The Komorner
The Komorner Tumbler Pigeon
by Charlie Brown
Vice President A.K.T.C.
The
ancestry of this beautiful exhibition pigeon dates back to the
15th century with development claimed by
Czeckslovkian, Hungarian, German, Austrian, and Bohemian pigeon
fanciers. What little written history that exists places
the origin of the breed in the new-Komorn and old-Komorn.
The town of Kmorn is divided by the Danube River. The city
is on the north bank, in what was Czechoslovakia is known as
Kmorman (Ger: Komorn). The city in the south side of the
Danube is in upper Hungary and known as Komaron (Ger: Komorn).
The breed was created as the “all in one” pigeon; that being a
tumbler, a magpie, a stunt flying performer, a show pigeon, and
a free range bird able to mostly provide for itself and be
proficient in raising its young. The Komorner Tumbler was
first imported into the United States in the years 1926-1928.
The breed’s sponsor club was founded in 1946 with H.P. Macklin
(Mo.) as it’s first secretary.
The current North American (United States of America and
Canada) KT is quite different than its ancestor. The
current American Komorner Tumbler Club’s standard picture (A>B.
Zitting-1988) shows a stunning and beautiful pigeon that is
quite full of extremes, currently unachieved in the ideal
specimen. The ideal Komorner Tumbler, as defined in the
APJ 1991 Special, is a beautiful short cobby bodied bird with a
broad skull, upright station (exhibiting lots of personality and
type) with a broad wrapping full shell crest showing large well
formed rosettes in thick full feathered neck and an unbroken
mane. The standard picture in side view or profile as
previously stated shows a pigeon of extremes. It shows an
extremely large crested bird with big rosettes placed high on
the head, the rosettes’ center being located just at the bottom
of the eye or even with the ear when a line is drawn through
them parallel with the ground, and great top feather of the
crest above the head. It shows an extremely thick bodied
bird in the neck through the shoulders and bully wideness
through the chest/stomach through the back. The station is
extreme showing the bird as very upright with the center of the
line drawn through the legs perpendicular to the ground just
behind the back of the eye. The greatest extreme when
viewing the standard picture is the Komorner’s length or the
measurement from the furthest line or point of the crest to the
tip of the end of the tail. This length is shorter that
the Komorner is tall or the measurement from the top of the head
to the ground. The guest ion arises if an ideal specimen
with a total combination of these extremes can ever be created?
Diligent Komorner breeders are working on this and several have
mastered one or tow of the extremes in their birds but the total
package of extremes is still sought after. The written
standard of perfection as used by the American Komorner Tumbler
Club and the National Pigeon Association defines and gives
points for crest, head, beak, eye and eye cere, color, markings,
station, body, neck, wings and tail, legs and feet, and
condition. The AKTC recognizes the Komorner Tumbler in
three varieties, magpie marked, self marked, and white flight (selfs
with white wing flights). There are currently twenty-six
(26) recognized color classes some of which carry several
subcategories in them providing room for anyone who likes a
certain color to breed and compete.
The Komorner Tumbler when
properly cared for is an excellent breeder and parent.
Foster parents are usually not required but there are some
individuals, as in all breeds, that just don’t raise babies as
well as others. The Komorner Tumbler is also very hardy
specimen and can be raised in all parts of the country. If
one enjoys showing, the American Komorner Tumbler Club sponsors
shows across the USA and Canada where great competition exists.
The unique comparison
between the North American Komorner Tumbler of today and its
European ancestor developed in the 15th century is
that it is still the “all in one” pigeon offering its breeders,
keepers, admirers, and promoters many avenues to enjoy its
beauty and personality as they so may desire.