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Mike Lakin

 

 

The Elimar Personality Profile

MIKE LAKIN

(Questions by Jim Emerton)

Mike holding Jos Joosen's International winner 'De Marseille'

Did you love and observe nature as a child, and were your parents keen on pigeons?

I originate from farming stock and as a lad had a wonderful childhood and had a superb Gran and Granddad who spoiled me rotten. During my formative years I had many animals including a cat, a dog, a horse, rabbits, bantams, a pig named ‘Lily’, a cow and a small herd of sheep plus of course the pigeons which came in a wide selection of shapes and colours. After I got married I took the pigeons with me and got a couple of goats which we milked and they supplied us with milk and yoghurt, in fact my eldest son had nothing other than goats’ milk for his first few years and even up to now, he’s 35, he’s never had so much as a filling. It makes you think doesn’t it?

In answer to your question I think that it would be difficult not to have a love of nature with such an upbringing. In fact I generally prefer animals to most people. Animals are far more genuine and never two faced. If an animal doesn’t like you it makes no secret of the fact.

My parents were never interested in the pigeons but dad patiently took them training for me. That’s what a good dad does though isn’t it?

How did your competitive instincts in life develop, and what and who inspired you to dedicate yourself to winning, and are you motivated by greatness?

As a young lad I was always competitive in football and it was pretty much all I did as a young man. Though for several years I never won a prize with my pigeons it made me all the more determined to become successful. My ambition was always to be regarded as ‘a good fancier’. As I grew older and enjoyed some success with my pigeons I realised that the most successful people don’t always enjoy their chosen sport or hobby the most. Often the less successful derive far more in the way of pleasure. With regard to greatness I’m not sure that success makes one great, in fact I fear that in many ways it can actually be counterproductive.

Did your early education and peer groups sow the seeds of your future success?

To be honest I think that we do learn more from failure and so by listening to older and often wiser fanciers I gradually learned about how to keep and race pigeons. I referred to my early failures as ‘serving my apprenticeship’. My greatest mentor in my youth was the late Gerald Perks of Penkridge. He was a fine fancier and more importantly a lovely man. I miss him greatly.

Can you describe the individual personal qualities that you demonstrate in life and sport?

I feel that this would be best answered by others. All that I can say is that I have always done my best for the sport that I love.

Are you motivated by pigeon celebrity fame and culture or wish to remain relatively detached from it all, as some key fanciers do?

Not in the least because I certainly don’t consider that I am anything so special. I enjoyed the wins that came my way but I also derive much pleasure from writing about other fanciers, especially the lesser known ones who never seek the ‘limelight’, both at home and on the continent, Belgium especially. I must admit that ‘it gets under my skin’ when people become household names in the UK not because of their ability with their pigeons but because of advertising hype, whilst others remain relatively unknown who have far better birds and results. Believe me, regardless of what others may tell you it isn’t necessary to go to the ‘Big Hitters’ to get good birds; they are much less expensive as well! I enjoy writing about my thoughts on a variety of pigeon topics as I lay no claims to be the World’s No1 pigeon fancier. I have learned an awful lot about both pigeon lore and pigeon fanciers. A little tip here: the best are usually amongst the very nicest!

Have you made a study of books, of the art and science of pigeon racing?

I do have an extensive library of pigeon books and get great pleasure from reading good articles on and about the pigeon sport. All too often though, I feel that the writer is really just trying to ‘sell’ a fancier and his pigeons. I must admit that the subject of genetics is a difficult one to thoroughly digest because it is hardly on the surface the most exciting aspect of the sport. But I wish I could conquer the subject because I believe in doing so I would reap a rich harvest. All I know is that the male is more dominant because his genes go into all of his daughters and half of the sons. That is why it is so much easier to build a family around the cock rather than the hen. The second thing is that good begets good. Whilst the mediocre largely produce their own like, hence the very true saying that ‘The apple never falls far from the tree’. If this was not true why would the race horse breeders spend vast fortunes on the best stallions? They do have one big advantage on the pigeon fancier though because the superior race horses are easy to see as they race around the same courses. With pigeons, though some wouldn’t agree, the biggest wins go to those living in the most advantageous locations. That is why it is imperative to study a race result, especially a National one, closely because so often the best bird in the race isn’t the actual race winner!

What, if any are your tastes in art, books and music?

That is an interesting question. My tastes in these subjects are probably rather poor. I was brought up listening to ‘Soul ‘music and it is still my favourite, especially the late great Marvin Gaye. Who thought an angry man who died tragically was a musical genius. With regards to books, as I have already explained I love reading pigeon literature written by genuine writers, people who are passionate about our sport and not just into the commercial side of the subject. Amongst my favourites here are Victor Vansalen who writes in an interesting whilst educating manner, and Ad Schaerlaeckens who is, I believe, a master writer. Amongst the ‘old school’ ‘Violette’ and Jules Gallez stand out simply because within the pages of their books one can feel their passion. Other books I like to read are autobiographies on interesting people. Art is a subject that is all about opinions, so I will just say I like that which appeals to me. I never did get what was so special about the Mona Lisa. If it were on my wall I would take it down and either flog it or hide it behind the settee! On the other hand some of Da Vinci’s works and inventions are truly amazing. Oh and I don’t ‘get’ modern art at all. I think that most of the modern artists are taking the proverbial ‘micky’ out of us all.

What is your take on the image of pigeons as perceived by the public - is it a working class hobby or dominated by the rich and powerful who may be different?Without a doubt the public image of pigeon racing is generally a poor one. It is so sad but we must try and educate the general public as to just how important the racing pigeon has been to mankind. If the truth be known the humble pigeon has done far more than most animals who have a far higher status with ‘Joe Public’. The Midlands National Flying Club needs to be applauded for their efforts, which the RPRA is supporting, to get pigeons into the school curriculum because educationally the pigeon has much to offer by way of educating our younger generation. We can’t expect all kids to rush home and build a pigeon loft but we can certainly raise a greater respect and awareness of the bird that has been and can continue to be so important to us.

Do you like football, athletics and other sports, and who are the top in their field? I enjoy most sports and in my younger days participated in both football and long distance running. Sadly I think it may have been the running that beggared my knees up! It was either that or spending too much time on my knees praying for a good pigeon on a race days! I love football, which is the thing that bonds our household and consumes most of our more cordial conversations. We are all Port Vale supporters for our sins but I consider that I and others of a similar ilk get more pleasure from a victory than I believe the ‘glory hunting’ big club supporters do. One thing that I always wonder is why don’t these fans from afar support Hartlepool, or Accrington? No, to me Sky TV has ruined top league football and the lower leagues are where the traditional fans are. Oops,time to get off my soap box I fear. With regard to players that I admire, I think that the best are those that put a little back into the sport without financial reward. My favourite player? It’s got to be Tom Pope who is a lifelong Vale fan and not just because of his 33 lovely goals last season making him the top goalscorer in the whole of the Football Leagues but because when asked he said he had three ambitions in football.

1. To play football for Port Vale

2. To score goals for Port Vale

3. To help win promotion with Port Vale

The lad has now achieved all three and up to now has shown no huge desire to seek the bright lights and greater riches of the higher leagues. My sort of man is ‘Popey’ and I hope that he never falls off his pedestal. I feel that he is a grounded lad who knows that money isn’t everything. Steve Bull the Wolves legend was of a similar ilk and he will also live in Wanderer’s’ folklore for ever.

A photo taken with Paul Smith the British Champion boxer at the Midlands National Flying Club presentation a couple of years ago

How do women differ in their personal approaches to livestock?

I don’t know, I’ve never been one!! Seriously I think that the fairer sex tend to be more gentle and of a more compassionate nature than their male counterparts. They also generally possess more patience. This is a big plus in motivating animals, especially pigeons which let’s face it only return quickly for the love of their home and one of the greatest motivators is kindness.

What is your perception on how a bird orientates and homes?

I don’t think that anyone knows exactly how a bird navigates its route home. Personally I feel that it is a combination of many things. The sun, visibility and memory are all part of the obvious things which I think that birds use to achieve this amazing feat. I remember watching a TV programme years ago which experimented by sealing up pigeons’ ears up with some type of wax and the birds refused to head off home. This tends to support the belief that sound waves and a sort of inbuilt radar also play a significant part in a pigeon’s homing ability. This may also explain the theory that mobile phone masts are affecting our birds, especially our young birds’ ability to return home. Personally I believe that learning the secret of their ability to orientate will be to the detriment of our fascination with racing pigeons and indeed other migrating birds such as the swallow which comes back to the same location for years to breed before heading off to a warmer climate for the winter. Oh to be a bird eh!

Their secret is, like Santa Claus’, best kept secret. Since I learned the truth about Father Christmas it was never so exciting and it is now a darn sight more expensive too!

Do you see mankind as being superior to other life forms on earth or noT?

Mankind is probably of a higher intelligence but I question why we often use this wisdom gleaned very unwisely. Perhaps we are often too clever for our own good or should I rephrase that by saying for the good of our fellow man. Since man has existed he has battled for domination and never seems satisfied to just defend his ‘own patch’ but always wants to invade the space of others. Perhaps this creates the way that we have evolved and is why we are the ‘superior race’. Humans have achieved some unbelievable feats and things which we now take for granted such as computers and such like which would astound our past generations. In fact if you had told people 100 years ago that you could contact people all over the world with a little device called a computer, such a person would have been taken away to ‘the funny farm’.

Having said all this, are we any happier or more content than other living creatures? I don’t think so. This begs the question are we really the superior race?

What do you think about writers, committees and politics?

There are good and bad in all of these things. There are some wonderful writers who both educate and entertain us. There are others who write about negative subjects and I prefer not to read about negativity. With regards to committees, without a shadow of doubt they are very necessary because without them things would never be done and so either chaos or a dictatorship would rule. That said a good committee man should always act to the benefit of the organisation that they are serving and never for their own individual gain. This is the nub of the question. In regard to politics I ask when was the last time a British government got it right? Since I was old enough to care they seem to be wrapped up in their own welfare, red tape and their personal self importance. Today there is too much political correctness. Unfortunately I see very little hope for the future of this great country of ours. Perhaps we should re-brand and just call ourselves Britain because I see very little greatness in us these days and I feel very sorry about this fact.

Is a belief system of value to you?

I’m not 100% sure of the angle of the question but I consider life without belief would remove any direction and ambition in our existence and without these things what is the point of life? Every day I get up with a ‘goal’. I rarely achieve my aim but when I stop greeting the day and having a goal in my life they may as well drop me in ‘the box’.

The universe is vast - is it possible that life exists beyond the earth?

I don’t have a clue but why not? After all, if we have evolved why is it beyond the bounds of belief to think that there is a life form on some other planet but if they don’t race pigeons and play football I aren’t really interested.

What is the ultimate goal in your pigeon racing life?

My ultimate goal in pigeon racing? To cultivate and own a good and very reliable team of long distance racing pigeons. Perhaps I have started a little late in life to succeed in my aim but as the old song goes, ‘You’ve got to have a dream’.

Is strain creation still valid today?

Without a doubt strain creation is important. There are many fanciers who can race a pigeon but very few who can keep producing and improving them. As the saying goes ‘racing is silver but breeding is gold’! It is the strain makers who ultimately remain in our memory. Take the Janssen Brothers for instance. They won’t be remembered outside of Arendonck for their good race results and because they won a few bicycles in these events. No the little men from  Schoolstraat, Arendonck will be talked about and remembered as long as pigeons are raced because of their birds’ blood in the ancestry of the birds that will achieve great results for other people for many years to come.

What must a pigeon racing great achieve to be given the distinction?

This is all a matter of opinion isn’t it? I believe that the word great is used all too often. Sometimes I think that the word ‘great’ gets mixed up with ‘good’. For my money the word great should be reserved for a select few men like Winston Churchill because without his stoic leadership during the days of World War 2 I shudder to think where we would be today.

In my opinion the word great should be reserved for a very select few. In regards to racing pigeons I believe the Belgians and Dutch have it right because they place far more importance on a bird that wins an ‘Ace Pigeon’ title for a series of outstanding results rather than on a pigeon that puts up one fine performance even at National level. Though their owner many disagree because of the glory that a National win showers one with, the truth is they can often be a ‘one trick pony’. As I alluded to earlier in this profile, the best or greatest (that word again!) bird is the one that leaves a dynasty of excellent racing birds in his offspring. Pigeons like Koopman’s ‘Kleine Dirk’, Dirk Van Dyke’s ‘Kanibaal’, my friend Jos Joosen’s ‘Bonga’ and Janssen Brothers ‘Merckx’ are the type of superb racer-breeders that deserve and have earned the title of ‘Great’.

Which is the top pigeon racing nation on earth?

Belgium, the ‘Cradle of the pigeon sport’, must have earned this title. To back up my opinion I ask how many good birds do you know of that don’t have Belgian blood in their ancestry? The Belgians also gave us the widowhood system which revolutionised the way we race pigeons. Having said that, I believe the British pigeon fraternity have plenty to offer in the evolution of the long distance racing pigeon due to the many obstacles that the British birds have to overcome.

How do you wish to be remembered in history?

I never much doubt whether I will be remembered in the future except by my nearest and dearest. If I am to be remembered by my peers in the pigeon fancy it is as a ‘good pigeon fancier’, something which I consider that I still have plenty to work and improve on. In other aspects involving the sport I will be content to be remembered as someone who did his best.

Copyright Elimar 2013