Top Auction - Ronnie Leusink - Netherlands

Ronnie – An Inherited Passion, a Career Dedicated to Marathon Racing

For Ronnie, the passion for racing pigeons began within the family, under the guidance of his father, Tonnie. In the modest loft in Neede, his home village near the German border, he discovered the beauty of pigeon racing and the joy of his first successes, particularly in marathon races. It was there that the foundations were laid for a passion that would shape his journey.

Later, when he established his own loft alongside his wife, Ronnie maintained a close bond with his father. The two continued working together, developing a shared team of breeding pigeons, whose offspring were raised in both lofts. Tonnie’s experience and Ronnie’s ambition complemented each other naturally, in a partnership built on trust and a shared passion for performance.

His enthusiasm for long distances, inherited from his father, remained central to his approach after moving to the new location. Ronnie continued competing in ZLU races, following a demanding programme that included no fewer than 18 races over distances exceeding 700 km. Such commitment reflects perseverance, careful preparation and confidence in his pigeons.

Barcelona, the “queen of races” in marathon pigeon racing, holds a special place in his career. Over a distance of nearly 1,400 km, stamina and navigational ability are put to a demanding test. His accumulated experience and consistent results have earned Ronnie recognition among the elite competitors taking on this challenge.

His collaboration with Arjan Beens made an important contribution to the development of his loft. Pigeons originating from this loft have significantly influenced Ronnie’s performances, while their shared passion laid the foundations for a lasting friendship.

His breeding team includes descendants of renowned pigeons such as “Snelle Jelle”, “Marianne”, “Miss Gijsje”, “Roodmeisje”, “Mr. Bergerac”, “Rika”, “Dancing Moonlight”, “Miss Brive”, “Miss Sjaan” and “Red Thunder”. These valuable bloodlines, combined with careful selection and the experience gained over the years, underpin Ronnie’s work and his ambition to achieve success in marathon pigeon racing.