BICC NEWS REPORT
February 21st 2013
Report by Gareth Watkins
As readers may now already be aware, the annual prize presentation was yet again a resounding success, due in no small measure to all the hard work put in by Jan and Albi Deacon and our secretary Carol Francis. One hundred and fifty members and guests enjoyed a marvellous evening in good company and with food of outstanding quality. My advice to anyone out there who is thinking of enjoying a weekend away in February next year is to book your tickets early so as you are not disappointed.
The BICC's array of trophies
BICC Committee Meeting
On the Saturday morning of the presentation weekend the committee gathered to deal with the club’s business which included among other things the insuring of our vast array of trophies. Russell Bradford the club’s treasurer will look into this as the number and quality of trophies now up for competition are now greater than ever. Russell then gave a report on the progress he is making on the members’ handbook and all present were impressed with the format that our official club photographer, Chris Sutton had devised for the cover. The handbook, which this year is in A4 size, is approximately 90% ready to go to print as I write this report. We are pressing to get the hours of darkness for this year’s International races from the organisers, which like last year can become frustrating if this one missing piece of information holds everything up. The book should be at the printer's within the first fortnight of March and ready to go in the post to the members before April 1st. A list of the current sponsors was also shown to the committee.
The BICC Sponsors in 2013
It is a mark of the esteem in which the BICC is held by the Fancy in general, that our list of sponsors continues to grow, and the committee on behalf of the members, would like to acknowledge and thank every single one of them.
The Committee of the Entente Belge has generously donated special first prizes to the winners of the BICC International races from St Vincent and Perpignan to include free Dinner tickets to the Presentation evening on a Sunday in December 2013 at Wevelgem in Belgium.
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Lesley & Steve from the House of Aarden have kindly offered one August hatched young bird, for the winner of each of the six International races. The value of these birds will be from £250 to £450 each, and are August hatched because their principal cocks are on the semi-bull system, but are allowed to rear the last round of the season.
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Brian Wall of Gem Supplements supplies the GEM corn for all the races where the birds spend a night or more in the crates. Brian has this year donated £250 in order for the club to purchase a new trophy.
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Meriden Health – the makers of Orego Stim have sponsored the club with both a paid advert, and bottles of Orego Stim to the 2nd & 3rd places of each section in the first four Old Bird National races. The retail value of the product comes to a little over £500.
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This year the club is very pleased to announce that we have an “Official Photographer” namely Chris Sutton, who will be travelling to whereever the winning pigeons might be this coming season, in order to take their photograph, and furthermore to present the winners with a framed photograph. You may well wish to contact Chris and his advert appears in the book.
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The cost of advertising is not inconsiderable, and we are grateful to both “The Racing Pigeon” & “The British Homing World” for discounting the cost of all of the BICC’s race results.
A discussion then took place with regard to the Irish fanciers who are now able to enjoy International racing through the BICC. It was the general consensus of opinion that our Irish members should have their own section and this will cover the whole of Ireland. Any Irish fanciers both North and South of the border who are interested in joining the BICC should contact Sheldon Leonard who has agreed to coordinate entries in the Emerald Isle. Sheldon’s phone number is 00353/4022/0687. They have the option of using either the Gwent Marking Station in Newport which is just 5 minutes off the M4 [I/C Ray Strawbridge Tel 01633/430637] or the Bath Marking Station [I/C Geoff Cooper Tel 01761/435292].
The club membership fee for 2013 has now been confirmed at £25 per member loft which should be paid to Carol Francis, 319 Feltham Hill Road, Ashford, Middlesex, TW 15 1LP. There have already been more than 70 applications for membership and more are coming into Carol each day. New membership application forms can be obtained at the following website http://www.biccpigeons.com/images/bicc_membership_renewal.pdf
It was also decided to hold another late bred auction in the autumn so once again the British fancy will have the opportunity to purchase top class long distance stock from some of the most successful long distance lofts in the UK.
The subject of an excluded member who had written a letter that had appeared in the BHW and RP was then raised and it was unanimously agreed that we respond to this letter giving the fancy the true facts of the case.
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