Farming Life - Wednesday 19/03/14

[willie reynolds]

NIPA Committee – Busy period of meetings

Two further meetings took place on the 12th and 13th March, for some that was four in a period of just three weeks, although a lot of business was completed the next full meeting for the following week is not now required. This event will be replaced with further sub-meetings covering Drug Testing and ETS Clock procedures, and no doubt other items. In recent times I don’t remember so much going on, some of the new members had asked me how many meetings are usually held over the year and I was thinking three or maybe four. We made that total a month before racing starts and I hope they are not put off, you have to be really dedicated to be involved here.

In this report I will do my best to give a flavour of the business discussed, it may not be everything but just as I seen it from the back row. We had some discussion on the Rules and I will return to this, for the last number of years they have been listed in the Race Season Booklet along with Race Entry forms, ring lists, contact numbers and other items of interest. In my time a small Rule Book was published in 1977and I have been looking through it – how times have changed. Two small adverts were at the back of the book, one for Pacemaker Pigeon Grain when Samuel McCausland Ltd was based at Mallusk Road in Newtownabbey. The other was Ty-Rock the building stone company owned by B Fletcher & Sons at Tandragee Road in Portadown.

At the front of the book were had the list of officials.

Office Bearers 1977 – President T Harper, Ballymena, Vice-President J W McAllister , Carrickfergus, Chairman L Boyle, Dromore, Vice-Chairman D Campbell, Ballymena, Finacnial Secretary S Halliday Lenaderg Banbridge, Assistant Secretary J Vage Greendyke Walk Dromore.

Committee: H A Montgomery, Coleraine; J Vage, Dromore; H McVeigh, Killyleagh; G A Willis, Portadown; J Savage, Crumlin; R McCracken, Banbridge; M Donnelly, Larne; R Serplus, Lurgan; B Fox, Lisburn; V Thom, Cookstown; T Harper, Ballymena.
Transport Committee: T Harper, Ballymena: G Gibson, Comber; F Russell, Dromore; N Girvan, Newry; W Patterson, Dromore; S Quigley, Londonderry; J O’Reilly, Glengormley; B McCandless, Ashfield; S Halliday, Milltown.
Race Controller and Committee: A M Brown, Crumlin; A McDonnell, Coleraine; S Halliday, Milltown.

The new book had 18 General Rules, 12 Race Rules and 8 Championship Club Rules. Some of the members above still race, others are retired and probably the majority have passed away. The main man is still listed, long time Secretary Fred Russell in those days was involved in the Transport Committee.

It must have been around this time when I attended the NIPA Committee for the first time, don’t remember that much about it, was upstairs in the Muckamore Clubrooms, Secretary Sam Halliday was at the top table and it was the late Jimmy Savage from Crumlin who ensured I got a good seat.

Back to the most recent meeting and items coming out of the minutes of the previous meeting took a bit of time to sort. We had a bit of discussion on the merits of the trackers system on the fleet of lorrys, it was passed at a previous meeting, and will be going ahead. A small team have been put in place to control the system from HQ. Once again attention was drawn to the problems with the trapping systems for ETS, having dual members who are flying under different rules. I think it could only happen in Ireland, it will have to be operated as it stands at present and something that will probably have to be sorted in some way before the big AGM meeting of 2015. I have not seen it in writing but the IHU have a new rule regarding trapping and do not involve themselves in any complication like where the pad should be fitted. That should stop a lot of disputes since this problem has been raging since ETS was introduced. I will just quickly mention the Drug Testing with the IHU who are working on their own published list of banned substances, a big long one. The RPRA members in the BHW of last week got some guidance on where we stand now. Council of the RPRA would like to remind all fanciers that all prohibitive substances come under the headings listed in Appendix G of the RPRA Rules. The potential substances list is not wholly definitive. It remains the responsibility of the owner to check the contents of any product being given to pigeons. When not known the fancier should check with their Vet/Pharmacist/Supplier. In an advert in the same book it said “It is the responsibility of all fanciers to ensure that no banned substances, as laid down in Appendix G of the current RPRA Rules, are administered to their racing pigeons in any form. Fanciers are strongly advised to check with the manufacturer or seller of all ingredients of any products used”.

One good thing is that both the IHU and NIPA will be using Randox based in Crumlin, County Antrim for help and support as we go through the racing programme. I will come back to this.
We continue to make progress with the Driver/Convoyer arrangements, suggestions are welcome to be made to either Fred Russell or Chairman Alan Darragh. Glenavy & Dist were discussed again and a letter read out from the club regarding the problem with the arrears and asking we recind the decision made earlier to ban racing for the first three old bird races. All payments that had been asked for had been paid. A vote to recind the ban carried on a small majority so racing can be done from the first week. Because a part of the debt related to an earlier season, that amount doubled so £334.10 remains outstanding.

Sect C asked again about getting the extra Committee Member who would run the Larne Centre, Vice President Owen Donnelly who done the job before over a long period agreed to be Centre Manager for 2014. Next up we had the report on the meeting held the previous night with Horseshoe HPS. Chairman of the meeting Ken Wilkinson was congratulated on how he handled the event, very orderly and no noise. No part was looked at in detail regarding the complaint, either the conduct at the meeting that the Chairman refused a vote or how the Resolution came from Horseshoe. It was put to the Appeal/Discipline Committee that they seek a compromise position. They accepted it should have proceeded to the AGM Agenda and accepted that the club had placed in through the proper procedure and the wording was perfect. The compromise deal included that for 2015 AGM Agenda it be brought forward from the club again and no reason could be seen why there would be any problems. The further three of four complaints raised by the club will be looked at in conjunction with a Review of the Rule Book. I don’t think a vote was took, most generally agreed and no member was against. What was the big fuss all about, the introduction of a 50 Bird Limit. My thought on this has been any member who can afford to fly 50 plus birds weekly could afford to join a different club and send extra birds there. When B Fletcher & Son were so successful did they not have to fly in three clubs because of limits, what difference as far as the NIPA were concerned did it make?

Unlike the old days a lot of Clubs are now run by Committees and I feel a line needs to be drawn on how much they should control. I was amazed to hear that some recent AGM Resolutions had come forward from Management Committees. I do believe they should only be dealing with internal business, when items such as Resolutions going forward external, then the whole club needs to be involved. My own club have been going that way for a number of years, its much handier. They deal with all items inside the club, recently when an AGM Resolution and correspondence regarding ETS was brought to the NIPA it was after it had gone through a proper constituted meeting of the whole club. That’s the way it works with us and as far as we are concerned the way it should be done.

The members had been sent away from the previous week’s meeting to give some thought and consideration to charges for 2014. The members from Newry & District had prepared an Audit of costs and charges, looking at, what was produced in the Financial Statements of 2013 and the likely costs/savings for 2014. They could see no justification for any increase in charges for 2014. The cost of crates was immediately put to the vote, 22 for and none against so they remain at £9 Inland and Cross Channel. We had a discussion on collections lifting with either 5 or 6 lorry’s and if and when crates need changed at Dromore, before going to the race-point. Costs will be kept in mind but they will collect with the 6 Transporters as usual. Charges were worked out for other Organisations using the NIPA Transporter, they will be kept in line with what the costs are for NIPA Members.

Before the meeting closed we had discussion on the Drug Testing and a Committee was set up to include G Delaney, J Vage, K Wilkinson, D Mawhinney, K Henderson, P McLaughlin, D Simpson, G Robinson with a meeting to be arranged with Randox. As more meetings are held I hope to have more news, as we stand the test to be carried out are on dropings. ETS Race Marking Sheets at Basketing need to go on the transporter or the club don’t compete in that race, birds get marked on the opposite side of the table like at the INFC. Clock not returned for any race must be brought back the next week and a print-out took. Club Results to be in a HQ on night of liberation either by Fax or ask about getting a Result Form to send back via E-mail. Inland Races deadline 10.00pm and cross channel set for 11.00pm. This should cover most circumstances.

Another letter of complaint from Ballymena & Dist was on the table but surprising not dealt with, might have to make progress with the items raised by Horseshoe. Ballymena had requested the Unikon Agent (NIPA) to meet their officials regarding the non-supply of System Codes for the Basketing Unit from the last three years. NIPA don’t think they can do any more, I think since this was the only system adopted and approved by the NIPA they need to be involved with getting us a solution. I would also encourage Horseshoe HPS and other’s who follow the Rule Book closely, give a few suggestions of where you see problems and what items need added to what we have got. A start needs made somewhere and it might be a bit of a journey to get the Rule Book updated, but we will get there in the end.

The ETS Committee was put in place previously, Drug Testing and Club Visits will be carried out this season and the new ETS Clock Committee is - J Ramsey (Derry & Dist), K Kernohan (Harryville), G Magill (Muckamore), J Vage (Dromore) and D Mawhinney (Beechpark Social). With many various Committees being put in place, I would be of the opinion that any Chairman could only chair one Committee, that will spread the business around, and also decisions taken must be ratified by the full Committee. That’s as I see it, but then I don’t have a vote.

Pigeon Scene Update -

Ballymoney HPS: Have set Wednesday 26th March at 7.00pm as the date for return of ETS Clocks, Race Sheets and Vaccination Forms. Race Sheets etc for all clubs need returned 2 weeks prior to the first race. In the same area its many congratulations once again to Jimmy Hanson, top prize-winner in the Coleraine Premier HPS for the second year. Part (1) of the Breeder/Buyer sale was held on St Patrick’s Day, the second part will be on Monday 31st March.

Ballymena & District: Members should complete race sheets and those with ETS contact James Harris to arrange a night at the club for Ring Allocations. Arrangements will be made at that time for the return of the T3 Clocks. A Rota System will be in operation this season for setting up the race crates, teams of 5 or 6 can sort themselves out. The first race has been covered by the M/M Sempey team. See a few local lofts mentioned in the list for the Single Bird Challenge, not as big as I was looking for but better than last season. I will list the entries when published.

For Sale: Harry Smyth in Broughshane retired from racing last season and has a range of items for sale including a Tipes Clock, pads etc ready to use. T3 clock with Linnell three year guarantee, 15 bird hampers and 25 bird baskets in good condition. Nest bowels, clay pots, few sliding door gears and feeders. Genuine offers accepted contact Harry Smyth. Mobile any time - 07846 517333.

Lurgan Social: Members please note clocks to be brought to club rooms on Monday 24th March for 3 way testing. All outstanding money for rings etc. to be paid on or before this date.

HOMER. Willie Reynolds
Tel/Fax: (028) 256 44683
Mobile: 07538 238364
Twitter: willie reynolds@homerbhw
Email: reynoldshomer@aol.com
www.pigeonnetwork.com

Photo Caption

Jimmy Hanson tops Coleraine Premier HPS for the second season on the trot.