Heavy, black shower clouds move over the traffic artery of the area. Again and again the windshield is smeared with a salty, greasy film. A sad, dark winter day, shortly after the association exhibition. Then, in Recklinghausen, a low, glaring sun breaks through the dense band of clouds and enchants the landscape with a golden glow. Klaus Schmelzer is cleaning the lofts in the backyard of the former colliery colony with his friend Wolfgang Schwarzenberg. For more than 60 years, Klaus Schmelzer has been an active pigeon breeder and a former climber at almost all of the now-closed Ruhr collieries. Nobody has a nicer mustache! Only a few days ago the entire stock was mated, no long winter break, the new season is calling.

The “Queen” von Recklinghausen is the hen Belg-17-63411180, she is 3rd Ace hen of the association, wins 13 prizes from 14 races, including the 1st prize from Osterhofen (534 km) in the regional association 401 against 4139 pigeons (in the zone den 2nd against 11,462 p.). Schmelzer makes the 1st, 2nd and 3rd bankruptcy on this flight in the regional association. On Osterhofen 2 the hen made the 10th in the RegV against 3138 pigeons, on Wels (629 km) the 51st against 1692 pigeons in the RegV. “Nancy” this Belgian was baptized by the breeder Oliver Geyskens from Veerle-Laakdal in Belgium. Your current place of residence is somewhere in the realm of smiles. With “Nancy” and other aforementioned pigeons, Klaus Schmelzer became the association's 9th year old champion. Continue in the association 36th German association champion, 33rd ace females with the number 32. Then 1st German association champion in RegV 401, 1st regional champion RegV 401, 1st year old champion RegV 401, 1st long distance champion RegV 401, 2nd regional champion Female Champion RegV 401, 6th Ruhr Area Champion, 3rd best year old female in the Ruhr Area.

These results show: It was Played superbly on the 11 flights of the regional association, right named and a winning team emerged that is reliable up to at the end of the season their prices flew. That was great, but you have to Strangely enough, cut back on the lowest level, the RV. Here were the results are rather average (highlights: 1st RV year-old champion, 1st A-female, best pigeon of the RV). But that's how it works too. Play strong in competition, rather cautious at the local level.

Et rappeln de Pannen (03835)

Klaus Schmelzer only plays with females. He started the season with 46 female travelers. The birds stayed at home. He used 16 females on the final flight from Wels. Why only females? He tends to think of them as more airworthy, more suitable for top prices. He objects to total widowhood that the birds are demotivated when they arrive due to a possible missing partner. No one helps in the long run “Receptionists”. The best argument for his own method is certainly the success his females have achieved impressively. In the RV Recklinghausen-Süd (34 traveling lofts), which has a west-east extent of just 6.9 km and a north-south extent of 10.9 km (where else does that exist?), it can be observed that altogether very many females are played by the breeders. The numbers of the females do not quite reach the numbers of the birds. The day is not far off when more females than birds will be sent. Klaus Schmelzer has organized his females in such a way that twice a day they are driven past the cell block of the birds in a supply corridor for training and have visual contact with the birds and their cell. A double, small motivation every day.

In the middle / end of March the pigeons come outside for the first time. This keeps losses from birds of prey within limits. After 7-10 days, Klaus then makes his first training flight from a distance of 15 kilometers. Then a second one from 20 km, that's it then, as far as your own training is concerned. Basically no own training flights during the season, except for the situation that the pigeons should get back on their feet after a very difficult flight (below 1200 m/m). Then he takes her 60 km away. Before inserting the females are allowed to be with the birds for a whole hour. From the middle of the season this happens on Saturday mornings between 6 and 7 a.m. Then they are separated again, the females are fed and allowed to bathe and are then basketed in a relaxed manner in the afternoon. You get a drop of Forma Drops in the eye. If this drop is not properly absorbed by the eye, it is replaced with SAS nasal drops. During the flights, mineral water from the discount store is filled into the drinkers because Klaus doesn't really trust the water from the tap. His dog, who unfortunately passed away, always refused and preferred to lick the rainwater off the tiles on the terrace.

When it comes to feeding questions, Klaus also has his own personal concept. Basically, feeding is a little easier at the beginning of the week and a little heavier at the weekend. Klaus has trusted the mixtures of the BEYERS.. 7 varieties from the Beyers feed program are mixed as required. These include the Vandenabeele, Jan Keen, Zoontjes Yellow, Super Diet and Cleansing Mix supplemented by hemp and seeds. The mixing ratio depends on the distance and course of the flight. Up to 300 km, one part of each Beyers mixture is mixed together. From 300km to 500km from the Vandenabeele and Jan Keen mixes 2 parts each and 1 part each from the others. From 500km Vandenabeele and Jan Keen mixes 3 parts each and 1 part each. On the days of use there is a 1: 1 mixture of cleaning mix and Zoontjes yellow. Electrolytes, which he uses after a flight and before a long flight, are also important to him. In the treatment of trichomonads and ornithosis, he relies on the advice of Dr. Peeters.

A well-stocked breeding loft

Between sheet metal, stone, concrete and Klaus Schmelzer's small garden is a veritable oasis of chimneys Passion and joy. Sensibly arranged strokes, beautifully colored designed, stylish green plants in between, a spacious one Wooden hut for countless shiny trophies and a meeting place for sports fans at home and abroad. And Klaus has had everything with his own for many years Hands made! Here he also meets the flight director on every day of the flight Decision about the release of the pigeons. Every year his ways lead him several times to Belgium. “My car is going to Belgium on its own”, he says jokingly. On the one hand to look for new pigeons, on the other hand to to meet old friends. In the meantime he is even somewhat Flemish powerful. A great development for someone who has been looking to increase his or her working life Ruhrzechen has worked. The trigger for this wanderlust was the female B-82-6575847, which got lost in its loft in 1982. The breeder of this pigeon, Edwin Verstappen from Booischot has been a trusted friend of Klaus ever since and it is not surprising that a high proportion of Verstappen pigeons inhabited the aviaries in Recklinghausen. Remy de Mey also has his tribe with him Verstappen built up. Among other things, in 1990 the “Paula 5000” acquired from Remy de Mey. Also at Gaston van de Wouwer from Berlaar knocked Klaus and bought ten youngsters. All from foreign blows Pigeons purchased must prove their worth to Klaus on the journey. Both ten youngsters was one bird that won 1st place on Brive (south-west) in 2004. Bankruptcy against 15,800 pigeons flew. A second pigeon in the group of 10 came 8th. in the ranking of 15,800 pigeons in Recklinghausen. An unforgettable one Experience for the Recklinghausener! 2003 pigeons from Theo Yskout, 2004 from Louis Adriaenssen and bought by Dirk Vervoort in 2012. From these breeding pigeons and from a few racing pigeons every year up to 70 youngsters on the launched the first flight. Playing with the youngsters will also approached professionally. It will be darkened until the end of May from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. and exposure is from 14 days before the first prize flight from 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Before the first flight, the boys are privately trained three times, and Klaus always hopes that the youngsters will take part in a race over 300 km be able.

The parent mother of the loft is B-10-6340556, pale without ties (see photo) from Verstappen. The hen comes from her “130”, which was chosen by the visitors of the association exhibition as the 3rd Superstartube. Klaus only got the ancestral mother on the condition that the first two boys from her were given to Verstappen every year.

A curious story

We talked about that Pigeons here in the Ruhr area often stand on the many motorways near theirs Orientate your flight home. Klaus was able to contribute an interesting story. He was on a private training flight with his youngsters, together with his friend Wolfgang Schwarzenberg, on the way. During the return trip on the Klaus suddenly said Autobahn to Wolfgang ” Look there, they are not our?” A flock of pigeons flew in the left lane. Nice and colorful Warning colors provided. “That is our!” And actually it held whole crush with the car. At bridges they went up, behind them again down. “I can't look when there's a truck on the opposite side come!” But nothing happened, and of course the pigeons were rather closed Home. They seem to be based on motorways after all. It has setbacks also given. 2008 could not be sent for health reasons. In 2015 a cancer with all its side effects. Two years ago having a severe herniated disc Surgery. If it hadn't been for good friends looking after his pigeons had bothered, maybe the Schmelzer punch would no longer exist. But for 2019 all is well, and 2018 was the best year.

Once again “Nancy”

Injured pigeons are carefully cared for by Klaus. He dares to tackle difficult tasks. He splints broken legs, even puts them in plaster or sews a pigeon torn to pieces by a bird of prey back together. He has a small infirmary where he lovingly cares for his patients. How many pigeon fanciers do something like this? The example shows what can come of it “Nancy”, his 3rd ace hen in the association. Nancy limped, but there was nothing to be seen. You don't fly with your legs but with your wings, so you can go to the pre-tour. That's what Klaus thought. But Nancy didn't come back. A little later, a call from a lady. There's a pigeon sitting on the porch swing and shitting everything! The lady was persuaded to catch the pigeon and lock it in the cat cage. Klaus picked her up in the evening. Upon closer examination, he found that she had a small swelling in the front of her breastbone. Klaus his diagnosis: bruising in the muscles, 14 days break. After that she flew 8 prizes with free races as a young bird and 13 of 14 races as a year and became 3rd national ace hen. That's sometimes the story in pigeon racing.

A few days before my visit, the loft in Recklinghausen was upside down! A bus full of Taiwanese and Chinese was parked in front of the house. Greetings from the association, who like to fall back on Klaus Schmelzer and his pigeons when foreign guests have to be entertained. Everything went well, of course the ladies of the delegation admired his mustache and Klaus, the lucky guy, was invited to China by the Chinese delegation. Date still open. Well then, keep it up!

Klaus Schmelzer Sigambrerstr. 12 45665 Recklinghausen, Germany

Phone: 0049 2361 83522 Mobile: 0049 178 6147070

E-Mail: schmelzerklaus@web.de

(c) TaubenMarkt / Die Sporttaube magazine, author: Adalbert Scheele