How it Started
About 35 years ago, Eddy and Patriek met at Norbert Wijnsberghe's, at that time one of the top lofts in Flanders for long-distance racing. Eddy was a good family friend, and every year pigeons were exchanged. At that time, Eddy was playing under the name Haerens-VD Meerschaut with his mother-in-law Annie. Patriek was still a cyclist at that moment, but in his spare time, he often visited Uncle Norbert to wait for the pigeons. It can be said that Patriek comes from a true pigeon lover family, as both his grandfather and father Antoine were passionate pigeon fanciers. When Eddy's mother-in-law decided to stop, plans were made in the year 2000 to start the Steyaert-VD Meerschaut tandem the following year. It was agreed to begin in 2001 at Eddy's old loft in Astridstraat for the racing flights, and in Bredestraat at Patriek, new lofts were built to house the breeding pigeons. The first year was immediately a super year with several victories, mainly in the races above Paris.
Breeding Development
In the first years, they mainly played with Eddy's old birds. These were pigeons from Norbert Wijnsberghe, Etienne T’kint, Demunster Buddy, Joel Declercq & Luc Weytens. In early 2000, Patriek was allowed to choose a young bird from Hubert Cosman in Waregem. Hubert was a well-respected fancier within the club in Waregem, where they played all the flights above Paris. Hubert did not play beyond Clermont, but everyone knew there were some pigeons from Camiel Van Wynsberghe from Waregem. What no one could suspect at that moment was that this pigeon would turn out to be a top breeder. To this day, there are still about eight grandchildren in the breeding loft. In his young bird season, he repeatedly flew in the top 10, even at Tours. Since they were not playing with old birds at that moment, “Hubert” moved to the breeding loft. There, he turned out to be an excellent breeder. He received four different hens, and all of them produced first prize winners. A daughter from “Hubert” moved to Filip Teirlinck from Astene. There, this line also proved itself with a national victory at Argenton against more than 12,000 pigeons. Good friend Lieven Lannoo also received the line for testing at his breeding loft. His “Eddy” won three first prizes last season in races over more than 400 km.
In 2010, a direct daugther of “Hubert” moved to Geert and Annick Van Renterghem. The hen was named “Patricia.” For years, she was one of the better breeding pigeons and mother of “de Patriek”: 1st provincial Vierzon from more than 7,000 pigeons. “De Patriek” later moved to Moortsele with Tom Van Gaver, where her grandchildren are now excelling.
From Geert and Annick, the tandem received a pair of eggs in 2013 from “Brother Gabor” (1st interprovincial Tours). These Gabor line pigeons are pure Gaby Vandenabeele birds. After that, two more pigeons from this line joined the breeding loft. The Gabor line was the second success after “Hubert.” The Gabor line not only produces first prize winners up to 500 km but also good breeding pigeons. The father of “Lorena” is a pigeon from this line. Lorena is the best pigeon they have ever had, and now after two years of racing, “Lorena” can show her qualities at the breeding loft.
Through Geert, they also got to know Willy Sander from Aarsele. Willy also had gold in his loft. He played not only strong but also many fanciers succeeded with his birds. Two hens moved to Petegem, which immediately delivered the desired results. Last year, Willy was forced to part with his pigeons for health reasons. In Willy's loft were 12 breeders, seven of which had a provincial victory on their record or an Ace pigeon title. Again, seven pigeons joined the breeding loft, including the winner of the 1st provincial at Chateaudun.
Through Lieven Lannoo, they also received several pigeons from the Gevaert-Lannoo line. These pigeons also do excellently at the breeding loft; their best young pigeon this season (8th prov. Ace pigeon allround East Flanders) is from the Lannoo – Van Hoe line.
Pigeon Stock
Every year they breed around 50 young pigeons and race with 18 widowers. 9 cocks and 9 hens. Here, quality is the motto, not quantity!
Care
Each member of the tandem has specific tasks; Eddy lets the old pigeons out around 8:00 AM and cleans the lofts. Patriek takes care of the young pigeons after work and lets the hens fly around 7:00 PM. They have four locations where they basket. Eddy goes to Ruiselede and Zulte, and Patriek goes to Aalter and Zeveren.
The old pigeons are fed Beyers, and the young pigeons get the flight mixture from Bernard Lefebre. Against trichomoniasis, the pigeons receive yellow drops weekly, and they are also very satisfied with the Brockamp products.
If we take the average of the last 5 seasons, they achieve around 16 first prizes per season. This season, there were 23. So we can say that they have scored a first prize in all races from Arras to Argenton in recent years.
Championships
They do not specifically aim for championships. The pigeons are entered both in East and West Flanders, making it difficult to be classified in the provincial championships. The young pigeon classified as 8th prov. Ace pigeon allround had a coefficient of around 4 out of 5 flights in East Flanders (including 3 first prizes), while the 6th flight was not per ten. That pigeon, however, did fly an early prize but in West Flanders. Nonetheless, they do not wish to complain about that: “it is, after all, our own decision.”
In the club in Zulte, they are indeed champions this season with the young pigeons under Paris and 4th above Paris. Zulte is the only club where they basket almost weekly. In the past, they have been champions in Waregem in the half distance for 5 consecutive years, also winning the inter-West Flanders supercup and a 3rd prov. Ace pigeon in the half distance in East Flanders!
Eddy & Patriek wish to thank everyone again whose pigeons have contributed to their success!
- Van Renterghem G Aarsele (Vandenabeele Gaby line)
- Sander Willy Aarsele (sons and daughters from the founding couple)
- Teirlinck Filip Astene (daughter from 1st national Argenton)
- Van Steenbrugge Eric Kruisem
- Van den Bossche F & J Zwijnaarde
- Lannoo – Van Hoe (Gevaert - Lannoo line)
- Van Lancker Charles Heurne – Eine (gray line)
- This year, joint breeding with Vertriest Freddy Bevere – Oudenaarde
- Basselier Dylan Deinze
- De Rese Hans Latem
Results Season 2024
- Roye 150 d: 1-3-4-12-13-25-26-27 ...11/14
- Roye 118d: 1-6-16-17-21-23 ...7/8
- Arras 326d: 1-8-9-24-25-32-33 ...14/18
- Clermont 141d: 4-8-9-11-20 ...9/10
- Clermont 276d: 1-3-15-21-26 ...7/16
- Clermont 321d: 1-24-25-26 ...12/16
- Clermont 515d: 1-2-6-7-10-12-20-40 ...11/14
- Clermont 417d: 1-2-12-23-25 ...9/12
- Clermont 441d: 1-10-12-21-22 ...15/21
- Pontoise 318d: 1-4-12-13-22-34 ...8/12
- Pontoise 377d: 6-9-12-16-17-18-30-33 ...14/15
- Pontoise 334d: 3-4-6-18 ...9/12
- Fontenay 322d 1-20-26 ...8/11
- Chateaudun 95d: 1-2-4-12-13-15 5/5
- Orleans 769d: 4-5-7 3 /4
- Orleans 1150d: 4-5-7-13-53 4/5
- Toury 986d: 1-27-54-82 6/8
- Montoire 258d: 3-6-10-18-33 ...16/18
- Bourges 205d: 6-39-45 3/3
- Argenton 357d: 2-26 national 14,745 d: 21 – 399
Some Top 25 rankings provincially & nationally in recent seasons
- Chateaudun East Flanders 95d 1-2-4
- Orleans interprovincial 1,150d 4-5-7-13th
- Issoudun zone 1,146d 5th
- Orleans prov 7,205d 9th
- Montoire prov 3,781d 13th
- Chateaudun interprovincial 4,068d 14th
- Bourges zone 6,626d 15th
- Issoudun national 8,151d 17th
- Argenton national 14,745d 21st
- Toury prov 11,163d 23rd