Stefan Loyson, a name like a bell in the Kortemark area. Not only known for his bakery but also for being a feared opponent in the pigeon races for many years. For example: This year at the tough Chateauroux, he took 1st & 2nd zonal for the young pigeons and 1st zonal for the old ones. A top performance if you ask us!
How it started
For Stefan, everything began in the year 1992 in Handzame. In the early years, he was assisted with advice and action by uncle Andre Bogaert from Staden, from whom a round of young pigeons was consistently obtained. In 2007, a tandem partner joined, and the Lowie-Loyson tandem was born. However, this combination played from a different location. The old lofts in Handzame were empty for some time until Stefan's son decided to start racing pigeons again there in 2012, partly due to medical issues of the tandem partner. Until 2014, racing continued at the other location, after which they returned to the current address to resume racing. Since 2022, we find the name Stefan Loyson back on the results.
In the early years, the focus was mainly on speed and the small middle distance. Since 2017, they have begun racing at all distances. The emphasis now lies particularly on the heavy middle distance and long distance.
The breeds housed in Handzame come from Dirk Lamote, from whom several young pigeons are obtained every year, and they do very well with them. Other names include Baert-Simoens (via Peter van Isacker), Koen Crucke, Gilbert Callewaert, Nick Zielens, Eric Vermander, Desender Domeniek, Lowie-Loyson, and since 2016, some eggs obtained from Gino Clicque.
Loft stock and system
In Handzame, they start with 40 widowhood males and have 20 breeding pairs that produce 140 young pigeons in 3 rounds. The widowers are allowed to breed one round of young pigeons around Christmas. Afterwards, they go back into rest mode and then start training daily twice for one hour from early April (weather permitting). The old pigeons are raced traditionally in widowhood. The females are always shown a few minutes before basketing and are taken back from the loft a few hours after the race. At the start of the season, they are trained 3 times themselves with the old pigeons, and the 4th time they go along with the local club. The widowers are kept in a very dry attic loft that is pleasant to stay in all year round.
The breeding pigeons are brought together earlier (around November 25) than the widowers and ensure most of the offspring. They breed 3 rounds of young from the breeders, all of which are raced until the national races. No eggs are swapped among the breeding pairs. The last young pigeons are weaned around April 20. From the time the young pigeons are 4-6 weeks old, Stefan vaccinates them with the paramyxo/rota vaccination. This vaccination is repeated 2 months later. The young pigeons are kept in darkness from early March until after the first weekend in June. They receive about 10 hours of light daily, depending on the time. Sometimes this is from 8 AM to 6 PM; other days it's from 11 AM to sunset. They do not use a light supplement. The young pigeons have one hour of freedom daily in good weather. Once they fly well around the loft, they start training. They race about 6 times themselves to then send them with the big basket to Arras. During the season, they also race the young pigeons a few more times but in different directions.
Regarding motivation for the young pigeons, Stefan applies the following system: As soon as all the young pigeons from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounds fly well, they are kept together. They stay together until the 1st week before Bourges. Then they separate all the young pigeons and race them until the end of the season on the sliding door. The separation of the young pigeons happens the day after the race. When they return home on Saturday, they are separated on Sunday. If the weather permits, they are also worked to on the day of basketing. Upon returning home, they can stay together until they are basketed. The young pigeons are kept in a garden loft that remains empty from the end of the season until the first young pigeons are weaned.
The medical aspect is in the hands of Wim Boddaert. Before the season, a check-up and mandatory vaccinations. Early June for another check-up. And after the season for a final check. Stefan will only intervene at the veterinarian's recommendation, as he believes in having good pigeons coupled with proper daily care and a consistent racing system.
Some top pigeons from the Loyson loft explained:
Best young pigeon this year was 3031407/2023
She is the 4th provincial ace pigeon long distance young
She flies 14/14
1st zonal Chateauroux
10th zonal Montoire
26th zonal Argenton
32nd union Orleans
55th zonal Bourges
3096201/12 via Lowie-Loyson
He is the father, grandfather, and great-grandfather of different 1st prize winners and
Many top 100 national standings.
1st national zone Chateauroux young
1st national zone Chateauroux old
2nd national zone Chateauroux young
3rd national zone Argenton old
4th provincial ace pigeon long distance young 2023
Ace pigeon heavy middle distance young Vliegersclub Kortemark
3135125/15 Baert/Simoens via Peter Van Isacker
Is father and grandfather of various top 100 national racing pigeons and 1st prize winners and ace pigeons.
2x ace pigeon long distance Kortemark
1st national zone Argenton young
1st national zone Chateauroux young
27th best pigeon in Belgium over the 4 national races.
Euro Diamond Winner Agen
4th provincial ace pigeon long distance young
Ace pigeon heavy middle distance young Vliegersclub Kortemark
3039057/13 Dirk Lamote
Is mother and grandmother of different top 100 national racing pigeons and 1st prize winners and ace pigeons.
2x ace pigeon long distance Kortemark
1st national zone Argenton young
1st national zone Chateauroux young
4th provincial ace pigeon long distance young 2023
27th best pigeon in Belgium over the 4 national races.
Ace pigeon heavy middle distance young Vliegersclub Kortemark
3039094/13 Dirk Lamote
Is father and grandfather of various top 100 national racing pigeons and 1st prize winners.
1st national zone Tulle old
1st national zone Chateauroux young
3rd national zone Argenton old
4th provincial ace pigeon long distance young 2023
Ace pigeon heavy middle distance young Vliegersclub Kortemark
3023595/17 Gilbert Callewaert
Is mother and grandmother of various top 100 national racing pigeons and 1st prize winners and ace pigeons.
1st Clermont
1st national zone Chateauroux young
3rd national zone Argenton old
4th provincial ace pigeon long distance young 2023
Ace pigeon heavy middle distance young Vliegersclub Kortemark
Some impressive results
Old:
24/6 Argenton (301d)
26-51-63-67-97 (5/6)
24/6 Pau (3080d)
288 (1/1)
8/7 Bergerac (3838d)
46-314 (2/2)
9/9 Chateauroux (158d)
1-17-29 (3/3)
Yearlings
20/5 Pontiose (186d)
3-4-9-10-12-13-28-43-47-59-80 (11/12)
27/5 Bourges (557d)
10-23-42-51-67-76-84-116-158 (9/12)
22/7 Chateauroux (778d)
53-76-103-167-169 (5/5)
Young:
22/7 Orleans (734d)
2-4-10-12-14-23-31-32-90-129-135-149-150… (26/38)
26/8 Argenton (1283d)
1-26-27-40-47-75-88-123-124-130… (21/50)
2/9 Montoire (373d)
5-14-56-64-66-76-88-119-121
Championship results in the Vliegersclub Kortemark
Ace pigeon heavy middle distance young
2nd champion Heavy middle distance old
2nd champion heavy middle distance young
3rd champion heavy middle distance yearlings
3rd general champion heavy middle distance-long distance-heavy long distance
8th champion speed yearlings
8th champion speed young
8th overall champion speed
14th champion young inter-west Flanders
25th overall champion inter-west Flanders