In the 1950's, Jan Aarden sold a lot of pigeons, but almost everyone crossed these pigeons with different lines. Only a few breeders have kept the pure Jan Aarden line and that is why pure Jan Aarden pigeons have become very rare. In those days it was relatively easy to get marathon birds for very little money and it was at this time that Jan Aarden began to excel in long distance racing and formed the basis for the now famous Jan Aarden line.

In the early years, before trade dominated the pigeon world, it was possible to obtain pigeons from Jan Aarden. Marijn van Geel was one of those breeders who started with his friend Jan Cools to focus on marathon races, instead of speed and long distance races.

After the good initial results, the disaster of their first loft took place, the pigeons died, all but one and after the restart with new birds, there was a new disaster in the form of floods, which decimated their entire loft in 1953.

A year later, Marijn van Geel and Jan Cools, who were competing in tandem at the time, decided to separate and compete on their own, each with their own pigeons. Both breeders went to Steenbergen to get marathon pigeons, to build their own lines, based on Jan Aarden birds. Marijn van Geel bought some pigeons from a fellow breeder named Van Agtmaal, this breeder was the most good friend of Jan Aarden and could get all the pigeons he wanted from Jan Aarden. Van Agtmaal gave Van Geel 5 eggs from his best breeding pigeons, two of which were the father and mother of the famous "500", one of the best marathon runners in the Netherlands, and also a superb breeder. In the same year, Van Geel bought two more young males from the same pair, and these four brothers and sisters from the "500" were the best Jan Aarden pigeons. In addition to these 4 pigeons, Marijn van Geel used only two more birds to form its own Jan Aarden line. Those pigeons were "Ligtenberg" and "Old 59", bred by Van Geel from the "Big Cock" in Stoffen. Both "Ligtenberg" and "Old 59" were pure Jan Aarden pigeons. With these 6 pigeons, Marijn van Geel laid the groundwork for what would later become the best Jan Aarden line in the world.

The only other birds, introduced after the initial start, were the pigeon that won the 1st place National St. Willem van den Burgh's Vincent and Piet van der Slik's 1st place Barcelona International Pigeon, these two pigeons were also Jan Aarden pigeons.

Marijn van Geel was a pigeon fancier who did not like to cross his pigeons with other lines. He achieved his ideal by inbreeding, a method praised as the best method of success. Success came quickly to Van Geel after acquiring the Jan Aarden line through his friend Van Agtmaal. In a short time, Marijn van Geel became one of the best cross-country pigeons in the Netherlands and from the early 1960s onwards, he became well known as the owner of the pigeons with top positions in the races at St. Vincent, Dax, Pau, Barcelona and many more.

Although 61 years have passed since then, it is interesting to note that Marijn van Geel's results have never been matched in marathon races and if there had been a world championship league for marathon races, it would certainly have surpassed it.

Marijn van Geel's pigeons won two cars at the national races, "Vlekje" won a car at the Dax race and "Dolle" won a car at the St. Vincent and five times a bird of Marijn van Geel were the winners in the south-west of the Netherlands, against the cream of Dutch marathon runners. Maybe for today such prizes won do not represent a great financial value, but in those years the value of such a prize was huge, this being due to the massive number of participating pigeons but also the fact that all breeders hired exceptional pigeons, so The competition was extremely fierce. Van Geel managed to win positions in the top twenty-five awards against several thousand pigeons in almost every race in which he participated.

Marijn van Geel's Jan Aarden line became the best of all marathon lines in the Netherlands, and some very good marathon breeders approached Van Geel and bought pigeons, and many of them were very successful with his pigeons.

Marijn van Geel from Nieuw Vossemeer was the only breeder who kept the Jan Aarden line as pure as it was in the 1950s: the most beautiful-eyed pigeons, unimaginable, physically perfect and silky fethers. Van Geel kept the Jan Aarden pigeons pure by a very close inbreeding and managed to keep them as a pattern but also as performance.
25 years after the disappearance of Jan Aarden himself. Marijn van Geel showed that the old Jan Aarden line was very suitable for inbreeding.

Over the years, Marijn van Geel has bred many unique marathon pigeons. World fame began with the famous "Dolle", the best marathon pigeon in the world of all time. "Dolle" was followed by "Lange", "Bonte 62", "Old 54" and "Old 59" and many more. The latest generation of Van Geel pigeons include "Vlekje", "Goede Blauwe", "Barcelona", Favoriet "and" Munchenvlieger ", all of the same incomparable class, the marks of the Jan Aarden line  are still used in marathon flight in many of the top lofts in Europe.

DOLLE NL 67-2052951
"Dolle" is the most famous Jan Aarden pigeon of all time. Thanks to its outstanding performance, "Dolle" has become the best marathon pigeon in the world. It can no doubt be seen as the bird that formed the basis of the Jan Aarden line in the 1970s and 1980s. The number of exceptional pigeons with "Dolle" blood is enormous.

"Dolle" died in 1985 - at the age of eighteen - in the Van Geel  loft. It was a typical Jan Aarden pigeon, with beautiful brown eyes and silky soft feathers; characteristics that were passed on to his descendants.

In 1975, "Dolle" was transferred to the breeding compartment and intended to remain there. In  meantime, he has won a car for his owner and has brought an impressive number of results.
Throughout his career, "Dolle" has been involved in racing 17 times and, as a result, has won 17 awards in cross-country racing.

The most important results of "Dolle" are:

1 Provincial St. Vincent 1,684 pigeons 980 km
3 National St. Vincent 6,844 pigeons 980 km
1 Provincial Dax 1,032 pigeons 970 km
3 National Dax 3,649 pigeons 970 km
9 Provincial Limoges 1,610 pigeons 650 km
12 National St. Vincent 6,917 pigeons 980 km
20 Provincial Chateauroux 2,176 pigeons 580 km
22 Provincial Chateauroux 2,425 pigeons 580 km
39 Provincial Moulins 5,146 pigeons 590 km
59 Provincial Moulins 4,612 pigeons 590 km
66 National Dax 3,561 pigeons 970 km
"Dolle" was bred from two pure pigeons Jan Aarden through Ligtenberg and Van Agtmaal, both from Steenbergen.

Dollle's father was H61-145676, named Ligtenberg.

The "Ligtenberg" pedigree was never fully pursued. It is certain, however, that this superior male was raised from two pure pigeons Jan Aarden of Toon Ligtenberg, the man who was friends with Jan Aarden and who could get what he wanted from the best pigeons of the loft. "Ligtenberg" was a bird in the same upper class as "Dolle."

Dolle's mother was H63-306428, named "Moeder Dolle".

She was a pretty female with dark purple eyes.  Was raised from the best Van Agtmaal lines and is closely related to the famous "500".

A marathon pigeon better than "Dolle" has never existed. On many champion breeders, this magical bird has been the basis and still guarantees major performance
in international pigeon sport.

VLEKJE
There can be no doubt that "Vlekje" was one of the most important pigeons in the Van Geel strain and a pearl in international pigeon sport. "Vlekje" was a dream too
the prototype of the modern pigeon Jan Aarden. It was a very versatile bird, with all the good features of the Jan Aarden stem. As a racing bird and a stock bird,
it was a phenomenal and priceless pigeon.

This was evident in winning the car in 1984 and the second national Dax. Later, as a breeder , he became famous as the father and grandfather of many superior pigeons that
they excelled in the marathons .

SOME REFERENCES
In 1988, Martha van Geel won the first Bergerac of the South West District Union long-distance race out of 2,488 selected carrier pigeons from West Brabant.
The winner of the "Bergerac Chicken" was a direct daughter of "Vlekje". And in 1977, the Kuypers of Neer won a car in the National Dax. Their winner has been raised
from a stepmother of "Vlekje". On his father's side, "Vlekje" himself was inbred after "Dolle", who won the car at National St. Vincent. On his mother's side,
"Vlekje" was a nephew of Dolle. The winning cars thus seem to be a feature of Vlekje's pedigree. Moreover, "Vlekje" was very similar
with "Dolle". First of all in terms of color, but also in terms of character. Ordinary, energetic and dominant in the loft, as was "Dolle".
These features, along with excellent performance as a carrier pigeon and breeder, have made Van Geel's "Vlekje" the most wanted  long distance pigeon.
from the world. Large amounts of money were often offered for "Vlekje", but this bird was not for sale.

At the auction of all the pigeons at the Van Geel loft in 1989, "Vlekje" was sold for a huge amount of money to Masarella in the United Kingdom.
Vlekje's father was NL79 / 1445731, named "Vader Vlekje", the father of the famous "Vlekje", the winner of the 1984 Dax car. He was raised from "Blauwe Witpen" x "Barcelona Hen".
"Blauwe Witpen" was a purely inbred "Dolle" product, and "Barcelona Duivin" descended from the legendary "Spin" of the late Jef van Wanroy.
"Vader Vlekje" not only became the father of the winner of Martha van Geel's car, but also the grandfather of the winner of the Kuypers brothers' car in Neer. A very valuable breeders!


Vlekje's mother was NL80 / 8009225, called "Dochter Dolle 25". She fled the bridge in 1984 to never return. She was the daughter of the legendary Dolle himself and, unfortunately,
she never had a chance to prove how excellent she was. The production of a winning car, however, is simple proof of its class: no more is needed.
The mother of "Dochter Dolle 25" in 1986 won the 68th national edition of St. Vincent out of over 10,000 pigeons.

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL WINNERS WITH `` DOLLE``-BLOOD:

1. International Barcelona 2016 Lothar Lessmeister
1. National Orange 2016 Klaas Buwalda
1. National Bergerac 2016 Combinatie Ruig
1. National Pau 2016 Kees Droog
1. National Marsilia 2016 Lei Martens
1. National Perpignan 2016 Freialdenhofen & Sohne
1. National Pau 2016 Gavin Duggan
1. International Perpignan 2016 Tekin Mevlut
1. National Valence 2016 Alan Holdaway
1. National Bergerac 2016 Gijs Baan
1. Campion Internațional 2016 Peet en Paloma Solle
1. International Marsilia 2016 Alain Dermonne
1. National Barcelona 2016 Mehadji Mohamed
1. National Barcelona 2015 Ryszard Szewczyk
1. National St. Vincent 2015 H-J & Frank Eszer
1. National Perpignan 2015 Robert Harris
1. National Bordeaux 2015 Mal Hope
1. As Porumbel Barcelona 2015 Wilfried Stiel
1. National St. Vincent 2015 Piet van Straten
1. National Tarbes 2015 Piet Overkleeft
1. National Perpignan 2015 Peet Solleveld en Paloma
1. International St. Vincent 2015 Claude Ledoux
1. International Narbonne 2015 Levi Van der Weijden
1. National Bergerac 2015 Piet Overkleeft
1. National Barcelona 2015 Klaas Droog
1. National Aurillac 2015 Gebroeders Limburg
1. National Palomas 2015 Keith Young
1. National Agen 2015 Freialdenhofen & Sohne
1. International Pau 2015 Desmeyter-Restiaan
1. National St. Vincent 2015 Cor de Heijde
1. International Pau 2015 Desmeyter-Restiaan
1. National Guernsey 2015 E. Ilsley
1. International Narbonne 2014 Michael Grunholz
1. National Limoges 2014 Dekens Wilson
1. National Perpignan 2014 Freialdenhofen & Sohne
1. National Barcelona 2014 Emmerich & Heinz
1. National Barcelona 2014 Heath & Peter Archibald
1. National Argenton 2014 Guy & Michael Regnier
1. National St. Vincent 2014 Francis Franssen
1. International Agen 2014 Karl-Heinz Kanski
1. National Brive 2014 Arjan Beens
1. National Pau 2014 Etienne Meirlaen
1. National St. Vincent 2014 Cor de Heijde
1. Turnee Naționale 2014 Christopher Hunt
1. National Limoges 2014 Dekens Wilson
1. International Pau 2014 Lothar Lessmeister
1. National Carentan 2014 Richard Goodier and Sons
1. National Agen 2014 Henk Curvers
1. National Perpignan 2014 Arjan Beens
1. International St. Vincent 2013 Karl-Heinz Koers
1. National Barcelona 2013 Wim van der Velden
1. National Orange 2013 Mulder & Zoon
1. National Pau 2013 Freialdenhofen & Sohne
1. National Perpignan 2013 Dickie Pearmain
1. National Narbonne 2013 Adri van der Bijl
1. Campion național 2013 Dekens Wilson
1. National Barcelona 2013 Freialdenhofen & Sohn
1. National As Porumbel 2013 Zweden
1. National St. Vincent 2013 Aad Kuijt
1. National Barcelona 2013 Lepuch Leknica
1. Internat. Krasnodon 2013 Vasile Cristinel
1. National Agen 2013 Freialdenhofen & Sohne
1. National Montelimar 2013 Dekens Wilson
1. National Agen 2013 Rittersma Groningen
1. National Narbonne 2012 Cees van Aart
1. National Cahors 2012 Etienne Meirlaen
1. National Barcelona 2012 Ferdy De Scheemaeker
1. National St. Vincent 2012 Gebroeders Limburg
1. National Alecon 2012 Frey-Hoddinett
1. National Pau 2012 John Chipperfield
1. International Pau 2012 Freialdenhofen & Sohne
1. National Bergerac 2012 Jan van Ekeren
1. National Bordeaux 2012 Jo Heuts
1. National As Porumbel 2012 Jean-Luc Lambert
1. Campionul National 2012 Dekens Wilson
1. National Tarbes 2012 Ernst Hodel
1. National Albi 2012 Peter van de Wulp
1. Campion National 2012 Jan Ceusters
1. National St. Vincent 2012 Bauhaus-Devers
1. National As Pigeon 2012 Dekens Wilson
1. National Barcelona 2011 Willy Verbruggen
1. National As Porumbel 2011 De Clercq-Vervaeren
1. National Barcelona 2011 Crowley & Green
1. International Narbonne 2011 Etienne Meirlaen
1. National As Pigeon 2011 Kipp und Sohne
1. National Limoges 2011
1. National Bergerac 2011 Jan Bullens
1. National Narbonne 2011 Freialdenhofen & Sohne
1. National Tarbes 2011 Van de Pol – Verhoeven
1. National Perpignan 2011 John Chipperfield
1. National Streyregg 2011 Henry Visser
1. International As Pigeon 2011 Kipp und Sohne
1. National Barcelona 2010 Cees Luykx
1. National St. Vincent 2010 Combinatie Bosman
1. National Pau 2010 Combinatie Hoogendam
1. National Bergerac 2010 Ron Gerrits
1. International Bordeaux 2010 Herman van Helmond
1. National As Pigeon 2010 Gebroeders van de Kieboom
1. Campion National 2010 Cees Luijkx
1. National As Porumbel 2010 Etienne Meirlaen
1. National Bordeaux 2010 Crowley & Green
1. National Cahors 2010 Cees van Meel
1. Campion Naţional 2010 Geert van de Matten
1. National As Pigeon 2010 Gebroeders van de Kieboom
1. International Barcelona 2009 W. & M. van Houten
1. International Bordeaux 2009 Tonny van Dam
1. National Barcelona 2009 Freialdenhofen & Sohne
1. National Perpignan 2009 Mark van den Berg
1. International As Porumbel 2009 Etienne Meirlaen
1. International Vitoria 2008 Ferdy De Scheemaeker
1. International Perpignan 2008 Jan Roobol
1. Campion National 2008 Combinatie Verbeek
1. National St. Vincent 2008 Doctor Delhove
1. Interațional Limoges 2008 Gebroeders Limburg
1. International Sebastian 2008 Ferdy De Scheemaeker
1. National Perigeux 2008 Gebroeders Limburg
1. National Marsilia 2008 Fons van Ophuizen
1. Campion National 2007 Combinatie Verbeek
1. National St. Vincent 2007 Gerard Koopman
1. National Limoges 2007 Gebroeders Limburg
1. National Irun 2007 Freialdenhofen & Sohne
1. National Brive 2007 Ton Bollebakker
1. National As Pigeon 2007 Combinatie Verbeek
1. National Barcelona 2006 Lothar Lessmeister
1. National Mont Marsan 2006 Marti Beset & Son
1. Campion Naţional 2006 Gradje Roeffen
1. National Dax 2006 Winny van Ooijen
1. National Dax 2006 Lothar Lessmeister
1. National Barcelona 2005 Frans Bungeneers
1. National Bergerac 2005 Marti Beset & Son
1. National St. Vincent 2005 Combinatie van Beers
1. National Tarbes 2005 Combinatie Houtekamer
1. National Brive 2005 Gebroeders Beens
1. International Biarritz
1. National St. Vincent 2004 Gerard Koopman
1. International Perpignan 2004 Kurvers – De Weerd
1. National Barcelona 2004 Ben Robert
1. National St. Vincent 2004 Ria Tieleman
1. National St. Vincent 2004 Van Seeters & Son
1. National Ruffec 2004 Gerard Koopman
1. National Ablis 2004 Gebroeders Limburg
1. National As Porumbel 2004 Gerard Koopman
1. National St. Vincent 2004 Henk Vermeulen
1. International Bergerac 2003 Menne und Tochter
1. International Perpignan 2003 Joost Desmeyter
1. International Barcelona 2003 Gebroeders Hagens
1. National St. Vincent 2003 Raymond Moleveld
1. National Perpignan 2003 John van Klink
1. International As Pigeon 2002 Kurvers – De Weerd
1. National St. Vincent 2002 Combinatie van Beers
1. National Perpignan 2002 Freialdenhofen & Sohne
1. National Brive 2002 Raymond Moleveld
1. National St. Vincent 2002 Maria Kerkhofs
1. National Dax 2002 Bauhaus-Devers
1. National Bergerac 2002 Wim de Leeuw
1. National Bordeaux2001 Cor de Heijde
1. National St. Vincent 2001 Michel Schuurmans
1. National Munchen 2001 Gebroeders Limburg
1. National Mont Marsan 2001 Gebroeders Maas
1. Campion National 2001 Sjouke Duinstra
1. National St. Vincent 2000 Combinatie Van Boxtel
1. National Barcelona 2000 Combinatie Houtekamer
1. National St. Vincent 2000 A. Houweling
1. Campion National 2000 Piet van Alphen
1. National St. Vincent 2000 Gebroeders Keekstra
1. National Limoges 2000 J. Verschuren
1. International Barcelona 1999 Jan Dons
1. National St. Vincent 1998 Bennie Homma
1. Campion național 1998 Gebroeders Limburg
1. National Bergerac 1998 Amanuel Oz
1. National St. Vincent 1998 Rudi Philips
1. National Perpignan 1998 Helmut Grun
1. Național Barcelona 1997 Willy Looijmans
1. National Perpignan 1997 Cor de Heijde
1. National Limoges 1997 Gebroeders Limburg
1. National St. Vincent 1997 Bennie Hovenkamp
1. Național Barcelona 1996 Rick Stevens
1. National Barcelona 1996 Cees Brok
1. National Montauban 1995 Jan Ouwerkerk
1. Campion Național 1995 Kurvers – De Weerd
1. National St. Vincent 1994 Cees Hartog
1. National Perpignan 1994 Bernd Morsnowski
1. International Bordeaux 1993 Wilfried Stiel
1. National St. Vincent 1993 Combinatie van Beers
1. National St. Vincent 1993 Combinatie van Beers
1. National Bergerac 1992 Jan Kooistra
1. National Perpignan 1992 Duitsland
1. International Barcelona 1991 Jean-Luc Van Roy
1. National Barcelona 1991 Jomp Kleen
1. National Pau 1991 Duisland
1. National Perpignan 1990 Gert-Jan Braam
1. National Dax 1990 Felix Rozendaal
1. National Dax 1989 Gebroeders Kuypers
1. International Pau 1989 Paul ten Have
1. National Barcelona 1989 Jan Theelen
1. National St. Vincent 1988 Gebroeders Kuypers
1. National Dax 1988 Ad Venmans
1. Campion Naţional 1988 Jean Steijns
1. International Barcelona 1988 Wim van Leeuwen
1. National Barcelona 1987 Laban van Noordenne
1. National Bergerac 1986 Gebroeders Van Zelderen
1. International Barcelona 1984 Wim van Leeuwen
1. International Marsilia 1983 Heinz Seegmuller
1. National St. Vincent 1983 Gebroeders Van Zelderen
1. National Barcelona 1982 Gebroeders Van Zelderen
1. National St. Vincent 1981 Wim Versendaal
1. National Pau 1978 Mevrouw Sprenkels
1. National Narbonne 1975 Heinz Seegmuller
1. National St. Vincent 1975 Willem van de Burgh