Jac Steketee

Jac Steketee And His Influence

By Liam O'Comain

A close inbred family of pure quality is that of Jac Steketee of Bruinisse in the Netherlands who is a top fancier at the overnight races in Europe. The creator of an unique long distance loft based upon the Aarden x van Wanroy.

Steketee lives on an island off the North Sea and his birds are inbred to the famous '788' cock. The Stamdoffer NL77-2083788 was one of the best breeders ever in the history of pigeon racing. Also the top duo Legendary 49 and Diepe Mees, both direct from the foundation pair of Jan Aarden. And also the (direct) descendants of Goei Koppel (Cools).

Jac

Steketee is 25 plus years at the top of the Dutch long distance racing. He has practiced close inbreeding with occasional out crossing with spectacular results on the 600 mile races. Some of his best results are 1st National Begerac, 3rd National Bergerac and 1st National Pau. One of his best thoroughbreds is the famous De Stayer.

His pigeons are extremely beautiful, medium to small, with brilliant eyes. Many fanciers have been very successfull with his pigeons. In fact the very successful Polder of Holland strain was founded upon 15 pigeons obtained from Jac Steketee. This family also played a big part in the evolution of the Piet de Vogel family of pigeons.

Jan Polder

In recent years this is a family of thoroughbred racers and breeders who have permeated many other lofts in Europe and beyond. In fact it is considered by many to be one of the most fertile colonies in the world of long distance and marathon pigeon racing of the 21st century.

I have mentioned the names of two of the major players namely de Vogel and Polder who are at present at the centre stage of marathon and long distance pigeon racing in Europe as the new millenium advances.There are many more but I will limit my deliberations to the latter as confirmation of the quality of stock and the managerial ability of our main subject.

I first made reference to Piet de Vogel in an article on the Jan Aarden dynasty. It is considered one of the best Dutch based families for breeding and overnight racing at the present time. Situated in Oude- Tonge, which is the centre of the Netherlands long distance region, the reputation of the pigeons of de Vogel has increased in recent years.

From the start our subject was determined to create a family of pigeons capable of overcoming all obstacles in the overnight or two day type of pigeon racing, therefore he knew that in order to realize his ambition the best of foundation stock was required. Opting for the Aarden distance pigeon he purchased the best. As a result de Vogel has one of the best families of distance racing pigeons in the world today and it is still being formed by a master craftsman.

Piet de Vogel

The family has won many 1st prizes in the very strong regional competitions and as expected it has received excellent results at national level competing against pigeons from the best lofts in perhaps the number one distance racing country in the world. As a competitor he believes that winning many prizes is fun but the fun is better if they are 1st prizes. So far scores of prizes have been won racing against thousands of the best bloodlines that one could expect including at least three times in the first ten of national racing and on a number of occasions being very close to winning in a number of contests. Results such as 3rd, 22nd, 25th, 33rd, and 52nd St.Vincent; 3rd and 57th Mont de Marsan; 7th, 40th, 43rd, 48th, and 66th Bergerac; 23rd, 38th, 39th, 52nd, 60th, and 68th Dax.

Two of his top pigeons is Ullrich who won 3rd National St.Vincent and 7th National Bergerac in the same season. Then there is Monty Boy who had about twelve good prizes including a 3rd National. In 2001 Monty Boy occupied 6th position in the best long distance category of Dutch national racing. Piet has also been 1st National Barcelona of the World Pigeon Center as well as scoring 28th National Barcelona as well as being in 30th ranking position in the Western European Super Marathon.

As a family experiencing ongoing development the latent potential will in due course seek expression and there is no doubt in the opinion of some European pigeonologists that the de Vogel's will leave their mark in long and marathon racing.

Piet de Vogel has openly expressed the gratitude he owes Jac Steketee for the pigeons which he obtained in 1991 and which forms the basis of his outstanding colony of thoroughbred athletes. De Vogel was re-starting in the sport then and as he sought bloodlines capable of racing successfully in at least three races per season at distances between 1000km and 1200km he, after much thought, contacted the wizard of Bruinisse. A very wise decision consequently confirmed by the outstanding successes obtained by de Vogel.

Steketee's loft

Jan Polder is from Middleharnis in Holland one of if not the hottest spot for distance racing in that country. Polder started long distance racing in 1985 with approximately 15 pigeons which he bought from Jac Steketee. He kept the pigeons for breeding and as it turned out he had made the purchase of a lifetime for during the next 5 years he had made himself a name in European pigeon racing with excellent results, like the 3rd National Barcelona, 5th and 9th National Marseille, 8th National Perpignan, 9th National San Sebastian, etc,etc.

Through a regime of strict inbreeding accompanied with extreme culling Polder created in a short period his own family of distance racing pigeons. He knew that good health was required, in fact, the number 1 priority for pedigree and bloodlines were useless unless the health was top class. Therefore he sought immunity via the dry droppings method and the fruit of his thinking is flourishing at Middleharnis today.

His family has provided increasing numbers of winners for other fanciers at home and abroad but it is his own successes that stamp his family to be one of the best for the ultra races of the new millennium: Barcelona National 3rd, 28th, 67th, 74th, 79th, 102nd, 189th, 215th, etc; Perpignan National: 8th, 44th, 66th, 75th, etc; Marseille National: 5th, 9th, 18th, 21st, 32nd, 39th, 50th, etc. Superb flying by any definition. The St. Vincent results over the last few years also confirm the greatness of these lofts, for example, 3rd, 5th, 7th. and again 7th. National. An example of the calibre of the lofts is the great Rainbow Warrior who won 3rd. and 7th National St. Vincent against 6,385 and 6,330 pigeons and 8th National Mont de Marsan against 7,245 of a convoy. Then there is Husky who was crowned as 1st International Ace Pigeon Pau over the years 1998 - 2002 and not forgetting Witstaart who was crowned the best Barcelona pigeon in the Netherlands over 3 years scoring 28th, 67th and 215th National Barcelona, which won the prestigious title of ‘Golden Barcelona Pigeon’. And these are but a few of many outstanding racers housed at Middleharnis.

Others have reaped the pigeon racing harvest sowed by Jan Polder scoring as an example: 1st National Marseille; 2nd National Barcelona; 3rd National Perpignan; 3rd National St. Vincent; 3rd National Mont de Marsan; 1st Ace Pigeon Overnight Noord en Zuid Holland; 1st National Ace Pigeon ZLU International Flights. Also in France Poirrier has been acknowledged as one of the best Barcelona racers with pigeons based on the Polder family.

As stated this is but an brief example of the influence of Jac Steketee on long distance and marathon pigeon racing in the world today.In the minds of many he is a modern master and like the name van der Wegen his name is increasingly appearing in the pedigrees of the best breeders and racers in the modern era of the sport of long distance and marathon pigeon racing.

B.I.F.S.