Скачать или смотреть The badge of courage.

This cock bird carries what is called the badge of courage on his wing.

That deformed secondary flight feather marks a moment in his racing career when he pushed himself past his physical breaking point. No easing up. No quitting. Just heart, drive, and the will to keep going—even when the body couldn’t fully recover. The damage is irreversible, but the meaning behind it is powerful.

I’ve always had deep respect for any living thing that pushes beyond its perceived limits. We’re all created genetically different, with varying natural physical abilities. But time and time again, it’s the mind—the will—that proves greater than what the body alone was given.

This trait sits high on my list of selection criteria when choosing birds for the breeding loft. On paper, this cock was just an average racer—but he turned out to be an exceptional breeder of champions. It goes to show that sometimes the window into a bird’s true potential is small. If you’re not really looking, you might miss something as valuable as a bird with absolutely no quit in his body—and that is hard to replicate.

This cock is also a grandson of the great EZ Money, and I selected him personally while visiting the loft of Ken Easley. That combination of proven blood and undeniable heart is not an accident.

That’s why this mark means even more to me when I think about John F. Kennedy’s words on the Green Beret:

“The Green Beret is a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom.”

If this kind of mindset and bloodline matters to you, don’t miss a related cock selling at the upcoming Southwest Washington Racers auction this Saturday, January 3rd.

Happy New Year everyone.