Over in the fiercely competitive North Limburg zone, they completely dismantled the local competition. Against 2,543 birds, the duo kicked off with 1st and 4th regional, booking thirteen prizes overall. When you leave established titans and reigning champions like Huub Hermans and the formidable Team van de Pasch far behind in your wake, you know you are dealing with genuine world-class quality.

No One Hit Wonder: A Structural Wrecking Ball

For anyone thinking this provincial victory was a fluke, you clearly haven’t looked at their track record from last year. The Hoezen Steinhage Pigeons were already terrorizing the local federation week after week in 2025:

The standard was set. And as if the triumph from Sens wasn’t historic enough, let’s not forget that other massive shockwave they sent through the sport just weeks prior. On Saturday, April 18, Geert and Wim claimed the provincial crown from Rethel. They didn’t just beat a handful of local flyers, they crushed a field of 536 competitors and a staggering 15,092 birds. Two provincial victories against tens of thousands of birds in a matter of weeks is stuff of absolute legends.

The Blueprint for Success: Passion, Peace, and Pampering

The secret behind this rapid success? A rock-solid philosophy, perfect chemistry between two friends, and a deep love for the birds. At 76 years old, Geert handles the daily care at the lofts in Belfeld with the precision of a Swiss watchmaker. After a busy, successful career running his own plumbing business, the racing bug bit hard again, and he made a glorious comeback to the sport in 2017. Six years ago, Wim joined the team, creating an unstoppable partnership. Wim is the mastermind behind the paperwork, tracking the statistics, and helping out with the management wherever needed.

Together, they operate a relatively small but elite racing colony on the total widowhood system, using just 9 cocks and 9 hens. While their main focus used to be the sprint and middle-distance races, they have recently extended their horizons to tackle the heavy one-day long-distance events.

Geert treats his birds like royalty, pampering them daily. When it comes to health, his approach is straightforward and uncompromising: before the racing season begins, a group of birds is thoroughly checked by the vet. If they get a clean bill of health, that is it. Absolutely no medicine touches the loft for the rest of the year. Nothing at all. Just high-quality grains, fresh grit, and clean water every single day. Peace, routine, and old school horsemanship.

Built on a Foundation of Pure Gold

Legendary results are only born from legendary genes, and the family tree in Belfeld is steeped in royalty. The bedrock of the loft is largely built around the iconic birds of the Van Heteren strain via the grandmaster himself, Ad Schaerlaeckens. This golden foundation has been brilliantly crossbred in recent years with strategic direct lines from Robert Rigter, which trace straight back to the incredibly tough performance bloodlines of Harold Calis.

These are proven, elite bloodlines that have truly thrived in the beautiful, historic countryside of Belfeld. Pigeons with brains, grit, and an absolute obsession with reaching the home trap first.

Geert Hoezen and Wim Steinhage are living proof that you don’t need a massive commercial loft to conquer the entire pigeon racing world. You just need a clear vision, a small basket of top-tier quality, and a massive amount of dedication. Despite their earth-shattering success, they remain beautifully down-to-earth, enjoying every single second of the hobby. But one thing is set in stone: the competition in Limburg better buckle up. Belfeld is on fire, and these two gentlemen are nowhere near done yet!

What do you think of this jaw-dropping double provincial victory by Geert and Wim, and do you reckon they will pull off a historic hat-trick before the season ends?

Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss