Pigeon Network

A.G.M. 2013

To be held in Lagan Valley Leisureplex, Governors Road Lisburn Co. Antrim BT28 1LP

on Saturday 2nd March at 2.00 PM.

2013 Membership Fees - Existing members £15.00 Stg/New members £25.00 Stg.

The race programme for 2013 is as follows...

Skibbereen OB Inland Nat Tuesday 28th May (race mark Monday)

Sennen Cove Yearling Nat Wednesday 12th June (race mark Monday)

TBA Kings Cup Friday 5th July (race mark Tuesday)

Quimper Friendship Nat Friday 12th July (race mark Tuesday)

Penzance YB Nat Wednesday 4th September (race mark Monday),

Skibbereen YB Inland Nat Saturday 21st September (race mark Friday).

Please note these dates can be changed to avoid periods of unfavourable weather. (race rule 19).

Information will be on lib line and web site two days before race marking date.

IRISH NATIONAL FLYING CLUB 2013 AGM

The 63nd AGM of the Irish National Flying Club was held in the Lagan Valley Leisure Plex on Saturday 2nd March. The attendance was approximately the same as last year and the Chairman Eugene Fitzgerald, 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, Jackie Patience, Joe Vage, Joe Topley and Mervyn Gibson.

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:

“I would like to extend sympathy to all the families of members and any relatives who passed away since our last AGM.
The 2012 membership was 1957 with 689 members in the south and 1268 in the north. It is disappointing to see the number of members still 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 179 this is 8 .6%. New members totalled 192. The total prize and pool money paid out was £120153.00 over the six races down by £11,100.00 from 2011.

I wish to thank on behalf of the members the following sponsors who continued to support the club during 2012 in difficult trading times Bamfords Top Flight, Samuel McCausland Ltd., Versele-Laga, Veterinary Services for Birds and Sawyers & Co. Estate Agents. Also thanks to the BHW who give a discount on publishing rates for race results.

One new trophy was presented to the club during 2012 by Noel De Scheemaecker to be presented to the runner up to the winner of the best average in all races.
The club had a successful seasons racing with some races proving challenging and the King’s Cup very disappointing. The Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 London Olympics were commemorated by presenting medals to the first three in the yearling national and friendship national races and ten prizes of £100.00 in each race. 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 had to be changed to avoid long holdovers and these proved to be the right decisions. Penzance young bird race was a perfect example of the effort that goes into waiting for the right conditions as a release on the Wednesday would have proved disastrous with all the issues that go along with it. A great help and friends of the club were Chris MacDubhaill and Marcel Gobin the site agent who provided the release site in Plaudren France, unfortunately, Marcel has now retired from pigeons, and the site is no longer available. I congratulate all winners of national races and prizewinners. Ronnie Johnston arranged the annual prize distribution to a very high standard once again, and it was good to have Mr. Allan McDonald past secretary, King’s Cup winner and club auditor for over 25 years present the awards. All the club trophies were presented in 2012 along with three Hall of Fame Diplomas and two Gold Medals.

Mr Sid Collins arranged a presentation evening in January to present the merit awards, and had Mr Freddy Van Den Heede as the special guest. Thirty-three merit awards were presented on the evening and it proved to be a very successful event.
I wish to place on record my thanks to Sid for his support during his time as president and chairman of the club.

I wish to thank the committees of the East Down Combine and Ulster Federation for assistance with transport during the 2012 season. On behalf of the members I also to thank all of those committee members and members who helped at the race markings, clock settings and checking’s, race controllers, convoyer’s and drivers. Also to the ETS company representatives for assistance at race markings. The club web site was put to good use in 2012 for keeping members informed and results were available three or four days after the race 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.

There are four resolutions to be voted on later in the meeting these are recommended by the committee as a result of the nonsense that took place last season. I personally was subjected to allegations and comments on a pigeon web site forum which were found to be untrue and inaccurate, as the club rules were applied at all times. The rules of the club were accepted by the members and are in the race entry booklet sent out every year. The reason we have rules is so that the club functions properly. It is very disappointing that any member of the club would choose an internet web site forum to try to destroy the credibility of the secretary who has served the club faithfully for 12 years.

The 2013 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 good weather and a successful 2013 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.

Election of Officers: All offices were declared vacant and Sid Collins was invited to conduct the election. There were changes at the top with the President and Chairman having completed their three-year terms in office. The outgoing President Sid Collins becomes a Life Vice President and Eugene Fitzgerald becomes President. The Junior Vice President David Black was elevated to Senior Vice President and Chairman with Clifford Browne filling the post of Junior Vice President.

Officers for 2013 are: Patron Ronnie Johnston, President Eugene Fitzgerald, Senior Vice-President David Black, Junior Vice-President Clifford Browne, Chairman David Black, Secretary To be discussed at next committee meeting, Treasurer, To be discussed at next committee meeting, Auditor Ron McKelvey, Press Officer Brendan McLoughlin.

INFC Management Committee 2013: 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: R McCracken Banbridge, 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, K O’Sullivan Wheatfield, M Irvine Tyrella, T O’Reilly Andersonstown, G Shaw Individual, R Taylor Shankill, R Trimble Ballynahinch; 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.

All the resoutions on the agenda passed by a large majority vote bar the final one.

Notices of Motion: 1, Submitted by the committee Replace present rule 20a “All appeals to be submitted in writing and accompanied by a fee of £10.00. Refundable if appeal is successful”. With new rule 20a “All appeals to be submitted in writing and accompanied by a fee of £50 refundable if the appeal is successful. Appellant to attend or to be represented at the appeals or the appeal will be rejected.” This was passed.

Notice of Motion 2:, submitted by the committee. New Racing Rule: Pigeons must fly the full distance from the release site to the competing loft address. Any competitor recording a pigeon in the race returned by any other means will be automatically disqualified from the race and banned from the next three races organized by the INFC.” This was passed.

Notice of Motion 3: New General Rule: Any members of the club using internet web site forums or chat rooms to air grievances or to make derogatory remarks against club officials or any members of the club will be liable to disciplinary action for dishonourable conduct by the committee under rule 10. This was passed.

Notice of Motion 4: Addition to Clock Rule 15. “Manually operated timing clocks must produce a permanent record containing the clock serial number, setting time, pigeon arrival times, and clock check off time at the clock station. Failure will result in disqualification with no liability accepted by the INFC.”
Present Clock Rule 15 “All dials and rolls used in races must leave a complete unbroken record of punctures and imprints. However should a clock roll be torn by a member of the clock committee at the time of checking, which actually takes place in front of club members , a velocity will be allowed” This was passed.

Notice of Motion 5: submitted by E Quigley membership No 3055 “Change the north section boundary to include all lofts in Donegal”. This motion was withdrawn.

INFC Charity Show report: Jimmy Hughes gave the INFC Charity Show report and said that it was a disappointing show this year with numbers down and with 6 trade stands failing to attend. However there is still £8000 to be allocated to charities this year. Jimmy appealed for more help in running the show and said that a proper committee be formed to look after the Charity Show as he had only stood in as an interim measure following the death of Ken McConnaghie last year.

INFC Race programme 2013: Skibbereen Old Bird Inland National Tuesday 28th May; Sennen Cove Yearling National Wednesday 12th June; Grand National Kings Cup (Race point to be announced) Friday 5th July; Friendship National Quimper Friday 12th July; Penzance Young Bird National Wednesday 4th September; Skibbereen Young Bird National Saturday 21st September:

A short discussion took place on the King’s Cup race for 2013 as the site at Plaudren Vannes is no longer available. Permits have been applied for Vannes, Messac and Nord-Sur-Erdre so we have to wait to see the outcome of these applications.

Eugene Fitzgerald appealed for young birds for the Penzance RPC Breeder Buyer which will be held on 24th March. 50% of the fund will go to the club and to the repatriation of pigeons from Scilly Isles. The fanciers in this area have been an enormous help in having pigeons returned to Ireland from the Scilly Isles and from Cornwall. Eugene said that he would arrange to have pigeons brought over to Penzance for the Breeder Buyer. The meeting closed at 3.15pm

The next committee meeting will be held in Lisburn & District HPS on Tuesday 19th March at 7.30pm.

Brendan McLoughlin
INFC Press Officer