Preparation For Our First BICC Race

 

PREPARATION FOR OUR FIRST BICC RACE

 

The birds have had a 60 plus miler with 4,400 plus birds in the WSRC. In 7a few days time is basketing for 195 miles at Falaise. They will be liquid fed with Blitzform and Supersix, with our unique feeding system, and no road work. Cocks are ot all day then hens with the ybs, until 2 days before marking, when all will be out freewheeling together in glorious frenzy of nesting activity. The birds will be fuelled up with extra peanuts, tovo, eggfood, hemp, sunflower hearts, hormoform and seed. They will be full of reserves when sent as some will be over 10 hrs on the wing after liberation. After the race every bird will be rested down for the next BICC race and so on until July is reached, yet we anticipate some hard racing before that time. We enjoy the whole process with the ultimate eye on a Barcelona Strain.

THE OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL: These are the ones that make a real impact and create new ideas and innovations in every walk of life. There are plent of them on a global level. Nick is an exemplar of this condition, and his dedication to the Barcelona cause is beyond the norm. It is the personification of the type of dedication that is required  at the top echelons of achievement. Champions come and go, with all the build up races of interest to us, as they flow into July. Similarly it is the outstanding birds we recall, not just in the garden, but in the sport as a whole. The sport is waiting for a great BICC result into Ireland, as the concept has history against it. Hungry egos are contemplating the possibility over there, despite the inhibitions imposed by money and logistics. My Belief Trophy awaits the man who does it in race reality.

ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES: In many articles i stress the genome and the innate potential of all the birds in your care. The potential can be realised only with the correct loft environment, welfare and nutrition. A fancier as an influence should behave like a super, master pigeon in the life of the sensitive bird colony. All the top men exert good stimuli on the birds, providing an optimal home environment to produce good condition inside the bird. From Barcelona Int, each bird will know the impact of race reality, the weather, the distance, time on the wing and the predators en route. A good result is always one of nature/nurture, and we do not know the ratio or relative percentages of each variable.  Best not to be too academic and send all fit birds to the races-suck it and see in race reality.

DO PIGEONS NEED FLYING EXPERIENCE OF THE ROUTE? In my experience many individual birds do not need to have seen the sites from the race point, although it helps sometimes if they have. I have jumped birds 500 miles and they have done well in racing. At the distance, land marks are not the sole criterion of homing prowess, nor are the sun and many other factors that are given consideration in homing theories. Over 700 miles for example, we do not know the absolute means or mechanism or ability in navigation. We speculate on the human possibilities of the whole process, not what it is in reality. I do feel that optimal condition in the brain of the bird may assist with orientation and navigation. I like to give ybs some homing experience up to 100 to 200 miles, and some give more. All birds are unique, and you chance your arm if you jump the team say more than 100 miles from one point to another. My partner and I always jump ours.

 

Jim Emerton