THE JIM EMERTON STORY
TOTAL DEDICATION TO MARATHON SUCCESS
by Gareth Watkins
Jim & Dorothy outside the loft at Holtby with two of their long distance pathfinders
As everyone who reads the fancy press and visits the Elimar web site will know, Jim Emerton, the subject of this short biographical piece, is a constant - some would say persistent - advocate of long distance pigeon racing. When racing pigeons himself to his Holtby, Yorkshire loft, Jim ably assisted by his mother Dorothy, gained a certain amount of success at all distances but especially at the extreme distance which was 800+ miles from Barcelona to Yorkshire.
A keen student of wildlife allied to an enquiring scientific mind gave Jim an insight into the psychology and physiology of the racing pigeon that is probably without equal. Jim put these attributes to good use when racing his own birds to Holtby and since his retirement from the sport has assisted numerous fanciers in their quest for long distance success. None more so than Nick Harvey of Taunton who, by his own admission, was a "jobbing pigeon fancier" until he was taken under Jim's wing so to speak and guided in the preparation and conditioning of pigeons to face the ultimate test - BARCELONA INTERNATIONAL at 710 miles. In the past five years Nick has totally dedicated himself to gaining success at Barcelona and in the 2012 and 2013 seasons this success has been forthcoming with four pigeons on the BBC Barcelona result in 2012 at 2nd, 3rd, 4th &9th section 27th, 31st, 35th & 46th Open and 2nd section 11th Open BBC in 2013 with 5 home from an entry of 7 birds.
So much for the introduction to the man and one of his acolytes. Perhaps now it would be of interest to readers to learn a little more about the background to the man himself.
Jim Emerton's Long Distance team
THE GENESIS
Jim Emerton was born in January 1949 into a family that loved wildlife and pigeons in particular. Jim's father kept tumblers and other fancy breeds such as Priests and Jacobins. By the time he was three years old and could walk to the loft Jim was totally involved in the management of the livestock. Over the years Jim was involved with other sports as well including shooting but that's a story for another time.
When in college Jim shared a room with a gardener who has now become famous not just for his horticultural skills but also as a television personality - none other than Alan Titchmarsh. Jim went on to become a science teacher and combined his academic life with a strong urge to travel to various parts of the globe. However, his love of wild life in general and pigeons in particular drew him into the sport of pigeon racing.
Jim's introduction to pigeon racing took place in 1976 when he went along to the Louella Stud in the company of his father and with the help of the Michael Masarella selected the stock birds that would become the foundation stones of his extreme distance family.
On his visit Jim selected two Descamps Van Hasten Stichelbauts, one Emiel Denys cock and a hen from the Extreme Distance team that the Masarellas were developing at that time. These base pigeons were selected from a group of birds numbering 2-300 such was Jim's stock sense and intuitive eye for a good pigeon even in those early years. The Masarella birds were also supplemented by gifts from local fancier Jack Ross and these were of similar bloodlines with the addition of J.O. Warren Lancashire Rose blood for good measure. Lancashire Rose was a winner of 1st Open NFC Pau at more than 700 miles into Banks, Lancashire so this line certainly didn't diminish the long distance potential in Jim's foundation stock.
Later on some sprint bloodlines were also introduced so that the Emerton name could be regularly found near the top of the results not just in extreme distance races but also throughout the season in the sprint and middle distance events. So much so that in a very short period of time the Emerton team notched up no less than 37 x 1sts plus scores of other prizes at club level. Once the distance team was established performances such as 1st Open Yorkshire Middle Route Fed Melun 408 miles were achieved. One dark chequer cock later named "Diabolos" won as a two year old5th Grantham [1,000 birds]; 3rd Stevenage; 4th Open Stevenage 330 birds; 2nd sect 11th Open Melun 408 miles; 3rd sect Lillers; 2nd sect 5th Open Beauvais [3,083 birds] and 1st club 1st sect 6th Open Nevers [2,516 birds]. Diabolos was to go on to have a long lasting effect on the development of the Emerton Extreme Distance family of racers which was to culminate in 1995 in the performance of "Barcelona Dream" a dark chequer cock that was to race the 879 miles from Barcelona to Holtby, to be one of the longest flying pigeons ever to appear on a BICC result.
This early enthusiasm has become a life long obsession with the sport and although not now actively involved in the racing of pigeons, Jim still contributes many articles for the various pigeon papers and web sites and acts as mentor to a number of aspiring long distance enthusiasts.
That then is a very brief insight into the background behind the man and his origins in the sport. Next I think a little more information on the Emerton methods might not go amiss. Hopefully this will enlighten, enthuse and encourage more fanciers to take up the challenge of long distance pigeon racing on the ultimate stage - INTERNATIONAL RACES.
Jim Emerton second from right second row behind a young Alan Titchmarsh 2nd right front row
THE METHODOLOGY OF SUCCESS AT THE DISTANCE
Jim's mother Dorothy helped with the birds until she was 91 carrying out many of the daily chores under Jim's supervision. She was a very tough and tenacious lady and Jim's achievements in the sport are largely due to her. She was a great friend to Eddie Newcombe and brought back many tips from Malta. Eddie was a believer in peanuts and through his success at the distance it helped to popularise them as a feed supplement for racing pigeons.
Dorothy thought that racing was cruel but Jim's vision for the future and focus always settled matters. She also believed in discipline and control with birds and loft cleanliness whereas Jim believed in an open loft and freedom for the birds at all times. This freedom brings contentment and encourages endurance pigeons to home. This contentment and love of home produced the environment that caused birds to produce the following performances:-
Performances such as that of Barcelona Dream - 13th open BICC Barcelona 879 miles in the International 20,936 birds, BICC record, RPRA medal, longest flying bird clocked in 1995 International.
Dax My Girl - 31st NFC Dax 687 miles, longest flying bird out of 17,526 birds in Europe to make the result. For this Jim's was the only loft in Yorkshire to make the European rankings in 04. 1st sec B 4th open Dax 687 miles SBNFC.
Odd ball - 3rd open SBNFC Pau 735 miles and 66th open NFC Pau 735 miles.
Diamond Queen - 72nd open NFC Pau 735 miles.
Dedication and Sister Damien - 61st & 80th open NFC Saintes 569 miles on the day. Both flew Pau 735 miles.
Mystical Queen - 10th open SBNFC San Sebastian 737 miles (daughter of Sister Damien) winning the Denney shield for first bird over 700 mile in to England.
Dark Enchantment - 9th & 30th Section K Pau 735 miles, verified at Barcelona International 879 miles.
3 out of 6 sent at Barcelona. 4 out of 6 in clock at Pau 735 miles 3 times, only bird in the clock station on the winning day at Sartilly Y/B 362 miles, Dax 687 miles and Barcelona 879 miles. 1st, 3rd & 14th open YMR Fed Stevenage sprinting with yearling widowhood hens 6,066 birds. Twice 1st five open young bird racing. Twice 1st three open y/b racing.
Dot’s Delight - 1st open Melun YMR Fed 408 miles.
The great “DIABOLOS” mentioned earlier in the article winner of the best performance trophy in the YMR Fed.
THE LOFTS
Jim had a brick built stock loft with aviary and small back garden loft made from wood and asbestos with plastic skylights in the roof allowing plenty of sunlight to enter. The loft was old when Jim bought it from Tadcaster but it gave the inmates space, light, air and dryness, all factors in creating a healthy and content home environment. The loft in the latter stages was left open at the top with ventilation previously controlled by aviary doors. Dorothy was a great help and she used to open the aviary doors during the day so that air was allowed to circulate throughout the loft structure.
The loft floor was covered in a deep layer of litter based on wood shavings and Easibed. The birds would sit eggs, raise young and lie contentedly on deep warm 15yr old litter.
Jim's Mum Dorothy
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FAMILY
The Emerton Strain was developed by the use of the occasional introduction into the base family, of top pigeons from top distance fanciers. Fanciers such as Jim Donaldson of Peterhead plus some select pigeons from Brian Denney’s Stichelbaut based family. Jim line bred and inbred over 30 yrs refining the family with further introductions from Trevor Robinson from his great 9th Open Pau over 700mls.
When deciding on where to get his rare introductions to the family Jim always chose an expert fancier with consistent National performances over 700 miles, clocking on the second day after liberation. Any introduction would, ideally, be inbred to “Key” pigeons with outstanding performances over 700mls such as Jim Donaldson's Circus Boy/Dall Cock and Rennes Lass family.
Jim believes that both sexes are important in a matched pair as both carry invaluable genetic material which they pass on to their offspring. Good breeding hens can be of any size. The preference was for small to medium hens as those birds are easier to condition. The hen must carry the correct genes in combination with the cock bird to produce good strong race winning ability.
Once he had the right material to start with Jim liked to line breed and inbreed to inbred champions with top performances crammed into the pedigree. He liked to concentrate his breeding around “Key” past performance racers and breeders such as Dark Destiny, Diabolos, Daughter of Darkness.
When selecting pigeons for stock Jim liked silky feathered, well balanced late breds from his top performance pigeons each year. These were than paired together for stock.
Stock birds were usually paired around 10th December with the racers in early March. This late pairing of the racers usually brought the birds into optimal condition for June/July racing. In later years the birds were raced on the natural system so March pairing was preferred to retard the moult.
About 30 pairs were retained and select youngsters were bred off the race team as Jim found that good birds can come from any pair with 4/5 nests from a stock pair to test the progeny.
The racers once mated in early March enjoyed an open loft. The birds required for National racing had no pre-season training with the hens lifted into racing at 90 110 miles and the cocks at 110 140 miles. The birds were sitting eggs for the 1st National race which was usually St Nazaire (Nantes) with NFC 466 miles, having been lifted from the coast 200 miles. They were then given 2 weeks’ rest followed by a race at about 150mls and the next week into the Pau Grand National at over 700 miles. All the birds were housed together young and old. When racing on a type of widowhood in the 90s the hens were exercised with the young birds.
There was little or no training for young birds. Their 1st time in the basket would be for a race of 90 or 140 miles. There was no basket training as Jim made the birds survive on their own natural instincts. On occasion he would jump birds 500 miles into Pau and found from experience that pigeons adapted to different circumstances with instincts controlling their behaviour.
Dorothy
RACING
In later years all birds were raced natural with all yearlings going to 466 miles with the NFC and all old birds going through to 700 miles.
The birds were fed a mixture made up from 3 good mixes combined together with the addition of peanuts, Hormoform, brewer’s yeast, Red Band and chicken layer pellets. This was fed in hoppers so the birds could take what they liked when they liked. On Thursday and Friday oil was added to the corn. Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday lemon juice was mixed on the corn with Bovril and Vydex Probiotics added to the water on a Wednesday. Aviform was added to the water on Thursdays.
After his initial flirtation with sprint and middle distance racing Jim concentrated in the latter years on National and International long distance racing and he would spend a lot of time planning around individual good pigeons that he knew would do the job.
The yearlings that flew 466 miles NFC would become the natural selections for the planned big races as 2 yr olds. As far as motivation was concerned Jim found that some hens were extra keen on small babies, but all birds are individuals and have individual preferences. However, good health and condition are paramount if you want to achieve the top results.
Jim believes that a bird needs 2-3 weeks’ complete rest with no road training before a big International race as its internal organs need to be lined with fat like a swallow migrating to Africa. He found that birds can fly short channel races to say 400mls at 14 day intervals especially when they are on the widowhood system but need a longer rest period between races for Marathon races.
Jim in the mid 1970s
YOUNG BIRDS
In the later stages of his racing career Jim did not race young birds as he found that individuals can come from no training to sending them to the coast 220 miles. In the early years the youngsters had plenty of training but later on as the long distance family developed, there was no basket training and the youngsters were simply jumped into 140 miles for racing. Young birds were fed on the same mixture as the old birds and were allowed to eat their fill at all times.
The birds were treated for all the common ailments with:-
Coccidiosis - Baycox
Worms - Moxidectin
Canker - Metronidazole, Dimetridazole
Ornithosis complex - Doxy “t” or Baytril, Tiamulin, Linco Spectin
Nevertheless, whenever possible, Jim liked the birds to build a natural immunity as he felt that this made them stronger and able to cope better.
THE MOULT/WINTER
Good health, rest, plenty of voluntary exercise and good feeding, NO RATIONING ever. Jim liked his birds to be plump at the start of the season as any excess weight was soon taken off by driving cocks and rearing.
Jim liked to ensure that the worm population was under control and treated for canker regularly. Other than that the birds should thrive given plenty of rich food for the moult. Racers were separated in January to rest them and prepare them for pairing in March. The stock birds were never separated.
Jim holding Dark Destiny
THE PRESENT
Jim is now and has been for some time a member of Mensa and spends his time writing articles not only for the Fancy Press but also for various other publications on a wide range of subjects especially poetry.
As mentioned in the opening paragraphs he is also active in tutoring and nurturing various fanciers throughout these Islands on the art of breeding and conditioning pigeons to compete in marathon races. Jim has also generously presented the BICC with two magnificent trophies worth £1000s for competition amongst the longest flying members in the Barcelona International race. None of the above would have been possible without the love and support of Jean, his wife of more than 35 years Long may this continue.
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Elimar - November 2013