining membership. This forces the organization to restructure the current eleven departments and reduce them to a smaller number. Although a principle agreement had been reached to work this out in mutual consultation, the proposal was unexpectedly rejected during the meeting. This caused great confusion within the board and even led to an early break.
During that break, the departments reconvened and drafted a new amendment. After the meeting resumed, spokesperson Wiebren Van Stralen submitted the amendment. This time, the proposal was unanimously approved. The final decision on the new structure, however, will only be discussed in detail at the general NPO assembly in March.
Another contentious issue concerned the high postage costs of international flights. At present, the KBDB receives €0.40 per pigeon entered, despite entering the fewest pigeons. Other national federations, including the NPO, receive nothing. The remaining postage fees go to the organizer. The NPO has indicated that it intends to discuss this matter with the new KBDB board, as this issue is clearly not yet resolved.
The meeting made it clear that open communication and cooperation between departments are crucial for the future of pigeon sport. The fact that the meeting was broadcast live allowed members to be more involved and to provide direct feedback to their departments. It now remains to be seen whether the KBDB will also take this step towards transparency.
Naam schrijver: Buelens, Geert