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Pigeons at the
European EE Show in Leipzig 2006
Only
two weeks after the German Pigeon Show in Nuremberg about 28 000 pigeons
were shown in Leipzig. Great collections of several German breeds were
exhibited, however also a lot of smaller collection of foreign breeds were
shown, some of them up to now were known only from literature, and some
not even included yet in the famous German encyclopedia “Handbuch der
Taubenrassen” edited by Schütte, Stach and Wolters. Since this show was
also the National German Poultry Show the Golden “Siegerring” was
advertised for the best result within pre-defined breeds. Therefore in
this year 76 Altstämmer (Ancients) and 276 Stralsund
Highfliers were shown in this competition and also 67 of the rather
rare Gumbinner Baldheads as 42 Elbing Baldheads, to name
only a few of rather rare breeds even in Germany.
After this group the Runts
were traditionally the first breed in the general class. From France five
“grey” Runts were shown, genetically Qualmond-like, similar to some Syrian
Dewlaps shown at the Nuremberg show. Romagnoli in “Lila” were
lavender, identical with the coloration of silver Saxon Croppers
shown in the Cropper class. 794 German Beauty Homers were entered, however, only
one checker in the whole group. I suppose that the demands for a good design are thus great
that it is easier to breed dark checkers, dark laced birds or the dark
variety. A group of five blue white bars were shown and proved as dominant
opals, in Germany usually shown as “light blue white bars”. More homer
like are Dutch Beauty Homers and also Beauty Homers de Liège
(Lütticher Schönheitsbrieftaube), which were developed by a cross of Owls
and Highfliers in the 19th century and were a mile-stone in the
creation of the modern racing homer. Piacentini were so massy that
they had problems with the narrow cage and are similar to Runts to
whom they most probably are related. However, they are much shorter. Much
smaller are Mariolinha Dewlaps which according to Schütte/Stach/Wolters
are the result of a cross of Portuguese Mariola Dewlaps and Owls.
Carriers were shown in great numbers and again some of them announced
as grizzles. The “blue-grizzle” in no. 25744 appeared to be a heterozygous
Spread Ash plus “Maser-grizzle”, a trait found in the Danzig dark veined Highfliers. The
“brown-grizzle” hen from a German exhibitor probably simply was the same
plus dilution, no brown at all.
Interesting were the Czech
Bagdad, not only because of their colorations. A lot of them were
white bars, the typical “Pencil-Strichelbinde” identical with the bars of
Spaniards. Several also “veined” like the Spaniards again but also the
Tete Noire de Brive. The head and beak, however, is more barb-like. Unique
in the family of Bagdads was the design of the “black shield” Czech Bagdad
with white shoulders and coloured tails. Polish Barbs seem to be an
intermediate form between Barbs and Vienna Short Beaked Tumblers.
Barb-like were also the ash red Swietokrzyski Wattle Pigeons.
Triagnini (Italian Mondena) in the German Standard are only accepted
in a limited number of Gazzi-Colorations. In Leipzig some more were shown,
and also in the Schietti variety. Broidoceci, an unknown name in Germany,
were dark blue with bronce bars, they resembled some “Ember” in their
adult plumage. Blue grizzles seem to be related to bronze and the Toy
Stencil complex, however, this cannot explain the fine black dots in the
shields.
The class of the Croppers was
lead by 129 elegant Old German Croppers. Fine the group of tigers
and pieds, one of them an outstanding blue pied with a fine blue colour.
The Hungarian Giant Croppers demonstrated that it makes sense to set
limits in the breeding of extreme properties. Several of them were shown
as “sprenkles”, however all of them were either splashes or tigers.
Pomeranian Croppers demonstrated how elegant also large Croppers may
be and were also shown in rare self examples, outstanding a blue checker
hen. Gent Verhemelstaart are nothing else than a coloration of the
Gent Croppers and not a breed of its own. Gent Croppers were shown in
great numbers and good quality. Verhemelstaart in Belgium means
“blue-tailed” and in addition the head should be blue-sprenkled, however,
according to the judge this was not perfect in this bird. French
Croppers in dark proved to be Kite-like, that means dark with a lot of
bronze. The sulphur Hana-Cropper hen in the AOC-class was a silver
checker with ochre tone. Starwitzer Cropper (Starwitzer Swing
Pouters) in a fine and very light diluted blue and then again lightened by
the grizzle factor are also worth to be mentioned. Spanish Croppers
were shown in different rare colorations as was the case in Nuremberg,
however, in addition also several breeds that we do not have in Germany
were shown like the Balearic Cropper, and in addition Austrian
Magpie (Gansel) Croppers and Croppers from Switzerland from the
neighbouring countries.
The class of structure pigeons
also had a rarity with three dun Chorrera pigeons from Spain. This
breed is considered the ancestors of our Chine Owls and compared with them
was characterized by a somewhat uncontrolled feather structure. For photos
see the German language report.
Pigeons at the European EE
Show in Leipzig 2006 (Part 2 )
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