Strain Maker

 

THE STRAIN MAKER

This for a fancier is in the highest echelon of achievement. A good 25 years should be devoted to related birds from a gene pool that produces some great individuals. The life cycle of a man can be expressed in the continuous task of progeny testing of birds of his breeding. With no fixed patterns of inheritance, despite the theory of genetics, the yearly grind of racing will prove the worth of the birds or not. At marathon distances over 700 miles, you will breed and race a few good ones that become key, named birds of distinction. Men that have created good strains are in demand and we know they are purists. It takes a compulsive focus and enduring focus to do this-people like Bush/Gordon/Denney/Donaldson and Delea have done it. The opposite is to keep getting in fresh birds to put on a racing regime. Long-term enthusiasm called for here.

Jim Emerton

JAN AARDEN PHENOMENON

The interest in this name is a collective, cultural phenomenon. Passing away very many years ago, there are no pure, direct birds from this fancier, although some of the diluted genome may exist, as fanciers have come and gone who support the name of Aarden. All racers are of diverse origins - I include mine with 39 years of close family breeding - a pedantic point which is true. Under the generalised umbrella of the name are some good birds as is the case with Stichelbaut. It is the fame and charisma of the fancier’s name that sells the birds in the open market place. If you can, introduce birds direct from the noted champions of the day - my outbreeds have come from Denney/Donaldson/Wright/Wilson/Robinson/Denys/Schlepphorst/Hanby to add to the base foundation of 7 birds post 1976. The racers have been outbred or inbred - all are tested to this day. Naming a strain is the humanisation of the birds and will continue, especially in the commercial world.

Jim Emerton

LOGICAL STEPS OF THE GOOD FANCIER

People do not get to the top by chance. They plot and plan their way forward in a well conceived stratagem. Armed with good information and perhaps insight, they develop a system that can be applied in practice with good impact, so that results are generated. An effective system is one that can be repeated year in year out. This type of thought process requires a
single-minded approach from the individual. I do find that many of the great marathon men are strong on individuality and sometimes eccentricity and I love people with innovative and creative ideas, like Michael Feeney with his rare bloodlines and establishing a distance/marathon stud in Ireland. Since this type of racing is so difficult in Ireland, most fanciers have opted for
sprint - middle distance disciplines. Top marathon performances over there will be most unorthodox and ignite world news. It is worth the long shot, for the bold ambitious fancier and what quality birds they will be.

  

TWO  OF OUR STRAIN HENS, 2 MORE BELOW: DAM 3 TIMES BARCELONA PURE EMERTON, DTR. OF MUSGROVE OBSESSION AND UNIQUE, INBRED GDTR. OF ODDBALL PURE EMERTON AND DIRECT DR.T OF THE BARCELONA CHAMPION COCK OF MARCO WILSON - WONDERFUL PROVEN GENES AT 31 TO 879 MILES - WE HAVE ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE IN THESE FROM CLUB TO INTERNATIONAL LEVEL

Jim Emerton

THE GRAND AND BEAUTIFUL DESIGN

Many years ago, I visualised a network of men who would dedicate themselves, with free will, to the cultivation of marathon pigeons. With BICC connections in Scotland/England and Ireland some leading players are emerging to have their days in the sun. All individuals they are important elements in the grand design and the core of the apple is marathon birds and their performance. I have sourced some lovely birds for us all and we work on the continued cultivation of mine. All free to pursue their innermost dreams, the birds they evolve will be an avian expression of their personality. They are men of desire and ambition, we are like Monks attending to the bees in a Monastery garden and I do like the spiritual aspect of the devotion required. Some of the men on the chessboard are Feeney/Harvey/Ghent/Booth and Little. A new racing champion will emerge from this association. We welcome all enthusiasts who hear the same tune.

  

Jim Emerton

TEMPERAMENT OF THE MARATHON PERSONALITY

Marathons place great demands on the psyche of the individual-they drive you mad! Allow up to 10 days waiting time from Barcelona Int. - the birds have difficult terrain to navigate. It is demanding on mood, resolve, patience and persistence - in the old days us wildfowlers dug hides in the mud flats of the Wash. Light the fuse and enter the zone for a long, long time. If you persist and plan every minute of the day around the race, then perhaps you will be rewarded. I think the endurance level of stamina and concentration puts off many, as you need to be very target orientated. The planning is the years ahead variety, around every bird in the loft and the race point will always have you at its mercy, as it is greater than yourself, no matter that you try to conquer it. The lads in Ireland will learn the essence of difficulty on the road to possible glory. The most patient men, with control can realise their dreams in the Formula 1 of pigeon racing. Take a leap of faith, feel the rush of realisation of the arrival from great distance - an intense psychological phenomenon.

Jim Emerton