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Richard Scott of Shropshire, an 800-mile fancier by Jim Emerton

Richard Scott of Shropshire, an 800-mile fancier

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The ultimate aim is to win Barcelona

The ultimate aim is to win Barcelona, that is Richard Scott’s aim, it’s what keeps him ticking over he says. There are several fanciers, albeit few and far between, who relish the challenge of extreme distance racing, this is usually over 800 miles. The BICC International races allow fanciers to compete at these extreme distances with races over 700 and 800 miles. For many years now, Jim Emerton has sponsored three fantastic BICC trophies to reward those fanciers who have excelled at the distance. They are awarded to the winner of the highest velocity over 750 miles, the best two bird average from Barcelona and the ACE International pigeon award, presented to a bird recorded in two International races in the same year.

This report is part of a short series on one of the fanciers trying to win those trophies, Richard Scott of Shropshire, whose loft is situated 830 miles from Barcelona. This is an overview of Richard’s birds and methods and his thoughts on what many consider to be the greatest pigeon race in the World.  

How did you start in the sport, how long have you raced pigeons and how old are you now please?  I started in the sport after having to stop working, due to a back injury. It gave me something to do and it actually helped keep me moving, and also helped me mentally too, it stopped me getting bored. An excellent tonic! I've been racing since 2013, so coming up to 10 years now! I am 53 years old.

Where are you from and where do you live now, is it the same place or different? How long have you raced to your present location? I was born and raised in Birmingham until the age of 8, my grandad kept racers there, then we moved to Wales. I am now living on the Welsh border in Shropshire. This is where my lofts are and where I have been racing too.

Do you race alone or as a partnership and who has helped and influenced you along the way?

I race alone really, but I am in partnership with Jim Emerton, but unfortunately, he lives a distance away in York, but I fly his birds and his methods. We are in contact every day, he's great to have backing you. I would have given up years ago if it wasn't for Jim's encouragement and gifts of many top quality, distance pigeons, directly from his own strain, mainly through Nick Harvey, and a few the same way bred from Chris Booth and others.

Jim Emertons Bracelona Dream

How long have you been a member of the BICC and why did you join? We joined the BICC four years ago, to enter Barcelona, but with Covid and Brexit interruptions, we haven't raced as often as we'd like. We entered Barcelona twice, getting returns from both races, they were late, but they got home, which was a good going.

How many birds do you keep - stock, old birds and young birds? My pigeon numbers are up and down a lot, with breeding etc, but I try and keep a racing team of 30-40 cocks and hens, and I've now got 50 adult Emerton stock to keep breeding and testing out each year! 

The typical Emerton strain

What are the main bloodlines that you keep and which lines have proved the most successful? I've tried many types and mixes over the initial years of racing, but never got consistent results, which puzzled me as I was doing it all right according to the books. Then I met Jim, he put me right, I read a few of his books, loved his ideas and different methods, then out the blue he gifted me 12 yearling stock birds!  Great. I raced the youngsters, and they were consistent and also hardy, clever birds, so I'm sticking with these now as they've raced well for Nick Harvey from Barcelona over the last 10 years plus. So, our mission is to get my youngsters to race their way and hopefully send them all to Barcelona. This is the only race we really do it for. I'm yet to get a placing, but I'll keep trying every year if all goes well. I do have some Stichelbaut pigeons that Jim purchased direct in 2014, so I'm in the process of breeding a family from them to test out too, as that's a big part of Jim’s original strain and I love the colour and type.

How important is it to have the right bloodlines? Do you think any bird can be turned into a winner? As stated above, I think the right bloodlines, for your preferred type of racing obviously, are essential as you've got a type to race and select the best from. Eventually I think you get the best survivors from them this way, as the basket always sorts them out. I've had supposed champions, nice coloured ones and even special named ones, they've all failed the gauntlet of reaching the 500 miles test, which is what I like them to do before sending to the big Barcelona, 830 miles to me. I've never had a buzz like it, seeing them return from that distance, and still looking good too. 

The Emerton dynasty

This is why I'm now sticking with the Emerton strain, to work on them and hopefully produce a good healthy, strong and determined type/ bloodline to suit my distance/marathon aims in racing. A lot of the work has already been done by Jim himself as he's raced them years ago, with great success, and we are aiming to keep the strain fresh and strong, through racing selection, with the odd bit of fresh blood if it's a special pigeon. I don't think any bird can be turned into a winner, they're few and far between, I really do think most have got the essentials, but to race over 100's of miles, many times, over years is a big ask for any pigeon, in reality.

Do you have an ideal pigeon and if so, how does your ideal pigeon look and handle? My ideal pigeon is the one that returns every time - of course, but obviously a winner would be even better, but I do love consistency. I have a weak spot for dark chequers as they gleam when in good condition.

A pair of Richards dark chequers

Can you give an outline of your top performances and those that have given you the most pleasure? I can't really proclaim any big wins unfortunately, I've had a few setbacks along the way, with my health and also predators , but I'm sticking at it. I've won many races in our small club, and even a few from France, but the main one in my eyes was getting returns two years running from Barcelona! I didn't believe it was possible for a small-time flyer like me. Five from eight in the first attempt, then three from the five, the following year. I have still got the 3 beauties. They were my first attempt, and were direct from Jim, so I've concentrated on building up a bigger team of dependable birds, so I can keep sending them every year. The last three years I haven't entered any big races due to Covid and this year I’ve been having a rough time with my damaged spine pains. But I'm now feeling a lot better and keener than ever, so really, I'm hoping my big win is in the pipeline, as I’m sure many others do. But I've put a lot of effort in over the years, as we all do, so I'm not stopping until our goal is reached, which is a day 3 return from Barcelona and a decent placing, or even a win! Wow that would be something, that would be a great result. 

Tell me about your first loft and describe your current set up. How many lofts you have now, what size are they, how many sections, type of boxes and perches etc? My first loft was my tool shed converted in one day to a loft, as I made the mistake of getting pigeons before anything else. It was a chance meeting with a local racer, while collecting logs, that got me started. Funny how things turn out! I was then gifted a couple of second-hand lofts from generous local fliers again. I've gone through many set ups over the years, but I'm not wealthy enough for a nice new loft, so I've got two lofts joined together for the racers, and the stock are housed in a handmade set up of separated sheds with aviaries on them all. A bit ramshackle maybe, but they're solid and dry and the birds stay healthy, so I'm happy with them for now, although a nice new long loft is on the cards one day. I use box perches, V perches, nest boxes of all sizes, it's a mix of what I've brought cheap, or made myself really. Old cupboards, anything that works really. They all serve a purpose. The race loft is 24 X 7 foot, and the stock sheds probably add up to about 35 X 8, with an aviary each end, so plenty of room for them, which I like. My racers are on open loft nearly every day, so only in the loft mostly overnight. 

Do you use deep litter, grids or clean daily or regularly? I used to clean regularly, now due to my back injury I use deep litter but get a fit young lad to clean them all out thoroughly twice a year. It seems to work as good as when I cleaned daily.

How important do you think the design of your loft is to your success? Do you have any plans to change it? I don't think the pigeon minds what design the loft is, as long as it's free flowing air, not draughty, and a cosy feeling to it, then they're happy. If they are happy, they'll be keener to get home is my theory. I've seen all sorts of lofts from mucky sheds to fancy new lofts, and the flyers have had good success. It's nice to have it organised and neat looking, but I'm in the countryside so don't have to worry how they look, as long as they're dry and inviting, and obviously pest free! I do paint yearly and try to keep the lofts looking tidy.

Is there anything in particular that you like about your loft that you would recommend to other fanciers? The main thing I like about my lofts now, is they're off the ground – eventually. I learnt the hard way with vermin getting in, and now that I fly open loft nearly all year, it's nice and easy. The best part is when they're breeding and all out together, coming and going as they please, it looks very natural.

What system do you use to race the old birds e.g., widowhood, round-about, chaos or natural etc? My system is a mixture of natural and chaos really, they are on open loft every day, hen's one day, cocks the next. Then come April / May time I let all the racers out together to choose their own mates, I think they know best. They then pair up, nest and sit on their eggs, trying to coincide with a big race just near or just after hatching, giving them something to spur them on is my hope. I separate them about September, because after the main distance race I rest them for the rest of the year, if they've done well that is. The stock are paired in February and I get three rounds a year from them to test and I also sell some to cover the costs.

A reused nest pan

I feed layers pellets in hoppers 24/7. They have various pigeon mixes depending on moulting, breeding or racing times, but nothing fancy. I build them up for the distance races with peanuts and Hormoform mainly. But I do treat them well when sitting for pre-race with hemp seeds, garlic, nut oil, and sometimes a few vitamin and mineral powders. Having said that, I still try to keep it basic as possible for financial reasons and I like the easy methods. 

How often you train your birds? Do you train before and during racing and how far you usually train them? Training is a job to know, as I've trained them hard, and also sometimes I haven't been able too, so they've only had one or two tosses pre racing, and I've had equal results both ways. They do need training but using club racing is as good as any. Once they've done up to 50 miles tosses as young birds, I take it reasonably easy with them. As yearlings they go up to 4-500 miles, then as two-year-olds the sky is the limit, so to speak. I had two-year-olds return from 830 miles, I’ve just got to tune them in to do it faster, that is the aim now. It’s not as easy as it sounds, but it is fun trying. I do keep some until 3-year-olds if I think they need an extra bit of time.

The birds on the roof top

Do you use any supplements such as vitamins and oils etc? And, if you could only use one product or supplement what would it be? If there was only one supplement I could use, it would be Hormoform, not before peanuts though, but they're just an extra feed really. I keep the medication side of things to the bare minimum, if possible, hoping to breed a stronger immune system. Obviously, I vaccinate yearly, then usually a 4 in 1 treatment before breeding, and I try and stick to that. I have treated for canker a few times if it's obvious, but I'm now trying to use natural preventatives more, like apple cider vinegar, garlic, iodine and turmeric, to see how it goes.

Do you race your young birds on the natural system or darkness or light system?  Tell me about your young bird system and any mistakes? I try and let the young birds develop slowly, to gain confidence and to get them used to their surroundings before any training or racing, meaning I don't rush to get them in the basket. They do get several tosses before a few club races, from all directions to give them some experience. I see what races well and keep an eye on them for next year. They are fed the same as the old birds. No young bird sickness to date, luckily, as it doesn't look good from what I've seen from others. The only mistake I can think of that I know was my fault was tossing them too early in my keen early years!

What are your plans for the future? My plans for the future are to stick with the Emerton strain and get the strain well known again, by getting some great placings in the hard distance races. Obviously, the ultimate is to win Barcelona, that's what keeps me ticking!

If you won the lottery what, if anything, would you do differently? If I won the lottery, I'd just expand my mission with new lofts and loft keeper, but would it take the fun away? As it was and still is a working man’s sport, the type who like a pint and some banter, and quite often goes together with fishing, ferreting, shooting and maybe a bit of poaching. I know as I do them all, also do many others I've met over the years. Mainly old timers, but they've all got a tale to tell. I think if it was full of millionaires, it would spoil the fun of it, as it's a unique sport, that's for sure! 

Is there anything else you’d like to add? The only bit I'd like to add is for all of us to keep trying our best, and aim for the sky, but the main bit is being able to enjoy the simple sport for what it is. Don't get too complicated. Relax and watch your birds, you'll get to know them better, plus enjoy their characters more. They are very special birds in many aspects. If you got any doubts about the birds the best advice I can give is send 'em and see.  Thank you very much for allowing me to write a few words and I hope a few find it interesting, and maybe a few find it useful too. 

I would like to thank Richard for providing the information for this report and if this has encouraged anyone to try racing from the distance in the Internationals, then the BICC will be staging 5 International races in the 2023 season. These will be from Pau, Agen, St Vincent, Barcelona, and Perpignan. Anyone interested in racing with the BICC to compete in these races, against the best in Britain and Europe, can join the BICC for £40 membership with £9.50 birdage for each International race. The BICC are always keen to welcome new members and Jim would love to see a new name lift one of his trophies. So, why not give it some thought over the winter? 

Mike Jackson

BICC Press Officer

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