THE LOFT OF THE NEW GENERATION
Some fanciers manage to place themselves outside every conceivable category. We remember the Marissen brothers of Oelegem, who became almost unbeatable at a certain point in time. Another example was Jos Soontjens of Wommelgem, who managed to win all 16 Noyon races (!) that were organised in a certain season by the renowed union Wijnegem-Oelegem-Schilde-Ranst-Wommelgem. Jan Grondelaers of Limburg, Gommaire Verbruggen and Maurice Vandevelde of Brabant and West Flanders’ top fanciers such as Filip Norman (50 victories in one season), Gaby Vandenabeele, Rik Cools, Noël Peiren, Maurice Mattheeuws,... are other examples of Champions written with a big letter C. In its turn, the East Flanders Province also finds among its fanciers one of those exceptional performers: Benny Steveninck.
Benny received a love for the sport with his mother’s milk. At home where he grew up pigeons were always around and so a keen interest in pigeon racing remained with Benny, even though shortly after getting married the sport moved a bit to the background. In 1998 however, having built a house in Hamme, he decided to give racing pigeons another go. In view of the fact that Benny drives a train for a living, finding the right hours and time to take care of the pigeons was not self evident. Fortunately Benny’s wife also has a keen interest in the birds and so has become an indispensible help.
The first pigeons on the new loft came from Willy Vanhoutte in the West Flanders province. By doing so, Benny Steveninck followed the path many beginning fanciers have chosen: starting out on the sprints. Fairly soon however, Benny moved to the middle distance and reinforced his lofts with pigeons from Michel Hautekiet of Ruddervoorde, Silvain Verstraeten of Dendermonde and Eric Brootcoorens. The combination of these birds with his Willy Vanhouttes was an instant success. With 4237419/01 and 4428040/02 Benny possessed a super breeding pair, not only in the first generation with fantastic performers such as ‘Chipo’, ‘Zanini’ and ‘Nationaal’, but also in the second generation with 3 National Ace pigeons, 3 Provincial Acepigeons, 5 1st Provincial winners and a 1st National Gueret!
‘4210994/07’ x ‘4372474/07’ is another top breeding pair on the Steveninck lofts, with children such as 1st National Limoges, 1st Provincial Gueret and 1st Dourdan ‘Nova Star’.
Racing is of course one thing for a pigeon, breeding is another. ‘Chipo’ - fortunately for Benny - can do both: mated to the ‘Hautekiet’, 4328989/03, he sired ‘the Crack’, ‘Chihaut 98’ and ‘Chihaut 100’, to name but a few. Please keep in mind that ‘Chipo’ himself won 5 times 1st Dourdan, 1st Provincial Acepigeon middle distance 2003, 3rd Provincial and 6th National Acepigeon middle distance 2006 and 1st Provincial and 3rd National Acepigeon middle distance in 2007. ‘The Crack’ was 3rd Provincial Acepigeon 2006, 1st Provincial Acepigeon middle distance 2007 and 3rd National Acepigeon middle distance 2007. He got these titles by winning 1st Provincial Bourges, 11th National Bourges against 12898 pigeons, 2 times 1st Dourdan and 3 times 2nd Dourdan. Results most of us can only dream about.
Let’s just have a look at some of Benny Steveninck’s results of the past couple of years and it will be clear to you why he is THE man to beat on the middle distance...
National Championships:
10th Champion Sprint and Middle Distance Young Birds 2004
6th National Champion Acepigeon Short Middle Distance 2005
8th National Champion Short Middle Distance Old Birds 2006
10th National Champion Yearlings 2006
12th National Champion Yearlings 2007
3rd National Champion Acepigeon Short Middle Distance 2007
4th National Champion Short Little Distance Old Birds 2008
3rd National Champion Acepigeon Short Middle Distance 2008
Provincial Championships:
1st Champion Middle Distance Young Birds 2003
8th Champion Middle Distance Old Birds 2005
3rd Champion Middle Distance Old Birds 2006
3rd General Champion 2006
1st Champion Middle Distance Old Birds 2007
2nd Champion Middle Distance Old Birds 2008
4th Champion Middle Distance Old Birds 2009
4th Champion Long Distance Young Birds 2009
Provincial Victories:
1st Provincial Bourges Yearlings 2007
1st Provincial Vierzon Yearlings 2008
1st Provincial Argenton Yearlings 2008
1st Provincial Gueret Young Birds 2008
1st Provincial Limoges Yearlings 2009
1st Provincial Blois Yearlings 2009
National Victories:
1st National Limoges Yearlings 2009
BENNY STEVENINCK: hard to beat on the middle distance
3/10/10
Benny Steveninck of the East Flanders’ town of Hamme is THE man to beat on the middle distance races. We had a look at this natural talent who racks up fantastic results.
