The committee of the National Flying Club held it’s April meeting at a new venue,
the Hylands Hotel, Coventry and as a new try out the meeting was held on a Sunday morning.
The meeting was poorly attended, so the next meeting will be held back at Kidderminster,
on Wednesday 29th. October.
The president, Bill Harris, opened the Mike Shepherd (S600E) 168 meeting at 10.00hrs,
then vacated the chair, as an interested party and Ken Hanby chaired the 168 proceedings.
After much debate, it was proposed and carried in favour of Mr. Shepherd and to reinstate
the six rules, so they can be voted on at the next A.G.M. The chairman closed the 168
meeting at 10.37hrs.
Bill Harris opened the April committee meeting and the secretary, Sid Barkel, read out
the minutes of the last meeting. In matters arising, it was decided that Frans Van
Wildermeersch and his friend, Alex, of Belgium, will be invited as guests for the forth
coming N.F.C. prize presentation, but if they refuse, then the Mayor and Mayoress of
Buxton are to be invited. ‘The Racing Pigeon’ news paper have guaranteed a brand
new motor car for the 2003 racing season and the secretary was asked to write to them, to
thank them for their wonderful sponsorship. Ray Barrington queried the secretaries wages.
Nobby Henley stated that a pension plan has to be offered to the secretaries and they
would have to sign, to say that this has been offered.
In correspondence, a letter was read out from Geoff and Jenny Fowler thanking the
N.F.C. for their recent fund raising and Bill Harris, thanked Ray Barrington, on behalf of
the N.F.C. for his involvement. A letter was read out from Peter Bryant of the R.P.R.A.,
stating that the ring issue had been reversed. The club received two letters from Richard
King, the first concerning the sponsorship of the 2003 Dax race and the other applying for
the vacant reserve convoyers job. Richard is one of the sports premier convoyers and
I’m happy to inform you that he is back on the N.F.C. convoying team. Well done,
mate! All the letters received on the recent Tony Cowan case were also read out to the
meeting.
The delegates for the recent trip to Belgium, for talks with the secretary of the
Entente Belge, Yvan Eeckhout , gave a full report. Various questions were directed at the
delegates. One question specifically regarding what clocks can’t be used in the Dax
International race and the meeting were informed that the president was in communication
regarding getting permission for Toulet clocks to be used. The meeting discussed the
transportation for the Dax race and it was decided that Catterells of Blackpool would be
used.
It was decided that a new firm, Tower Trophies, would cover the club’s trophies
for the 2003 prize presentation.
There was a lengthy discussion regarding the club’s rules and, Ken Hanby and Mick
McGrevy will form a sub committee to formulate a new set of rules, affecting the race
points and race dates.
There is news that Jack Roberts, N.F.C. Life Vice President, has been under the
weather recently with his health and on behalf of the members, I wish him the best and get
well soon.
Ken Hanby, also a Life Vice President of the club, will miss the first N.F.C. race due
to illness and he will be in hospital for a period of time. All the very best to Ken!
Our secretary, Sid Barkel, has informed me that, Yvan Eekhout, secretary of the
Entente Belge, is optimistic that the Dax International race will go ahead within the
present climate of the French ban of Belgium pigeon racing. Racing is allowed within
Belgium. If there is a cancellation by the Entente Belge, the National Flying Club will
race from Dax under it’s race programme, without the International.
The distances for the members, for the N.F.C. races will soon be on the website. The
R.P.R.A. haven’t yet received the new Pau co-ordinates from the French, but the
N.F.C. have sent for all the others, approx. 30,000.
Bill Harris, the club president, will be attending the Exeter marking station on
Thursday 5th. June, for marking of ‘The Racing Pigeon’ Nantes National race and
any fancier in attendance can met Bill, and discuss any N.F.C. topic. The president closed
the meeting at 16.00hrs.
The N.F.C. Internet Website.
The N.F.C. is very proud of the fact, that it has one the biggest and best Internet
Websites in the sport and is very lucky to have top man, Mike Horner, as the Web Master,
to keep it up to date and in order. The N.F.C. Web Site address is:
www.nationalflyingclub.co.uk One of the most popular features on the website is the
Discussion Page and over the next few weeks the ‘NATIONAL FORUM’ is going to
reproduce some of the important issues raised on the page.
1) Feeding in the baskets (Steve Wilkins)
Could anyone please give me any information on what will be the standard mixture the
birds will receive for the 2003 race programme, in the baskets. I know for the Dax race it
will probably be big Maize only, but I probably will not send there only to the other
National races.
Reply (Bill Harris – Section G)
The corn for 2003 races is being sponsored by Bucktons and consists of beans, maize
and tares. I’m not sure if they have a numbering system. The corn used for the Dax
International race is solely maize.
Reply (Keith Mott – Section E)
Hi Steve! I was the convoyer for the London & South East Classic Club for six
years and we fed an ‘Irish’ mixture, which I think is a good all round feed for
pigeons in transit. It is a mixture, a bit heavier than widowhood mixture, which is
alright for natural and widowhood pigeons on the road. I don’t like the idea of
feeding pigeons just maize in the baskets. Some long distance fanciers don’t feed
maize and their pigeons would be knocked off form in transit, because they were not used
to the corn and not eating correctly. It must be a good all round mixture, with different
corns, then every pigeon in the race gets what it is used to. Steve, have a good season!
2) Web payments and forms (Paul O’Leary – 0014A)
How would you feel about using the N.F.C. website to transact some or all of your
N.F.C. business? Services could include:
1) Payment of annual fees, ring requirements and other purchases.
2) Race entry and fees (part A). This will give members 2 or 3 days headroom to make
your entries and avoid any postal problems. Once completed and electronically transmitted
the form A could be printed to your local printer as a receipt.
3) Down load race entry form (part B) to print at home. This saves printing costs and
could enable you to type in your ring numbers, colours, sexes and pools and if one sheet
is not enough (bigger team flyers) you just carry on a second sheet.
4) A.G.M. ballot submissions, fast and easy to complete by the member and a dream come
true for the ballot co-ordinator.
5) View and utilise your current account, for example if you have prize money or pools
due to you, then you should be permitted to make further race entries without payment, up
to the amount you’re owed. After all why should you have to wait a considerable time
for what you’re owed and still shell out more?
Obviously the whole sites security will need to be beefed up and involves some one off
costs, but the benefits gained from mechanising some of the club’s transaction
traffic would surely be worthwhile.
Reply (Mick McGrevy – Section K)
Paul, I am an absolute novice at this computer lark, but if this would be relatively
easy to achieve and set up, I’m sure it would make Sid Barkel’s job easier and I
for one would like to try it.
Reply (Barrie Simmons – Section G)
Paul, great news! Full support from me, although I am a computer novice.
Reply (Nigel Lane)
This should be a natural progression and should shortly include a full result service,
when ET is introduced.
Well that’s it for this week. We will have some more items from the N.F.C. Web
Site Discussion page in a few weeks. If you need to contact me, please Telephone: 01372
463480 or Email: keithmott@btopenworld.com.
