1. That this Federation be called “Wolverhampton and District Federation Of Homing Societies” and shall consist of clubs whose Headquarters are within the radius of 25 Miles from the Fountain in Dudley. All applications to be subject to the general committee’s decision.

 

2. Clubs eligible for affiliation must be members of the R.P.R.A.

 

3. Affiliated clubs to pay an annual subscription for every club member (Partnerships shall be deemed as one member) whether in other clubs or not, the subscription together with the names and addresses of all members must be paid on or before 28th February each year, or within 14 days after the A.G.M, (Annual General Meeting) should the A.G.M. be after the 28th February.

 

4. The object of the Federation shall be to economise in convoying birds (combined with the undoubted advantages of a qualified convoyer   accompanying same).

 

5. Any club wishing to resign must do so before the A.G.M. or they will be held liable for the ensuing years subscription, any club resigning to forfeit all claims on Federation assets.

 

6. The Federation shall not be dissolved except by a two thirds majority vote of the members present at a special meeting called for the purpose and of which 14 days notice has given to all members in writing.

 

7. A further meeting shall be held to confirm such resolution.  In the event of the Federation being disbanded under the rule, assets of the Federation being disbanded under the rule, the assets of the Federation shall be realised and the proceeds divided equally amongst the then active members, one loft and one to share.

 

8. The General Committee shall consist of a President, Chairman, and Secretary.  Each affiliated club to choose a delegate from amongst their own members and no more than two other delegates.  Each club to have one vote.  All officials must be members of the R.P.R.A.

 

9. The entries administrative Management of the Federation be vested in the Committee for the time being, who shall have power to make such levies, regulations and conditions as they may from time to time deem necessary.

 

10. Matters of urgency shall be dealt with by the Emergency Committee consisting of:- President, Chairman, Vice President, Vice Chairman and Secretary, plus four (4) additional members.  The Committee shall be responsible section delegates.  This Committee to act as transport committee and to be responsible for anything concerning Convoying and the business side of the road transport.

 

11. The Federation secretary upon receipt of a requisition, or copy of a resolution, passed by 7 or more clubs asking for a special meeting to consider any specific subject, must call a meeting within 14 days giving the subject to be dealt with and no other business to be dealt with.

 

12. Should any dispute arise on any matter connected with the Federation, the same shall be referred to the secretary and committee who shall then decide on a meeting of which both parties shall be notified in writing and the nature of the dispute shall be set out and a meeting called giving 7 clear days notice to all members.

 

13. The Federation Secretary has authority to place items on the agenda of any meetings which he/she thinks will be of benefit to the Federation and its members.

 

14. At least Three General Meetings will take place annually and only 1 official club delegate to the federation (as recorded in the clubs minute books) be allowed to speak (subject to agreement with the Chairman) and vote on issues raised at federation meetings, all such votes made by clubs shall be recorded in federation minutes.

 

14.1. Proposed race dates to be in Federation Secretaries hand either by letter or email at least 28 days prior to the meeting taking place.  These proposed dates will be shown on the Race program agenda.  The initial notification requiring race dates will be sent to all clubs either by letter or email at least 6 weeks prior to the meeting taking place.

 

14.1a. The construction of a race program will be made up by a majority vote of club official delegates in attendance on the basis of 1 vote per club, on the basis of 1st race date / race point from the pool of race points 2nd race date / race point from the pool of race points and so on until a full race program has been constructed.

 

14.2.  The Balance Sheet and Meeting notification will be sent out to all clubs either by letter or by email, the meeting date and venue will be on the Agenda for this meeting.

 

14.3  The Annual General Meeting notification will be sent out by either letter or email at least 6 weeks prior to the meeting taking place, this meeting is for the election of officers for the following year also for propositions to alter or amend Federation Rules: Any propositions to be in the Federation Secretaries hand either by letter or email at least 28 days prior to the meeting taking place.  All propositions will be on the Agenda notification for this meeting and circulated at least 14 days prior to the meeting.

 

15. The clubs individual members clocks must be set and rechecked against the same club master clock, (Except ETS).  If this is not adhered to, all Federation Honours, Championship Honours, Golden Ring Honours, or similar honours will not be entertained.  

 

16. During the time a clock is under seal, the Federation Secretary shall have the power to examine and check any clock or send a representative to do so.  A note of introduction made out by the Federation secretary will be given to his / her representative and all members on production  of this note must allow this representative to examine and check their clock(s), a report of such examination must be handed to the secretary and committee.

 

17. The club clock Committee shall have power to detain any clock of  any of its members if they consider it unsatisfactory and immediately inform the Federation secretary giving case for complaint.

 

18. Should any clock be tampered with in any way (as to cheat), such clock shall be disqualified, and any member party to this act shall be liable to suspension or expulsion.

 

19. Every club must submit the following: 1) A Race Result. 2) A printed document acceptable to the federation recording the time of setting/checking of both the Master and Members clocks. 3) Details of any variation on Master and Members clocks. 4) Members Name. 5) Distance. 6) AFT 7) Velocities 8) Ring Number. 9) Members section location within the club. 10) Number of birds competing in each section within the club. 11) All birds eligible for federation honours must be recorded on the printed document.

19a. Club race result sheet for the first 20 birds (where possible) to be sent by email or picture of result on whatsapp within 24 hours of the close of the race, so the Federation Secretary can post a provisional result (later subject to confirmation) on social media.

 

20. Result of Races (as per R.P.R.A. Rule 19 ) to be sent to the federation Secretary.  The official form to be used and the whole of the columns to be filled, any position worked out to the second decimal, these results to be in the Federation Secretaries hands within 3 days after the close of the race.  Any claims for a Federation position will not be entertained unless this rule is strictly complied with.

 

21. Any individual member via their club shall be allowed to take all positions on the Federation results sheet their birds entitle them to, club secretaries must send all competing members information as per rules 19 and 20 to enable the federation secretary to produce the Federation  results accordingly, Federation secretary shall place 30 positions on the result sheet and all 30 shall be awarded diplomas.

 

21a. The Federation will award diplomas to the first ten (10) in each of the "West, Central and East Sections" by postcode, no fancier will be able to acquire a diploma in more than one (1) section.

 

22. No objection will be entertained against any competitor unless it is lodged with the Federation Secretary within Fourteen Days after the official report of any race.

 

23. The federation will make a financial allowance to each club with federation topping pigeons, based on the number of federation topping pigeons it may have (i.e. 3 fed toppers x the current price of photographs) this money to be paid to clubs as soon as objections  expired.

 

24. The Federation shall provide sufficient pigeon crates to accommodate the average number of birdage sent by each club.  Not with-standing unforeseen additional birdage.

 

25. Each club is responsible for the damage to, or loss of crates and expected to have crates in good order and are properly sealed.  Any found insecure when containing race birds, or should any bird or birds escape there from, the club sending them be debarred from taking any position in that race.  The Committee request that no club will over crowd their crates, and that as far as possible a uniform  number of birds shall be placed in all crates.  The Convoyer has been instructed that should he find a crate(s) that he considers is overcrowded, he shall liberate them at the first opportunity and report the club (s) sending them.  Any club so reported will be disqualified from that race.

 

26. The Federation shall use crates with wire mesh bottoms, which must be cleaned out fully each week.

 

27. Basket labels must be used for all racing, (to indicate the name of the sending club, number of birds in crates and sex of birds in crates) these labels to be tied onto the front of the crates.

 

28. No member shall be allowed to mark or basket their own birds, birds only to be marked when at least 3 separate club members are in attendance, number of birds/crates sent to be recorded on dispatch docket and signed by chief marker or deputy.

 

29. Clubs requiring a pick up service shall pay a weekly fee towards the cost of that service,  the fee to be an amount previously determined by the Federation or its authorised delegated committee.

 

30. Each club will be responsible for its birds being delivered to the Federation Convoyer at the appointed time and place.  Should the Convoyer  through unforeseen circumstances arrive at the race point without the birds of any club(s), those liberated shall constitute a race.  Any club not sending must notify the Federation Secretary at least 24 hours before the pick up time, this is to avoid pick up charges being levied to the club.

 

31. Pigeons shall be liberated in one (1) batch only, should the pigeons be held over from the fixed date they shall be liberated as early as possible on the next day, in the event of a further holdover they shall be liberated as soon as possible on the next day.  If it is not possible to liberate on the third day they shall be brought back to a shorter race point for liberation.  Should this not be possible then the pigeons will be returned to the club in reverse order to which they were picked up (inland only).

 

32. Each club competing for federation honours must use a master clock with an eight day movement and one that gives a permanent record.  These master clocks shall be set over the telephone against B.T timeline (TIM) between 16:30 hours and 19:30 hours on the Friday night and be rechecked against BT timeline (TIM) between 12:00 hours and 19:30 hours an the day of  toss.

 

33. All inland races to close at 22:30 hours on the day of  toss.  The old bird season channel hours of darkness will be 22:30 hours on day of toss until 04:30 hours the next morning and the race shall end at 22:30 hours on the second day, except where the race is over three days, when the end of the race shall be 22:30 hours on the third day of the race.  Young bird channel hours of darkness shall be 20:30 hours on the day of toss until 06:30 hours the next morning and the race shall end at 20:30 hours on the second day of the race.

 

34. During long races (I.E Channel Races) if the birds are being held over, club master clocks must be rewound / re-set after running 72 hours if no liberation has taken place, also individual members clocks (Except ETS) must be rewound / reset against same master clock if no liberation has taken place.

 

35. That the federation birds shall be liberated as soon as possible for all races.  At the convoyer’s discretion.

 

36.  The Federation Secretary will not notify any individual member of the liberation time other than the officially appointed club member or station, individual members must not Telephone the Federation Secretary but should contact their own official or station regarding liberation information.

 

37. Each club shall be supplied with a charge account for each race as soon as possible after the return of the convoyer.  Each clubs charges must be paid within seven days of receipt of the account.  A covering note must accompany the cheque to indicate which race(s) the cheque covers.  Should the case arise where a club is two weeks in arrears the Federation secretary must report this to the president and chairman of the offending club.

 

38. No clubs shall be allowed to race or train with the Federation until all dues have been paid.

 

39. Under the power of R.P.R.A. rule 199 and in accordance with the terms of appendix G to the R.P.R.A. Rules the Federation reserves the right to carry out tests for banned performance enhancing drugs and substances, on any competing member loft of a club affiliated to the Federation.  Furthermore, an affiliated club can request that a test be carried out on any competing member loft in the Federation on payment to the Federation of the necessary fee.

 

40. In the event of a deficit on the years workings, the committee shall be empowered to make a levy on each member to cover the deficit, not withstanding any member having sent in their resignation.

 

41. All clubs shall provide the Federation Secretary with an email address so that he / she can send Federation results direct to clubs via e.mail.  Clubs without e.mail facilities will receive Federation Results via pick-up driver.  All clubs to submit their Federation results / returns to Federation Secretary in compliance with Rules 19 and 20.

 

42. Any situation not covered under these rules shall be decided on by the Federation General Committee whose decision shall be final and binding subject to the right of Appeal to the R.P.R.A.

 

CLOCK RULES 

 

The Standard Clock Rules as laid down in the current R.P.R.A Rules Book, shall apply at all times

 

APPENDIX

 

All trophies to be returned by the race program meeting each year, failure to comply will result in a £50.00 fine to the club.