Jack Barkel

Hello Hyacinth, I have downloaded and listened to your discussion on Pigeon Radio. Let me congratulate both you and Steve on a great recording with some excellent advice. Thank for the recognition on the program. Best of luck and success for the coming season. Jack

Hello Hyacinth, Yes I rember when you and I stood on the spot where Custer is said to have stood, there is an air of serenity about that spot, which you and I were able to share together. One of many good memories in your company. Jack

Hello Slugmonkey, The book is titled..... "The Modern Guide To Eye-Sign & Breeding". We are hoping to go to print here in South Africa within two weeks. When I receive them, 100 copies will be sent to Charlie Klipsch of The Barkel Breeding Station, St Louis, USA. See below...................... Any and all prepaid orders for the U.S. and Canada can be made by personal cheque to me or major credit cards, M.C. Visa Discover, American Express by calling me direct 1-314-842-7867 or mail to: Charlie Klipsch 9811 Sappington Dr. Sunset Hills, Mo. 63128 Please be sure to include your mailing address and phone #. Thanks Charlie Klipsch cwkfak@yahoo.com www.barkel-usa.com I hope this helps as I see you are not far from him. By the way I gave a seminar in Kansas City, I do not know if you were there at the time. Regards Jack

Hello Ray, My first examination of the eyes, is to put them under a bright light without my loupe and observe their contraction of the pupil. If one has not got a reactive pupil I discard it, but one must be aware that anti biotic, or illness, even thirst can cause dilation of the pupils, we must be careful on this point. There is nearly always a perception of variation between the left and the right eye because of body organs and even brain functions not being positioned central in the system, more evident with humans than with pigeons. I have found that the closer to perfection the quality of the eyes are, this can be seen to bring with it near central tail feathers and a good throat. I also mention in my new book about to go to print about this, for I believe that a bird that moves its eyes without moving its head is orientating itself. Rapid eye orientation is another plus I believe. I think you and I are on a similar wave length in our perceptions, and may I add I never use natural sunlight in eye selection, I use a 12 volt 50 watt cool light, which gives the same light refraction no matter what part of the day or night. In so doing one does not get the variables of a bright sunny day or the position of the sun as it arks across the sky. Yes this is my first observation before I ever put my magnifier into operation. Thanks for your post, Jack Barkel

Hello Ray, My first examination of the eyes, is to put them under a bright light without my loupe and observe their contraction of the pupil. If one has not got a reactive pupil I discard it, but one must be aware that anti biotic, or illness, even thirst can cause dilation of the pupils, we must be careful on this point. There is nearly always a perception of variation between the left and the right eye because of body organs and even brain functions not being positioned central in the system, more evident with humans than with pigeons. I have found that the closer to perfection the quality of the eyes are, this can be seen to bring with it near central tail feathers and a good throat. I also mention in my new book about to go to print about this, for I believe that a bird that moves its eyes without moving its head is orientating itself. Rapid eye orientation is another plus I believe. I think you and I are on a similar wave length in our perceptions, and may I add I never use natural sunlight in eye selection, I use a 12 volt 50 watt cool light, which gives the same light refraction no matter what part of the day or night. In so doing one does not get the variables of a bright sunny day or the position of the sun as it arks across the sky. Yes this is my first observation before I ever put my magnifier into operation. Thanks for your post, Jack Barkel

Hello Saffer and All, In reply to your first post to me, I totally accept and in many aspects agree with you. However the biggest variable or imponderable that I have found with all theories is the fanciers themselves. Nine out of ten fanciers I have watched go through the motions when handling a bird , ie examining throat, eye, wing, bone and muscle structure etc etc, when asked what they noticed in their examination cannot give you a conclusive answer or description once they have released the pigeon. The conclusion I have come to is that as creatures of habit they are just going through the motions. The other 10% are the ones who can apply these features successfully. This has been my deduction over many years and I have proved it off and on stage. If more people applied themselves more seriously to these theories, I believe it could have a greater impact on our sport. This lack of diligent seriousness is what has kept professional evaluators like myself in business for many years. I am here to share these skills with those who have an open mind on the subject, however I am not prepared to argue or get involved in altercations with the sceptics. There is space for either side without clashing. I can live with them and hope they are of mature mind to be able to live with me. In answer to your second letter or request, let me say, I joined this list not to present or prove my own bona fides, but to present and define eye sign as I see it. Although I have computer records going back for more than ten years on all evaluations and pairings, I do not see why I should put any of my individual customers on this list to prove I am writing the truth. This is a professional business that I run, the records are for the customers eyes and mine alone, shall we say it is privileged information that you ask. This information can be provided for a fee, just as you can apply to see someone's patent. This often deters or proves the intentions of those making such a request, if it is so important to them they will willingly pay, but then again such information will be sent privately and not to the whole forum. Sorry Saffer this is the only way I will not accommodate you on this one, I do not intend to say what I have done for any particular individual. Many have come forward and addressed the whole Super Bowl at Sun City on occasions such as these, making no secret of it. Suffice it to say that I myself not having entered the Sun City race regularly, achieved a 19th at Sun City in January of 1998, when there were less than 200 in on the day. This was a Busschaert Cock, and is still in my loft today. I have also bred a SA champion pigeon on the coefficient system 886,009 birds competing. The photograph and write up of this bird was also in the British Racing Pigeon. This was a Busschaert bred by me through perfect line of descent to Dr Jeff Horn's Champion Grizzle Cock and a daughter of Charter flight which I imported from my brother Sid Barkel of Ryhope, Sunderland, in 1989. He and I flew together as Barkel Brothers from the mid 1950s to 1965 when I emigrated to South Africa. Let me put my case for eye sign as I see it without having to undergo an investigation. I have no axe to grind with anyone who does not believe me or my eye sign theories, as I came on this list to help those who do believe in it. I was told you fanciers ( those interested in eye sign) needed an eye sign practitioner that had wrote popular books and articles on the subject, and had toured several countries giving seminars and demo's on the subject. Well I am here and used to heavy criticism, anyone of you can avail themselves of my experience or ignore it. I get no fun in fighting for a top perch anymore. I would rather sit quietly on a bottom one than get my wattles bloodied for nothing. I have all the reputation I need and am certainly not looking for more. There are many on this list that wish to read what I have to say on this fascinating subject, please to those sceptics, I ask you to not deprive them of this opportunity by making me feel once again as on other forums, like General Custer at his last stand. This is all I am mainly here for, to help those who wish to advance further in the subject of eye sign, to share their ideas, and not to pit my knowledge against others, who may not wish to give it any consideration. Kind Regards To All, Jack

Hello Tony and Rose, No Tony, there are many good flyers and breeders that do not believe in the eye sign theory, for that I give them all the credit in the world. However I do believe they would be even better breeders, if they had an open mind and incorporate it in their beliefs. I have many good fancier friends that do not share my beliefs, and I will always give credit to good fanciers whether they believe in eye sign or not. I stated that it was in my opinion incorrect to judge an eye sign person because they may not be winning the majority of the prizes themselves. I stated that I know fanciers that can win with a pet shop pigeon, and I think that deserves a lot of credit for their ability to do this. I also believe that a person that breeds a lot of successful pigeons for others and does not use eye sign also deserves a lot of credit. Rose I would say to you, try and base the iris on the thickness or width of that of Motown Missile, a narrowing or a widening of the iris is a sign that that pigeon will not breed the percentage of good ones you would like them to, although, as it is lying fairly dormant in their gene pool, the odd one will pop out from time to time. This in my experience is based on all distance pigeons and the percentages they will re produce, with regularity. Regards Jack

Hello All, It has been my personal experience that many birds showing adequate speed lines as we call them were as sluggish as any pigeon could be, and that many with distance lines could not fly out of sight on a dark night. Because of these inconclusive findings as to their authenticity I personally reject them in their entirety. If something is not at least 75% near to being infallible I will not risk my reputation on such erratic irregularities. This is just my personal opinion having found just as many good pigeons without these speed lines and distance lines. I discarded it as unhelpful many years ago. I mainly look at the width of the correlation as to what distance a bird will excel, plus the length of the secondary flights and the distance of the humerus bone from the body. In one test I was blindfolded and given six pigeons to handle all which were winners. I was able to say within parameters of less than a hundred kilometres at which distances these birds had excelled if the velocities were 1150 and under metres per minute and if over 1150 metres per minute. I believe it is within everyone's capabilities to do this, all it needs is plenty practice to become fairly accurate in ones assessment, it is also great fun at pigeon gatherings. On Friday Margaret and I will be off to the Limpopo Province where we will be evaluating birds from a 150 kilometre radius. We are housed in a Lodge with Al e Carte meals and pigeon discussions, Barbeques are the order of the day. I estimate and have been guaranteed, 1000 birds to evaluate from Friday until Sunday evening. This has been a regular engagement the first weekend in April for many years now. I think if the authenticity of eye and body evaluation had been in any doubt, this yearly pilgrimage would have died out a long time ago. Regards Jack

Hello Slugmonkey, Yes you are right, it is not as simple as that, but I would say that genetic drift is seen by the near perfection of the sphincter muscles. If you have a too thick iris you are breeding to far in to a full eye, and if you have a too thin iris you are breeding too far out. This is the basics of genetic drift, and if you look at the eye of Motown Missile by Hyacinth, you will see by the perfection of all sphincter muscles that there is very little genetic drift. It is what is known in the circles of iridoligy as a Silk. Something that is very rare today in humans, but still around in pigeons eyes. This is very basic. Regards Jack

Hello All, I believe that many of us are missing the point here, a fancier constantly winning is either a good trainer or has a good system for racing. I know fanciers who have stated and proved that they can beat their competitors with a pet shop pigeon. How many times do these great flyers when presenting their birds to other fanciers often are found to give poor performances. I do not think they ever gave away or sold poor performance birds???? It is the amount of effort put in by the handler that brings results. Now this is where I think some of our assumptions and judgement on eye sign people are incorrect. One must ask do their birds fly consistently for others, have they bred a champion for their country. Have they with uncanny accuracy selected your best breeders having never seen your birds before. A good rocket scientist may never fly into space, for that person is too busy making rockets for others to fly there. There is more financial gain in making it for others, and some find it just as enjoyable as racing. I know it has taken me to many parts of the world that I would never have seen if not for my accuracy in selection of pigeons. I have many stories of being put to the test, none of which resulted in failure. I do not only use the eye in selecting, put it does play a major part. I have had my share of success in competition but never put a real lot of effort into racing, I say, judge the eye sign person on their achievements in that category, in there selection, statements and results for others. It will be wise for me to mention here that the eye does not always show the genetic imprint of a good racing bird, but it will show with uncanny accuracy the genetic imprint of a breeder. The breeder I can guarantee with pinpoint accuracy, especially when I do the compatible pairing, with racing I say have fun, but leave it to the basket for the final proof. My results for selecting pairs to breed winners in top one loft races are legend, not from my own pigeons but their own pigeons. No one can be world champion in every aspect of the sport but some of us can claim recognition to excel at something. As I said, I am not out to convince none believers but to re affirm that there is a place in our sport for eye sign. I have proved this many times without any shadow of doubt. Yes I have bred a South African champion, yes I have clocked up to 19 of my 20 entries winning and taking many positions in 600 mile races. Yes I have put birds together to breed a Sun City winner and many positions in the first 100 at Sun City for fanciers all over South Africa, bred from their own birds which I have selected and paired for them. I think this is how you should judge an eye sign person, judge their results as a breeder and selector, not as a racing person. I think this is fair comment. Regards Jack

Hello Peterpau, I tend to agree with you, that a true 5-600 miler seems to have a very high built in immune system of it's own. Health being the first issue in preparing birds for the supreme distance. I also believe in never putting in the water what can be put on the food. If a pigeon reduces its intake of water by 10% the week before the event, one can expect a 40% reduction in performance. Regards Jack

Hello All, Thanks to Hyacinth for relaying my internet problem, it seems to be fixed now. I am astonished and deeply humbled by all the welcome letters. I have posted comments on natural products versus anti biotics, and posted some comments on the eye sign and physical attributes column. This makes a start for me. Kind Regards Jack

Hello All, It is with sadness that I read some replies on the reliability of eye sign and the other characteristics of racing pigeons. I have proved in a book about to be published that there are many recognisable variables in the physical attributes of the racing pigeon as well as in eye sign or iridology as I prefer to refer to it, when practiced by the more well informed. These variables are what I call Genetic Drift, which I have proved by photographs of the eye to have little or no variation in the wild species of pigeon, whereas the racing pigeon has a multitude of variables. I will admit that some cranks have given eye sign a bad name as have many fanciers who like a certain feel and look of a pigeon, often eliminating many good pigeons because they did not conform to certain specifications. Because of the contribution of many types of pigeon to eventually arrive at the accepted design of the racing pigeon, there are many variables such as long and short keel bones, wide or close to the body humerus bones, long or short secondary flights in the wing, also curvature or none curvature of the wing, I could go on but do not wish to bore anyone with my first contribution. I also do not wish to argue on any of these characteristics or how by the understanding of the construction of the eye and physical characteristics we can improve our breeding techniques many times over. We can control this genetic drift which is always trying to return to the original, to a part of the physical make up we need, and eliminate or enhance the chances of breeding to those characteristics we wish to or should be holding on to. I was at one time willing to argue about such things, but in a few months I will be seventy and do not readily jump off my stool at the sound of the bell. I will try and answer guys like slugmonkey who wish to further their knowledge on the art of selection, but will not get involved in trying to convince anyone who has conflicting ideas to those of my own. Just remember that the genetic imprint and drift from the perfect eye balance can be seen in the eye if one knows what to look for and when coupled with physical attributes can be channelled in a more favourable direction to produce the characteristics and quality we desire. Also that it takes four good eyes and four sets of physical attributes to produce and control the birds we consider worthy of keeping, and that we must have a knowledge of which of these eyes are compatible with each other. This knoweledge will increase the percentages of these types that one can produce with regularity. Be assured that if you are breeding high percentages with many variables in their physical and eye make up, then you need to consider delving into the hidden mysteries of nature and science as regards to breeding better pigeons with regularity. Please note that I have not attempted to push any theories down anyones throat, just to make you aware that it is best to explore all avenues for they do exist, and are available for advancement to the fertile mind. Kind Regards to All, Jack Barkel jackbarkel@mweb.co.za http://mysite.mweb.co.za/residents/jackbarkel

Fresh lemon juice helps purify the blood, by removing toxins from the system. Apple cyder vinegar is a good preventative medicine for canker. I have found that canker can't live with this product. These are just personal observations. I prefer natural products to anti biotic as the birds still build up their own resistance to illness, whereas anti biotic can cause the bird to lose a lot of it's immunity system or can cause the bird to build up an immunity to the ant biotic. Anti biotocs should only be used when a bird is ill in my opinion, and not as a preventative medicine. Regards Jack

Hello All, May I convey my thanks for your most hearty welcome, some of you are already close friends of mine and some quite new to me. I am sure I am going to enjoy all your comments in the future, and I am very busy bringing myself up to date with all that has transpired on this forum recently. Kind Regards Jack