Gerald MacPherson from Scotland offers for auction a truly magnificent collection of Long Distance Marathon pigeons from the Jan Aaden bloodlines of Jac Steketee, Jan Cools, Jo Hendrix, Van Wanroy, Ligtenberg, Van Agtmaal, Piet Lazeroms, Jan Polder, Twan Bongers, Kuypers Brothers, Hagens Brothers, Ronald Geerdink, Piet de Vogel etc.

These are typical Marathon pigeons with medium to small build which gives them the ability to fly all day and well into the night, sometimes arriving at their home loft in the total darkness.

Below is a small introduction to the base of some of these pigeons.

Jac Steketee started pigeons in the early 1970s and in 1975 obtained pigeons from Jan Cools who became a very good friend. Many fanciers owe their success to the birds of Jan Cools who was a long standing friend of the world famous Jan Aarden. Jan Cools exchanged pigeons with Jan Aarden and was able to get the best of his family. Jac Steketee also had pigeons from Jo Hendrix of Twello and It was this combination that formed the base of the Jac Steketee loft.

Three Jan Aarden Enthusiasts

Frans Van Pererstraten, Piet De Vogel & Jack Steketee

With these bloodlines Jac Steketee became a highly successful fancier and specialised in the overnight long distance races in Europe. Jac is from Bruinisse in the Netherlands and lives on an island off the North Sea, a very difficult place to race pigeons.
His pigeons are unique and are very closely inbred to the old original Jan Aarden x Van Wanroy. They are extremely beautiful pigeons of pure quality with a medium to small build and brilliant eyes.

His foundation pigeons are De Stamvader 788 from Jan Cools & De Stayer who was bred from a cock of Jan Cools x Jo Hendrix and his mother was Piet Lazeroms x Van Agtmaal. The world famous De Dolle was bred out of two pure Jan Aarden pigeons via Ligtenberg and Van Agtmaal.
De Stamvader 788 is the sire of De Marseille who was 4th National Marseille
De Stayer was a fantastic racer from the long distance national races winning many prizes including 1st International Ace great Long Distance.

Many successful long distance Dutch lofts owe their success to this family of pigeons including Jan Polder and Piet de Vogel.
Jan Polder went to Jac Steketee in 1985 and purchased 15 latebreds. These pigeons were kept for breeding and later on it turned out that Jan had made the purchase of his lifetime. Within 5 odd years Jan had made himself a name in western-European pigeon racing with a series of excellent results, like the 3rd Nat. Barcelona, 5th and 9th Nat. Marseille, 8th Nat. Perpignan, 9th Nat. San Sebastian, etc. From breeding with those pigeons he produced pigeons like
Witstaart (Golden Barcelona bird 1995-1997),
Husky (International Ace Pigeon Pau 1998-2002),
Black Magic Woman (National Ace Pigeon Pau 2004 – 2006)
Rainbow Warrior who won three National top 10 positions a new record in Dutch pigeon racing, and then in 2005
Victoria winner of 1st National St. Vincent.
The Steketee blood runs through them all.

In 2012 Jac Steketee sent 10 pigeons to the Barcelona Dutch National clocking 3 the of them with his first bird winning 10th National when 1,159 lofts sent 6,392 birds and 25th International from 25,320 birds. The winner of this race and 6th International was A Schults with a grandchild of Jac Steketee’s De Marseille (Dtr De Stamvader 788) on one side and De Stayer on the other. Also the winner of 1st UK National 475th International had the same bloodlines, De Stamvader 788 & De Stayer.