Final Countdown To Barcelona!
After Poitiers BICC, all the birds will run together, pair as they like and be flown out with the young birds on open loft. There will be no extra road training or tossing. The feeding is my unique marathon system, boosted towards basketing with more energy/fatty foods and liquid feeding. It is hoped to send some on their first small ybs of the season, as they have been deprived of the full nesting cycle. This concept is most applicable to hens-with a surplus of cocks there will be motivational tensions around. All birds above yearlings will be entered-around 10 perhaps, and regardless of any weather forecasts, to fly the 710 measured miles into Taunton. By July the team should be in sparkling condition. We are seeking another champion to put into our strain.
Our BICC Poitiers: We have 18 for this event, with 3 old Barcelona lags kept at home. The race will have hot winds and air temps from France and will be a stickler for our team. Some will stop for a rest and water en route. Returns will be spaced out over the first day, the second and the third. Any returning yearlings will be stopped to grow and moult-all the others are destined to go to Barcelona International in July. Returning birds will need rehydrating and given Vydex Supersix in the water, and allowed to scoff on peanuts. We send our birds irrespective of any weather forecast, as we breed off hardened endurance birds. Yes we are in for a heat wave, so open up your lofts and give cooling baths. If we had a bigger team, they would all go, yet 21 will suffice.
Are Today’s Marathon Pigeons Plodders??? 700 miles Tarbes NFC birds are becoming frequent into the North of England, due to the excellent management of some top fanciers like Neil Bush of Amcotts. The International races would slow these birds down, as will be found out if they are attempted. Barcelona International slows down any modern UK /Irish bird, especially over the 750 miles mark when most have gone past their limit of speed/endurance. There has never been Barcelona International timing on the 2nd day at over 800 miles, into the UK. Third day birds here are rare at over 800 miles with around 3 in 24 years. So far all the timers i speak of have been comparative plodders, due to the severity, difficulty of race conditions and the quality of bird and fancier. Some people have improved their race management-system and feeding-yet the genetic evolution of the UK marathon pigeon is relatively slight. Have a go at Barcelona over 700 miles to see the facts in race reality. Yet the race remains the dream of many, which will continue as long as this magical race exists. I still help others in their brave attempts to conquer, and the balloon will go up in Ireland
Real Barcelona Pigeons; Forget commercial strain names, good and real ones are uncommon in the UK. The International is a war of attrition and few emerge each year from the test of tests. Right from the beach at Barcelona, they face swirling heat, a huge convoy flying in a massive radius, wires, predation, shooting and great distances to fly in variable weather conditions to little home lofts up to 900 miles way. It is a race for fanatics with individual birds packed with reserves of muscle, fat and energy. The heredity and genome of the birds must be bang on and birds in great physical/ psychological condition ready for the duration. I put my trust in birds that we time and that’s it, as fortunes are made on the word Barcelona in the mass pigeon culture of today. It is simple, send birds to the race, each year-suck it and see.
Reliability; If we examine the results, the same names will be found with consistent results, and often over many years. The reasons are obvious, in that the people have evolved clever methods and systems around some good birds. Good men develop good birds, and bad fanciers will not reach the top, even if a fortune is spent. Wise to know that the key to success is the interface between person and pigeon. I like steady reliable birds for Barcelona-we have 10 this year-7 at Poitiers-all will go. All our birds must fly the International at Barcelona-a house rule. Reliability will decline with time and age and this is a fact. We are sending a hen to 710 miles for the fifth time-good if she homes.
Jim Emerton
