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The Jim Emerton Strain

 

 

THE JIM EMERTON STRAIN

by Liam O’Comain

Our subject, Jim Emerton, was introduced to the sport by his father at a very early age but the resulting strain’s foundations were laid in York from about 1976. They were mainly Descamps Van Hasten Stichelbauts with a direct cock from Emiel Denys (closely related to the Tee) plus some Woodsider bloodlines. Jim Donaldson of Peterhead’s family and Brian Denney’s Stichelbauts were later added to the loft. He also used a cock bird presented to him by Trevor Robinson from the latter’s great 9th open Pau over 700mls.

Jim and Dorothy Emerton at Sycamore Cottage, Holtby, York in 2005.

In his first young bird race into York he was 1st, 2nd and 4th - surely an omen of things to come. However, he was not alone for Jim’s mother, Dorothy, helped with the birds until she was in her early 90s. Under his planning and guidance Mrs Emerton willingly and capably carried out most of the tasks in the loft.

Emerton’s astute mind knew that in order to race marathon distances he needed the right goods and it was a spark of genius when he decided to base his dreams of success on the historical Stichelbaut dynasty and the golden bloodlines of the Tee etc. For from this base in due course came such outstanding thoroughbred athletes as Barcelona Dream who was 13th open British International Championship Club Barcelona at a record distance of 879 miles (an outstanding racer which succeeded against both east and north-east winds); Dax My Girl - 31st National Flying Club Dax 687 miles, longest flying bird out of 17,526 birds in Europe; Odd ball - 3rd and 66th Pau (735 miles); Diamond Queen - 72nd open NFC Pau; Dedication and Sister Damien - 61st and 80th open NFC Saintes 569 miles on the day; Mystical Queen - 10th open SBNFC San Sebastian 737 miles, winning the Denney Shield for first bird over 700 miles into England; My Girl – 1st section B, 4th open Dax 687 miles; Dark Enchantment - 9th & 30th section K Pau. The loft has had the only bird in the clock station on the winning day at Sartilly Y/B 362 miles, Dax 687 miles and Barcelona 879 miles. Other good results have been obtained by others racing the Emertons in the BICC and the NFC. At least 4 NFC section winners have been reported and other good performances from Marseille and Barcelona for others. In  2011, Trevor Robinson’s 2 Barcelona birds at 853 miles were down from Jim’s Dark Enchantment, inbred to Jim’s no1 pair.

Key pigeons of the Emerton strain.

The birds were line and inbred for over 30 years. They were accommodated in a brick-built stock loft with an aviary and a small back garden loft made from wood and asbestos with plastic skylights. The ventilation was derived from an opening at the top and there were no floor grills, not even in the nest boxes. Deep litter was used and it was estimated as being 15 years old on one occasion.

The racers were paired in the first week of March each year and without training the hens were lifted into racing between 90-110 miles and the cock birds between 110-140 miles. Our subject has been known to lift birds 500 miles into races, seeking to discover their orientation ability. He placed a strong emphasis upon the pigeon’s instincts at all times. Yearlings flew 466 miles and old birds 700 miles. Jim would normally have 20/30 birds and all would be entered into races over 700 miles once they reached 2years old. Always bearing in mind that pigeons are individuals and there are good and bad in all strains. When sending birds to Pau for example, Emerton liked his candidates to have had at least a 10 hour fly in a prior race. For International racing, 2-3 weeks’ complete rest was required with no road training and the internal organs were lined with fat.

So there you are, a strain moulder who did not adhere to many theories apart from no more that four flights cast on racing. Who reached for the stars and touched them. A man who now sadly is bereft of his outstanding strain because he called it a day and in doing so presented gems of the fancy into the care of secretary of the National Flying Club Sid Barkel. Jim is surely a unique individual who was an artist of the sport and one of the best Britain has produced in long distance and marathon racing.

Dark Destiny - no1 stock cock of the Emerton strain. Son of inbred Descamps Van Hasten Stichelbaut based Iron Hen and Man. Top breeder for Jim in his early career.

Daughter of Darkness - no 1 stock hen. Her sire was Darkness, a direct Emiel Denys near to the great Tee. Her dam was a g.dtr of Woodsider – 1st open BBC Palamos for Jack Paley flying up into Silsden, 861 miles; Roy Munday’s Rossall King – 1st section NFC Pau over 700 miles up into Blackpool; Claire (sister to Pauline - 1st Open Pau Grand National) and a dtr of W. Davidson's 1000 miler Faith. This pair’s descendants formed a dynasty from sprint to Barcelona International 879 miles.

Diabolos - top racer and breeder. Rung GB83S35305, he died at 22 years of age and fanciers at long distance level use his descendents today, amongst them Donaldson, Gordon, Robinson, Booth and Shipley.

Dot’s Delight - top racer/breeder. Sire was a brother to Dark Destiny and dam was a daughter of the no1 pair.

Delilah - inbred Descamps Van Hasten Stichelbaut, origin Louella.

Dark One Two - multiple winner in the sprints. Brother of Diabolos, Jim’s favourite ever bird.

Dorothy’s Courage - 1st open Yorks Middle Route Fed Stevenage as a yearling 6066 birds. Sire: Dreadnought, inbred Descamps Van Hasten Stichelbaut base. Dam: dtr of the no 1 pair.

YMR Fed presentation 1990. L-R: The late Mick Spaven (sec), the MC, late Harold Elgey (pres) and Dorothy.