Jim Emerton
I prefer the people who have a life interest in and enthusiasm towards pigeons-say more than 40 years. In this time, you may become an expert, build a strain and create an enjoyable career out of racing pigeons. I do feel that a love of the natural world, helps to focus a keen eye on the racing pigeon, its needs, behaviour and individual character. It is crucial to maintain motivation, by setting new targets and projects in the sport. I keep helping others, yet the sobering reality is that many will fail to reach the dizzy heights, as you need money and deep resolve to be a force in the sport. The essence is intense, and dogged focus on objectives, and the realisation of dreams. As Nick says, you have got to want it deep inside -both a psychological and spiritual entity. I am convinced that the entire pigeon racing sport is personality led, with money a strong second! The corollary is that many people have short term enthusiasms and do not last the course-old fashioned stickability. Jim Emerton.
Who were your influences in the pigeon world when you were learning and who are the modern-day fanciers that you take note of?
Yes Tony, my father Jim started me off with the love for pigeons when i was 3 years old at Skegness. We had a mixed bag of tumblers and fancy breeds, which i was fascinated by. He loved nature and was an intelligent soul who nurtured my enthusiasm in birds and all wildlife. Mum, Dorothy, sacrificed much for the birds and became a brilliant racing partner in later years, and was a great character. Over the 66 remaining years i have learned from all the people i have met in the UK and abroad, about different types of pigeons and of their characters as far as the Himalaya. The lads at St Lawrence Working Mans Club, taught me the ropes, and the fundamentals of the sport in the sprints and middle-distance races up to 500 miles in the great Yorkshire Middle Route Federation. Later, fanciers like J.O Warren, Jim Biss, Eddie Newcombe, Jim Donaldson, Brian Denney and all the people in The North East 700-mile Club were impressive and learning and reading about the icons like Gilbert and Emiel Denys and the continental aces. I enjoy the people side of the sport, especially conducting interviews with people like Zsolt Talaber, Jim Jenner and the Royal Lofts Manager, Mr Farrow. My thanks to all the influences in the game-Jim Emerton.
This personality type may use a mixture of con, delusion, fantasy and illusion as he seeks power, fame and other rewards in the external world. He aims to persuade and convince others of his significance and effectiveness in say the public consciousness. Fed by inner drives and the ego, such people are easily spotted by the perceptive and intuitive eye. As a psychological study we ponder psychopathy and narcissism in connection with these traits which, on a global level are common. Normally, I can spot these people coming, yet one may penetrate the personal defence mechanisms. Jim Emerton.
To do well in a big race, to realise the dream can be a deeply spiritual or mystical event in the personality of the fancier. Satisfaction is to be found in the inner man, the psyche of the individual. This existential feeling is what it is all about in reality. The sport is in great need of a general morale booster, as money and jealousy are rife in the minds of the fancy. I feel a love of the pigeon and nature helps in an intuitive understanding of the racing pigeon, and the secret is condition of the bird and the drive to navigate and return home to the place of origin and birth. A word that describes the higher aspect of the hobby is transcendence. Jim Emerton.
Last Summer Song: I saw a butterfly today, on the final wings of yesterday. The fragile form once so blessed with beauty, lay trembling with dull and tattered wings. I felt the metaphor as it stirred my soul from deep within. It is the destiny of the imago to shimmer like a jewel in the summer sun, only to fade and die in chill, autumn melancholy. I wish to turn back time, to celebrate the magnificence of this glorious insect again, and fix the memory in all eternity. In the rise and fall of seasons long, nature absorbs both life and death unto itself. ---My wish is for this poem to be read out, in memory of my sister Pat-love Jim Emerton /Author.
Last Summer Song: I saw a butterfly today, on the final wings of yesterday. The fragile form once so blessed with beauty, lay trembling with dull and tattered wings. I felt the metaphor as it stirred my soul from deep within. It is the destiny of the imago to shimmer like a jewel in the summer sun, only to fade and die in chill, autumn melancholy. I wish to turn back time, to celebrate the magnificence of this glorious insect again, and fix the memory in all eternity. In the rise and fall of seasons long, nature absorbs both life and death unto itself. My wish is for this poem to be read out, in memory of my sister Pat-love Jim Emerton /Author.
If given real tests your team at the end of the year will be relatively small, especially if sent to marathon races over 700 miles. I used to start the season with less than 30 old birds and yearlings in total for the racing season. You value the residue from the season and can breed off the remainder. The rich men with huge lofts and teams, can if they are clever dominate racing up to International level. However, the little man can have his day of enjoyment from the small back garden loft. It is simple, the greater the distance, the fewer birds will return. from the race point. It is all about admiration for great birds and their fanciers throughout history and time. Jim Emerton.
Wise to try and find out if all the birds are going or not. Often the detail published, is not spot on, so have your shrewd head on and cast a discerning eye over the entire process. I prefer to swap and barter with the top fancier, whilst he is alive and active in the races. Some of the top men will let you have birds off their champions for nothing. Brian Denney gave me 1 from his Bordeaux Cock with other givers being Jim Donaldson/Marco Wilson/Chris Howells/Chris Gordon and my original mentor Jack Ross of Holtby. Via Jack I met Jean 41 years ago and started my pigeon racing career. His adage was GOOD PIGEONS ARE GIVEN JIMMY-a philosophy best adhered to. Always study the man behind the mask selling the birds in a clearance sale-a knowledge of psychology is handy here! Jim Emerton.
In my long life, I have had the experience of knowing, and sometimes living with some great rural characters like Kenzie The Wild Goose Man and Sir Montague, Cocker Smith. We learned about nature, rough shooting in all its episodes, country pursuits and wildfowling on the Wash marshes. Out in raw elements of tide, wind, fog, rain snow and day and night we came alive and lived on the edge, close to nature, we belonged to it. It is a heady and deeply spiritual experience which i describe as mystical and transcendent. My love of nature, has been the genesis of me creating 8 books for you to read from amazon.co.uk. My book COUNTRYMAN tells vivid tales of rough shooting, wildfowling, hunting with dogs, poaching etc and depicts my passions for people, the great outdoors and lust for life over many years. The book is illustrated by original photos and some beautiful natural poetry. All original stuff, I hope you enjoy it, as much as i lived it.! Jim Emerton.
The nature of the beast is to target the race points by sending all the birds to the races. Do this each season until you master the methods and prove the birds in your care. Go as far as you can in the game and enjoy it, as the cards are stacked against you. I great bird in a lifetime is all you will need and avoid being consumed by jealousy. If you look at the human side of the sport, there is much negativity out there, and friends are rare-a love of birds transcends that, and the motivation to do well. Many birds are kept and not tested to any great length. Jim Emerton.
Added to, or dissolved in water, it is a potent way of conditioning birds for races at all distances. It enhances and supplements the sold feed diet of corns and pellets. Being liquid, the nutrients can be absorbed easily, and the bird will bloom. I like some of the Chevita/Vydex/Rohnfried and Aviform products for this purpose-beware of fake, pseudo and quack products! Jim Emerton.
To inform the fancy that my Belief Trophy will be awarded to the winner of the West Section of the BICC Barcelona race from 2019 onwards. At a cost of 1000 pounds, it is an antique, solid silver salve of great beauty. Happy flying to all Barcelona fanciers of the BICC and BBC in the future of the sport-Jim Emerton.
In practice we use liquid and solid feeding regimes throughout the year. In the closed season, on open loft, hens and cocks on alternate days in all weathers, we feed a high protein mix, like Willsbridge No2 ,G10 pellets and left overs from the racing season. Periodic liquid feeding takes place with Chevita/ Rohnfried and Aviform products diluted in the water. In Autumn/Winter we are conditioning the birds and hardening them up in the natural world before Barcelona International the following July. A qualified science teacher, I work on the inner physiology and psychology of each bird. To this aim I have created my unique marathon mix of peanuts, sunflower hearts, tovo, egg food, hemp, yeast, oils, red band, mixed corns, hormoform ,G10 pellets and matrix. Amix of this is given 2 weeks before the start of racing and every day before basketing in the BICC prog of increasing distances. High fats are fed outside the loft for foraging weeks before Barcelona to build reserves of fat and energy. Liquid feeds of 2 days Chevita/2 days Vydex/2 days Blitzform have been given-the day before basketing is clean water. On this regime the birds are in optimal condition to fly up to say 900 miles under race conditions. I have no secrets on the sport-all is revealed in my 3 books on pigeon racing over 1200 pages approx.-Jim Emerton.
