The Rules of
The Central Federation Peterborough
Season 2024
(FOUNDED 1969)
THE CENTRAL FEDERATION PETERBOROUGH (EM239)
OFFICIALS 2024
PRESIDENT: Mr F Bristow SECRETARY: Mr G Cardall
15 Sandygate Lane 18 Spalding Road
Horbling Bourne
Sleaford Lincs
NG34 0PH PE10 0AT
CHAIRMAN: Mr A Seymour VICE CHAIRMAN: Mr G Jakings
204 St Pauls Road 18 Queen Street
Peterborough Yaxley
Cambs Peterborough
PE1 3EF PE7 3JF
TREASURER: Mr G Cardall ASS’T TREASURER: Mr A Seymour
AUDITOR: Mr F Bristow BANKERS: Lloyds TSB
TRANSPORT COMMITTEE: The President, Chairman, Vice Chairman and Convoyer plus two nominated members from each club. (Federation Rule 4).
VICE PRESIDENTS: Mr J C Brewster.
VICE PRESIDENTS: One nominated member from each club (Federation Rule 5)
DELEGATES: Two nominated members from each club (Federation Rule 4)
CONVOYER: Annually appointed
CLOCK OFFICER: Mr G Cardall
MEMBER CLUBS:
Bourne & District RPC Spalding HS Peterborough Central FC
Dorrington & Digby Sleaford HS Hykeham H S
Press OFFICER: Mr P Farrington
FUNCTION ORGANISER: Mr Stuart Collishaw
The following rules include amendments, additions, and deletions up to and including the Annual General Meeting held on 10th December 2023. Some re-numbering and re-arrangement have taken place previously in accordance with Federation Rule 45, the content of the rules however, have, to the best of my ability, not been changed, other than by the changes made at the various AGM’s. The prefix to each rule (i.e.) Name & Boundaries – Rule 1 is not part of the rule but is included for ease of identification.
THE CENTRAL FEDERATION PETERBOROUGH
RULES
- NAME & BOUNDARIES.
This Federation shall be named ‘The Central Federation Peterborough’ and shall comprise of Racing Pigeon Clubs within the following boundaries: –
NORTH: Latitude 53° 17′ 20″ N between Longitude 00° 14′ 00″W
and Longitude 01° 00 ’00″W
and Latitude 52° 59′ 00″ N between Longitude 00° 04′ 35″W
and Longitude 00° 14′ 00″W
and Latitude 52° 55′ 30″ N for remainder of Northern Boundary.
SOUTH: A14 TRUNK ROAD
EAST: Longitude 00° 02′ 30” E
WEST: Longitude 01° 00′ 00″ W
- Route.
The Central Federation will fly the south road route. (New rule 2022 AGM)
- ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting must be held on or before 15th Jan of each year. Items for the agenda of the Annual General Meeting must be submitted in accordance with R.P.R.A. Rule 103. Any club wishing to resign from the Federation must submit such resignation in writing on or before the Annual General Meeting.
4 FEDERATION BUSINESS
Except at the Annual General Meeting the business of the Federation, except for transport and convoying matters, shall be conducted by the Officers of the Federation and the two Delegates and nominated Vice-President from each club. Both the Annual General Meeting and the General Meeting shall be open to all Federation members to attend. The Transport Committee shall decide all other transport & convoying business and its members shall consist of the President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Convoyer and the two Delegates & nominated Vice President from each club. No delegate shall be allowed to represent more than one club at these meetings.
A Sub-Committee consisting of the President, Chairman, Vice Chairman & Treasurer, and any other member that the President shall invite to attend, shall decide all matters of finance during the year and shall after analysis of the accounts, submit such propositions they consider necessary to the AGM or subsequent meeting for confirmation.
5 OFFICERS
The Officers of the Federation shall be: – President, Vice-presidents (one nominated from each club), Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and 2 Auditors, all of whom shall be elected annually.
6 CASTING VOTE
The Chairman, in all cases of equality of votes, shall have an additional of casting vote, which must be given on the same side as the first vote if exercised. If the right to make a first vote is not exercised, then the Chairman shall not be permitted to make a casting vote.
7 NEW CLUBS & FEES
Clubs joining the Federation must have at least 6 active members competing from separate lofts. On joining, each club shall collect from each of its individual members or partnerships, a transport fee of £40.00, and an initial subscription of £40.00 to jointly cover the first years’ membership. Thereafter the annual fees for membership shall be -Transporter Fee £20 & Subscription £20 to be paid to theFederation Secretary no later than 1st April.
Members joining the Federation who are under the age of 16 at the start of the season shall be excluded from the Transporter Fee.
8 ENTRY FEES – LAPSED MEMBERSHIPS
Where membership of the Federation has lapsed for any reason, in the first year of re-joining, a Transporter Fee of £20 shall be payable and an initial subscription of £20.
9 MEMBERSHIP FOR ‘CONVOYING ONLY’
Membership of the Federation, for the purpose of convoying only, shall be open to members of other organisations on the payment of an annual subscription for each competing member of the organisation. The Transport Committee shall establish the level of subscription and convoying charges for such membership.
10 PAST TRANSPORT LEVIES
The Federation shall make no charge upon new members in respect of past Transport Levies.
11 CLUBS RETIRING FROM FEDERATION
Should any club decide to retire from the Federation before the end of the season, such club shall forfeit all rights to any Monies deposited with the Federation and shall be responsible for a proportionate share of any deficit in the Federations’ accounts for the year.
12 DISSOLUTION
In the event of the dissolution of the Federation, the assets of the Federation shall be realised, and the proceeds divided equally amongst the fully paid-up members of each individual member club. Each clubs’ share shall be forwarded to their respective Secretary for distribution. The basis of distribution shall be one loft, one share, honorary members shall have no claim.
13 TREASURERS DUTIES
The Treasurer must keep an account of all Monies received and paid on behalf of the Federation and shall prepare a balance sheet for the Annual General Meeting.
All Monies due to the Federation shall be paid by ‘crossed’ cheque or BAC and must be drawn in favour of the ‘Central Federation Peterborough’
15 OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTS
All outstanding accounts shall be paid to the Treasurer no later than the 15th October in each year. Failure to do so shall entail suspension of the club concerned.
16 INVESTMENTS
The President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary & Treasurer in conjunction with the Auditor(s), shall have the authority to make investments of such of the Federation funds as they think fit, to ensure a more favourable guaranteed return than may be provided by the Federation Bankers.
17 RACE PROGRAMMES – ALTERATION TO
The Secretary and Race Controller shall have the authority to alter the race programme if a particular race point becomes unavailable, and for situations that arise that are unforeseen or for the general well-being of the birds or change marking night if weather forecast is unsuitable for a Saturday liberation.
18 CONVOYING ARRANGEMENTS
The Transport Committee are empowered to decide all convoying arrangements including Race Programmes.
19 CONVOYING FEES
The Transport Committee shall arrange convoying Fees.
20 FEEDER SERVICE
It shall be the responsibility of individual clubs to arrange feeder service facilities. The Transport Committee shall set the charges for this service which shall be reviewed annually.
21 MEMBERS DISTANCES
All members flying distances shall be calculated in accordance with R.P.R.A. Rule 187.
22 PROOF OF OWNERSHIP
All birds entered in races must be the absolute property of the members’ in whose name(s) they are entered and raced under, in accordance with R.P.R.A. Rule 96 and must be shown alive to any appointed officers of the Federation if required to do so within a reasonable time of the close of any race. The appointed officers of the Federation shall have the power to liberate such bird or birds within a reasonable distance of any members’ loft and see any such bird or birds liberated, re-enter the loft. Should the said Officers not be satisfied, they shall report the details to the Secretary who shall call a meeting in accordance with R.P.R.A. Rule 169 at which the member shall be asked to appear before the officers of the Federation to be dealt with in accordance with R.P.R.A. Rule 70.
23 OWNERS RISK/REFUSAL OF ENTRIES
All birds shall be at the owners’ risk, and the members of the Clubs’ race marking committee shall have the right to refuse the entry of any bird in any race if they consider the bird to be suffering in any way from disease.
24 STAMPING OF RACE ENTRIES
All birds entered in any race shall be wing stamped or otherwise identified in accordance with R.P.R.A. Rule 121.
25 RACE MARKING
All members must have their birds at the race marking at the appointed time, and no race marking shall commence unless at least 5 active members of the club are present. When race marked, the birds will be put into the race crates provided. No member will be allowed to race mark his own birds. All birds in the race crates must be rubber race rung. Except birds marked on an ETS system.
26 RACE ENTRY FORMS
Only official Federation Race Entry Forms or ETS print outs shall be accepted.
27 RACE CRATES – BIRDAGES, SEALING AND LABELLING
All crates to hold a minimum of 25 birds with a maximum of 28 birds, except for the two crates to hold less than this number – one for cocks, one for hens
All crates to be labelled to show – Name of Club, number & Sex of birds contained and to be securely tied & sealed on the top flap & the two front flaps.
A weekly birdage form must be completed by each club and given to the Convoyer on collection of birds.
** Failure to comply with these instructions will result in the club’s birds being unloaded. **
- LIBERATIONS
The Convoyor to have full control of liberations after advice from the race controller and secretary prior to liberation. They shall at their discretion liberate birds as early as possible for all races except the federations first 3 young bird races, these are to be liberated after 11.00am subject to the weather conditions.
29 CONVOYER – CONTACT WITH
No member of the Federation, other than the Secretary or the appointed Official shall communicate in any way with the Conveyor or official in charge of the birds, while they are in his charge. Any member so doing shall be disqualified from the race and will forfeit all rights to prize and pool money. He will also render himself liable to a period of suspension to be determined by the Federation Committee.
30 SIMULTANEOUS LIBERATIONS
Federation Birds will be liberated simultaneously in all races. In the event that birds are convoyed for other organizations these birds will be liberated after the Federation Birds.
31 LIBERATIONS – NOTIFICATION OF TIMES
The Secretary or appointed official will notify all clubs of the liberation or otherwise, as soon as possible after the information is received from the Conveyor. In the event of any earlier liberation time than the approximate liberation time stated, all Club Secretaries to be notified on Friday night or early Saturday morning by telephone.
32 CLOSE OF RACE
All races will close when the velocity falls below 300 yards per minute.
33 HOURS OF DARKNESS
In races extending over more than one day, the hours of darkness will be as the organisation convoying the birds.
34 VERIFICATION OF ARRIVALS
Members’ having timed in must verify to their Club Secretary on the day of race, giving full metal ring number, colour of bird, clock time, pools and nominations entered in, of each bird. If the race is of more than one day’s duration, separate verification cards, correctly dated, must be provided for each day on which birds are timed in.
Federation Nomination Race Verification Cards shall be handed to the respective Club Secretary on the day of timing in and he shall date and sign them and forward them to the Federation Secretary with the Club Race result.
35 PRIZE MONEY
A levy of 5p per bird will be made for all Federation races to provide prizemoney for the first four birds in each Federation race as follows:- 40%, 30%, 20% & 10%
36 AWARD CARDS
The Federation shall give 5 cards per race open positions.
37 Temperature.
During young bird racing when the temperature is forecast to be 26 degrees Celsius or above on the night of marking or race day the secretary and race controller shall have the authority to cancel the race.
38 FEDERATION AVERAGES
The Federation shall provide suitable mementoes for the Average Winners annually.
All inland race points shall be included in the average calculations.
39 TROPHIES – RETURN/MAINTENANCE OF
All trophies shall be returned to the Federation Secretary not less than 8 weeks before the annual prize presentation. Trophies to be maintained in a presentable condition. Members who return trophies late will be fined £10 per trophy.
40 CLUB SECRETARIES – INFORMATION FROM
All Club Secretaries must supply the Federation Secretary with the Following information:-
(a) A full list of the names and addresses and postal codes of all active members of the club, by the 1st April of each year.
(b) The duplicate copies of all race entry forms as soon as race marking is completed, also duplications from specialist clubs entered. If posted must bear at the latest, early Saturday postmark.
(c) Within 3 days of the close of race, a complete race result showing at least the first 20 places, with velocities, flying times and distances. The ring numbers of the first 6 birds shall be shown. The result shall be accompanied by the clock sheets and dials for the first 3 positions.
(d) Each club shall send in their races sheets. The Fed Result Sheet will show the number of members and the number of birds sent each week.
(e) See also Fed Rule 34 – Nomination Race Verification Cards.
41 HOLDOVERS – SUBSTITUTE RACE POINTS – PIGEONS BROUGHT BACK
The Secretary and Race Controller in conjunction with the Convoyer shall have the authority to bring the pigeons back to a shorter race point in the event of the likelihood of an extended holdover at the original race point. In this event, or race cancellation averages shall be unaffected. The shorter race point being substituted for the original race point, the averages being calculated over the reduced programme in the event of cancellation. For comeback races, prizes, pools, nominations, etc., shall be as for the original race point. Where a race is called off after the birds have been despatched, only the entry fee shall be invoiced to clubs.
42 OBJECTIONS
Objections to race results must be made in writing, within the stipulated time giving full details of the reasons.
43 SECTIONS
All affiliated clubs fly together in one section.
44 RULE BOOKS – DISTRIBUTION OF
The rules of the federation will be shown on the CFP website.
45 RULES – RENUMBERING AND REARRANGEMENT
That the rules of the Federation may be renumbered and rearranged only so long as the meaning of the Rule is not changed and is made clearer.
- PAYMENTS TO OFFICERS, ETC.,
This rule was deleted at the Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday 10th December 2008.
- Welfare of birds.
All available drinkers are to be used on the federation transporter for all races.
Club secretaries are required to send the federation secretary a copy of its members vaccination sheets seven days prior to their members first old bird race and seven days prior to their first young bird race each season. No bird to be loaded onto the federation vehicle unless it has been recorded on a members vaccination sheet.
New rule 49: The Central Federation Peterborough will display the AGM agenda on the CFP website 14 days prior to the date of the AGM. A balance sheet will be emailed to any member upon a request being received by the federation secretary. any member who has not got the facilities to look online or email is to contact the Federation Secretary for a copy to be posted out.
(Numbers 50 – 54 inclusive have deliberately been left blank for possible future use).
CLOCK RULES.
55 3 – WAY TEST
All clocks intended for use in races shall be handed in to the club for testing on a date the club decides. Mechanical Clocks shall be tested in accordance with RPRA Rule 221, Electro-Mechanical and Electronic Clocks in accordance with RPRA Rule 225.
56 CLOCK SETTING AND CHECKING
All clocks used in conjunction with any race, including Club & Federation Master Timers, shall be set, and checked in accordance with RPRA Rule 201 – 228 inclusive, as applicable to the particular clock.
57 CLOCKS – FEDERATION AUTHORITY TO CHECK
The Federation shall have the power to appoint an official to visit any club at race marking or clock setting or checking to ensure that a proper standard of management is being maintained. Such officer shall have the right to examine any clock at a reasonable time whilst it is under lock or seal in a members’ possession.
58 DAMAGE TO CLOCKS – LIABILITY
The Officers or Committee of the Club shall not be liable to any clock owner for any loss or damage that may occur to any clock while the clock is in their custody.