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Aiming For Perfection and Missing By a Mile
By Jim Wiley
(This is an excerpt from "The New Winning" which was revised and reissued in 2007)

Wanda and I were sitting in the living room thinking about what a good time we had at the 87 Winterblast and how nice we were treated by everyone. I broke the silence with "You know I'd like to write an article, kinda as a thank you." Moments of silence followed!

"Aiming at perfection" Wanda blurted out!

"And missing by a mile", I quipped.

We both laughed. I concentrated on the thought for a few minutes and said, "You know, that might not be so funny"! I was thinking about how much effort we were putting into the development of a family of good handling, strong eyesign pigeons. The notion of perfection was still fresh in my mind because of a telephone conversation I'd had just yesterday with Horst Hackemer. He was commenting on what a fine handling pigeon "241" was, a bird we'd sent up for the Great Lakes Classic. "You know it's the first bird I put into anyone's hands when we're in the young bird loft; the bird is almost too perfect! If he happens to finish high in the race, there's no telling what kind of money he'll bring in the auction."

"Hold on to that notion", I said, "It's going down real smooth."

Perfection, of course is the Booby Prize, since perfection is not of this world, thus unattainable. Excellence, though, might be a better goal, and after all, isn't this what we're really after?

Great pigeons come in all sizes, shapes, and some are just down right ugly. Yes, but the money they win sure handles good, you might say. Breeding strictly by race performance can yield a variety of types, including the ones you never show anyone.

The race season is short compared to the rest of the year when we get to handle and look at our birds. I have to admit I just love a good handling, pretty pigeon that performs. Why not? If I'm able to develop a family of pigeons that live beyond my years I hope no one will ever say, "Well, they race well, but it'll take 50 years to breed the ugly out of them!"

And now … to the point. "Missing by a Mile" could be the result of breeding strictly to type. This is a nastier result than breeding strictly by performance, unless you're a showman, of course. Why not a marriage between the two thoughts? Breed for type, then demand performance.

I believe the strain makers have done just that, working with typey birds then developing the family around the performers. The trick, of course, is the ability to recognize breeding quality, without race testing. Remember this: a bird can be a performer as a breeder or a racer. Some can perform both, but very often the best breeders were only average racers, or not raced at all if the Master had a good eye.

The quest for "the Master's eye" is, to me, the most fascinating aspect of pigeon lore. I go, at every opportunity, to events, seminars, shows, conventions, and loft visits. I'm like a sponge for ideas and just can't get enough of looking into the eyes of, and handling good pigeons. I guess I'm a believer of the old saying, "If you throw enough mud on the wall, some of it's bound to stick." Well, if you want to enjoy the sport more, get out there and get muddy!

There's never so "sage" an idea as one that confirms one's own beliefs! I was thinking just that at a seminar when Jim McCabe stated that for some years now he would stock the best young hen and cock from each year's crop without racing them. I don't know how long it took Jim to get that smart but I can tell you it took me too long, and I wasted many foundation quality birds on the road.

The very best breeding hen I've ever owned was my "Golden Hen" AU-69-SOO-595, a daughter of McReynolds' "904" and "5019". Almost all of her daughters were race winners. Every son of hers I lost in the races. They were all of excellent type with exceptional eyesign, really better than the hens! One son returned a year later and because I needed a cock to even out the breeders, I stocked him. Guess what? Yep, pure gold! He is one of two living cocks from "595" and both are foundation birds! I cringe to think of all the others I wasted down the road.

Now, I do get a little suspect when looking at a pedigree with four generations of "held for stock". When I see "held for stock", I like to see comments on the racing ability of its brothers and sisters. This is how a pigeon reaches our breeding loft without being raced. (1) It must be from a pair that produces excellent racers. (2) It must be better in eyesign than its best parent. (3) It must be as good as its best parent in body type.

These are pretty stiff requirements, but remember, to get in the breeding loft, they must bounce somebody out! The worst scenario I can imagine would be an ever increasing number of breeders at the expense of the race team. The number of breeders should equate to the number of youngsters from each pair that can be adequately tested. If this gets out of balance, we lose control of the breeding program.

Now, once a bird gets into the breeder loft, it must earn its keep! I have no problem with selling a good proven breeder if I can replace it with a younger proven bird of better type. Proven means it produces youngsters that survive and clock consistently. It's just too easy to produce great handling, super eyesign birds that are at their best just before being put into the race basket. This is what is meant by Aiming for Perfection - - - - and Missing by a Mile.

This is the breeders' dilemma. The strain maker has an eye for excellence. They are always looking to improve body, muscle, feather, and eye qualities. These are the things we can see and feel, and isn't pride of ownership a big part of pigeon lore?

What we can't see is Heart, Courage, Determination, Homing ability or Will to win. These can only be determined by racing.

Notice I didn't list prepotency, this factor cannot be determined by the basket, it can only be determined by breeding and then basket testing the progeny.

Racing can be a game of seconds, but successful breeding is a product of years. The fancy needs the breeders, the strain makers, and it needs the dyed in the wool racers and testers. We sometimes find both these qualities in the same individual, but more often than not, one leans one way or the other. I've heard it said that "Pigeons that were a disaster in one man's loft might be dynamite in another's." This probably referred to a man of breeder temperament who developed a great concentrated gene pool that when introduced to another line resulted in the "Big Hit". Hooray for both! We all like a good handling, beautiful pigeon, but, the final proof of the pudding, of course, is the ability to win races.

I recall attending a Retriever Field Trial some years back and several of "us boys" were watching a very attractive young woman getting ready to run her gorgeous young show Labrador on the first test. My friend nudged me and said, (referring to the dog), "He'll never look better than he does right now!" We laughed, knowing that beautiful show Lab wasn't up to the rigors of field trialing. There they were, the handler standing proud and straight, long blond hair blowing in the breeze. Her dog alert, ears cocked, nostrils flared - - - - - the first gun went off, - - - - then pheasant drops, the second gun sounded and a big cock pheasant hits the ground. Handler and dog staunch; the Judge gave the signal to retrieve. Well, that dog threw about six pounds of sand as he took off straight as an arrow to the last mark. Bam, nailed it perfect; right back to the handler, good delivery and lined right up on the second mark. "Back", she commanded, and straight away again to the second mark and right back, - - - - perfect delivery. Stunned!!!! "Us boys" stood there, mouths open, inhaling gnats, "Well, I'll be - - - - - -."

I think back on that scene a lot and what a picture, beautiful handler, gorgeous animal and a great performance. Hey, what could be better?

Aiming for excellence and right on the mark, has a nice ring to it, doesn't it.