GOOD LOOKING & HANDLING PIGEONS
by Jim Emerton
The perception of a good pigeon in the hand is individual and subjective to the fancier. You may be right or wrong as to if it is a good racer or breeder. In my personal judgement a silky feathered small to medium balanced bird with a shiny eye and well developed muscles inspires confidence, yet the reality is that it may be poor as a breeder/racer. The old cliche beauty is in the eye of the beholder may apply. Often in a family of good lookers there may be some decent racers. The simple reality is that good racers do just that and the same with breeders. On a mental note they often appear to be the right type when they do so, and I have seen good ones that were great and small, and variable types in the hand. Is it not so easy to be impressed by good looks that look nice to the human eye, when it is the inner invisible qualities that really count, especially the genes? The discerning fancier tests all the racers and breeders to establish the TRUTH. I call it race reality.
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Elimar - November 2014
