WINNING THE BICC PERPIGNAN
R PEARMAIN & SON
of Wickford in Essex
by Gareth Watkins
Dickie Pearmain
Wickford in Essex is a small town just off the A130 situated to the North of Basildon. The subjects of this loft report moved out of Dagenham in East London just 9 years ago and promptly set about building a team of pigeons that could compete with the best in Europe competing with the BICC. In a very short time they have achieved great success at their chosen subject - marathon racing. During the 2013 old bird season they have won the following positions in International races competing with the rapidly expanding membership of the BICC.
St Vincent:- 14th, 29th, 47th & 52nd Open.
Marseille:- 5th Open.
Pau:- 28th & 67th Open.
Perpignan:- 1st.
These performances followed on from the 2012 season of International competition where the partners excelled once again with the following terrific team performances:
Tours:- 22nd Open.
Pau:- 34th [2].
Agen:- 30th & 65th.
St Vincent:- 2nd, 18th, 28th, 37th, 54th, 56th, 64th.
Marseille:- 14th, 15th, 17th, 18th & 23rd with five birds in the first 30 Open from a six bird entry.
I'm sure you'll agree that the above are extremely impressive "team" performances.
The following is an interview carried out with the partners. I should point out that Steve Pearmain lives in County Donegal, Ireland and works Monday to Friday in England travelling home to Ireland for the weekends. It is in Donegal that the Pearmain stock birds are housed and these are cared for during the week when Steve is in England, by Steve's wife... and mother in law.
It is only the racers that are kept at the home loft at Wickford. Here goes then. I'm sure we will all learn something from the following interview.
When did you start in the sport?
My Dad and I have never lived in a house without pigeons. My Grandfather and all Dad's brothers raced. Only Dinny is still alive and he is still racing at 84yrs of age.
Who was your first major influence?
Dad was my first major influence. Dad raced North Road in Dagenham for 40 years.
How long have you raced to your present location?
We have been in Wickford for 9 years.
Can you give details of your present loft set up i.e. overall dimensions, orientation, number of sections etc?
We have just one 30 ft loft facing east, completely open front, wire top to bottom.
Do you use deep litter, grids or clean daily/regularly?
We use grills on the floor and clean boxes and perches daily.
How many birds do you keep:- stock, racers, young birds?
We aim for 30-35 pairs of racers, 45 young birds.
What system do you use to race the birds e.g. widowhood, roundabout, natural etc?
Racers are not allowed young birds before racing. All young birds are bred from the stock birds which are kept at Steve's home in Ireland.
Dickie and family
When do you mate your stock birds and racers?
We try to pair up mid April so that the birds come into form later in the season at the time of the International races.
Do you mate the birds you intend for the longer races at a different time to the other racers?
All are paired at the same time, then parted, raced and trained separated. They are re-paired for specific races.
What is the preparation of the racers prior to the first old bird race?
No medication whatsoever, just flying around home twice a day.
Do you force fly your birds during exercise or are they left to do as they please?
We leave them to do as they please during their twice daily freedom.
How often do you train the race birds before and during racing?
Very little training is done. The birds keep themselves fit with their home exercise and racing. Birds are trained 40 miles max.
Is there any specific preparation for the birds before International races?
They are paired before Internationals and given plenty of rest.
How much racing do your young birds receive and how many training tosses do they have in the year of their birth?
Young birds are trained along the south coast, all single tossed.
Do you race your young birds on the natural system or darkness/light system?
All natural no darkness or light system.
How do you feed the racers, stock birds, young birds hopper/by hand?
Old birds are hopper feed and young birds are measured.
What mixtures do you feed?
Various Gem mixtures and Beyers Olympic.
Do you feed any differently in the build up to National races?
We do not change the food; the birds are fed exactly the same mixtures right through the programme.
What are the main bloodlines that you house now and which lines have proved the most successful?
The main bloodlines housed are based on Dutch long distance pigeons that we sourced through checking the results of big International races and securing if possible multi performance birds or their youngsters.
Do you line breed, inbreed or outcross when breeding. Which method has been most successful for you?
We outcross, and then cross back the best into the base family.
Is there any fancier who has helped you more than any other?
Numerous fanciers have helped us over the years as this long distance racing requires a completely different mindset to sprinting. Calum Edmiston (Horley) has been my travelling companion when looking at long distance birds especially in Europe. [Readers should note here that Calum Edmiston enjoyed an outstanding team performance in the 2013 Agen International with 2nd, 4th & 7th Open when only 10 birds were clocked on the day in the whole of the UK].
Can you give an outline of your many top class performances and those that have given you most pleasure?
All timings from long distance races give us a lot of satisfaction, first or last all the same.
Can you give details of some of the top pigeons that you have raced?
We have raced a lot of good birds but Mary our Perpignan winner is the best as she has been 3 times on the day of liberation, from Pau twice and St Vincent once and was also 2nd Open Perpignan in 2012.
Do you have any views on how the sport can be improved and how we can attract new members into the sport?
I don’t like sales of stock (reduction of stock birds).
Do you have a specific programme of medication?
No medication is given.
Do you use any supplements such as vitamins etc?
No vitamins or any other supplements are ever given to the birds.
How does your ideal pigeon look/ handle?
For extreme distance, small and light framed.
There are a few people we would like to thank for their help and friendship over the years. Alan Parker of Clitheroe, Calum Edmiston of Horley, Patrick and Tony Mahoney of Basildon, Robert and John Cassidy of Derry, Bobby Pearmain of Dagenaham (deceased) and Brian Williams of Westmarsh (deceased). Also Aaron Murtagh of County Armagh Northern Ireland.
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Elimar - November 2013
