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Helmet – Page 48 – Purebred PIGEON
Breed of the Issue - Helmet
Netherlands can be
used by individual
breeders as a simple
and cheap breeding
administration.
The data can be
checked by the
breeders. Pedigrees
and kinship can be
researched. A strict
breeding pro-
gram can prevent
problems and even
restore them. To
prevent inbreeding,
I have both show
type and flying type pigeons from different breeders. The show
type amongst others from A.A. van Feggelen, third generation
breeder of Dutch Helmet pigeons. The flying type amongst oth-
ers from Dick Hamer, famous pigeon breeder and international
judge (and photographer). Dick can be regarded as the savior of
the original flying type Dutch Helmet pigeon.
I have participated in the National Agricultural Exhibition
in Opmeer, where pigeons are shown besides cows, sheep,
horses, etc. Over 10,000 visitors come there usually. My pigeons
are flying around at children’s farm Skik in Hoogkarspel, as they
also focus on the rare old Dutch breeds. Our flower bulb compa-
ny has been participating for many years in the Keukenhof, the
greatest tulip park show. Its beautiful dovecote is inhabited by
my Dutch Helmets, showing their beauty to the over 1 million
visitors this spring. I am also active on several Facebook sites to
promote the breed.
It was my great honor that the Dutch Helmet was selected
as breed of the year 2023. This is also the year that the NBS
Netherlandse Fancy Pigeons association celebrates its 100-year
anniversary. •
National
Helmet Pigeon
By Moezelaar from magazine Fokkers belangen
October 12, 1984 , translated by Jan de Wit
O
ne of the popular medium faced tumblers in our
country is certainly our national Helmet pigeon. We
wrote national, because there are more countries
where they have Helmet pigeons. It is a very old breed, which
was already described by Aldrovandi in 1603, by Willughby
in 1676 and by Van Vollenhoven in 1686 . In the eldest pigeon
books Helmets can be found, in German Kalotte, in French
Pigeon à Casque, in Dutch as Helm, and in Spanish as Capicus.
Every country has its own type, because every country has
its own preferences, but all originate from the same original
Helmet pigeons, which came, according to passing on history
from Persia as birth country. Germany has its Hamburger Ka-
lotte (bred by Dutch Helmets crossed with Reinoog Tumblers), a
small short faced tumbler, crested and plainhead and besides the
more original Cologne Helmet, which was called colortail over
there. In Denmark, the Helmet should be similar in type like the
over there popular Danish Magpie pigeon. In England, they have
the plainhead Helmet as a bigger and the crested as a smaller
and more compact type. In Poland, they have Helmets with bare
legs, with stockings and large foot feathers.
In the United States, where the Helmet is already exposed
since 1873, they preferred a more compact type with a dark
upper face, and mostly crested. Also in Switzerland it seems,
accordingly, they preferred a more compact type with a dark
Illustration include with the original article by van Gink in 1917