Homer's Odyssey - 06/02/09

[willie reynolds]

The 64th Annual General Meeting of the NIPA will be held in the Protestant Hall, Glenavy on Saturday 14th February 2009 starting at 2.00pm sharp.

Secretary’s Report 2008/2009

In the 2008 racing season weather conditions again proved difficult to predict. The weather was so unsettled, so unpredictable, and forecasts changed so quickly.

Can it get any worse in 2009? I hope not.

Listening to all the experts in weather forecasting we are to have a beautiful summer in 2009. I hope they are correct.

I quite understand the difficulties that many fanciers have with races being brought forward to a Friday and being put back to a Sunday.

These changes were unavoidable. They were difficult to make but I believe that the majority of fanciers accept that any change made was simply in the interest of pigeons.

I would like to bring to everyone’s attention that in an inland race a message is recorded on Pigeon Line at 9.00pm every Thursday evening confirming whether or not the race for that weekend continues as normal of if there is to be any changes. In channel races and Nationals etc. A message is recorded every Wednesday evening at 9.00pm again confirming what is happening that weekend.

I recommend that you use this facility especially if weather conditions are looking unfavorable.

Maybe the weather experts got it right and we will have the best summer on record. I sincerely hope so.

On your behalf I would like to thank everyone for the assistance given to our organization throughout the racing season. Especially, the Race Controller and the Convoyers.

In general our 2008 racing season was good. No disasters, some difficult races, some very fast races, and again a brilliant Old Bird National from France.

It was very disappointing we had to cancel our Young Bird National from Talbenny due to very poor sea conditions. Fog in the channel is a recipe for disaster. I was amazed at the number of fanciers urging the race controller to liberate. I soon put a stop to that.

Your pigeons were well looked after by the convoyer, they were quickly and safely brought back to Ireland and released as soon as possible.

The pigeons homed well and I would like to thank everyone who took the time and effort to phone and pass on their thanks to everyone concerned for the magnificent condition their pigeons arrived home in. It’s nice to receive a compliment.

Your 2009 race programme will be finalized over the next few weeks and should be announced at the Annual General Meeting. No new race programme has been received, so any changes can only be minimal.

We are currently looking at a replacement for Sennen Cove, possibly in the Penzance area. I will keep you informed of any developments.

During the off season we held our usual meeting with the Dublin Airport Authority, The Air Aviation Authority and the bird risk management committee. I am pleased to inform you that no air strikes with racing pigeons were recorded, the Authority is well pleased with the cooperation of the Pigeon Authorities.

In the Old Bird season an attempt was made to track a racing pigeon from release to his loft, this was funded by the Dublin Airport Authority at considerable expense.

These pigeons were fitted with a tracking system at a cost of 2000 Euros each. The first training flight took place from Belfast and all pigeons were able to be tracked home to their lofts. It was amazing to see using Google Earth the flight path of these pigeons.

The pigeons were left for two weeks for them to get used with the tracking system on their backs. They were then sent to Pilmore were the tracking system was activated before release. Unfortunately two of the pigeons failed to return home while the third arrived in the next day badly injured be a hawk attack, the battery in the tracking system has a life span of approximately 5 hours. The tracking system was removed and the chip fed into the computer.

The information that appeared on screen was fantastic you could see the flight path of the pigeon heading due North and the height and speed he was fling at. Then I believe we recorded the exact moment he was attacked by a hawk. The pigeon was traveling north at a constant speed and height when he suddenly did an about turn headed South and his speed increased from 40 mph to 70 mph. We continued to monitor his flight path South after some miles he changed course to a North Easterly direction away from the strike. We continued to watch and it was obvious something was wrong he was slowing down and eventually he landed on a school roof, the battery lost power and we could not track him no more. The pigeon arrived home the next day at approx 6.00pm. The pigeon was very badly injured and I am in no doubt the injury was caused by a hawk. The other two pigeons never returned home.

At our next meeting with the Dublin Airport Authority this experiment and its findings will be examined.

I have just received a copy of the accounts for the 2008 season.

You should be aware that the NIPA held all transport charges for the 2008 and this I believe was the fourth year running that you experienced no increase in transportation costs. At the time this decision was made nobody could have forecast the immense hike in cost of maintaining at running seven transporters.

On closer examination of this account our income had fallen approx 4000, possibly due to the number of races that had to be arranged, maybe the introduction of mid-week racing.

However you will see the deficit was small and we are still awaiting a further cheque from BHW Lib-line, if this had been received the transport account would possibly be in a modest surplus.

During the year you will see how much we have had to spend on crate repairs, it is too high. Also we purchased 200 new crates at a cost of around £20,000, spent over £11,000 on refurbishing transporters.

Most expenditure did increase and there is very little I could do about it. However I am going recommend to your committee at their next meeting to hold all transportation costs for the 5th successive year.

This news should be broadly welcomed by everyone.

Surely you can see the wisdom of building your assets in times of plenty; this will see you safely through these uncertain times.

I will also be recommending a pay freeze for all employees, no capital to be spent on refurbishing transporters during 2009. Your transporters are in very good shape.

I can not work miracles on cutting costs by myself; you and your club must play their part. you could possibly repair crates at your club; give up crates you are not using so they can be distributed to clubs whom need extra crates, and possibly clubs come together to race mark their pigeons, this alone would have huge savings to transportation costs. I’ll leave the thought with you.

The general accounts are once again in deficit, a similar amount as the year before.

I was pleased to see our membership only fell by eleven and we welcome three new Club’s to our organization for 2009, Ballynahinch, South Belfast HPS and Beechpark. I hope they enjoy their racing in 2009 with the NIPA.

I will do my utmost to hold these costs down during the year.

I will be recommending to your committee a £1.00 increase per member for 2009.

The overall balance sheet shows your organization is in a very healthy state.

The overall increase in value of your organization has risen by approx £27,000. On paper your organization is now worth approx £57,700. You should be very proud being a member of a very successful organization.

You have already received your resolutions for 2009 AGM; there is nothing that is controversial. If you need further clarification please do not hesitate to contact me.

Finally I will bring you up to date with the progress of ETS, as you know the NIPA recommends the Unikon system. The interest in the system since December id greater than the year before and if any club or organization wishes a demonstration just give me a call and Ivan and myself will attend your club.

What does 2009 hold for our sport?

Thankfully no sign of Bird Flu, no restrictions by D.E.F.R.A. of D.A.R.D. this can only be good for our sport.

Climate change who knows, hopefully it will be much less of a problem than 2008.

Preparation for racing in 2009 continues and at the moment everything looks good.

Hope you all have a very successful racing season in 2009. I am sure there will be problems but there is always an answer to every problem, and please remember racing pigeons is a sport for all of us to enjoy.

Letter to all NIPA clubs,

Dear Secretary,

The committee have asked me to write to every NIPA club on the following subjects.

ETS - The committee would like every club that has members using the ETS Timing system.

To set up a committee to inspect all their members antenas, making sure that they are positioned inside the confines of the loft. If they are not sure they are positioned correctly contact your NIPA committee member and he will inspect the members loft with you.

Members race marking young birds and sending them to a racepoint in crates of their own.

All clubs must allow their members to use this facility if they wish to do so, It is now an NIPA rule. Members should not be penalised for following this rule.

NIPA National Races, etc.

Members pigeons are not entered in these races at club level. Pigeons are racemarked and entered at NIPA centres. The club only acts as an agent to collect the members fees and forward them to the NIPA. The NIPA will issue each member with a club verification card which he will take back to his club or clubs for their own club race result. The club can not make up a club result without this information. A member can ask for a club verification card for each club he is a member of and must have his pigeon included in their result. If a club has rule were its members must pay a levy for club prizes in these races and any member fails to do so then they can not take prizes.

The vast majority of all NIPA clubs are adhering to the rules on race marking young birds and pigeons being given their proper positions in National races etc. I do hope that all clubs will inspect all their members lofts who are using ETS systems. Enjoy your racing.

The AGM of the Irish Region will be held in the Dromore Leisure Centre, Lurgan Road, Dromore on Saturday 7th February 2009 at 1.30pm. If any members wish to be on the INFC Committee they should attend the RPRA (Irish Region) Annual General Meeting to be nominated. Agenda: 1. Minutes of previous AGM. 2. Matters arising. 3. Statement of accounts for 2008. 4. Any other business 2008. 5. Election of Officers for 2009. 6. New Clubs.

Following the AGM meeting a Region Delegates meeting will be held.

Following the Delegates Meeting there will be a General & Appeals Committee Meeting at 2.45pm. The Secretary has requested that if any club member who is using an ETS Clock to let him have the number of the clock, the name and address, the IR Number and make of the clock before the 2009 season starts. Note: If this does not happen the clock will not be used.

Agenda: 1. Minutes of last meeting. 2. Matters arising 2008. 3. Correspondence. 4. Suspensions/Removals - R Mills, T Booth, S Beattie and D Beattie. 5. Appeals - W Neill v NIPA. 6. Any other business.

Secretary Robert Reid has also asked for the names of all members that have resigned from Club, and all members who have had a Clearance Sale.

Entries for the 2009 "North Coast Classic" based in Coleraine are coming in at a steady rate with entries from England, Scotland and Wales, not to mention the International one-loft enthusiasts from Belgium, Germany and U.S.A. who have all indicated their intention to compete in this new event. Local support has been overwhelming and many fanciers from all over Ireland are now registered.

Event organizers have been very busy answering enquiries and all preparations are on schedule. The 'promotions team' are also providing curious fanciers with details of accommodation, facilities and entertainment available should they choose to visit, and a full package is available to provide a full and interesting visit for fanciers and their families. The loft will be completed on time and thanks to the expertise of Paul O'Connor and his team, well under budget. Another week and we should be near completion.

We now have two Clubs who have volunteered to oversee ringing and convoying in two of our six events. This involves at least four members of a Club attending to supervise and race mark the birds. We still need four more and any local Club interested should contact Trevor Steele. Each participating Club will receive one FREE entry for their Club which can be auctioned, raffled or just compete in the Clubs Name.

The race will be Cork City to Coleraine some 240 miles on 6th September 2009, the RPRA License No is IR01/09.

All fanciers interested in this extremely professionally run event should have a look over the web site www.northcoastclassic.co.uk where you may examine all aspects of the events.

Entry forms can be printed from the site or ring the office staff for a copy. Tel: (028) 70 326460, Mobile: 07651 063236.

RJ Auctions: The well known Ballynahinch partnership of R & T Quinn have had to take a heart breaking decision this week – all the pigeons must be sold. Rick has been advised by a specialist that keeping pigeons is badly effecting his health and they must be sold. This is a major shock as Ricky had already been planning for 2009. He had purchased two pair of Walter Docx direct and a pair of De Klaks from Ponderosa. Frank Tasker had sent him some stunning Casaerts and Willy Thas pigeons. The loft has recorded some top performances including 1st Sect & 2nd Open Sennen Cove Classic and 1st Sect & 2nd Open Fermoy. Ricky won the Combine 2 years in succession from the INFC Hens Nat finishing 7th & 24th Open. One of the lofts stars is a Dk Ch hen winner of 24th Open EDC Portland OB Derby and 4th Open EDC Lamballe OB Derby. The birds will be sold in a 2 Part Clearance Sale – Monday 9th February and Wednesday 11th February, both in Newtownbreda Clubrooms at 7.30pm with birds on view from 6.30pm. For Details Tel RJ: (028) 90 483625. To view birds Tel Ricky: 07801 132623. HELP – Lost while on loan. Blue Pied (h) GB05D 32715. Tel Ronnie Johnston (028) 90 483625.