The festive period is now over and we are into a New Year of decisions
for the coming season, the final details to be put together and away we go. The
February meeting of the National FC will see the complete race programme
produced and ready for sec’s Sid & Karen to put the season’s package
together ready to be launched onto the members. No matter what decisions are
made at the AGM there are always bit’s and pieces that need the final touch,
the touch of distinction for the NFC. Sid tells me that the rings ordered were
more or less all sent out on time with the exception of a few late arrivals. The
first batch saw approximately 94,000 rings issued plus over 1,400 Gold Rings
from the 2,000 that the club initially ordered but should more be required Sid
will no doubt be making a new purchase. Sid was saying that with the way that
the Gold Rings have started to go they could quite easily improve on last
year’s sales. If you have been in doubt about purchasing a few for this years
race get your order into the sec’s as soon as possible so that they can keep
ahead of the game. Sid also pointed out that the rings issued have been
registered with the RPRA.
As far as racing goes the NFC have had that “Feel good factor” after
the International performance in 2004 and to keep the members happy on the
racing front there is a need to keep in that groove. I have already had very
good points of view put forward for the International scene and the big question
is “Does the club want to keep to the forefront of racing into the UK”. The
answer is always going to be a resounding “Yes” because that is the way
forward for any organisation. Many fanciers will be happy now that the committee
have moved the Pau race back
to June, a bit early for the longer flying members but is quite easily an
acceptable date. Saintes is back to what is effectively the end of the old bird
season, which again will please the majority, and yes we are at Nantes the
best-supported race in the NFC calendar. Onto the young bird race and personally
I believe the decision to go to Vaines is also a good one as do many other
fanciers. However there is always going to be the arguments that this race point
is too far to the West but when you draw a line through the centre of mainland
Britain that line continues through the Vaines area and runs just East of Nantes
and West of Saintes so another good decision by the committee. Because of the
distance involved with the clubs longest old bird race the location will not
affect the result in any drastic measures. Any decision made by the committee is
never always going to suit everyone but if we give and take then those people
will do the utmost to provide a service that will please the vast majority of
members.
On the subject of selection for the race programme and any decisions
made for the AGM via the ballot and the results. A few years ago we put in a
proposition that effectively made the committee the decision makers for the race
programme competed in by the members. This proposition was based on the end
result of the ballot each year and also the fact that there are so many
propositions put forward that the members are nearly always going to defeat more
or less all of those propositions. This then leads to the committee making the
final decision, hence the reason for that proposition. There were something like
two thirds of the propositions on the ballot paper at the last AGM regarding the
races for the following season. When there are that number included we are never
going to get a decisive vote so what is the point of all that work going into
something that is going nowhere. I will stick to my original view that the
majority of members who race with the club are more than happy to race their
pigeons and leave the rest to the committee. This point is reflected year after
year by the number of members who complete and send in their ballot papers. I
also believe that there are many members who look at the number of propositions
and think “I cannot be bothered with that lot” and it is only the number of
race programme propositions put forward that cause that reaction. However should
we take away the race programme from the ballot paper those members may well
increase their interest in the rules of the club and study the rules to make an
important vote. I will have to remember to post a similar article to this a few
weeks prior to this year’s AGM.
I have had a few calls about the rule voted on at the AGM regarding
being a member of more than one specialist organisation’s committee in the
same year. Our President Fred Sharman has written to the powers that be for
clarification of this rule and its validity, at the AGM it was believed that the
proposition was out of order. However it may be a problem because the next NFC
committee meeting will be held prior to the RPRA meeting. A point worth
mentioning regarding holding positions is that the RPRA rules indicate that if
you have a vested interest then you should not vote. I like many more believe
that is sufficient without keeping members away who want to work for the better
of any organisation.
Rumours have been circulating regarding costs to the Belgium people
over accounts to be paid; these rumours are in regards to the race costs and not
the presentation. There are always going to be rumours from those who wish to
stop progress, which has been highlighted over the last 12 months with the NFC.
However it is now felt that the hurdles have been cleared and the way forward is
onward and upwards.
