THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Well bred birds are easy to find, yet are they of real value?  In my long career, I gave most thought to developing my prowess as a fancier. How can we aim to perfect the breeding and flying system? What are the logical steps to take, how we can practice them. ? What are the races and distances of real significance?  I like to question all aspects of the sport, people and pigeons to see what is significant to me. A healthy dose of obsessive perfectionism helps, especially if you set out on the convoluted path to form a strain. It is a journey both of the spirit and in practice, where steady improvements can be realised over many, protracted years. The essence is to enjoy the process, whilst it is lived.

 

 

Jim Emerton

 

 

LADS IN THE NORTH

My career was against a backcloth of exceptional men who flew Pau at beyond 700 miles. To put this into perspective, it is nearly impossible for an International race to be won over 700 miles into the UK. There are obvious and evident reasons for this and flying distance in relation to the shorter fliers springs to mind. Many birds will not sprint much beyond the 500 miles mark to be capable of a 700 mile plus outright win.  As migrating birds go the humble pigeon falls short on out and out distance capability-with some exceptions. Stepping it up to 800 plus miles makes Barcelona Int. a big. big challenge, when some of the birds will do 700 miles with relative ease. I dedicate these notes to Gordon/Bush/Denney/Donaldson/Kay/Riley, and other, select, northern stalwarts who make a stand in this very difficult discipline of racing -heroes all.

 

 

Jim Emerton

 

 

IMPROVING AND EVOLVING THE MODERN RACING PIGEON

With competitive advances in nutrition and systems in place, the sport does produce some rare, outstanding pigeons. If they are evolving on a genetic basis e.g. mutations, in terms of performance levels, I imagine it to be a very slow process. In terms of the future, a serious push from Ireland and Scotland may see targets in marathon racing being realised, as all the difficulties with the limited, natural abilities of the birds are worked on from the preparation and breeding aspects. Speed is in part dependent on system, which will see some improvement in some sprinters.  Some men will be driven by new goals and challenges and I perceive a change in approach and mind set in some of these at the present time.  Overall, apart from some obvious exceptions, most racing pigeons are limited by type and their ability to store reserves of energy and associated stamina levels. 7 to 800 miles seems to be a guide, normal limit for a decent marathon pigeon in today’s racing, with some homing exceptions and over 500 miles into Ireland is exceptional now.  The next 10 years will see some strong attempts to set new boundaries in time, distance and location.

 

 

Jim Emerton

 

 

A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

 

The art, craft and science of pigeon racing is a discipline that can be learned.  With an eye on the future, start at the lesser distances and persist and persist until you develop a winning system in your area. Aim to equal the results of your peers, before becoming more ambitious. You will have failures and this is where self belief kicks in.   Befriend a top man at your distance and negotiate for a round of latebreds off his key performance birds and learn from him-at this stage you LISTEN to the Master, since he holds the reasons why he got to the top. Housing should be spacious, light and airy, or diseases will take hold and kill some of your birds-they hit us all, the great, good and the small. At stage 1 have an eye on strain building, which will impassion you for a lifetime and long after the race results have ceased to be quite so important. The main ingredient of success is your personality and then the quality of the birds you breed. Your returns from races over 800 miles will be few, whoever you are.

 

 

Jim Emerton

 

 

WHEN THE REALITY KICKS IN

 

There are some races that are so difficult as to be on the edge of possibility. If people attempt these then they will become acutely aware of what serious racing is all about. Only specialist preparation of rare birds will suffice, in optimal condition. The knowledge and dedication required is of the highest order and the people will be famous in the pigeon media. These are the races of optimists and oddballs. If people achieve these high aspirations it will cause shock waves in the fancy. I refer to BICC clocking over 500 -800 miles into Ireland and Barcelona BICC into Scotland. In the next 10 years men will try to improve on the natural limitations of the racing pigeon. There are initiatives to attempt these race disciplines, yet i would recommend caution as I perceive great difficulties with distance/location/weather and the sheer organisation of it all.   Having said that, there are BICC Trophies in place, for any adventurous spirits who achieve such targets.

 

Jim Emerton