Clive Carefoot, a Longridge man who has devoted his lifetime hobby to the genetic study of the bantam and its complex plumage patterns has been justly recognised. For his outstanding achievements in poultry plumage genetics, Dr W Clive Carefoot has been presented with the Zoological Society of London's coveted Stamford Raffles Award by Professor McNeill Alexander. Dr Carefoot, Poultry Club of Great Britain President in 1986-88 and recently retired managing director of the family company Walter Carefoot and Sons, received an attractive bronze rhinoceros, sculpted by Anita Mandle, which takes pride of place at his Chipping home.

Speaking of his major contribution to the genetics of melanin distribution culminating in secondary feather patterns, J Robert Smyth, Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, has said: "I have always been impressed with Dr Carefoot's ability to propose, and then prove, the basis for some of the most challenging plumage patterns present in the domestic chicken - this from a man who did his advanced studies in mathematics rather than development of classical genetics."

He went on to say: "Dr Carefoot's major contribution has been to the genetics of melanin distribution culminating in secondary feather patterns. Others who have attacked the problems have been unable to accomplish what Dr Carefoot has done". Professor Smyth said that those who were interested in genetic interactions and the inheritance of complex feather patterns would benefit."

Dr Clive explained that all patterned hens are patterned by the same gene which is a revalation. The pattern evolved is decided by other genes which alter the proportions of black versus red, so that there is a relationship between all the feather patterns. It has now been suggested there is a similar relationship by all the big cats: tigers and jaguars etc.

Clive's involvement with bantams began as a boy of nine in 1949. He had asked his father for a pet rabbit, but his father suggested, ''Why not have some bantams?'. "He insisted I only showed the birds in the open classes so that I had to keep up the standard", said Dr Carefoot. "I competed against experts and as a result when I was 14 I was elected by the Poultry Club of Great Britain to judge".

By the time he was 21 Dr Carefoot had judged at the Royal Dairy Show in London and has since judged in almost every major show in the country. He was elected by The Poultry Club to judge the championship awards at the National Poultry Show in the Year 2000.

In 1975 Dr Carefoot started a diary in which he kept genetics records in order to understand more of the breeding of bantams, with the result the birds became significantly better and led to increased success in the show pen. This culminated in nine successive Champion Breeder of the Year Awards, at the National Championship Show.

In 1980 he won Champion bantam; Reserve Champion Large Fowl; and Champion Plymouth Rock, Partridge Wyandotte, Silver Pencilled Wyandotte, and Sussex at the National Championship Show. In 1985, he wrote, 'Creative Poultry Breeding' which sold out all over the world and is went out of print but has recently been reprinted.

Dr Clive is a family man. He and his wife Mary (former Secretary to the Poultry Club) have three sons and six grandchildren. Of his bantams, he said, "It has been a way of life. The real pleasure has been discovering the genetics side that have not been discovered before. The icing on the cake is that other people have now acknowledged my success".

His future target is to produce a bantam with chocolate and lemon feathers - his company colours.

Article by Mavs Wilkinson. Reproduced courtesy of 'Longridge News', Lancaster & Morecambe Newspapers Ltd.