Untitled Page

RML International

LN 364

www.rml-international.org

Revised R.P.R.A. Rules Draft 1.
Key:
This Revision has been completed on the basis of the suggestion that Council members be directly elected. This suggestion alone gives rise to many changes which the Revision highlights. As the implication of those changes is discussed, and further suggestions adopted, further revisions can be made.
The original page numbers have been left in the text in brackets purely as a reference back to the published 2006 rules.
The text marked with a Yellow background is for deletion.
Text in Blue are suggested additions to make sense after the deletions.
Text in Red requires discussion and further suggestions.

THE OFFICIAL RULES 2006
President: P. J. Mitchell, 16 Yarborough Crescent, Broughton, Brigg, North Lincolnshire DN20 0EB.

General Manager: P. N. R. Bryant, The Reddings, Nr. Cheltenham, GL51 6RN
Tel: 01452 713529 Fax: 01452 857119 www.rpra.org Gm@rpra.org

Page 4

THE OFFICIAL RULES OF THE
ROYAL PIGEON RACING ASSOCIATION

I N D E X

Rule Numbers
Part A Name 1
Part B Definitions 2 - 3
Part C Objects and Powers 4 - 7
Part D Membership 8 - 23
Part E Subscriptions and Fees 24 - 37
Part F Management 38 - 61
Part G Finance and Accounts 62 - 69
Part H Discipline and Disputes 70 - 83
Part I Legal Matters 84 - 87
Part J Restrictions 88 - 92
Part K Ownership of Pigeons 93 - 119
Part L Administration of Races 120 - 134
Part M Sales 135 - 138
Part N Alteration of Rules 139 - 145
Part O Standard Rules for Adoption
by Affiliated Organisations146 - 192
Part P Performance Enhancement 199
Part Q Clocks 201 - 229

PART A: NAME

1. The name of the Association shall be “The Royal Pigeon Racing Association” with Headquarters at The Reddings, Near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

PART B: DEFINITIONS

2. In these rules the following words and expressions shall have the following respective meanings unless the context requires otherwise:

“the Association” means The Royal Pigeon Racing Association.

“Club” means any club or society all the members of which are individuals or partnerships of individuals and which is affiliated to the Association in accordance with Rule 17.

“Group” means any federation, amalgamation, combine or organisation all the members of which are Clubs or combinations of Clubs and which is affiliated to the Association in accordance with the provisions of Rule 17.

“Council” means the Council of the Association established under these Rules and Councillor means a member of the Council.

“General Manager” means the General Manager of the Association.

“Individual Member” means a member of the Association who has been admitted to membership by a Local Region Committee pursuant to Rule 15 and who is not a member of a Club.

“Local Region” means a division of the Association consisting of all members of the Association whose registered membership addresses lie within the boundaries of a geographical region specified by the Council pursuant to Rule 9 (a list of the boundaries of the current Local Regions is attached hereto as Appendix B). ()

“Local Region Committee” means the governing body of a Local Region.

“National or Specialist Club” means any club which does not organise a full race programme annually.

“Occasional member” is a member who takes part in a competition under an Open Race licence.

“Organisation” means any Club or Group.

3. In these Rules, unless the contrary intention appears
(a) words importing the masculine gender include the feminine and words importing the feminine gender include the masculine;
(b) words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular; (c) United Kingdom includes R.P.R.A. members in the Republic of Ireland and the British Dependency of Gibraltar;
(d) references to a members Local Region or Local Region Committee are references to the Local Region within the geographical boundaries of which that member has his registered address or its Committee and references to an Organisations Local Region or Local Region Committee are references to the Local Region within the geographical boundaries of which that Organisation has its headquarters or its Committee;
(e) headings to Rules are for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of these Rules; and
(f) any reference to a statute or statuory provision shall be construed as a reference to that provision as it may have been, or may from time to time be, amended, modified or re-enacted.

PART C: OBJECTS AND POWERS OF THE ASSOCIATION ()

Objects

4. The objects for which the Association is established are:
(a) the provision of an organisation for the benefit of Clubs, Groups and Individual Members established within the United Kingdom;
(b) the regulation of the sport of racing and showing homing pigeons and the control and supply of rings, seals, apparatus and appliances connected with the said sport;
(c) the protection and advancement of the interests of its members in all matters connected with the said sport;
(d) the establishment of a uniform system of measurement for all flying routes, a uniform running allowance and the securing of a uniform system of timing. Powers

5. The Association may promote, manage and hold races, exhibitions or shows of homing pigeons and appliances connected with the sport and may offer and award prizes for competition at such races, exhibitions or shows, and may admit competitors thereto who are members of the Association or other unions recognised by the Association on such terms as it may think proper. The Association may make contributions from the funds of the Association to races, exhibitions or shows, whether managed or held under the direction of members of the Association or of other persons.
6. The Association shall have the power to purchase and to sell any food, grit, rings, badges, timing clocks or other goods or apparatus commonly used in connection with the sport of racing or showing homing pigeons. The Association shall also have the power to print, publish, edit and sell any newspaper, journal, magazine, periodical, book or publication dealing with the sport of racing or showing homing pigeons and matters connected therewith.
7. The income and property of the Association shall be applied solely towards
the objects of the Association and no portion thereof shall be paid directly or indirectly by way of profit to the members of the Association, provided that nothing shall prevent the payment in good faith in remuneration to any officials or servants of the members of the Association in return for services actually rendered, or prevent the borrowing of money by the Association at a rate of interest not greater than that currently available at the Bank of England from any member of the Association.

PART D: MEMBERSHIP

Individuals

8. Membership of the Association shall be open to individuals either upon being admitted as a member of a Club or upon being admitted by a Local Region Committee pursuant to Rule 15. as an individual member.

Local Regions

9. Within boundaries prescribed by the Council, the Association shall constitute Local Regions. Every Organisation having its headquarters within such boundaries shall be deemed to be affiliated to that Local Region and every member of the Association having his registered membership address within (Page 5) such boundaries shall be deemed to be a member of that Local Region. The
constitution and organisation of any Local Region shall be determined by that Local Region provided that such constitution and organisation is consistent with these Rules, adopts all the provisions of these Rules which are applicable to Local Regions and obliges all members to observe the provisions of these Rules.

10. All local administration of the Association within a geographical area prescribed by the Council pursuant to this Rule shall be vested in the Local Region for that area, subject only to appeal to the Council in accordance with the provisions of these Rules.

11. Each Local Region shall hold its annual general meeting at least 14 days prior to the last Friday in February in each year.

Local Region Committees

12. Any member appointed to serve on a Local Region Committee must
(a) be the duly appointed delegate of a Club or Group having its headquarters within such geographical area;
(b) be a fully paid up member of such a Club or a Club which is a member of such a Group;
and
(c) unless he is the delegate of a National or Specialist Club, have his registered membership address within the geographical area of such Local Region irrespective of whether his loft is within the boundaries of another Local Region.

13. Officers or officials of any of Local Region Committees shall be deemed to be agents of the Association in all matters authorised by these Rules or the Rules of such Local Region but shall not have power to pledge the credit of the Association.

Application for Individual Membership

14. Any individual may apply to become a member of the Association by applying to the Local Region Committee for the area in which he resides. Any such application shall be upon a form to be obtained from the Local Region Committee which form shall require the applicant to state whether he has ever been a member of a Club or Organisation concerned with the racing of pigeons and if so
to give details of such Club or Organisation. Such application form shall be signed by the applicant and by two members of the Association to whom the applicant is personally known.
15. A Local Region Committee The Association shall have the right to refuse to grant membership of the Association to an applicant where it is satisfied that this would be in the best interests of the Association. Unless a Local Region Committee it is so satisfied, it shall admit an applicant who has complied with the provisions of Rule 14 to membership of the Association.

Schools. Colleges. Universities etc

16. Any school, college, university or other educational establishment or institution shall be entitled to be recognised as a member of the Association by virtue of the membership of an individual who is a member of the Association and agrees to act as nominee for the school, college, university or other educational establishment or institution.

Application for Affiliation

17. Any Club, Society or Organisation having its headquarters within the United Kingdom and having as its principal purpose the racing or showing of homing pigeons may apply for affiliation to the Association.
Any such applications must be:
a) made in writing by 1st February stating the full names and addresses of no less than eight members of the applicant Organisation;
b) accompanied by a copy of the rules drawn up for the conduct of the applicant Organisation, which shall include all the rules in the Association's Standard Rules for adoption by affiliated Organisations and ensuring that all requirements of Rule 149 are included, and
c) a written statement by the Organisation of the reasons and the justification for its affiliation
d) made to the Local Region Committee for the geographical area in which the headquarters of the applicant Organisation is situated.

18. If an applicant Organisation has complied with the foregoing provisions of this Rule the Local Region Committee to which application has been made may declare that the applicant Organisation will be provisionally admitted to affiliation to the Association. The Local Region Committee Association will thereupon cause such provisional admission to be advertised in at least two of the papers devoted solely to the sport of racing and showing homing pigeons circulating nationally within the United Kingdom. Such papers shall be selected by the Local Region Committee Association which shall be obliged to ensure that the cost is kept as low as reasonably possible, such cost to be borne by the applicant Organisation.

19. Any member of the Association, either on his own behalf or on behalf of any Club or Group or Local Region, may object to the admission of an Organisation by submitting an objection in writing to the Secretary of the Local Region Committee General Manager within 21 days from the date of publication of the advertisement of provisional admission. Any such objection shall be signed by the objecting member and if it purports to be made on behalf of a Club or Group or Local Region shall be signed by an officer of such Club or Group or Local Region.

20. The Secretary of the Local Region Committee General Manager on receiving any such objection shall give details of such objection to the applicant Organisation. The applicant Organisation may submit an answer to such objection and any such answer shall be in writing. Neither the applicant Organisation nor the objector shall, without the consent of the Local Region Committee, be entitled to make any verbal representation to the Local Region Committee. Any objections and any answer from an applicant Organisation shall be considered by the Local Region Committee Association as soon as practicable after the expiry of the 21 day period during which objections are permitted to be made. The Local Region Committee Association may admit or reject the applicant Organisation. The decision of the Local Region shall be final. If the objection is upheld, the applicant Organisation cannot reapply for affiliation for a further 12 months to any Region of the Association.

21. If no objection to admission of the applicant Organisation is received by the Local Region Committee within 21 days of publication of the said advertisements or the Local Region Committee Association decides to admit the applicant Organisation to affiliation to the Association, the provisional admission of the applicant Organisation shall become operative and the Secretary of the Local Region Committee General Manager shall inform the applicant Organisation of this in writing.

22. No applicant Organisation shall be admitted to affiliation to the Association unless
1(1) the rules drawn up for the conduct of such Organisation are consistent with these Rules and oblige all members of the applicant Organisation to comply with these Rules; and
(2) if the name of the Organisation includes the word National unless membership of the Organisation is open to all members of the Association.

Club officials

23. No officer or official of any Club or Group shall be deemed to be an agent of the Association and the Association shall not be bound by or liable in respect of any act, default or omission of any such officer or official of any Club or Group or by any act, default or omission of any Club or Group.

PART E: SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEES

Club Fees

24. Each Club shall pay an annual fee of £4.00 to the Local Region in which its headquarters is situated Association. The Annual fee must be paid before the last day of February. Any Club which fails to pay its annual fee of £4.00 by March 1st, shall in addition to such annual fee, pay a penalty of £10.00.

Group Fees

25. Every Group shall pay an annual fee of £5.00 plus Value Added Tax (at the rate ruling at the date of payment) to the Association and shall send such fee to the General Manager not later than 1st April in each year. Together with payment of such fee, every Group shall send to the General Manager a list of the Clubs or combinations of Clubs which are (Page 6) members of the Group, the address of its headquarters and the name and address of the Groups President, Secretary and Convoyers (where applicable). Any Group which fails to pay its annual fee by 1st April in any year
shall instead pay a fee of £7.00 plus Value Added Tax (at the rate ruling at the date of payment). The Association shall procure that payment of the said registration fee in any year entitles each Group to insurance cover against public liability at liberation sites in England, Scotland and Wales officially approved by the Association to a limit of 5,000,000 per insured event.

26. The General Manager shall send the information concerning each Group delivered to him to the Secretary of that Groups Local Region Committee.

Members Subscriptions

27. Each Club (including any National or specialist Club) shall pay to the Secretary of its Local Region Committee Association.
(a) an annual subscription to the Association of £3.20 £4.50 (inclusive of value added tax) for each member of the Club except any member who has paid his annual subscription to the Association through another Club:
(b) and an annual subscription to the Clubs Local Region of £1.30 for every member of the Club except any member who has paid his annual subscription to the Local Region through another Club.

28. For the purpose of the computation of annual subscriptions, each partner in any partnership of members of the Association admitted to membership of a Club shall be reckoned to be a separate member.

29. Each Club shall pay the said annual subscriptions to the Association and the Clubs Local Region prior to 1st March in each year and together with such payment shall send to the Secretary of the Clubs Local Region Committee General Manager a list showing the names and addresses of all the members of the Club. If an individual becomes a member of Club after 1st March in any year, that Club shall provide to the General Manager the name and address of such individual and shall pay the annual Association subscription and the annual Local Region subscription in respect of such individual unless he has already paid his Local Region subscription through another Club.

30. All National and Specialist Clubs shall have on their annual subscription form a statement to the effect I certify that I have paid my RPRA subscription to . . . Club.

31. If any Club shall fail to pay the due annual Association subscription and the due annual Local Region subscription for any member by 1st March in any year, that Club shall pay to the Secretary of its Local Region Committee an additional £0.50 per member in respect of whom either the annual Association subscription or the annual Local Region subscription has not been paid when such subscription is paid. Such surcharges of 0.50 shall become the property of the Clubs Local Region.

32. An individual Member shall pay an annual subscription to the Association of 2.25 £4.50 (inclusive of value added tax) and an annual subscription to his Local Region of 2.25 to the secretary of his Local Region Committee not later than 1st March in each year.

33. Payment of an annual subscription to the Association by any member shall entitle him to the privileges and benefits of membership of the Association in accordance with these Rules from 1st March in the year in which the subscription is paid until the last day of the ensuing February. After 1st March in each year, any member of the Association who shall have failed to pay his annual subscription to the Association for that year shall cease to be entitled to any of the privileges or benefits of membership of the Association until he has paid his annual subscription to the Association for that year.

Membership Records

34. Each Secretary of a Local Region Committee The General Manager shall issue an Association membership card to each member of the Association in respect of whom the annual Association subscription and the annual Local Region subscription is paid and shall send such card to the Club which made payment of the subscription for the member.

35. Prior to 30th April in each year, the Secretary of each Local Region Committee shall send to the General Manager all annual Association subscriptions received by him, together with a list of the Clubs which have paid their annual affiliation fee to the relevant Local Region, giving the names and addresses of the Secretaries of all such Clubs. Within four weeks after 30th April the General Manager shall notify any Local Region Committee Secretary who has failed to send all annual Association subscriptions to the General Manager by 30th April.

36. Each Local Region shall apply all Local Region subscriptions received by it in accordance with the objects of the Association. If any Local Region secedes from the Association the Local Region shall pay to the General Manager all monies of which the Local Region Committee then stands possessed and shall deliver to the General Manager all documents and things in the ownership, possession or control of the Local Region for the furtherance of the objects of the Association.

Alterations to Subscriptions

37. Any resolution effecting any alteration in the amount of annual subscriptions to the Association or a Local Region passed by an annual general meeting of the Council shall take effect on 1st January following the date on which the annual general meeting is held.

PART F: MANAGEMENT

The Council ()

38. The ultimate control of the affairs of the Association shall be exercised by the Council in general meeting provided that the Council may in its absolute discretion seek a vote from all members of the Association on any matter or resolution. If the Council determines to put a matter or resolution to the vote of all members of the Association, the Council shall specify the matter or resolution to be put to members and shall provide voting forms to the Secretary of each Local Region Committee but the Local Region Committee shall administer the taking of such vote and
shall bear any costs and postage associated therewith. The Council shall determine the date by which any such vote shall be taken and shall specify such date to the Secretary of each Local Region Committee. In the event that a straight majority of members of the Association vote for or against any matter or resolution put to the vote in this manner, the Council shall be obliged to take the necessary actions to give effect to that vote. In all other cases, the Council shall not be obliged to comply with the view expressed by the majority of votes cast on any such matter or resolution but shall take such votes into account in the Councils deliberations. Council Officers

39. The officers of the Association shall be a President and three Vice Presidents who shall be elected from delegates representing four different Local Regions at the annual general meeting of the Association and shall hold office for one year. Any officer shall be eligible for re-election provided that no officer shall hold the same office for more than three successive years. The conduct of the nominations for and election of officers shall be regulated by the Council.

General Manager and Local Region Committee Secretaries

40. The General Manager shall be appointed upon such terms and subject to such conditions as the Council shall consider appropriate. A Councillor shall not be eligible for the office of General Manager while holding office as a Councillor. It shall be the duty of the General Manager to attend all meetings of the Council and to record and keep the minutes thereof. All money paid to the General Manager, either as remuneration or reimbursement of expenses in respect of the business of the Association, shall be included in the accounts of the Association.

41. The Secretary of each Local Region Committee shall be elected at the annual general meeting of the Local Region. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of each Local Region Committee to attend all meetings of the Local Region Committee and to record and keep the minutes thereof. The Secretary
of each Local Region Committee shall be paid such salary as the relevant Local Region Committee shall determine. All payments (Page 7) made by a Local Region Committee to its Secretary, whether as remuneration or as reimbursement of expenses incurred by the Secretary in respect of the business of the Local Region, shall be shown in the accounts for the Local Region.

Councillors

42. Each Local Region with a membership not exceeding 2,000 shall be entitled to appoint one Councillor. Each Local Region with a membership numbering not less than 2,001 and not more than 3,500 shall be entitled to appoint two Councillors and each Local Region with a membership numbering more than 3,500 shall be entitled to appoint three Councillors. Appointments of Councillors shall be made at the annual general meeting of each Local Region. Councillors shall hold office from the date of the annual general meeting at which they are appointed until the conclusion of the next following annual general meeting of the Local Region and shall be eligible for re-election.

43. No member shall be eligible to be appointed a Councillor unless he has attended meetings of a Club which is affiliated to the Local Region purporting to appoint him as a Councillor within the year prior to the annual general meeting of the Local Region at which he is appointed.

44. At all Council meetings where a Councillor cannot be present, his/her place may be taken by a reserve delegate at all Committee meetings and each reserve delegate be given full powers.

45. No person who is currently, or has been previously, fully employed by the Association shall be eligible for appointment as a Councillor. This shall also apply to persons financially interested in or
representing any trade concern or business involved with appliances, apparatus, foodstuffs, periodicals, newspapers or any other item relating to the sport of racing or showing homing pigeons.
Secretaries of Local Region Committees & Secretaries of clubs are eligible for appointment as Councillors notwithstanding that they are or may be paid to perform their respective offices. In the event of any doubt being raised as to the eligibility of any member for appointment as a Councillor the Council will determine whether or not the member is eligible.

46. At the first general meeting of the Council to be held following an annual general meeting of a Local Region each Councillor appointed by the Local Region must be prepared to produce to the President of the Association confirmation signed by the Secretary or President of the Local Region
Committee that he was duly elected as a Councillor at the annual general meeting of the Local Region together with confirmation signed by the Secretary or President of a Club which nominated him as a representative to the Local Region Committee that he was so nominated and that he has attended meetings of the Club in the year prior to the annual general meeting of the Local Region.

Council Meetings

47. Subject as set out in these Rules, the Council shall determine the dates upon which general meetings of the Council shall be held and shall regulate its own proceedings.

48. Any Local Region Committee acting through its Secretary or a Councillor appointed by that Local Region may request the President to include any matter in the general business specified in any such notice but no such matter shall be so specified unless the General Manager has received such a request more than 21 days before the date upon which the meeting is due to be held in the case of any general meeting other than the annual general meeting and 42 days before the date on which the meeting is due to be held in the case of the annual general meeting (excluding in each case the date of the meeting and the date on which the request is received by the General Manager).

49. An annual general meeting of the Council shall be held on the last Friday in February each year and other general meetings shall be held as often as may be required.

50. Not less than twenty-eight days notice in the case of each annual general meeting and not less than 14 days notice in the case of any other general meeting (excluding the date of the meeting and the date on which the notice is posted) specifying the place, date and time at which the meeting is to be held and the business proposed to be dealt with at the meeting shall be sent by post to all Councillors and shall be made available to all newspapers published in the United Kingdom specialising in the sport of racing or showing homing pigeons, provided that in the case of general meetings other than the annual general meeting the notice made available to newspapers shall not specify the business proposed to be dealt with at the meeting.

Special Meetings

51. The President of the Association may at any time convene a special meeting of the Council and the President shall convene a special meeting within 21 days after receiving a written request for a special meeting signed by no fewer than seven Councillors. A special meeting shall be convened with such period of notice and by such means as the President of the Association shall determine. No advertising of a special meeting shall be required. Only business of a non-routine or urgent nature shall be dealt with at a special meeting of the Council but the decision of the President and Vice-Presidents as to whether any matter is non-routine or urgent shall be final.

Committees of the Council

52. The Council may form such Committees of Councillors as the Council may from time to time determine. The Council shall be empowered to delegate its authority to any such Committee either wholly or partly and whether or not subject to any conditions. The composition of any such Committee shall be a matter for the Council save that the Management Committee of the British Homing World shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of the Council and shall consist of the President, three Vice-Presidents, plus one councillor from each of the remaining Local Regions not already represented, plus the Editor for the time being of the British Homing World and the General Manager.

Proceedings at Meetings

53. No business shall be transacted at any general meeting or special meeting of the Council unless a quorum consisting of a majority of all Councillors and including Councillors appointed by not less than five Local Regions is present.

54. Each Councillor shall have one vote. In the case of an equality of votes, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote. Voting shall be by show of hands unless any Councillor demands a secret ballot either before or on the declaration of the result of a show of hands. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted. The declaration by the Chairman of a general meeting or special meeting that a resolution has or has not been passed, whether on a show of hands or on the result of a secret ballot, shall be final.

55. The President, or in his absence one of the Vice-Presidents, shall preside as Chairman of any general meeting or special meeting of the Council or of any committee meeting. In the absence of the President and Vice-Presidents, the Councillors present shall elect one of their number to act as Chairman.

156. No resolution shall be passed at any general meeting of the Council unless the general nature of the business has been mentioned in the notice convening the meeting. The Chairman of any general
meeting of the Council shall have authority to permit any matter to be raised and discussed at the meeting notwithstanding that it may not have been mentioned in the notice convening the meeting and the Chairmans determination as to whether any proposed resolution or matter falls within the ambit of business mentioned in the notice convening a meeting shall be final. Minutes of the Council

57. The Council shall cause minutes of all resolutions and proceedings of the Council to be entered in books maintained for the purpose and in particular shall cause to be entered in such minutes:

(Page 8)

(a) the names of the Councillors present at any meeting of the Council;
(b) the wording of all resolutions or decisions of any general meeting or special meeting of the Council;
(c) details of all appointments of officers of the Association.
58. The minutes of any Council meeting shall be considered by the next ensuing general meeting or special meeting and if agreed by that meeting to be a true record shall be signed by the Chairman of that meeting and the General Manager.

Councillors Expenses

59. The Association shall pay or reimburse Councillors for the cost of second class return railway fares and bed and breakfast hotel bills incurred by Councillors in attending meetings of the Council or any Committee of the Council together with the following sums by way of expenses:
a) when necessary for a Councillor to arrive for a Thursday evening meeting - 20
b) when necessary for a Councillor to arrive on a Thursday night - 10
c) in respect of any Saturday - 20 irrespective of what time the meeting finished
d) in respect of any other day - 40

60. (a) The President of the Association shall be paid an allowance for personal expenses of 750 per annum.
(b) Members of Council or salaried staff nominated to represent the Association at any function or meeting shall be paid his/her travelling and accommodation - such costs to be kept to a minimum. Any person accompanying a nominated representative does so at his/her expense.
61. The Association shall procure that such insurance cover as the Council considers appropriate from time to time against the risks of loss of life, personal injury and loss or damage to personal property shall be taken out and maintained by the Association in favour of Councillors in respect of their attendances at meetings of the Council or any Committee of the Council.
60. (a) The President of the Association shall be paid an allowance for perso
PART G: FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS

Income of the Association

62. The income and property of the Association shall be applied solely towards the objects of the Association and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of profit to the members of the Association, provided that nothing shall prevent the payment in good faith of
remuneration to any officials or employees of the Association or to any members of the Association in consideration for services rendered by such members.

Bank Accounts

63. The banking accounts of the Association shall be kept at such banks or building societies as the Council shall appoint in the name of the Association and all money belonging to the Association shall be paid into such an account. Cheques on any such account shall be signed by such persons as the Council may prescribe.

Accounts

64. The Council shall cause true accounts to be kept of the sums of money received and expended by the Association.

65. The accounts shall be kept at the office of the Association or such other place as the Council may determine. The Council shall determine to what extent the accounts of the Association or any of them shall be open to inspection by members and the members shall have only such rights of inspection as are given to them by the Council.

Auditors

66. Every year the accounts of the Association and of each Local Region shall be examined by a qualified auditor/s. Such an auditor/s shall be appointed by the Council and each Local Region at each Annual General Meeting.

Annual Audited Accounts

67. Not less than 28 days before the date upon which the Councils annual general meeting is due to be held the Council shall publish an audited income and expenditure account and balance sheet for the Association. The balance sheet shall be taken as at such date as the Council shall determine. The income and expenditure account shall be in respect of the period commencing with the date upon which the most recent audited published income and expenditure account of the Association ended and ending with the date upon which the balance sheet is taken. A copy of such audited income and expenditure account and balance sheet shall be sent to each Councillor and to the Secretary of each Local Region Committee.

68. The Council shall procure that prior to publication the income and expenditure account and balance sheet of the Association shall have been audited by the Associations auditors and that attached to the said accounts upon publication shall be a certificate from the Associations auditors stating whether in their opinion the accounts exhibit a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the
Association. For the purpose of enabling the Associations auditors to conduct their audit the Council shall procure that the auditors shall have access to the books of the Association and that the officers or employees of the Association give to the Associations auditors such information or explanations as they may seek in the performance of their duties.

69. The Secretary of every Local Region Committee shall forward a copy of the audited income and expenditure account and balance sheet of that Local Region to the General Manager and such accounts may be published by the Council.

PART H: DISCIPLINE AND DISPUTES ()

Disciplinary Proceedings

70. (a) If any member of the Association shall be guilty of any dishonourable conduct or of conduct which renders him unfit to be a member of any Organisation or the Association or wilfully breaks the Rules of any Organisation or these Rules or refuses to comply with any decision of an Organisation or the Association upon any matters affecting the sport of racing or showing homing
pigeons, he may be excluded from membership of that Organisation or expelled or suspended from the Association by the Organisation, any such suspension to be of such duration as the Organisation shall determine. The procedure to be adopted by any Organisation in any matter which may lead to the exclusion, expulsion or suspension of a member shall be that specified in the Associations Standard Rules for adoption by all affiliated Organisations under the heading Grievances and Disciplinary Matters.
(b) It shall be the right of any affiliated Organisation to suspend or expel any person who is a member of a Club which is a member of the affiliated Organisation, under the provision of this Rule.

71. Disputes, complaints and grievances between members on matters connected with the sport or between members and an Organisation to which they may belong including appeals, against any decision of such Organisation, shall be heard and determined as laid down by these rules by the Local Region within whose limits the person or Organisation involved in the dispute resides or is established. Any Local Region may expel or suspend a member from the Association in any of the circumstances specified in the immediately preceding Rule whether or not any Organisation of which the member in question is a member takes any action against him. The procedure to be adopted by a local Region in any matter which may lead to the expulsion or suspension of a member shall be the same as that which an Organisation is obliged to adopt.

72. If an Organisation shall be guilty of conduct which renders it unfit to be affiliated to the Association the Local Region to which it is affiliated may expel or suspend that Organisation for such period as the Local Region Committee may determine.
73. An Organisation shall notify its Local Region Committee of the exclusion, expulsion or suspension of a member as soon as possible after a decision to that effect has been taken and such exclusion, expulsion or suspension shall take effect immediately, unless an appeal is lodged with the Local Region Committee in accordance with Rule 82, in which event such exclusion, expulsion
or suspension shall be stayed pending the (Page 9) outcome of the appeal. In the event that no such appeal is lodged, the Local Region Committee shall confirm the decision of the Organisation unless the Local Region Committee considers that the decision of the Organisation was not made in accordance with these Rules or the rules of the Organisation. The award of any prizes, pools, nominations, specials, etc won after the date of the decision by an Organisation to exclude, expel or suspend a member shall follow the ultimate result of any appeal by the member against exclusion, expulsion or suspension. The Secretary of each Local Region Committee shall notify the General Manager of the name and address of each member suspended or expelled by the Local Region or whose suspension or expulsion is confirmed by the Local Region Committee.

74. Notice of the expulsion or suspension of any Organisation by a Local Region shall be communicated to the General Manager by the Secretary of the Local Region Committee as soon as possible after the decision to that effect. The General Manager shall notify such expulsion or suspension to the Secretaries of all other Local Region Committees who shall in turn notify Secretaries of all Organisations to which members of such expelled or suspended Organisation paid subscriptions.

Effect of Expulsion or Suspension from the Association

75. During the period of expulsion or suspension any member expelled or suspended shall cease to be a member of the Association and shall not be permitted to attend any meeting held under the Rules of the Association except that he may be invited to attend a Local Region or Council meeting
when applying to have a suspension lifted but for that item on the agenda only. No address, loft or ring belonging to or registered in the name of an expelled or suspended member shall be recognised by the Association during the period of expulsion or suspension. It shall, however, be within the right of any member other than an expelled or suspended member at any time to apply for the freeing of any such ineligible address, loft or ring and the Local Region Committee Association may grant such a request. The decision of the Local Region Committee shall be final.

76. Upon the expulsion or suspension of any Organisation all its members shall cease to be members of the Association. A member of any suspended Organisation may apply to a Local Region Committee to continue to be a member of the Association by membership of another Organisation or by becoming an Individual Member. Such application shall be by letter addressed to the Secretary of the Local Region Committee The General Manager. The decision of the Local Region Committee Association on any such application may be given without holding any formal enquiry or hearing any evidence and shall be final.

77. Expulsion from the Association is for life.

78. The General Manager shall keep a register of all suspended and expelled members whose names and addresses are notified to him by the Secretaries of the Local Region Committees.

79. The termination of any suspension of a member from the association shall free all rings which in consequence of such suspension have not been recognised by the Association but shall not entitle the suspended member to be re-instated as a member of any organisation unless such Organisation shall otherwise decide upon application being made in accordance with the Rule in the Associations Standard Rules for adoption by all affiliated organisations under the heading Membership.

80. Any member wishing to apply for the lifting of suspension imposed upon him or confirmed by a Local Region may apply to that Local Region. Any application shall be in writing and shall be accompanied by a fee of £5. The decision of the Local Region upon any such application shall be final.

81. Any members wishing to apply for the lifting of their suspension imposed by Council must make an application in writing to Council.

Disputes and Appeals to Local Regions

82. Any member
(a) excluded from membership of an Organisation or expelled or suspended from membership of the Association by an Organisation, or
(b) aggrieved by a decision of an Organisation made at a meeting held in accordance with the procedure set out in the Associations Standard Rules for adoption by all affiliated Organisations under the heading Grievances and Disciplinary Matters or
(c) having a dispute with an Organisation shall have the right to appeal to the Local Region to which that Organisation is affiliated. The following provisions shall apply to any such appeal
(1) Any such appeal shall be made by notice in writing delivered to the Secretary of the Local Region committee within 21 days of the date of the decision of the Organisation to exclude, expel or suspend such member or within 21 days of the date of the meeting of the Organisation at which the decision was made to which the grievance relates or within 21 days of the members dispute with the Organisation arising shall state the members grounds of appeal. The notice shall be accompanied by a payment of a fee of 20 which shall be returned to the appellant if his appeal is successful.
(2) Upon receipt of any notice of appeal the Secretary of the Local Region Committee shall inform the relevant Organisation of the appeal and the grounds of appeal and request any written evidence which it may wish to submit. If the appeal is against or concerning a decision made at a meeting of the Organisation the Secretary of the Local Region Committee shall request a copy of the notice concerning that meeting sent to the appellant. The Secretary of the Local Region Committee shall give not less than 10 days notice of the date and place appointed for the hearing of the appeal to the appellant, the relevant Organisation and all members of the Local Region Committee. Any such notice shall be sent to the parties concerned by recorded delivery post and shall be accompanied by particulars of the appeal.

(3) At the hearing of the appeal by the Local Region Committee, the appellant and the relevant Organisation shall be entitled to attend, be represented, give evidence and receive and consider written statements or explanations furnished by the other party. (4) Witnesses will not be allowed into the hearing until they are called individually to give their evidence and answer questions. They will not be allowed to leave the room until all the witnesses have been examined. (5) The appellant and the relevant organisation may call witnesses on his or its behalf and/or make a verbal statement to the Local Region Committee.
(6) Subject as laid down in these Rules the Chairman of the Local Region committee shall have discretion as to the conduct of any hearing and the procedure to be followed at it.
(7) No member of a Local Region Committee shall attend any hearing by the Local Region Committee of any appeal affecting an Organisation of which he is a member unless he represents such Organisation at the appeal.
(8) The decision of the Local Region Committee shall be made as soon as practicable following the hearing, shall take effect from the date on which it is made and shall be communicated to the parties to the appeal and to the General Manager forthwith.
(9) The Local Region Committee may rescind, vary, modify or confirm the decision of an Organisation except that the Local Region Committee may not vary a suspension to an expulsion. The Local Region Committee may order that any meeting of the Organisation be re-held if not satisfied that the rules of the Organisation have been fully and properly complied with.

Appeals to the Council

83. Any organisation a decision of which has been rescinded, modified or varied by a Local Region Committee and any member of the Association on whom or on whose interests a decision of the Local Region Committee has a direct, material and adverse effect may, unless the decision of the Local Region Committee is expressed by these Rules to be final, appeal to Council for a re-hearing of the matter in question. The following provisions shall apply to any such appeal.
(1) The appellant shall give notice in writing to the General Manager within 21 days after the relevant decision of the Local Region Committee stating the grounds of appeal. The notice shall be accompanied by payment of a fee of 15 (together with value added tax at the applicable rate) which shall be returned to the appellant in the event that the appeal is Successful.
(Page 10)
(2) Upon receipt of any such notice the General Manager shall forward a copy to the Secretary of the Local Region Committee in question who shall, within 21 days after receipt of such copy notice forward to the General Manager copies of the written evidence considered by the Local Region Committee together with the grounds upon which the Committees decision was made.
(3) The General Manager may, after consultation with the President and Vice-Presidents and with their advice set out in detail, refer any appeal back to its source if
(a) it is found to have been incorrectly submitted,
(b) it is out of time, or
(c) the terms of interpretation set out in the Rules of the Association have not been observed.
(4) The General Manager shall give not less than 10 days notice of the date and place appointed for the hearing of the appeal to every party to the appeal and to each member of the Council. With such notice the General Manager shall send a copy of the written evidence and grounds upon which the decision of the Local Region Committee was made which he has received from the Secretary of the Local Region Committee.
(5) At the hearing of the appeal by the Council all parties to the appeal may attend or be represented and may give evidence provided that no evidence shall be given which was not given at the relevant hearing before the Local Region Committee unless the Council consents to such evidence being given and notice of intention to tender such fresh evidence, accompanied by full particulars, shall have been served upon the General Manager and the other party or parties to the appeal at least 7 days prior to the hearing.
(6) At the hearing of the appeal by the Council it will be permissible for a representative from the Local Region Committee to be available for corroboration of the evidence heard before the Local Region Committee.
(7) No Councillor shall be present at the hearing of an appeal from the decision of a Local Region Committee of a Local Region of which he is a delegate unless he represents the appellant or another party to the appeal or is present only for the purpose of corroborating evidence heard before the Local Region Committee.
(8) The Council may rescind, vary, modify or confirm the decision of the Local Region Committee and the decision of the Council shall be final. See Appendix H.

PART I: LEGAL MATTERS

Legal Advice

84. No individual, organisation, Region, or the Council shall be held liable for expenses incurred by any party or parties to an objection or an appeal held under R.P.R.A. Rules

85. The Association shall have power so far as the law allows to provide or assist in providing legal advice and assistance to its members in respect of all questions arising out of or connected with the sport of racing or showing homing pigeons or any matter which in the judgement of the Council directly or indirectly affects the interests of the Association. Any application by a member or an Organisation for legal advice or assistance shall be made in writing to the Local Region to which such member belongs or such Organisation is affiliated accompanied by a written statement of the facts of the case and any relevant evidence. Upon receipt of such application the Local Region Committee Association may take such steps as it deems expedient. No Local Region Committee shall incur any greater expenses than £50 shall be incured in any one case without the authority of the Council. Legal charges and rewards to informants not exceeding 50 in any one case shall be paid out of Local Region funds.

86. When in the opinion of the Associations Solicitor a case warrants pursuing by the Association, the President may authorise a Local Region Committee it to proceed notwithstanding the fact that the limit of £50 may be exceeded and such action shall be put to the next general meeting of the Council for confirmation. The Council and each Local Region Committee shall have the power to initiate legal proceedings or to take such steps as it considers expedient to procure or assist in procuring the punishment of offences which in the opinion of the Council or the Local Region Committee affect the interests of the Association or its members and may offer and pay rewards for information concerning such matters.

Shooting etc

87. The reward offered for information leading to conviction for shooting, trapping or stealing any pigeon or pigeons the property of any member or members of the Association shall be £50. If any member of the Association knowingly withholds evidence or otherwise fails to support action taken in connection with the commission of any offence concerning the shooting, trapping or unlawful dealing in racing pigeons, he shall be guilty of dishonourable conduct.

PART J: RESTRICTIONS

88. No member of the Association shall be a member of a homing union not recognised by the Association. A list of recognised unions and associations within the United Kingdom is set out in Appendix A to these Rules. The Association will recognise rings issued by these other unions on production of proof of ownership from the issuing unions.

89. No member of the Association shall be permitted to participate in any race organised by a person who is neither a member of the Association nor of a union or association recognised by the Association.

90. Failure to comply with either of the two preceding Rules will result in disciplinary proceedings being brought against the member.

91. No person shall be permitted to compete in any open race or at any show or exhibition held under the Rules of the Association unless he is a member of the Association or other union or association recognised by the Association.

92. No member of a union or Organisation which is not recognised by the Association hall be permitted to compete or take any part in any race, show or exhibition held under the Rules of the Association. Failure to comply with this Rule may result in the said races, shows or exhibitions, or individual placings therein, being declared void, or in individuals being disqualified.

PART K: OWNERSHIP OF PIGEONS

Rings

93. In all races it shall be deemed to be the ring and not the bird which is entered.

94. (a) All birds entered in races must be the property of the person in whose name they are entered, and the ring(s) they carry must be registered as such in the records of the appropriate recognised Association/ Union. In the case of partners, the ring(s) shall be registered in their joint names.

94. (b) No unrung bird shall be flown in any race or exhibited in any show held by or under the Rules of the Association. An unrung bird is one which does not carry a complete and unaltered ring issued by the Association or another union recognised by the Association.

95. Members wishing to race or show pigeons bearing foreign rings must have them registered at the Headquarters of the Association. Proof of ownership must be sent to Headquarters with the application for registration, together with a stamped addressed envelope and a fee as advertised in the price list.

96. All birds must carry at least one intact unaltered Association ring or a ring issued by a union recognised by the Association or a foreign ring when the owner can produce proof of ownership. Should a bird carry more than one ring, both rings must be registered to one loft number and must be from the country of origin.

Ring Sales

97. The Council has the authority to designate the size, shape, composition, type and quality of ring which shall be issued by the Association. Such rings shall be available for purchase by members and Organisations from the Association. Rings issued with the serial letters SR are only eligible for showing.

98. Association rings will only be issued by the General Manager to members upon production of a current years membership card and to Organisations upon production of the receipt for the previous years annual affiliation fee paid to the Local Region or, in the case of a Group, to the General Manager. Any newly formed Organisation must furnish to the General Manager proof of acceptance
by the relevant Local Region Committee.
(Page 11)

99. All Secretaries of Organisations must, on or before the first day of April in each year, forward to the General Manager a complete list of all rings sold, together with the names and addresses of the purchasers. On the first day of each succeeding month thereafter each Secretary of an Organisation must forward to the General Manager a list of all rings sold during the preceding month, giving the names and addresses of all purchasers. The ring list sent to the Association shall be franked by the Association and returned to the Secretary of the Organisation. The General Manager shall notify any Secretary of an Organisation who has not sent lists of rings sold by 1st May in any year that such lists are overdue and should be sent immediately.

100. All clubs and organisations must nominate a ring secretary to be included in the ring distribution list. This ring secretary is responsible for the reporting of strays unless special dispensation has been granted by the Council of the Association. Before 1st June in each year the General Manager shall draw up a list of rings issued to Clubs/Organisations prior to 31st March in that year. The list shall include the name and address and, where possible, telephone number of each club/organisations ring secretary and shall be made available for publication in two of the newspapers devoted to the racing and showing of homing pigeons circulating nationally in the United Kingdom.

101. At the end of the year in which rings become ten years old, the General Manager shall be empowered to destroy the original ring ownership records. Before 30th June of the year in which a pigeon in his possession becomes ten years old, the owner of such a bird may re-register the ring with the General Manager on a card provided by the Association for the purpose. Rings not so reregistered are not eligible for competition.

Transfer of Rings

102. On change of ownership of any bird carrying a ring issued by the Association, the former owner shall forthwith sign and deliver to the new owner a transfer form, supplies of which may be obtained (incurring postal charges only) from the General Manager. Such transfer form must be sent to the General Manager for registration in Association records within 14 days after the change of ownership and must be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope for each new owner and each former owner. The Association will send notification of such transfer within 14 days after a receipt of a durly completed transfer form enclosing a replacement transfer form to each party. (Note: There is a 1 per transfer form processing charge, see price list).

103. No competitor in any race, show or exhibition shall be entitled to win a prize unless the ring carried by the bird was issued to the owner, or had been transferred to and registered in the name of the owner in accordance with the provisions of the preceding rule for a period of 14 days prior to the date of the race, show or exhibition. Proof of ownership of winning birds must be given to the organisers or promoters before prize money is handed over.

104. When a member changes his postal address he shall re-register with the Association all rings registered in his name at the fee of £3.50 (inclusive of value added tax).

Partnerships

105. Rings on pigeons which become the subject of a partnership between members of the Association at an address at which one of the partners is already registered shall be registered in the name of the partnership upon payment of a fee of £3.50 (inclusive of value added tax), provided that the registered owner of the rings is a partner in such partnership.

106. In the event of dissolution or termination of a partnership, alterations of the registered owners name will be made upon payment of a fee of 3.50 (inclusive of value added tax) provided that the succeeding owner is resident at the registered address of the former partnership. Proof of dissolution or termination of a partnership shall be furnished to the General Manager and all of the partners in the ex-partnership must sign the Associations standard form. Should it not be possible to
obtain the signatures of all the former partners for any reason, a covering letter explaining the circumstances must be forwarded to the Secretary of the relevant Local Region Committee General Manager who, after investigation, may give permission for the partnership to be dissolved. All rings on pigeons removed from or to an address other than that at which the owner of such rings is registered must be transferred by means of submission of the standard single ring transfer form.

107. Unless otherwise stated on the Associations partnership form, a partnership will be considered as a partnership of equal shares and upon its dissolution, or upon the death of one of the partners, the birds and the associated effects shall be divided between the remaining partner or partners and the personal representatives of the deceased partner in accordance with the initial agreement.

Verifications

108. The Secretary of any Organisation may obtain verification of the ownership of any Association ring on a bird upon paying to the General Manager a fee of 10p per ring (inclusive of value added tax).

Stray Birds ()

109. If the General Manager receives notification of a found or stray pigeon he may communicate to the finder the name and address of the owner and to the owner the name and address of the finder.

110. On receipt of notification of a stray bird from a non-fancier, and having established that the bird is a stray, the General Manager will notify the owner by first class post and pass the name and telephone number to the non-fancier. The owner will be advised that if he/she has not made contact with the finder and arranged collection of the pigeon within 48 hours (2 working days) the finder will be asked to contact the General Manager who will arrange collection of the pigeon for delivery to him at headquarters. In this instance, disciplinary action may be taken against the owner. On delivery of the pigeon to headquarters the owner will have 14 days in which to arrange collection of the bird. The cost of carriage to headquarters and onward to the owner will be charged to the owner. If the fancier fails to pay these costs within 14 days from the date of invoice from headquarters, disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with Rule 112. If a pigeon has to be collected from a non-fancier by a local fancier under extenuating circumstances, then the conditions of Rule 110 still apply in that the owner has 48 hours to collect his pigeon from the new finder.

111. If the finder is a member of the Association or of a homing union recognised by the Association, it shall be compulsory for the owner to communicate with the finder within 14 days of being notified by the General Manager, with instructions either to return the pigeon or for the pigeon to be transferred to the finder. If the pigeon is returned, the owner shall pay to the finder such amount as may be agreed between them or, failing agreement, the sum prescribed by the Council for this purpose from time to time if the bird is delivered by independent carrier by road or such higher expenses as are incurred by the finder in delivering the bird to the owner. In the event of the finder not wishing to have the bird transferred to him, he shall state so at the time of reporting the finding of the bird to the General Manager.

112. If the General Manager is informed that the owner has failed to claim a pigeon or has failed to communicate with a fancier finder within 14 days of being notified by the General Manager, the General Manager shall notify the secretary of the owner's Local Region Committee. If the member has not informed the Local Region Committee that the matter has been resolved within 7 days after such notification by the General Manager, the President and Secretary of the Local Region Committee may suspend such member from membership of the Association. Such suspension shall be effective until the next meeting of the Local Region Committee and shall be subject to confirmation at that meeting.

113. Any notice to be given by the General Manager in connection with stray birds shall be sufficiently given if sent by pre-paid first class post in the case of non-fanciers, or second class post in the case of fanciers, addressed to the addressee at his last known address. The periods of 48 hours and 14 days specified for such notices given in connection with stray birds shall run from the date upon which such notification was posted.
(Page 12)

114. Where a stray pigeon is reported direct to an owner by the finder, the provisions of the above Rules shall apply as if the finder had notified the General Manager.

115. If, after investigation by the Local Region, it is not possible to trace the present whereabouts of the owner of a stray pigeon, the ring on that pigeon shall be transferred to the finder.

116. If a finder is employed as, or carries out the business of, a pest controller, the owner shall have the right to request the finder to dispose of the bird or birds in the same manner as he deals with feral pigeons which come into his possession.

Offences

117. A member shall be suspended from membership of the Association if after investigation by the Committee of the Local Region of which he is a member he is found to have in his possession without just cause any bird which is not his property.

118. A member may be suspended from membership of the Association if he shows, trains or races a bird of which he is not the registered owner either in the records of the Association or those of a homing union recognised by the Association.

119. If a member is suspended for failing to communicate with a finder of a stray pigeon, the ring on the stray pigeon shall be transferred to the finder notwithstanding any other action of a disciplinary nature which may be taken against the owner.

PART L: ADMINISTRATION OF
RACING

Records

120. Each Club shall keep a record for a minimum of two years showing the full ring number, colour, sex and owners name of every pigeon sent in races organised by the Club, whether competing or not.

Wing stamping/personal ring

121. During the racing season, each member must ensure that every pigeon raced or trained by him is either wing stamped on at least three flights or carrying a ring, in either case clearly showing the name and address of the owner or the telephone number of a person or Organisation to whom the pigeon should be reported if it becomes a stray. Any pigeon not so rung or wing stamped will not be accepted for racing under any circumstances whatsoever and Marking Committees must ensure that this is strictly adhered to. Any case of non-compliance may, after investigation by the Local Region Committee, entail the suspension of the relevant member.

Flown Distances

122. The word flown when used in the context of a bird having flown a stated distance, shall be taken to mean that such bird has flown the distance stated as a competing bird in a race promoted by an Organisation or by another recognised union. Duplication Clubs may not issue flown certificates.

Award Cards

123. Should award cards be given for positions in either racing or showing, the full ring numbers of the winning birds shall be distinctly written or printed in indelible ink and the cards shall be signed by an officer of the Organisation issuing the cards.

Officials. Convoyers. Liberators

124. Officials of any Organisation, including convoyers, assistant convoyers, official liberators, clock setters and the General Manager and Secretaries of Local Region Committees must be Members of the Association. All convoyers, assistant convoyers and official liberators must be licensed by the Association, such licence to be obtained from the Secretary of the Committee of the Local Region of which the applicant is a member General Manager. Licences shall apply from the 1st January to 31st December inclusive and the fee for a licence shall be £5.00 of which 2.00 will be retained by the Local Region and 3.00 (inclusive of V.A.T.) shall be forwarded to the General Manager. A Local Region Committee shall be entitled to refuse to grant any such licence where it is satisfied that this would be in the best interests of the association and its members. The decision of the Local Region Committee shall be final.

125a. In all races, before the pigeons are loaded onto the transporter, all baskets must be sealed by an R.P.R.A. approved seal. Once the pigeons are loaded onto the transporter they must be accompanied by a licensed convoyer, assistant convoyer or licensed liberator at all times until they are liberated. ALL matters relating to timing must be dealt with by a member or members of the Association.

125b. When transporting competing racing pigeons from clubs to the transporter (feeder transport) the birds must be accompanied at all times by at least two members of the Association who may not be the subjects of the same partnership.

126. A code of conduct for licensed convoyers and official liberators is set out in Appendix C hereto and must be fully complied with. The Council may make such alterations or additions to the code of conduct as it thinks fit from time to time. Failure to comply with the code of conduct will result in the withdrawal of a licence from the relevant official.

127. a) Any member or Organisation arranging for the convoying of racing pigeons shall, where the number of birds carried exceeds 500, ensure that the vehicle used is adequately fitted with equipment for the controlling of fires.
b) The number of pigeons placed in the basket or container must be restricted relevant to the distance and time spent in them. The following figures must be strictly adhered to. Failure to do so may entail suspension of the individuals or organisation responsible. The nights in the basket to be from the day of marking to the projected day of liberation.

Time Minimum floor area per pigeon

0 or 1 night 44 sq. ins.
2 nights 52 sq. ins.
over 2 nights 60 sq. ins.
See Appendix F

Flying Routes

128. Any Organisations carrying out pigeon racing must apply to the Committee of the Local Region to which it is affiliated General Manager nominating the route which it wishes to fly. Should any existing Organisation wish to change its specified route, such alteration can only be made with the consent of the Committee of the Local Region to which that Organisation is affiliated. The decision of the Local Region Committee shall be final General Manager.
( Council of the RPRA has invoked Rule 142 to suspend Rule 128 for the 2006 season regarding changing route. If racing returns to normal in 2007 Organisations must revert to their original route.)

Race Programmes

129. All federations, combines, amalgamations and national Specialist Clubs and any club racing independently, shall prior to 1st March in each year deliver to the General Manager their race programmes for the year, including race dates, approximate liberation times and the telephone number of the controller of each race. Failure to do so shall result in a surcharge of 10. The General
Manager shall draw up a list of all such race programmes and shall before 1st April in each year make the list available for publication in two newspapers devoted to the racing or showing of homing pigeons circulating nationally in the United Kingdom and have such list available for distribution to any of the said convoying organisations on request.

130. Organisations shall not impose any minimum or maximum on the number of races in which their flying members may compete.

Open Races

131. An open race is one which is open to members of more than one club and individual members. No open race shall be held unless it has been licensed by the Committee of the Local Region to which the Organisation arranging the race is affiliated. Application forms must be obtained from RPRA Headquarters or from the Local Region Secretary General Manager.
(Page 13)

132. Any Organisation wishing to hold an open race must apply for a licence to the Secretary of that Organisations Local Region Committee General Manager on an application form, approved by the Council, and sent to the Secretary of the Local Region Committee so as to be received by him not less than 21 days before the date of the proposed race. With such application the Organisation shall send a copy of the rules to be adopted for the proposed race and a fee of £5 which shall be retained by the Local Region. The Local Region Committee General Manager shall be entitled to refuse to grant a licence for an open race if it he is satisfied that this would be in the best interests of the Association and its members. The Local Region Committee General Manager shall refuse to grant a licence for an open race unless the Organisation arranging the race undertakes to ensure that the rules of the race are implemented.

133. The following rules apply to all open races:
(1) The rules relating to racing set out in the Association's Standard Rules for adoption by all affiliated Organisations shall apply.
(2) The licence number for the open race issued by the Secretary of the Local Region Committee General Manager shall appear on all notices in any journal or newspaper advertising the race, on all result sheets and on any other form of advertising at the premises of the Organisation arranging the race.
(3) In any advertisement of an open race the Organisation arranging the race must state the code number for the liberation site for the race.
(4) In all open races where special prizes and/or pools are offered for competition, the full conditions governing the race must be published at any time when the offer of such special prizes and/or pools is made.
(5) A certificate of the time of setting and checking a competitor's clock together with the readings of the clock shall be given to him on demand free of cost, except for postage where incurred.
(6) A copy of the income and expenditure account in connection with the race must be sent to the secretary of the Local Region Committee which granted a licence for the race General Manager at the time of publication of the provisional result of the race.
(7) The Organisation arranging the race must publish on the result sheet the flying distance of all competitors who win a prize.
(8) The provisional result of the race must be published within one month from the date on which the race was flown and the prize money, special prizes and pools must be paid to the winners within three months from the date on which the race was flown except that in the event of an appeal to the Local Region or the Council on any dispute concerning the race, the Local Region or the Council shall have the power to extend such period to enable the appeal to be dealt with.
(9) No prize shall be paid until the winner has furnished to the Organisation arranging the race a certificate that he is a member of the Association or other union recognised by the Association.
(10) Failure by the Organisation arranging the race to comply with any of the rules relating to an open race will result in the Local Region Committee General Manager cancelling the Licence for the race.
(11) Any organisation which organises a race/s where members send their birds for competition to one single loft location to be trained together, and where entry fee per bird is submitted as part of the conditions of racing shall, at the close of entry date, submit to the Local Region General Manager the total prize money to be flown for. The Organiser of the race shall supply a complete race result to the Local Region General Manager, together with stamped addressed envelopes for those persons who are to receive prize money, subject to objection. The Local Region General Manager shall, after the race result has been published and any objections to the race result have been resolved, pay to the winners their winnings by cheque. Should the birds be auctioned after the race has been flown, details of the distribution of the sale money must also be published. In such one-loft races birds must be timed using an Electronic Timing system approved by the R.P.R.A Council.
(12) Any person competing in an event which requires an Open Race licence shall be termed to be an occasional member of that particular Organisation. Should there be any dispute relating to this event, by either the Organisation or a participating member, then procedures as laid down in Rules 70/71 and 168/169 should be followed.

Judges

134. No judge shall be allowed to exhibit at any show at which he is judging.

PART M: SALES

Auction Sales

135. At all pigeon auction sales, on completion of a sale, signed transfer forms in the Associations standard form shall be furnished to the purchaser in respect of every bird purchased by him. Such forms shall be signed by the registered owner, or in the event of the registered owner being deceased, by his executors, or in the case of a partnership by all partners or their representatives. The name and address of the vendor shall be shown in all auction advertisements. Any bird sold subject to a minimum reserve price shall have that reserve price printed in its respective lot number details in any advertisement of the auction. The organiser of any pigeon auction sale for the benefit of a charity or charities must publish an income and expenditure account certified by the organiser to be accurate and complete in two newspapers devoted to the sport of racing or showing homing pigeons and circulating nationally in the United Kingdom.

136. No member, having sold birds and received payment as a result, shall deny the buyer the right to name the source of his purchase.

Clearance Sales

137. Any member of the Association advertising or representing directly or indirectly a sale of pigeons as being a clearance sale or for the purpose of disposing of the whole of his stock of pigeons shall be prohibited for three years from the date of the sale from competing in any race or show, purchasing any rings or having further sales. All advertisements for any such sales shall state the name and full address of the selling owner or owners.
Furthermore the member must notify RPRA Headquarters of such sales.

138. If another member of the Association lives or keeps a separate loft at an address at which a member prohibited from racing or showing pursuant to the immediately preceding Rule lives or has kept a loft at the time of the relevant clearance sale, provided that such member demonstrates before the relevant clearance sale that he owns pigeons carrying rings recognised by the Association
which are not owned by the selling owner, that member shall not be affected by the prohibition on the selling owner.

PART N: ALTERATION OF RULES

139. These Rules may be altered by the Council at any annual general meeting provided that not less than 28 days notice of the proposed alteration has been given to the Secretary of each Local Region Committee General Manager and advertised in any two papers devoted to the sport of racing or showing homing pigeons circulating nationally in the United Kingdom.
1
140. The Council shall be empowered to make alterations to these Rules as regards punctuation and grammar only and provided that the meaning of any Rule is not thereby changed.

141. Should any member of the R.P.R.A. wish to make a proposal to alter or insert a new rule, he must submit the proposition in writing to their organisation secretary. The secretary will then circulate the proposals to all members of the organisation giving 7 days notice of the meeting. Should the proposition be carried the organisation secretary will forward them to his Local Region Secretary who will in turn circulate them to all organisations affiliated to the Region.

The Local Region or Council may submit propositions to the General Manager, not less than 42 days prior to the date of an Annual General Meeting of the Council. Any such proposal must submit the full text of any Rule proposed to be revised as it would read if the proposal was accepted.

142. The Council shall have power to make and alter Rules and regulations to cover any emergency. Such Rules or regulations may be made or altered at a general meeting or a special meeting and shall operate until rescinded by the Council or until the next (Page 14) annual general meeting at which the requisite publication of the proposed alteration of the Rules can be given, whichever is sooner.

143. At intervals not exceeding ten years, the Council shall carry out an assessment of these Rules. Any amendments which it may deem desirable to be made in the interests of the proper conduct of the sport of racing or showing homing pigeons shall be proposed as alterations and given the requisite publicity before an annual general meeting of the Council.

144. A complete and up-to-date set of the Associations Rules shall be published as an editorial pull-out supplement in the British Homing World in each year not later than the first Saturday in May.

Construction of these Rules

145. The Councils determination on the interpretation, construction and operation of these Rules shall be final.
PART O: STANDARD RULES FOR USE AND COMPULSORY ADOPTION BY ALL ORGANISATIONS AFFILIATED TO THE ASSOCIATION

146. The following Standard Rules are compulsory for all Organisations affiliated to the Association. Each Organisation shall be free to choose its own rules provided that they include these rules and nothing which is inconsistent with these rules and oblige the Organisation and its members to observe the provisions of all Rules of the Association.

147. Whenever a change is made to these Standard Rules or to any other Rule of the Association adopted by or incorporated into the rules of an Organisation, that change will be deemed to have been made to the rules of that Organisation.

148. In these Standard Rules member shall mean
(a) in respect of a club, an individual orpartnership;
b) in respect of a federation or combine of clubs, a club;
(c) in respect of an amalgamation of federations or combines of federations, a federation;
(d) in respect of an amalgamation of combines, a combine.

149. The rules of an Organisation must state the name of the Organisation, the location of its headquarters and the boundaries within which the lofts of all affiliated club members must be situated in order to qualify for membership of the Organisation.

Geographical Area

150. If an organisation alters the prescribed boundaries within which the lofts of all affiliated club members must be situated in order to qualify for membership of the Organisation, a flying member of the Organisation shall not cease to qualify for membership of the Organisation until and unless he moves his loft and his new loft is outside the prescribed boundaries.

151. If a federation, combine or amalgamation alters its boundaries, the lofts of all members of Organisations affiliated to such federation, combine or amalgamation shall be unaffected provided that the boundaries prescribed by the affiliated Organisations do not change.

Officers

152a. The officers of an Organisation shall consist of a president, vice-presidents, chairman, treasurer, auditors, committee and secretary and such other officers and officials as the Organisation may deem necessary. All officers shall be elected annually. Such powers shall be delegated by the Organisation to its officers as the Organisation considers appropriate.

152b. With the exception of the Secretary, all officials and Committee members of groups as defined in Rule No. 2, must be elected delegates of members organisations.

Meetings

153. Once in each calendar year each Organisation shall hold an annual general meeting. The secretary of each Organisation shall give not less than 6 weeks notice in writing to each member of the Organisation of the date, time and place at which the annual general meeting of the Organisation will be held. In the case of federations, combines and amalgamations of federations or combines, such notice shall be sent to the secretary of each Organisation which is a member. The business to be conducted at the annual general meeting of the Organisation shall be the adoption of the accounts of the Organisation, the election or re-election of the officers of the Organisation, the consideration of any alterations to the rules of the Organisation proposed by any member and any general business of the Organisation.

Proceedings at General Meetings

154. At each general meeting of an Organisation each member and each partnership treated as a single member shall have one vote. On business relating to the Association, each partner shall have one vote. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted. The rules of the Organisation shall specify whether decisions are to be made by simple majority vote of those attending and voting at general meetings or by any specific majority and whether the chairman of the meeting is to have a casting vote. Decisions on the admission of new members must be by simple majority of those attending and voting at the meeting at which the admission of a new member is considered.

Alteration of Rules

155. (a) Any member of an organisation wishing to alter or add to the rules of the organisation may propose such alteration or addition to the rules of the organisation by giving not less than 28 days notice in writing to the secretary of the organisation prior to the organisation's annual general meeting. Such notice shall specify the alteration or addition which the member wishes to propose. The secretary of the organisation must notify each member of the organisation of the proposal to alter or add to the rules not less than 7 days before the date of the meeting.
(b) Should an organisation by virtue of Rule 182, undertake a postal vote of its members then the number of days notice may be extended from 28 to 42 days. Organisations shall declare the final date for receipt of proposals.

156. No alteration or addition to the rules of the Organisation which would conflict with any of the Rules of the Association shall be permitted to be proposed. Any resolution or decision of any meeting of an Organisation other than the annual general meeting which would have the effect of making additions or alterations to the rules of the Organisation shall be invalid.

157. No alteration to the wording of any proposal to alter or add to the rules of the Organisation shall be permitted to be made at or prior to the annual general meeting at which the alteration or addition is to be proposed except for the correction of punctuation or grammatical errors.

National or Specialist Clubs

158. All members of National or Specialist Clubs shall be required to notify the secretary of the Club of the identity of the Local Region of which the member is a member.

Membership

159. Any person wishing to become a member of an Organisation must be proposed and seconded by members of the Organisation. All applications for membership must be in writing accompanied by any entrance fees required by the rules of the Organisation to be paid to the Organisation. Each such application shall be notified to the members of the Organisation or to the committee of the Organisation, as specified by the rules of the Organisation. The application shall be determined by a simple majority of those attending and voting at a meeting of the members or the committee, as prescribed by the rules of the Organisation. The application shall be determined at the next ensuing meeting of the members of the Organisation or the committee, as appropriate, but not at an annual general meeting of the Organisation.

160. Any flying member of an Organisation may become a non-flying member upon giving notice to that effect to the secretary of the Organisation and he shall be deemed to have become a non-flying member upon the date on which the secretary receives such (Page 15) notice. Non-flying members shall be entitled to attend meetings of the Organisation but may only vote on matters appertaining to the Association. Non-flying members who wish to become flying members must resign their membership of the Organisation and apply for flying membership as a new member. The rules of the Organisation may provide that non-flying members pay reduced subscriptions. Non-flying members will not be entitled to a share of the proceeds in the event of the dissolution of the Organisation.

Payment of Subscriptions

161. No birds shall be accepted for competition in any races arranged by an Organisation unless all fees and subscriptions are fully paid up by that member wishing to enter those birds. Any member of the Organisation who is also a member of another Organisation must have fully paid all due subscriptions to all such Organisations before he is permitted to compete in any race. A member will produce his membership card on demand each year, to any organisation which arranges races in which he intends to compete, to establish that he has paid his Association subscription. If a member does not comply with this rule, he shall be disqualified from racing in any race.

Resignations

162. A member wishing to resign from an Organisation must do so in writing before the annual general meeting of the Organisation or he will be liable to pay his subscription for the following year. A resignation can only be accepted by an Organisation if the member has paid all his debts to the Organisation.

Dissolution

163. An Organisation may only be dissolved by the vote of two thirds or more of the members of the Organisation present and voting at a special meeting convened to consider a resolution to dissolve the Organisation and of which not less than 14 days notice in writing has been given to all members of the Organisation. If such a resolution is passed, a further meeting shall be held to confirm the resolution and such further meeting shall also be called by not less than 14 days notice in writing given to all members of the Organisation. The Organisation shall not be dissolved unless the dissolution is confirmed by a majority vote of the members attending and voting at the further meeting.

164. In the event of the dissolution of an Organisation, the assets of the Organisation shall be realised and the proceeds divided equally amongst the fully paid up members on the basis of one loft, one share. Non-flying members shall have no claim to participate. In the event of assets being subject to a lottery or charitable grant, those assets must be returned to the said lottery or charitable organisation or as they determine.

165. Upon the dissolution of an Organisation, notice of dissolution shall be sent to the Secretary of the committee of the Local Region to which the Organisation is affiliated General Manager, together with the minute book, final balance sheet and names and addresses of members of the Organisation at the time of dissolution. If such notice is not sent to the Committee of the Local Region to which the Organisation is affiliated General Manager before the annual general meeting of the Local Region, the Organisation will be liable for payment to the Local Region of the Association fees for its members for the following year.

166(a). Should the membership of a club fall below four full subscribing members, the Region committee shall have the power to dissolve the club and ensure that the assets are shared between the remaining members. In the event of assets being subject to a lottery or charitable grant, those assets must be returned to the said lottery or charitable organisation or as they determine.

166b. Where, after investigation by the Local Region, it is found that an organisation has ceased to function and has not done so for at least three years, the Region Committee Association may withdraw the affiliation of that organisation.

Banking Account

167. An Organisation shall have a banking or building society or Post Office savings account or an equivalent such account and where possible all payments shall be made by cheque signed by the secretary and another official of the Organisation. Bank statements or the building society or Post Office passbook or its equivalent shall be available for inspection by members at each general meeting of the Organisation or of its committee.

Grievances and Disciplinary Matters

168. If any member of an organisation has a grievance, dispute or complaint concerning the Organisation he may within 28 days of the grievance, dispute or complaint arising give notice in writing of his grievance, dispute or complaint to the secretary of the Organisation, requiring the secretary to convene a general meeting or if the rules of the Organisation so prescribe, a meeting of the Committee of the Organisation to consider the grievance, dispute or complaint. Any such meeting shall be convened by the secretary by not less than 7 days notice in writing to all members entitled to attend such meeting and to all parties to grievance, dispute or complaint.

169. If any organisation wishes to examine the conduct of a member with a view to taking disciplinary action against him/her a meeting must be convened within 28 days of the dispute arising, the secretary of the Organisation shall convene a general meeting of the Organisation or, if the Rules of the Organisation so prescribe, the committee of the Organisation for that purpose and shall give not less than 7 days notice in writing to the member and to all members of the Organisation or the committee, as appropriate, stating the date, place and time at which the meeting is to be held. The notice shall also state the charges made against the member or the circumstances which the meeting proposes to investigate and the secretary shall inform him/her, at the same time as giving him/her the notice of the meeting, that he/she will be entitled to put his/her case to the meeting and to be represented at the meeting.

170. If the Organisation fails to convene a meeting to consider a grievance within 28 days of receipt by the secretary of notice from a member requiring a meeting to be convened, the Organisation may be the subject of disciplinary action by the Local Region to which it is affiliated.

171. If a member of an Organisation is aggrieved by the decision of the Organisation or the committee, as appropriate, he has a right of appeal to the Local Region to which the Organisation is affiliated under the provisions of the Rules of the Association within 21 days of the decision being given.

172. The chairman of the Organisation shall decide whether any member of the Organisation is an interested party in any grievance or disciplinary matter and all interested parties shall leave the room where the meeting is being held when a decision on the matter is made and a vote taken. Special Meetings

173. The secretary of an Organisation shall convene a special meeting of the Organisation by not less than 10 days notice in writing to all members of the Organisation if he receives a requisition for such a special meeting signed by at least one third of the members of the Organisation or, if the Organisation has 75 members or more, signed by at least 25 members of the Organisation. Any such requisition shall state the business for which the meeting is to be called and the notice convening the meeting shall similarly state such business. No business shall be transacted at the special meeting other than that referred to in the notice convening the meeting.

Arrears

174. Should any member of an Organisation at 1st April in any year be in arrears for any sum owed to the Organisation the secretary of the Organisation shall send him a recorded delivery letter notifying him of the balance of his account in detail. The member shall be debited with the postal charges incurred and shall be notified that unless a remittance is received or the debt disputed within 21 days he will be suspended by the Organisation and reported to the Local Region General Manager. The suspension shall be noted in the Organisations minute book prior to the notification being sent to the Local Region General Manager.
(Page 16)

Accounts

175. Every Organisation shall keep accurate and full records of all income and expenditure and shall cause an audited and signed annual income and expenditure account and balance sheet to be prepared once each year and sent to each member of the Organisation at least 7 days before the annual general meeting of the Organisation. In the event that the audited and signed annual income and expenditure account and balance sheet shows a deficit, the Organisation or its committee, as appropriate, shall be empowered to make a levy on each member. The total sum of any such levy shall only be sufficient to discharge the amount which would otherwise remain outstanding after all the funds of the Organisation are completely exhausted. If the Organisation or its committee, as appropriate, considers it necessary, any such levy may be made on any member who has resigned from the Organisation since the date of the preceding annual general meeting.

176. If the rules of an Organisation provide for accounts to be approved and adopted at a meeting other than the annual general meeting of the Organisation, a copy of the accounts shall be sent to each member of the Organisation not less than 7 days before the date of the relevant meeting.

Documents

177. No Organisation or official of an Organisation shall destroy or permit to be destroyed any books, maps, race results, dials, ring lists, distance sheets or other important documents without the prior permission of the members of the Organisation at an annual general meeting. On the appointment of a new secretary to an Organisation, the Organisation must ensure that all such documents are transferred to his custody.

178. In no circumstances may the details of the full ring number, colour, sex and owners name of every pigeon sent in a race arranged by an Organisation be destroyed less than two years after the date of the race.

Meeting Procedure

179. All meetings of the Organisations other than those convened as annual general meetings, meetings to consider the dissolution of the Organisation, meetings to consider a grievance of a member or possible disciplinary action against a member and special meetings requisitioned by the members, must be convened by not less than 7 days notice, in writing, given or posted to all members of the Organisation accompanied by an agenda for the meeting.

180. No member of a union or association not recognised by the Association shall be permitted to attend or be represented at any meeting called under the Rules of the Association. Neither shall any member of a union or association not recognised by the Association be permitted to make or submit
resolutions for voting upon at meetings called under the Rules of the Association.

181. The Organisation shall have a minute book in which the secretary of the Organisation shall record the date, time and place of all meetings, the chairmans name, the names of members present, the text of resolutions with the names of proposers and seconders and whether carried or defeated.The chairman and secretary shall sign all the minutes after confirmation as a true record at the next meeting of the Organisation except the minutes of an annual general meeting which, if agreed as a true record, shall be confirmed and signed at the next annual general meeting.

Voting Papers

182. If an Organisation has members residing outside the area of a circle of 50 mile radius centred on the headquarters of the Organisation, all resolutions to be submitted to general meetings of the Organisation shall be permitted to be dealt with by votes submitted in writing by members and the secretary of the Organisation shall send appropriate voting papers to members for this purpose, provided that adoption of the secretarys annual report and the annual accounts and balance sheet of the Organisation and the annual election of officers of the Organisation shall not be permitted to be dealt with by postal vote.

Revision of Rules

183. At least once every three years an Organisation shall publish up-to-date copies of its Rules and issue these to each of its members unless no changes have been made to its Rules during that period. New members must be furnished with an up-to-date copy of the Rules of an Organisation upon joining the Organisation.

184. (Spare).

185. Average Prizes
The Organisation shall declare its races for the purpose of averages before the commencement of racing each year. A member must enter birds for competition in all these races. He/she must time-in in each of these races to qualify for average prizes, unless a race is declared void or there are no birds home in race time, when the average shall be reckoned on the remainder of these races by a Standard Formula, viz: Total times and distance flown in all races of birds concerned divided to give yards per minute.

186. Trophies and Specials
All conditions in respect of the Trophies or Specials, together with the wishes of the donors, must be entered in the Minute Book before the races for which they are awarded commence.

187. Flying Distances
All NEW flying distances must be obtained through the Association and calculated on the Ellipsoidal System by Computer(s). The Association may grant permission to Clubs within Cumbria Region and the Devon and Cornwall Region may grant permission for Clubs administered by these regions to race to a 'Breaking Point' for Club racing only. 'Individual' members applying for distances must have loft location or latitude/longitude countersigned by a Club Chairman or secretary. All loft locations are to be calculated from Ordnance Survey.

Race Ringing

188. NO MEMBER SHALL BE ALLOWED TO MARK OR RACE RING HIS/HER OWN BIRDS OR TAKE ANY ACTIVE PART IN THE PROCEDURE.

Individuals may use race entry sheets, which may be produced by computer software programs and printed on sheets of plain paper or onto sheets which are pre-printed, provided by either an Organisation or by an individual fancier. The race entry form must have the following requirements: Printed in ink, have space for full ring numbers, inside and outside rubber race numbers/letters, name(s) of fancier(s), name of Club, date of race, race point, sex of bird, signature of fancier(s). Details entered on the race entry sheet may be printed using computer software programs or hand written by the fancier. The counterfoil of the rubber race ring(s) placed on the pigeon should be passed to the sheet marking official who should write the outside number(s) alongside the pigeon ring number. In cases where birds are double race rubbered the rubbers MUST have different serial numbers. All rubber race counterfoils must be carefully sealed in envelopes immediately after marking and, like the clock sheets or envelopes and entry forms, kept under seal in a secure place at headquarters or by the appointed officials in the case of Specialist Clubs. Members of the Association enter their birds in races organised by bodies affiliated to the Association at their own risk against loss or damage. The purchase and use of duplicate numbered race rubbers showing the same serial numbers is prohibited.

Race Results

189. Indelible results stating race point and code number shall be posted in a prominent position at the Headquarters of the Organisation where they can be easily available to all members, or copies shall be given, delivered or posted, to each member. Full ring particulars of birds winning prizes, pools or trophies must be shown in the result of each race together with the actual flying times and velocities. Actual flying distances to be stated in results published for Open Races and by Specialist Clubs.

190. Where duplication of race entries between organisations is permitted, the only acceptable details of velocities, clock times (Page 17) etc, will be those furnished by the SECRETARY of the organisation at which the members clock is set and checked. Under no circumstances will any such details provided by the member concerned, be accepted.

Race Closure

191. Organisations shall stipulate a definite closure for all races, either in terms of a minimum velocity or by a specified hour of the clock on a nominated day.

192. STANDARD METHOD OF CALCULATING VELOCITIES
(see Appendix E).

(a) In the calculation of velocities for pigeon races, no rounding up or down be permitted anywhere within the calculation and
(b) Velocities be expressed in yards per minute to a minimum of two decimal places.

PART P: PERFORMANCE ENHANCING

199. The Council of the R.P.R.A. shall make rules and regulations prohibiting the use of performance enhancing drugs/substances. Contravention of these rules and regulations shall entail suspension, for a minimum period of three years; or expulsion.
See Appendix G

ADJUDICATION

200. Anything arising not provided for in these Rules shall be decided by the Committee or all members whose decision shall be final and binding, subject to appeal to the Local Region within 21 days from the date of such decision.

PART Q: CLOCK RULES

The following Clock Rules apply in all races except One-Loft Races using approved Electronic Timing Systems.

Timing in

201. Members must time-in their birds by means of a timing clock of a type approved by the Association Council. All members must submit to the Organisation the clocks they intend using in the seasons races for such period as may be determined by the Organisation prior to the first race in which they are to be used. The said clocks shall remain in the possession of the Clock Committee during the whole of the season, provided that a member shall be allowed to transfer his/her clock from one Organisation to another if he/she so desires so long as it is put under seal during transit. (For the purpose of this Rule, Organisation shall be taken to mean any of the Organisations within the Confederation whose testing tolerance is not greater than the RPRA tolerance). For the purpose of such transit, the sealing shall be that appropriate to the sealing of the clock for a race, provided that in the case of a clock with dials, one dial only shall be necessary. This dial must be signed and dated by a member of the Clock Committee.

202. Members who transfer their clocks from one Club to another to have sealed inside the clock a certificate signed by a member of the Clock Committee which tested the clock, stating that the clock has been tested according to this Rule. On this certificate must be recorded the seal number, if
applicable, that will be used to seal the clock, the date and the name of the person sealing the clock. This to be checked by the receiving Clock Committee.
Note: This is to cover clocks referred to in Rule 218 which have to be sealed with Association seals, and does not refer to carrying boxes.

Stopped Clocks

203. Should any competitors clock stop or be rendered useless, he/she may have the same re-set by the member of the clock committee in possession of the MASTER TIMER or he/she may time into the nearest competitors clock. No time allowance for reaching such a clock shall be made.

204. Should a clock have varied more than at the rate of 5 seconds per hour, a fast clock shall be regarded as correct: a slow clock shall have double the lost time added. A stopped clock shall be deemed to be a slow clock and shall have double the lost time added but the maximum penalty in the case of a stopped clock shall be the award of the time recorded by the Master Timer when the clock is checked. Should a member's clock be found faulty or stop through not being properly set or wound up the competitor shall have his entry fees and pool monies returned in full if a velocity is not acceptable to the member.

205. In the races where entries are double race rung, the above will apply only in cases where one rubber ring is clocked. When a competitor in such races times the second race ring into another clock (his/her own or otherwise) and the clock into which the first rubber ring was clocked stops or is rendered useless, then a velocity will be awarded on the times derived from the clock containing the second rubber ring. All clocks must be returned intact to Headquarters for checking. Competitors to state on verification form the full details of all clockings. Should a clock have a varied rate of more than 8 seconds per hour, fast or slow, before timing in a pigeon, the clock shall be eligible for a re-set.

Clock Setting and Checking

206. (a) All clocks MUST be set by the Official Clock Setter(s) or whomsoever they may appoint, at least one of whom MUST sign his/her name on the dials and rolls before being used on the clocks they set, together with the name of the race point, date, clock number (unless printed when struck), the name of the competitor and the name of the Organisation. The clock record sheet or envelope MUST bear clock number, time of setting, the receptacle showing on the clock, race date and the competitors name and be secured as laid down in R.P.R.A. Rule 188. At the checking of clocks the officials appointed MUST fill in MASTER TIME, clock times and variations of the clock record sheets or envelopes.
ONE CONTAINER ONLY SHALL BE
TAKEN AT A TIME FROM THE CLOCK
AND CHECKED.
One rubber only to be inserted into each container.

When a member times more than one rubber into one thimble, that thimble is disqualified excepting when two race rubbers come off the same pigeon

(b) All clocks set for competition must be set to receive a container in the first receptacle available for that particular make of clock.
(c) Where a clock has to be re-set under the provisions of Rule 203, a single signature will suffice.

Labelling Second Clock

207. Where a member has more than one clock set he/she must clearly label them Number One ((1) Clock, etc., before they will be accepted for setting. Birds may be timed in to more than one clock but the times of the Number Two or subsequent clocks will not be acceptable unless the Number One Clock stops or goes wrong, except in respect of birds timed in subsequent to the Number One Clock having been sent for checking.

208. If the reason for a Number Two (2) or subsequent clock(s) being used is because of a fault in Number One (1) or subsequent clock(s), the faulty clock(s) must be brought in together with the clock used before this clock will be accepted for checking.

209. The Clock Setters shall plainly mark clock cards, Number One (1) Clock, etc. Master Timers

210. All clocks used in connection with any race must be set and checked from Master Timers which shall display and leave a permanent printed record in days, hours, minutes and seconds, and ALL Master Timers shall be SET and CHECKED by Master Time which shall be GREENWICH TIME taken from the last PIP of the BBC Time Signal or from TIM.

211. The Organisation may also use a Grand Master Timer.
Clock Checking

212. The number of the receptacle showing on competitors clock when set to receive the first container and also the number of the receptacle showing when competitors clock has been returned for checking, must both be entered on the Club Clock Sheet and checked at clock opening.
(Page 18)

213. Containers must be used in every type of clock in races flown under the Rules of the Association. Where open-ended containers are used these must be inserted open end down and failure to comply with this condition will entail disqualification. Only containers of the cylindrical type (two separate parts) shall be allowed to be used with the Toulet Puncturing Clock.

214. Except in cases where an open-ended container is used all containers must be seen to be intact, with the rubber inside, when removed from the clock.

215. NO MEMBER SHALL ASSIST IN ANY WAY IN THE SETTING AND CHECKING OF HIS/HER OWN CLOCK.

Return of Clocks

216. Clocks set for a race and any clocks issued for transit between one Organisation and another must be returned intact to the Club, Federation or Combine or Amalgamation as appropriate under its seal, as defined in Rules 201 and 202, together with notification of the returned seal number(if applicable) and any documents issued with it, except where clocks set for competition by another Society and subsequently NOT USED, may be returned to the parent club intact, as set. A clock not so returned must be re-tested under the provisions outlined in Rule 200 and shall not be made available for a race within such period as may be determined by the Organisation.

Clock Recordings

217. All dials and rolls used in races must leave a complete unbroken and permanent 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.

Sealing of Clocks

218. All timing clocks used by members which have to be sealed shall be so sealed with soft string and with lettered and numbered roll-tag seals available only from the Association. Serial letter and numbers of seals to be entered on the Organisations Clock Sheet at setting and checked before opening, before being accepted as being in order.

Approved Clocks

219. A list of ALL clocks, i.e. Make, Type and Mark approved by the Association appears as Appendix D Approved Clocks of the Association to these Clock Rules.

Certificates of Worthiness

220. Any timing clock of a type or make approved by the Association shall be given a certificate of worthiness if in perfect condition, after being examined by experts, whether purchased from an appointed dealer or otherwise.

MECHANICAL CLOCKS
Testing

221. Clocks in this category submitted for use in races shall be tested for a period of not less than 22 hours by Clubs in each of the three positions, indicated as per the Clocksetters Guide and a record shall be kept of the running of the clock which shall be signed by at least two persons conducting such test. To be acceptable for use clocks must, when tested, have satisfied all of the following requirements:
(a) The maximum permitted rate of gain shall not exceed 5 seconds per hour.
(b) The maximum permitted rate of loss shall not exceed 5 seconds per hour.
(c) The difference between the variations in any two positions shall not exceed 5 seconds per hour. (For example a clock when tested had say, a maximum variation of a loss at a rate of 3 seconds per hour would not be acceptable if it had gained at a rate of more than 2 seconds per hour in either of the other two positions).
(d) All puncture clocks must, when striking the clock quickly, produce for each and every strike a clean and visible hole through each dial. Any clock that does not satisfy this, will not be accepted for use.

222. ALL TOULET PUNCTURE TWO DIAL CLOCKS shall have their dials numbered either mechanically or by hand and shall be signed through the number. Numbers must be recorded in the clock book/sheet/envelope.

223. (a) Skymaster and Rotherham Clocks must be fitted with a dolometer. The maximum reading of 3 to be allowed if the dolometer has moved from zero.
223. (b) The maximum reading of 10 be allowed if the dolometer on the STB clock has moved from zero.
223. (c) Any infringement of this Rule shall entail disqualification

Clock Penalties - Double Striking

224. Both Belgica and La Ledoise puncturing clocks must be struck twice within five seconds of the timing-in of each bird and the container must be in the first of two receptacles relating to each timing-in.
ELECTRO-MECHANICAL,
ELECTRONIC CLOCKS AND
PRINT-OUTS

Testing

225. Clocks in this category submitted for use in races shall be tested by clubs, for a period of not less than 22 hours during which any gain or loss must not exceed 25 seconds in the normal operating position and a record shall be kept of the running of the clock which shall be signed by at least two persons conducting such a test.

Checking

226. On checking a data print-out must be obtained and sufficient clear white paper allowed to provide room for:
(a) Name of Organisation
(b) Race point
(c) Competitor(s) name
(d) Two signatures of the official clock setters or whomsoever they may appoint.
The printed information MUST be cross checked against the digital display information in the clock itself. THIS MUST BE DONE PRIOR TO THE OPENING OF THE CLOCK. Should it be found that a members Data print does not comply with sections a,b,c or d of this rule, providing it was checked and opened in front of officials of the Organisation, a reading should be allowed.

227. In the event of a power cut or breakdown of the print-out, the information contained on the digital display will be manually recorded on a sheet of paper, together with the information and signature(s) called for in Rule 226.

228. Only after a copy of the information has been extracted, cross-checked and found correct will the seal be removed and the clock opened, after which one container only shall be taken at a time from the clock and checked.

229. If after striking the T2 and T3 clocks, they have varied more than one second, then they should be re-struck against the Master Timer. In the eventuality of the second variation being greater than the first, the lesser should be used.

APPENDIX B

REGION BOUNDARIES (SEE RULE 9)

LONDON:
Hertfordshire, Essex, Greater London, Kent, also Sutton and Cheam, Kingston, Croydon, Carshalton, Thornton Heath.

SOUTHERN:
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Isle of Wight.

WEST MIDLAND:
Staffordshire, West Midlands, Herefordshire, Worcestershire,Warwick .

WESTERN:
Merseyside, Cheshire, Clwyd, Gwynedd, Shropshire.

DERBYSHIRE & SOUTH YORKSHIRE:
South Yorkshire, Derbyshire.

NORTH WEST:
Lancashire, Greater Manchester.

EAST MIDLANDS:
Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk.

WELSH:
Powys, Dyfed, West Glam, Mid Glam, S. Glam, Gwent.

NORTH EAST:
Northumberland, Durham, Tyne & Wear, Cleveland, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire.

SOUTH WESTERN:
Gloucestershire, Bath & North-East Somerset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset and Channel Isles.

CUMBRIA:
Cumbria, Scotland and the Isle of Man.

DEVON & CORNWALL:
Devon, Cornwall & Gibraltar.

IRISH:
Ireland.

Revised R.P.R.A. Rules Draft 1.