Jim Emerton asks
DO BIRDS OF GOOD BREEDING ENSURE SUCCESS?
It is very simple - well bred birds sent to races in poor condition will almost never be champions. Good genes are freely available, yet elite fanciers by definition are rare. The key to success at all levels is sustained good or optimal management. The top fanciers manage to get the best out of birds of mixed and many origins - not just expensive strain names. It is a truism that all racers are of mixed origins and genomes, and every one is an individual. It is simple - a great racer in terms of results is well bred, and so are the breeders. Expensive birds or ones given generously are proven by testing in breeding and racing. A good method and system in your individual style is the acid test of reality. Dreams make men, and empirical reality is the realisation of them. You will find that certain, particular good birds will respond better than others to your way of racing, and these should be bred from for testing in the future. I am trying to cut to the quick of practical racing, and continuous racing sustained over many years will produce the type that you require, and then, a priori, they will be of good breeding. Many good men exchange birds from the good ones, a virtue which is the quintessence of sportsmanship.
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Elimar- September 2014
