AGM - Lisburn 01/03/14

It was in 1932 that His Majesty King George V presented a new cup to the Irish National Flying Club to be known as The King George V Challenge Cup and was to be awarded to the winner of the OB Grand National.

The 1932 Grand National race was flown from Les Sables at a distance of some 600 miles and the race was won by R Hawthorn from Ligoniel in North Belfast.This race was flown under IHU rules and it was not until 1948 that the Kings Cup was flown under IHU and RPRA rules.The race in 1948 was won by Sammy Robinson from Belfast.

The Irish National Flying Club have a six race programme for the 2020 season which enables its members to compete in the inland Nationals or over the channel at the very highest level. I hope you will enjoy using the website as it will be a source of information through out the season. Good luck to all members competing in this years Nationals. Ronnie Johnston Patron INFC.

The INFC has 2,100 members across Ireland. The 6 Race Programme includes the famous Kings Cup from France. Friendship Nat is also France, Ylr Nat Sennen Cove, YB Nat Penzance and OB and YB Nat from Skibbereen. Numerous other awards including Gold Medal, Hall of Fame Diploma, Triple Championship, Single Bird Challenge, 3 Bird Championship, Merit Awards etc. Results, Reports, Latest News etc. See Website http://www.irishnationalflyingclub.com or http://www.infc.co.uk
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willie reynolds
Posts: 6814
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2008 4:44 pm

AGM - Lisburn 01/03/14

Post by willie reynolds »

INFC – The AGM has been set for Lisburn Leisure Centre on Saturday 1st March at 2.00pm sharp, the Agenda and Balance Sheet should be with all members this week. Entry Forms for the Single Bird Challenge were enclosed with the AGM Agenda, a free entry once again and a pay-out of £2,000. We had a fantastic entry last year with the Joe Doheny Cup won by Billy McCaw (Ballymoney), in the Kings Cup race from St Allouestre.

The agreed race programme for 2014 is as follows: Tuesday 27th May Skibbereen North, Wednesday 11th June Yearling Sennen Cove, Friday 4th July Grand Nat Kings Cup St Allouestre, Friday 11th July Friendship OB Nat Quimper, Wednesday 3rd September YB Grand Nat Penzance, Saturday 20th September YB Skibbereen North. The following Resolutions are on the Agenda.

Submitted by the Committee.

6.1) Replace present clock rule 8. Clock to be returned to the clock station together with Verification Envelope fully completed, (measurement etc.) within 3 hours after timing first bird. Members travelling more than 50 miles will be allowed four hours, plus one hour for every other 50 miles, they have to travel. (When it is deemed all major prizes and pools have been won clock will be checked at the discretion of the clock centre manager, and secretary as per rule 16). Clock station officials to record a) time of arrival at the clock station/ centre, b) where applicable receptacle numbering showing and indented clock number. Clocks returned late will be given clocks check off time for birds arrival time/s.

With New Clock rule 8. Clock to be returned to the nearest clock station together with Verification Envelope fully completed, (measurement etc.) within three hours after timing first bird. Members travelling more than 50 miles to their nearest clock station will be allowed four hours, plus one hour for every other 50 miles they have to travel. (When it is deemed all major prizes and pools have been won clock will be checked at the discretion of the clock centre manager, and secretary as per rule 16). Clock station officials to record a) time of arrival at the clock station/ centre, b) where applicable receptacle numbering showing and indented clock number. Clocks returned late will be given clocks check off time for birds arrival time/s.

6.2) Replace present rule 21: Annual subscriptions must be paid and returned before 28th April each year. No applications will be considered after 28th April. New member’s £10.00 joining fee, plus annual subscription.

With new rule 21: Annual subscriptions must be paid and returned before 28th April each year. No applications will be considered after 28th April. New member’s £10.00 joining fee, plus annual subscription. Any member paying his/her subscription individually will incur a £5.00 charge to cover administration and postage costs. Applicable from 2015 season.

6.3) Replace present rule 22a: New members joining must fly a minimum of 150 miles in any national race they compete in. Members changing address this also applies. (Not to apply to existing members pre 2002).

With new rule 22a: Members must fly a minimum of 100 miles in any national race they compete in. Members changing address this also applies to. Report will follow.
willie reynolds
Posts: 6814
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2008 4:44 pm

Re: AGM - Lisburn 01/03/14

Post by willie reynolds »

IRISH NATIONAL FLYING CLUB 2013 AGM

The 64th AGM of the Irish National Flying Club was held in the Lagan Valley Leisure Plex on Saturday, 1st March. The attendance was approximately the same as last year and the Chairman David Black, after accepting a few apologies asked the members to stand for a minute’s silence in respect for those members who had died during the past year. He paid tribute in particular to the following who had been great supporters of the Irish National Flying Club, our current National Champion Maurice Wilkinson whose funeral took place the previous day, T Patterson and J McMillan.
The secretary Trevor Topping was invited to read the minutes of the previous AGM which were passed on a show of hands. The Convoyer’s race reports were on the table and available to the members. There were no questions raised in respect of the reports. The Secretary then gave his report.

Secretary’s Report for the 2013 season.
I would like to extend sympathy to all the families of members and any relatives who passed away since our last AGM on behalf of the Irish National Flying Club.
The 2013 membership totalled 1881, with 692 members in the south and 1189 in the north. It is disappointing to see the number of members below 2000 and I appeal to all members to promote the club and what it has to offer especially in the South of Ireland. Members who left totalled 247 this is 13%. New members totalled 171. The total prize and pool money paid out was £119,317.00 over the six races.
I wish to thank on behalf of the members the following sponsors for the 2013 season Bamfords Top Flight, Frazers Animal Feeds., Versele-Laga, Bucktons, Veterinary Services for Birds and Sawyers & Co. Estate Agents also to the BHW with a discount on publishing rates for race results.
The sponsorship prizes are greatly appreciated by the club members.
The club had a successful seasons racing with some races proving challenging and Quimper very disappointing. Thanks to the efforts of race advisors David Black, Tom Marshall and Willie Hore we managed to avoid poor weather. Race markings and race dates were changed to avoid long holdovers, and these proved to be the right decisions. Sennen Cove yearling race was a perfect example of the effort that is put into waiting for the right conditions. The Skibbereen young bird race was moved forward and many members missed the race. Please check the lib line and web site for race marking information. A great loss to the club was the release site at Plaudren. The RPRA were offered a new site at Nort – sur- Erdre but in mid June the permit to release on Friday 5th July was cancelled and restrictions put on release days. After a lot of effort a site was obtained at Saint Allouestre a similar race distance to Rennes. It is very difficult to find suitable release sites in France especially for pigeons racing to Ireland. I congratulate Ron Williamson on his King’s Cup win and all other winners of national races and prize winners. Ronnie Johnston arranged the annual prize distribution to a very high standard once again. The awards were presented by out going President Sid Collins, who was assisted by Anthony McDonnell who was the King’s Cup winner 50 years ago in 1963.
All the club trophies were presented 2013 along with three hall of fame awards and one gold medal. The first silver medal to be presented was to Paul Dunlop Edgarstown for four times a prize winner in the Friendship national. Six Triple Awards for three times a prizewinner in the Friendship National and two Triple Crown awards were also presented. 2013 was a very successful year for the Irish National Flying Club.
Mr. Sid. Collins arranged a presentation evening in January to present the merit awards, and had Mr. & Mrs. J. Tyerman, John is President of the BICC, Ian Crammond of Yorkshire and Derek Partridge of Manchester as the special guests. Eleven merit awards were presented on the evening and it proved to be a very successful event.
I wish to thank the committees of the East Down Combine and Ulster Federation for assistance with transport during the 2013 season. On behalf of the members I wish to thank all of those committee members and members who helped at the race markings, clock settings and checking’s and race controllers, Jim McCrory convoyer and Vincent McCrory driver for their great work and assistance. Also thanks to the ETS company representatives for assistance at race markings. The club web site was put to good use in 2013 for keeping members informed and results were available three or four days after the race, we hope to have more information on the web site during 2014 and thanks to Ian Gill for his assistance...
I also thank the officials, the committee members, press officers and any members who helped me during the past season. I can assure the members of the club to have no worries about the management of the Irish National Flying Club despite what is published in the fancy press.
The 2014 season is fast approaching and I appeal for help at the marking centre if only for a few hours as those members of the committee who faithfully attend the race marking are struggling to cope. The single bird challenge entries to be in before 17th March.
I hope we all have a successful 2014 season”

Annual Accounts: No questions had been asked prior to the meeting regarding the annual accounts and Ron McKelvey was called to give the Auditors report before the accounts were adopted. Mr McKelvey noted the reduction in costs from the previous year and commented that the prizemoney was the highest in the British Isles if not in Europe.

Election of Officers: All offices were declared vacant and Eugene Fitzgerald was invited to conduct the election. There were no changes at the top with the President, Senior Vice President and Junior Vice President had all completed their first year of a three year term in office.
Officers for 2014 are: Patron Ronnie Johnston, President Eugene Fitzgerald, Senior Vice-President David Black, Junior Vice-President Clifford Browne, Chairman David Black, Secretary Trevor Topping, Treasurer, D Mawhinney, Auditor Ron McKelvey, Press Officer Brendan McLoughlin. INFC Management Committee 2014: RPRA representatives: R Stevenson Dromara, W Sawyers Banbridge, R Duddy Ballyclare, L Woodside Ballyclare, J Serplus Laurelvale, C O’Hare Ballyholland, P Smith Ind South, C Lyons Hillsborough & Maze, G Delaney Dromore, G McDowell Kells, W Reynolds Ballymena, D Suitters Doagh, W Kelly St Pauls, P Dunlop Edgarstown, K Shannon Coalisland; INFC Appeals Committee: W Knowles Kingsmoss, J Burrows Eastway, S.S Cairns Gilford:
IHU representatives: L McCavery Annalong, B McLoughlin Annalong, G Gaw, East End, A McFarland East End, T Marshall Newtownbreda, B Marshall Newtownbreda, A Milliken Lagan Valley, M Irvine Tyrella, T O’Reilly Andersonstown, R Taylor Shankill, R Trimble Ballynahinch, F Gilmore Comber, C Browne Bangor, P Bell Kildonagh, P McKeown Dundalk; INFC Appeals Committee representatives: J Albert Ballylesson, PJ Corcoran Balbriggan, P Harford Balbriggan.
Race Advisers: D Black Dromara, W Hore Wexford, and T Marshall Newtownbreda:
The position of the race convoyer was left to the committee to complete.
Notices of Motion: 1, Submitted by the committee. Replace present clock rule 8 “Clock to be returned to the clock station together with verification envelope fully completed (measurements etc) within 3 hours after timing first bird. Members travelling more than 50 miles will be allowed 4 hours, plus one hour for every other 50 mile they have to travel. (When it is deemed all major prizes and pools have been won clocked will be checked at the discretion of the clock centre manager, and secretary as per rule 16). Clock station officials to record a) time of arrival at the clock station/centre, b) where applicable receptacle numbering showing and indented clock number. Clocks returned late will be given clocks check off time for birds arrival time/s”. With new race rule 8 “Clock to be returned to the nearest clock station together with verification envelope fully complete, (measurement etc) within 3 hours after timing first bird. Members travelling more than 50 miles to their nearest clocking station will be allowed 4 hours, plus one hour for every other 50 mile they have to travel. (When it is deemed that all major prizes and pools have been won clock will be checked at the discretion of the clock centre manager, and secretary as per rule 16. Clock station officials to record a) the time of arrival at the clock station/centre, b) where applicable receptacle numbering showing and indented clock number. Clocks returned late will be given clocks check off time for birds arrival time/s” This was passed
Notice of Motion 2:, submitted by the committee. Replace present rule 21: “Annual subscriptions must be paid and returned before 28th April each year. No applications will be accepted after 28th April. New members £10 joining fee plus annual subscription” with New Rule 21: “Annual subscriptions must be paid and returned before 28th April each year. No applications will be accepted after 28th April. New members £10 joining fee plus annual subscription. Any member paying his/her membership individually will incur a £5 charge to cover administration and postage costs. Applicable from 2015”. This was passed.
Notice of Motion 3: Submitted by the committee. Replace present rule 22a “New members joining must fly a minimum of 150 miles in any national race they compete in. Members changing address this also applies. (not to apply to existing members pre 2002). With new rule 22a “Members must fly a minimum of 100 miles in any national race they compete in. Members changing address this also applies to”. This was passed.

INFC Charity Show report: Samuel Briggs, the Show secretary submitted the INFC Charity Show report and said that it was great to see pigeons back in the show again. There were 26 trade stands in attendance and the numbers attending were up on the previous year. £7,000 had been presented at the Merit Awards night as follows; Somerton House £3,000, NI Children’s Hospice £3,000 and the Southern Area Hospice £1,000. Samuel thanked all who had helped in any way to make the show such a success and in particular the North Coast Classic for their sponsorship. The 2014 Show will be held on Saturday 6th December.

There was a short discussion on drug testing and it was agreed as this was already in the rule book under rule 12 of the racing rules. The Press Officer was asked to point out that the members of the INFC committee are all volunteers as these are not paid positions.

INFC Race programme 2014: Skibbereen Old Bird Inland National Tuesday 27th May; Sennen Cove Yearling National Wednesday 11th June; Grand National Kings Cup St Allouestre Friday 4th July; Friendship National Quimper Friday 11th July; Penzance Young Bird National Wednesday 3rdh September; Skibbereen Young Bird National Saturday 20th September:
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The meeting closed at 3.15pm

The next committee meeting will be held in Lisburn & District HPS on Tuesday 18th March at 7.30pm.

Brendan McLoughlin
INFC Press Officer
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