Best Kittel: The Unrivaled Dynasty of Sprint Racing Pigeons

Who doesn’t just win but shatters world records with such ease that it forces the officials to rewrite the rulebook. In the high-stakes world of pigeon sport, that athlete is Best Kittel.

For decades, fanciers have searched for the “Golden Grail” of genetics—a bird that guarantees speed, endurance, and the ability to pass those traits to the next generation. While many claim to have it, the Best Kittel bloodline has proven it with cold, hard data.

Whether you are a seasoned pigeon fancier looking to dominate the sprint racing circuit or a newcomer curious about the investment potential of champion bloodlines, this story is for you. We are going to dive deep into the origins, the record-breaking stats, and the specific care strategies that make the Kittel pigeon a global phenomenon.

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Introduction to the Kittel Phenomenon

What is the Kittel Pigeon?

The “Kittel” we are focusing on here centers around the Best Kittel dynasty, hailing from the lofts of Dehon-Demonseau. It is arguably the fastest family of pigeons currently in existence.

Best Kittel (BE15-1029362) is not just a bird; he is a statistical anomaly. In 2017, he became the 1st Nat. Ace Pigeon Sprint KBDB with the lowest coefficient ever recorded in the history of Belgian pigeon racing (0.89%). This means he didn’t just win; he dominated the competition by massive margins, repeatedly.

Why the Kittel Bloodline Dominates Sprint Racing

Speed is often fleeting in genetics. A fast bird might breed a slow youngster. However, the Kittel bloodline is different. It is built on a foundation of extreme “prepotency”—the genetic ability to consistently produce superior offspring.

This dominance isn’t an accident. It is the result of decades of ruthless selection where only the absolute fastest birds were kept. If a pigeon wasn’t winning, it wasn’t staying. This created a concentrated gene pool of speed pigeons that thrive in distances from 100km to 400km.

The Enduring Appeal: Breeding, Racing, and Investment

Why is the world obsessed?

1. Racing: They win. From the local club to international One Loft Races.
2. Breeding: They improve any loft they are crossed with.
3. Investment: The value of Kittel offspring has skyrocketed, making them a tangible asset in the pigeon market.

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The Origin Story: Daniel Dehon-Demonseau and the Birth of a Legend

Every legend has a beginning. For Best Kittel, it started in a modest loft in Belgium managed by Daniel Dehon and his partner, Demonseau.

The Founding Vision: Dedication to Sprint Racing

Unlike many modern lofts that chase every type of race, the Dehon-Demonseau partnership had a singular focus: Sprint. Since the 1990s, they honed their colony for pure speed. They didn’t care about pedigrees with fancy names; they cared about results.

The Ancestry: The Role of ‘Méchant’

The foundation of this dynasty rests on a bird named ‘Méchant’ (BE05-9080824). In 2007, ‘Méchant’ was the 1st Prov. Ace Pigeon Sprint KBDB.

He was a phenomenal racer, but he was an even better stock breeder. His genes flow through the veins of almost every champion in the loft. He is the father of Best Kittel. This father-to-son transmission of elite quality is rare and highly coveted.

The Breakthrough: The “362 of 2015” Becomes ‘Best Kittel’

In 2015, a checkered cock hatched. Ring number 1029362. As a yearling, he showed promise, but in 2017, he exploded onto the scene. He was no longer just “the 362”; he was christened Best Kittel, a name that would soon echo from Belgium to China.

Anecdote: When the experts from PIPA Breeding first visited the Dehon-Demonseau loft, they were stunned. They found a family of birds that had been dominating locally but were largely unknown to the global market. It was like finding a diamond mine in your backyard.

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Best Kittel’s Record-Breaking Racing Career

To understand the hype, you must look at the scoreboard. Best Kittel didn’t just win; he humiliated the competition.

An Unprecedented Achievement

• 2016: 4th Nat. Ace Pigeon Sprint KBDB.
• 2017: 1st Nat. Ace Pigeon Sprint KBDB.

The crowning glory was his coefficient of 0.89%. In pigeon racing, a lower coefficient is better (it calculates your position relative to the number of birds). To achieve less than 1% across multiple races is almost mathematically impossible—yet he did it.

Key Victories

His racing results include:

• 1st against 1,082 birds
• 1st against 841 birds
• 1st against 623 birds
• 1st against 548 birds

Retirement at the Peak

Immediately after his record-breaking season, Best Kittel was retired to the breeding loft. This is a crucial strategy. By removing him from the dangers of racing (predators, wires, bad weather), his genetic material was preserved to found a dynasty.

For a visual deep dive into these pigeons, you can watch this video on the Best Kittel family.

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The Kittel Dynasty: A Breeding Revolution

This is where the story shifts from a single bird to a global empire. Best Kittel proved to be as potent a breeder as the legendary Kannibaal or Harry.

The Progeny of Champions

The direct children of Best Kittel have dominated the National Ace Pigeon Sprint KBDB rankings year after year.

1. ‘Junior’ (BE17-1019381):
   • Achievement: 2nd Nat. Ace Sprint YL KBDB 2018.
   • Significance: Proved immediately that Best Kittel passes on his genes.
2. ‘Best Kittel II’ (BE19-4130060):
   • Achievement: 1st Nat. Acebird Sprint KBDB 2020.
   • Significance: A son replicating the father’s exact title.
3. ‘Blue Best Kittel’ (BE18-1045025):
   • Achievement: 1st Nat. Acebird Sprint KBDB 2021.
   • Trait: Known for exceptional endurance alongside speed.
4. ‘Daniel’ (BE18-1045020):
   • Achievement: 1st Nat. Acebird Sprint KBDB 2019.
   • Lineage: A cousin/nephew connection that reinforces the family strength.

The ‘Expensive Kittel’ Connection

You may hear about Dirk Van Den Bulck and his famous ‘Kittel’ (different bird, same name popularity). However, the Dehon-Demonseau lines have been crossed with Van Den Bulck birds (like the Olympic Rosita lines) with massive success. The Expensive Kittel line refers to high-value transfers involving these sprint genetics.

Triple Inbreeding and Genetics

The Dehon-Demonseau family is heavily inbred. Best Kittel was mated to his own cousins and nieces.

• Why do this? To “lock in” the speed gene.
• The Result: When you take an inbred pigeon like a Best Kittel child and cross it with a totally different bloodline (Outcrossing), the “hybrid vigor” often results in a super racer.

For more on the specific breeding lineup, check the resources at PIPA.be.

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Characteristics and Traits of Elite Kittel Pigeons

How do you spot a Kittel? If you handle one, you’ll notice specific traits.

• Musculature: They have “explosive” muscles. Pectorals are swollen and vibrate with energy.
• Wing Structure: Short to medium forearm with flexible, ventilated end flight feathers. This allows for rapid wing beats—essential for sprint velocity.
• Mental Fortitude: These birds are calm in the hand but electric in the air. They have a high “homing drive,” meaning they don’t just want to go home; they need to get there instantly.
• The “Pear” Shape: Many handlers describe the body as perfectly balanced, slightly front-heavy (typical for sprinters), tapering smoothly to the tail.

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Training and Care for Kittel Racing Pigeons

This is a content gap in many articles. You cannot feed a Ferrari regular gas and expect it to win F1. Here is how to care for Kittel bloodlines to maximize their potential.

1. Optimizing Performance: Diet and Nutrition

Sprint pigeons burn carbohydrates quickly but need fats for that final push.

• Beginning of Week: Light, digestible mix (depurative).
• Middle of Week: Add proteins to repair muscle.
• End of Week (Basketing): High-energy fats. Use peanuts, sunflower hearts, or a specialized “energy mix.”
• Supplements: Electrolytes are non-negotiable upon return. Kittel pigeons give 110%, so they return dehydrated and depleted.

2. Tailored Training Regimes

Since these are sprint champions, they don’t need 5-hour training tosses.

• Frequency: Short, intense tosses (20km – 40km) mid-week keep their orientation sharp and speed high.
• Loft Exercise: They should be flying with intensity around the loft for 45-60 minutes daily. If they aren’t storming out of the loft, check their health.

3. Health Management

Speed birds are susceptible to respiratory issues because they push their air sacs to the limit.

• Ventilation: Ensure your loft is airy but draft-free.
• Regular Checks: Vet checks for tricho (canker) and cocci are vital during the racing season. A Kittel with a respiratory infection is just a normal bird.

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Breeding with Kittel Bloodlines: Strategies for Success

So, you want to introduce Best Kittel into your loft? Here is a step-by-step guide to doing it right.

Step 1: Selection

Don’t just buy a paper pedigree. Look for a bird that physically resembles the ancestor: strong back, tight vents, and soft plumage.

Step 2: The Cross (Golden Rule)

The Kittel bloodline is often inbred.

• Strategy: Take a pure/inbred Kittel offspring and mate it to your best unrelated racer (Outcross).
• Target: This usually produces the best racing youngsters in the first generation (F1).

Step 3: Maintaining the Line

To keep the blood pure for future selling or breeding, mate two Kittel grandchildren together (Linebreeding). This keeps the genes concentrated without the risks of brother-sister mating.

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Investing in Kittel Pigeons: Value and Authenticity

The market for these birds is hot. Prices for direct children of Best Kittel can reach tens of thousands of Euros.

Understanding Market Value

Price is driven by:

1. Closeness to the Source: Direct children > Grandchildren.
2. Performance of Siblings: If the brothers/sisters are winning, the value goes up.
3. Physical Quality: A perfect bird sells for more than a distinctively flawed one, regardless of paper.

Identifying Genuine Bloodlines

User Pain Point: Scams exist.

• Verify Pedigrees: Ensure the DNA is certified. Reputable sellers like PIPA, Herbots, or GPS Auctions provide DNA guarantees.
• Check Ring Numbers: Original Dehon-Demonseau birds have specific Belgian ring sequences.
• Buy from the Source: Visit auctions that partner directly with the PIPA Elite Center (PEC).

For current listings, reputable platforms like GPS-Auctions are essential to monitor.

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The Global Impact: Beyond Belgium

The Kittel legacy isn’t stuck in Europe.

• USA: Fanciers are using Kittel crosses to dominate the lucrative “One Loft Race” circuit.
• UK: Sprint racing is huge in the UK. Lofts like Les Green have utilized Kittel genetics to devastate the competition.
• Middle Distance: While famous for sprint, Blue Best Kittel descendants are proving they can handle middle distance racing (400-500km) when the weather is tough.

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Conclusion: Kittel – A Name Synonymous with Speed and Success

The story of Best Kittel is a testament to the power of focused breeding. From the humble beginnings of Daniel Dehon’s dedication to the glitz of international auctions, this bloodline has changed the pigeon sport forever.

If you are struggling to gain speed in your loft, or if your birds fade away in the final kilometers, the Kittel bloodline offers a proven solution. They are the dragsters of the sky—muscular, relentless, and genetically wired to win.

The takeaway is clear: In modern pigeon racing, you either have the speed, or you are chasing it. Investing in Best Kittel genetics is the fastest way to stop chasing and start leading.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Who is Best Kittel and what are his major achievements? 

A: Best Kittel is a racing pigeon bred by Dehon-Demonseau. He was the 1st Nat. Ace Pigeon Sprint KBDB 2017 with a record-breaking low coefficient of 0.89%. He is considered one of the best sprint pigeons in history.

Q: Where can one acquire authentic Kittel pigeons or their offspring? 

A: You should buy from reputable auction houses such as PIPA, Herbots, or GPS Auctions. Always ask for a DNA certificate to verify the parentage, especially when buying “direct” children.

Q: How does the Kittel bloodline compare to other renowned pigeon racing families? 

A: Compared to long-distance families (like Jan Aarden), Kittel birds are pure sprinters. Compared to other sprint families (like Dirk Van Den Bulck), Kittel is renowned for its lowest KBDB coefficient records and extreme dominance in the Ace Pigeon rankings over the last 5 years.

Q: How can I integrate Kittel bloodlines into my existing breeding program? 

A: The best strategy is outcrossing. Buy an inbred Kittel grandchild or child and mate it to your best, toughest racer. This combines the Kittel speed with your family’s established toughness.

Q: What is the average cost or investment value of a Kittel pigeon? A

: Prices vary wildly. A grandchild might cost €500-€1,500, while a direct child of Best Kittel can fetch €10,000 to €50,000+ at auction depending on the mother and physical quality.