Racing Contingency - Race Programmes

[willie reynolds]

Update....

Hi all, further to the below update issued by the RPRA.

There will be a further zoom meeting this week to discuss.

Will keep you posted with any more news as we get it.

TO SECRETARIES OF ALL RACING ORGANISATIONS - FROM: IAN EVANS, RPRA CEO

ROYAL PIGEON RACING ASSOCIATION
COVID-19
RACING CONTINGENCY – RACE PROGRAMMES

The following document is applicable to those organisations that organise racing and will hopefully assist in ensuring a smooth transition towards facilitating racing if and when restrictions are lifted.

Under the rules of the association race programmes are required by 1st March 2020 – rule 129. This provides RPRA staff with sufficient time to collate race programmes, book sites and also meet the General license requirements for gatherings (the law).

Taking into consideration these requirements and the uncertainties relating to when racing will commence, organisations are encouraged to develop race programme contingencies.

Race programmes should initially be formed on the assumption that current Government restrictions will be relaxed by 7th May which will allow members to commence training their pigeons. This will hopefully mean that a realistic start to racing would be 23rd May – or later if the organisation considers necessary. This will also provide sufficient lead in time to allow the RPRA to meet the requirements stated above.

Organisations should form two race programmes. One based on Continental racing being permitted and one based on no continental racing.

While the current restrictions are in place organisations will not be able to meet to discuss and develop race programmes. Therefore organisations should adopt a different approach; online meeting tools such as ‘Zoom’, email or telephone.

As stated this is based on a major assumption regarding how and when restrictions will be lifted and it maybe that this assumption turns out to be rather optimistic. This document/guidance will therefore be amended and circulated periodically to reflect the current position.

We need to be in a position to react quickly and ensure racing starts as soon as possible.

Therefore, we will require all contingency/amended race programmes at least 21 days before the first race.

The attached document should be completed and returned via post to The Reddings. However given the current delays to some Royal Mail services it is advisable to send the documents via email to racingsupport@rpra.org for inland race programmes and continentalracing@rpra.org for continental race programmes.

Drivers and Convoyers

In addition it is assumed that the restrictions relating to over 70s and people with underlying health conditions will remain in place beyond the start date of racing. Therefore organisations will have to put in place contingency plans.

Under no circumstances should individuals that fall within the ‘at risk’ category and who are restricted by Government be allowed to take part in the transportation of pigeons to the liberation site.

Consideration should also be given to the possibility that Government restrictions may also mean that more than one person from different households cannot travel in the same vehicle.

A further document outlining protocols at marking stations etc. and based on the predicted relaxation to restriction measures, is currently being reviewed and will be published asap.

Julia Field - Office Manager

[willie reynolds]

There are rumours circulating that training has been approved with effect from 7th May and that racing will commence 23rd May.

A document was circulated to racing organisations (Feds etc) yesterday. This document requested that they consider contingency race programmes effective from the 23rd May. This document was based on many assumptions and is in no way confirmation that training will be allowed on 7th May, or that racing will start on 23rd May.
The reason this information has been requested now is that this will allow us to carry out all the administrative and logistical tasks associated with booking race sites and complying with the law, IF racing can commence on 23rd May.

Although we are hopeful that this will be the case, it will very much depend on the Government's plan of how and what restrictions will be lifted.

Please be assured that a team consisting of myself, the President and Vice Presidents are working hard behind the scenes to ensure racing starts as soon as possible, but in a way that is safe and reasonable to do so.

Ian Evans
CEO