| 1997
Old Birds- IF Hall of Fame Winner Interview
by Paul Walsh My name is Emmett Lewis. I am 52 years old and I have been a wood worker for 34 years. My wife, Ann and I have been married for 34 years. We have four children, one daughter and three sons. We also have five grandchildren. Our home is in Chesterfield county, Virginia, just out-side of Richmond. My interest with racing pigeons began in 1967. I joined the Rebel Homing Pigeon Club in 1968 and flew with them until 1970 when they merged with the Richmond Homing Pigeon Club. At this time the Richmond Club had approximately 45 members. The other club in our concourse was the Hi-Plane Homing Pigeon Club with about 30 members. I flew with the Richmond club until 1983. We moved out of the area and were not able to fly. In 1993 we moved back to Chesterfield and my son Brian and I began racing again in the Hi-Plane Homing Pigeon Club. Our first year we won three races, average speed, and champion loft. We have done very well ever since then thanks to Charlie Karofor's expert advice, and his help in getting some excellent birds from Roy Childress. Those birds won the 150 and 300-mile young bird races that year. Do you think your position is a good one as far as combine races are concerned ? How big is combine ? Club ? We are not in the best location. We are in the middle on the short end. Our front is 70 miles wide and 40 miles deep. What type of birds do you now fly ? We fly Janssens, Meulemans, Fabrys, Delbars, Houbens and Bastins. We fly some straight and some crosses. The Janssens, Fabrys, and Houbens have done very well for us on the 100 to 300 mile races. Can you give us a little history on some of your champion birds ? We purchased the parents of 729 from Mr. Louis Koenig, who lives in Rockville, VA. Mr. Koenig purchased the grandparents of 729 from Mike Ganus. One brother of 729 has won three races and is equal to winning four. The parents of 729 have produced at least one winner every year since we bought them. How big is your old bird team? How big is young bird team ? We have 50 birds on our old bird team. We usually have 75-80 young birds but we plan to cut that back next year to no more than 50. Do you use a system ? For young birds. Old birds We fly the natural system for old birds. We fly young birds to the perch and the nest. We do not use the light or the dark system. I feel everyone is entitled to his or her own system of flying. Do you cut flights or pull tail feathers ? Are you a natural flyer ? We have never cut flights in the past but we believe it may be a good idea for the long races. Yes, we are natural flyers, and we pair our old bird flyers around the first of March. Do you fly to the perch ? Do you fly widowhood ? Tell us your methods in old birds and young birds. We fly old birds on the natural system. We like to send our hens that have been on eggs ten to 12 days. Some of our cocks fly well to eggs and to youngsters. Old birds are trained four times per week, until the fifth week of the season, they are then trained twice per week, and they are given open loft three times per week. Young birds are trained four times per week, weather permitting, 40-50 miles the entire season. We do not single toss because we do not have the time. We train by ourselves. Please describe your loft. Our flying loft is 22 ft long. The old bird section is 12ft by 8ft with 30 nest boxes , which consist of 22 pairs of old birds. Our young bird section is 10ft by 8ft. with 60 perches for around 50 young birds. Please describe your feeding methods. We do not feed on the floor. We feed in feeders, and only what the birds will eat. In the mornings they are fed after they return from the training toss of 40-50 miles. Is there any kind of health program you follow regularly ? How do you medicate and for what reason ? We never use any more medication than we have to, although prior to breeding and racing season we medicate our birds for canker, worms, and coccidiosis. How often do you race your champion bird? How about the rest of the team How often we fly old birds depends on their nesting conditions and the distance of the race. Some of our young birds, depending on the bird, are flown every week. Do you believe in bird entry limits ? Do you believe in clocking limits ? How do you select your breeding pairs ? Have you any advice for new flyers ? Yes we do believe in bird entry limits but do not believe in clocking limits. We select our breeding pairs according to their flying record, or their parents flying record. My advice to a new flyer is to obtain the very best birds he can afford and to take advantage of the advice given by the older flyers. Do you have any kind of goals in the sport ? Our goal is to win at least 10 young and old bird races per season.
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