Dieter Ballmann (Amel, BE) - Winner PIPA IATP Five year classification 2005-2009

The five year classification is calculated on the performances of the best 200 fanciers from each year. Dieter Ballmann is also the only fancier who managed to classify every year for the last five years by the best 200 fanciers of the grand distance.

Amel (or Amblève) lies in the East Cantons, in the German speaking part of Belgium. Amel is known for its fable over dwarves which lived in the local forest, the Wolfsbusch, and manufactured mill stones, which still lie scattered in the forest.
There are no longer any dwarfs in Amel, but a giant in the pigeon sport can still be found. His name is Dieter Ballman, he is forty years old and with his performances in the grand distance happenings he can safely be called a giant.
Over the last 5 years he has raced 7 x in the top 10 in a big national long distance race:

• 1 National Perpignan 2004  6.489 p.
• 2 National Pau 2009          1.984 p.
• 3 National Barcelona 2007     12.612 p.
• 4 National Perpignan 2005      7.611 p.
• 6 National Beziers 2003          6.336 p.
• 8 National Barcelona 2003     11.785 p.
• 10 National Montauban 2007  6.187 p.

Places of honour in interregional races :

• 1 Interregional Valence 2.534 p.
• 1 Interregional Montélimar  1.095 p.

Barcelona is Dieter’s favourite race. From 1994-2009 he basketted 129 pigeons for this race and won national 88 prizes. This is 68%. Over the last few years the line has gone upwards.
• 2003 : 8th nat
• 2004: 6/8
• 2005: 5/8
• 2006: 5/7
• 2007: 8/8 with the 3rd nat
• 2008: 3/8
• 2009: 7/7

Perpignan is just as impressive: in 2004 1st national Perpignan, in 2005 4th national Perpignan and 6/9, in 2006 15-53-64-67 national Perpignan and 9/12, in 2007 8/13 and this year 8/10 (international)

The man and the pedigrees behind these performances

Dieter Ballmann is 40 years young and works as a clerk by a building firm. He began with the pigeons from a neighbour. He couldn’t ask the advice of his father or his family because they didn’t know anything about the pigeon sport. When Dieter had to fulfil his military service, his father took good care of the pigeons.
Given his geographical location, he can enter the Luxembourg races. These are difficult races but this is an advantage in the selection of this pedigree and the pedigrees that he introduced.

His breeding loft only consists of 25 couples.

As basis he began with pigeons from the area. This was Havet (Stavelot), Bodson (Wavreumont) with pedigree Van Spitael .
Later came the red pigeons from Bertus Wijnacker (Hengstdijk NL). Here Dieter bought out the lines of the 'Allicante II' and the ‘Goudplevier’. This was the old pedigree of M. Vandevelde from Oostende. They never give up. An important addition to Dieter’s pigeon stock came via the pigeons from Nouwen-Paesen from Grote Brogel.
Dieter successfully cross bred these pigeons. The stock was further supplemented with pigeons from Kaelen-Broers and J. Flagothier .
Also for several years from Emiel Denys. Pigeons were exchanged with J. Schmitz from Baelen and since 2004 with Yvon Deneufbourg. The exchange of pigeons with these fanciers satisfies them both.
J. Schmitz from the neighbouring Baelen, won in 2001 1st national Brive 22.026p with a cock 100% Dieter Ballmann.
There are indeed giants in this region.

System

The widowers are housed in the attic of the house. It is very dry with an excellent ventilation which has been given a great deal of thought. This ventilation system ensures an ideal climate as a result of which the widowers generally  remain healthy. When he lived with his parents he also had an attic loft and this was also a good loft. The youngsters and a few yearlings live in a garden loft. This gives more health problems than the attic loft. Transport bands take care of the hygiene and mean less cleaning. Dieter finds the cleaning less important for his pigeons, more for himself. It is much nicer to walk through clean lofts.

The team of widowers consists of 40 old and 30 yearling cocks. They brood twice for 10 days before the season: the first time in January (eggs from the best widowers are placed under other pigeons) and the second time in April. When the cocks return from their first training race the hens are gone but the nest with the eggs is still there. When the cocks leave the nest a few days later, then widowhood commences. Because of these preparations, the cocks are not really in form in May and the first races don’t usually account for much. The advantage is that the form comes later. Then it is the turn of the grand distance races and the Ballmann-pigeons are at their best. The yearlings are raced loose as ‘priests’

After the season the cocks are allowed to have a nest and the yearlings are put into their new living boxes. The youngsters (100) are trained to 250-350 km. Yearlings are raced to 650 km with Luxemburg or in the interprovincial races. The number of kilometres doesn’t have to be much, but the number of pigeons does. The pigeons have to learn how to depart in a large group and then separate and fly apart. Dieter is not a supporter of grand distance for yearlings. “You have to teach pigeons long distance racing”.
For the last few years it has become more and more fashionable to let your yearlings race one or even two overnight races. I  race more in the traditional manner. My two year olds go to Montelimar and Orange. They race one international race e.g. Marseille. They definitely have to race one or two international races before going to Barcelona. There is a big difference between an international and a national  race. Pigeons have to learn this and gain experience. You have to teach a pigeon grand distance racing!

"The widowers train twice per day starting in May; early in the morning between 6am and 7am and in the evening, after Dieter has finished work. They are separately fed in their living box, but drink together. Dieter has tried several methods but has come to the conclusion that the simplest care is the best. Good pigeons remain good and a different system won’t make a bad pigeon any better. Dieter visits the veterinary surgeon Dr.Vincent Schroeder now and then. His advice is always followed. Other products that he uses are Belgica-De Weerd and Probac from Dr. Brockamp.

A few toppers in the loft:

You can see that by Dieter the pigeons are not easily put into the breeding loft. Winning 4th national Perpignan as a 3 year old and being raced further! Not many fanciers would do this, you can be sure of that.
The father of this crack is '954/99'. He is also father of the 1st provincial St-Vincent yearlings in 2003. He was bred from '482/95' (a good racer in the small middle distance, but out NL775/93 Bertus Wijnacker) x '435/95' (daughter of the '1006707/94' x hen from Bertus Wijnacker). The '1006707/94' is the nest brother of '1006820/94' and I will discuss this later because I can safely say that this is one of the best breeding cocks in Belgium.
The mother of 'd'Artangan' is '599/99'. She won self 114th national Narbonne as a yearling and has a noble long distance  lineage.
Her father is '5293307/98', directly obtained from friends Nouwen-Paesen from Grote Brogel. He was also bred by Jaak and Dirk out '571/84 Euro-Perpignan' X 156/96 (granddaughter 1st nat. Barca hens).
Her mother is '695/97', a direct from Jules Flagothiers out a direct Eijerkamp -Muller x direct Walpot (sister Paulien and 2nd nat. Barcelona).

1037563/00

• 3rd national Barcelona 12.612p in 2007
• But before that:
• Brive 4632p-512
• Bordeaux 1292p-128
• Dax 808p-103
• Barcelona 665p-68
• Perpignan 495p-128
• Barcelona 2634p-93
• Perpignan 1427p-80
• Perpignan 5547p-253

This cock has strengthened the breeding loft since 2008.
His father '810/94' comes out 'NL092/87' (grandson Arend Cattrysse) X 'NL036/88' (direct Wijnacker). He is also father of '797/98', 4 x Barca, 4 x Perpignan, Marseille and Perpignan.
The mother of 563/00 is '020/97', direct Kaelen-Broers, pure pedigree Jan Theelen.

1060818/03

• Montelimar 909p-61 in '05
  • Orange 595p-37 in '05
  • Marseille interprov. 89 in ‚05
  • Limoges 3411p-209 in ‚06
  • Cahors 561p-25 in ‚06
  • Narbonne 9634p-288 in ‚06
  • Montauban national 6.187d-10 in ‚07

He was bred from one of the best breeding cocks in Belgium.
It is 'B1006820/94'. Despite his great age is still very virile and still fertilises all eggs.  He is direct father of the 10th national Montauban '07 by Dieter Ballmann , 1st national Perpignan 6489p in 2004 by Dieter Ballmann but bought by Emiel Denys AND of the 1st national Brive 22.026p in 2001 by Joseph Smitz!
These are just the top prizes but there are many more top racers and top breeding pigeons born via him. Breeding two national  winners from one cock doesn’t happen often. A brother of his is also a good breeding pigeon but he hasn’t produced any national winners. However, a lot of very good long distance pigeons.
The father of these exceptional breeding cocks was 'B1023197/88', won by Dieter 1st club Barcelona 1991, 1st club Barcelona 1992 and 9th club Barcelona 1993. (line Witslager Desender and P. Gilmont). The mother was 'B1022909/88'(line Super Crack Crusson and P. Gilmont).
A magnificent breeding line and basis line of the loft Ballmann. The mother of '818/03' is 'B1037689/00', out 'NL775/93' (direct Wijnacker out the Teletekst x line Goudplevier, Allicante II , Vaal Vandevelde) x 'DV03052-94-1391' (pedigree Imbrecht).

• • Narbonne nat. 5963p-440 in '05
  • Bordeaux Euregio 835 in '05
  • Perpignan nat. 6765p-67 in ‚06
  • Pau nat. 2157p-48 in ‚07
  • Perpignan 5547p-359 in ‚07

The fact that the pedigree Nouwen-Paesen crosses very well with other pedigrees was discovered by Dieter Ballmann several years ago.
The mother of this cock is '5261878/01', direct from Nouwen-Paesen. She was bred out '022/01' (571/84 x 156/96) and '593/98' (daughter legendary 'Narbonne 399/87', this cock is still in the loft of Nouwen-Paesen but of course is no longer fertile). The father is 'Le Mistral 493/92'. He won 1st intern. Valence 2534p in 1996 and was bred out a pure Imbrecht x M. Vanderlinden.

Jaak 1027421/02

•  22nd national Marseille 2005
  • 45th national Beziers 2003
  • 70th national Carcassonne 2006
  • 189th national Beziers 2004

Again a crossing with Nouwen-Paesen.
The father '486/99' is a son of the 1st international Marseille 2001 Nouwen-Paesen x '849/98' (brother 1st nat. Barca cock x hen Piet and Henk de Weerd).
The mother is '517/00' from Jules Flagothier. He was bred there out '620/97' (fine racing pigeon of his pedigree Eijerkamp-Muller x Walpot) X '239/99 (crossing Simons x Vandenbroecke).

1027305/02 Primeur

• • 34th national Marseille
  • 54th national Orange
  • 683rd national Montelimar
  • 820th national Marseille

Father is the direct 'Wijnacker NL775/93' out ' Teletekst NL982/89'(14th nat. St-Vincent, 7th nat. Pau) x 'NL696/85' (granddaughter of Allicante II x Goudplevier and Vaal Vandevelde; the old basis Wijnacker)
Mother is 'DV03052-94-1391' out a pure Imbrecht.

results 2009

Figures 2002 - 2009 provincial

• 1 prov Barcelona 2007
• 1 prov Perpignan 2004
• 1 prov Perpignan 2005
• 1 prov Perpignan 2001
• 1 prov Bèziers 2003
• 1 inter - prov Montélimar 2002
• 1 prov Tarbes 2009
• 2 prov Marseille 2005
• 2 prov Barcelona 2003
• 2 prov Marseille 2002
• 2 prov Marseille 2009
• 3 prov Perpignan 2006
• 3 prov Barcelona 2005
• 3 prov Dax 2002
• 3 prov Marseille 2009
• 4 prov Perpignan 2006
• 5 prov Dax 2006
• 5 prov Bèziers 2004
• 5 inter-prov Limogess 2004
• 5 prov Dax 2003
• 5 prov Bèziers 2003
• 5 prov Perpignan 2002
• 5 prov Perpignan 2009
• 5 prov Perpignan 2006
• 5 prov Marseille 2005
• 6 prov Barcelona 2005
• 6 prov Perpignan 2003
• 6 prov Castres 2003
• 6 prov Tarbes 2009
• 6 prov Barcelona 2009
• 7 prov Barcelona 2009
• 8 prov Barcelona 2006
• 8 inter-prov Montélimar 2004
• 8 prov Barcelona 2002
• 8 prov Carcassonnne 2006
• 9 prov Montauban 2009
• 9 prov Perpignan 2007
• 10 prov Dax 2004
• 10 prov Marseille 2004
• 10 prov Perpignan 2006
• 10 prov Perpignan 2007
• 10 prov Barcelone 2009
• 2e nat Pau 2009
• 14 – 20 nat Marseille 2009