Doctor Bricoux, from Jolimont, Belgium, will always be remembered as a Great Champion. During the ten year period from 1930 - 1939, the good 'Doctor' was unstoppable. Without duplication he amazing record was: 14 X 1st National, 12 X 2nd National, and overall ~ 124 times in the Top 20 on national races. He was without a doubt the most influential pigeon flyer of his era.

The doctor had strong ideas about what qualities a racing pigeon must possess. In fact, he along with several other equally respected fanciers were instrumental in creating the French - Belgium standard for "grading" or "rating" racing pigeons.

Even though Bricoux was a strong proponent of the standard, he also was a pragmatist. If one were to visit his lofts, there would be found one or more outstanding pigeons that a strict adherent to the standard-theory would never have allowed to remain in his loft; birds that simply did not meet the criteria of the standard - neither as a racer nor as a breeder.

Dr. Bricoux, preferred a well built pigeon with a sound constitution, possessing a broad and rounded back, and displaying no weakness in the firmness and strength of the vents. However, he was also in the habit to keeping at least one pigeon every year that did not come up to standard.

He realized that a standard is just that 'a standard' and not 'the answer' to what qualities a racing pigeon must possess in order to become a winner or exceptional breeder. He was never surprised when on more that one occasion these reject pigeons turned out to be an exceptional racer or breeder.

We could all learn from the late Dr. Bricoux and remember that a standard for a sport like racing pigeons must be a changing 'theory' capable to adapting to the realities of the competition we find ourselves competing against. Often the greatest break-through in our breeding and racing programs comes from a bird that does not fit our understanding of the dynamics of flight.

I first came to realize this truth, when the late Dale Flemmer handed me his 650 mile race winner from Reno, Nevada, and asked me if I noticed anything different about the bird. No sooner had I opened the bird's wing then I saw it. There was no step between the primary and secondary flights, none, not even the hint of a step, just a perfectly aligned butter knife curve from the first secondary feather to the 10th flight.

Let Dr Bricoux be a reminder to us all not to become a slave to 'the standard' but the master of it! One does not become the master of a standard by rigorous application, one becomes the master of a standard by understanding both its strengths and its inherent weakness.