The
Muller Strain
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Although
a major component of the Aarden dynasty
it would be true to state that Wim Muller
has, after approximately 30 years at the
top of breeding and racing, moulded his
family of pigeons into a top modern strain
namely the 'Muller Strain'.
Around
1970 Wim Muller entered the sport of pigeon
racing and he obtained his stock from
a friend named Piet Schot.
The stock were Aarden and there was one
of special bloodlines from the history
of the latter strain. Gradually Muller
through study and thoughtful experience
developed a good stock sense so much so
that he was quickly on the road to success
in the sport. Some of us may take a life
time but Wim Muller blossomed within a
decade or thereabouts.
For
at the beginning of the nineteen eighties
the Muller lofts were supreme within a
national context with great pigeons like
Hercules, Willem and Adonis amongst others
with the highlight of that decade being
the winning of the Europa Cup in 1985.
The year prior the famous 'Magic Boy'
had won the title of 1st Ace Pigeon in
races from Barcelona, Marseille and Perpignan;
also the latter bird for the period 1993-1997
was crowned best European pigeon for five
races from Barcelona. Some of the positions
attained by this fabulous pigeon were
as follows 44th nat. Barcelona; 73rd nat.
Barcelona; 118th nat. Marseille; 119th
nat. Perpignan; 149th nat. Barcelona from
thousands of a convoy. Of course the basis
for this family greatness was as implied
the immortal Zilvervosje- a silver winged
hen with an impeccable racing record that
was to become the star of the Aarden dynasty
and the pigeon acknowledged by Wim
Muller (through a far from beautiful grand-daughter)
to be the lynch pin of his racing pigeon
enterprise.
The
fabulous success of the Muller lofts at
this time was observed and acted upon
by an astute fancier called Hans Eijerkamp
who decided that he would purchase the
entire Muller family including Wim Muller
himself. Eijerkamp was a stud owner (the
successful Ponderosa enterprise) who throughout
his life invested large sums in the sport
and he hoped that he could impress the
mind of Muller. His ambitions were not
entirely achieved for Muller was as astute
as Hans Eijerkamp. Finally there would
be a new partnership Eijerkamp- Muller
but the latter would remain at Wilhelminadorp
on the Oosterschelde because he decided
contrary to the wishes of his to be partner
to sell 'the fruit of his orchard but
retain the trees'. This Muller did when
he sent his entire team of widowers and
their hens to the Eijerkamp base and retained
the stock birds which included the so
called Superkoppel (super couple) of 'Kraag
+ Superduivin'.
For
other lofts this would have spelled disaster
but not for Muller for as a thinking fancier
he had been influenced by the genetic
writings of the Hungarian Professor Alfons
Anker and according to the latter's principles
the master of Wilhelminadorp knew that
he had retained as rich a genetic pool
as had won the Europa championship. Well,
whose to know better than a strain's founder?
For in due course Muller was again producing
a team of new champions such as 'Madonna
86' and 'Madonna 2' alongside cocks of
the quality of 'Hercules 2'. Yes this
was a unique partnership beginning in
1989 and never seen before in the world
of pigeondom and both partners were happy
in fact very happy with the arrangement
and in next to no time the productive
aspect began to bear fruit via the multitude
of breeders and winners. The off spring
of Muller's pigeons spread throughout
Europe via the Ponderosa experience and
beyond to other parts of the world. This
distinct strain moulded by Muller and
distributed by Ponderosa became known
as the indestructible marathon pigeons
of the planet. Others began winning with
the strain and breeding winners in which
the Muller name became mentioned in the
same breath as Delbar, Vanhee, Catrysse
and of course his mentor Jan Aarden.
An
important aspect of all this was the continuing
winning and the fact that Muller became
a full time pigeon fancier backed up with
the most upto date computerized equipment
which arose from the large financial injection
by Eijerkamp based upon an allegedly five
year agreement which was open to renewal
if required. An agreement perhaps similar
to those unique partnerships which exist
in the field of horse and greyhound racing.
It began well for 'First Lady' won the
Perpignan national in 1989 which was into
approximately the first six months of
the new venture. Then in 1990 Mona Lisa
won 1st National Bordeaux Yearlings. Bred
from a brother of 'Madonna '82' who later
became known as the Golden Breeder. To
be followed by 'Lady Sarina' who in 1996
won 1st National Munchen. Then the strain
won its second Europa Cup in 1997, which
no other loft had achieved previously.
And as well as being the winner of the
General Championships of the ZLU it also
won the title of Ace Pigeon Ultra Distance.
Being
39th in the Barcelona National in 1999
from a personal entry of four pigeons.
Also the combination Houtekamp (a relative)
won the millennium Barcelona International
in 2000 with a one hundred per cent Muller
bird. These continuing achievements were
accomplished when the partnership of Eijerkamp-
Muller was approximately fifteen years
and allegedly three contracts in existence.
It had proved to be a worthwhile arrangement
but through the growth of his sons Wim
and Andres and their interest in the sport
the time had come for an end to the arrangement
which had seen much success and today
the partnership is a family of Muller
and Sons. The contract with Eijerkamp
ended
on the last day of the year 2003.
As
Muller and Sons (not forgetting Wim's
wife and mother of the boys- Rina - who
has been there as an important part of
the enterprise from the beginning) the
change in partnership did not effect the
winning ability of the stud. For in 2004
the loft won 4th national Perpignan with
a hen named 'First Class', 7645 birds;
1st national Perpignan hens; 1st international
Perpignan hens; 5th national Pau; and
5th national Bordeaux as well as 23 prizes
in the Barcelona race beginning with 70th
national. Also from Dax 31 prizes beginning
with 31st and 33rd national. So the Muller
lofts appear to be ready for another period
of outstanding results and in the process
stamp the strain as one of the greatest
of the new century. I look forward to
its progress! In conclusion I offer for
the readers consideration some notable
pigeons from the Muller family and their
positions in the top ten: La Signorita-
2nd national Barcelona; Red Bull- 4th
national Dax; Power Boy- 4th national
Bordeaux; Marseille Star- 4th national
Marseille; Lady Melissa- 5th national
Bordeaux; Magic Max- 5th national Pau;
Silver Boy- 5th national Perpignan; Black
Rose- 5th national Barcelona; New Madonna-
6th national Barcelona; Porsche 911- 8th
national Perpignan; Porsche 911- 8th national
Pau; Grand Cru- 9th national Bordeaux;
Evita- 10th national Perpignan; Willem
II- 10th
national Perpignan; Adonis- 10th national
Pau; and Lourdes- 10th national Lourdes.

by: Liam O Comain
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