NORTH ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP CLUB
by George Wheatman
NRCC Champions
By George Wheatman
There is lots of life and imagination in the famous old club yet!
That was blatantly obvious when the North Road Championship Club defied convention and held their first Day of Champions instead of the traditional, and some would say outdated, prize presentation dinner.
Moreover, it was an event that made a handsome profit rather than the loss encountered at dinners in recent years.
The Day of Champions was staged at the ideal venue, Springfields Exhibition Centre in Spalding, and was just the kind of initiative which would have excited those far-sighted pioneers who launched the NRCC back in 1901.
They would have faced their own problems 114 years ago, not least transport and communications, and, no doubt, many sceptics would have claimed that their aim of trying to race pigeons from the Shetland Islands was a step too far, impossible to achieve.
In these early years of the 21st century, the NRCC hierarchy face their own challenges, and doubters, as more and more fanciers drift across to the promised land of south road racing.
Many of the departees can be heard voicing the opinion that “north road racing is finished.”
There is no arguing that membership has dwindled but, a fine season’s racing in 2015, and a series of outstanding performances highlighting the fact that not all the ace fanciers have gone over to the other side, plus this successful Day of Champions initiative, proves that the fight-back has been launched.
Further initiatives in the pipeline will, if they come to fruition, ensure that the hardcore of loyal supporters will continue to enjoy the challenge of classic north road racing against top-class opposition. New members, and anyone who wants to revert to racing from the north, will, of course, be welcomed with open arms.
In the meantime, those who enjoyed the friendship and banter at Springfields Exhibition Centre will be looking forward to the next event, booked for December 3rd 2016 when taking centre stage will be the winner of the NRCC’s 100th race from Lerwick.
The 2015 Day of Champions also embraced the morning prize presentation of Peterborough and District Federation, many of their successful fanciers also taking home prizes and trophies from the NRCC presentations hosted by secretary Ray Knight in the afternoon.
A quick survey of the accounts suggests that a profit on the day, after expenses, of £4,400 should be achieved.
A total of £1,605 was received from “gate receipts” and the auction of birds; kindly donate by members and friends, raised £3, 230.
A big contributory factor towards the success of the event was the new “Strategic Partner” packages that were sold to the following companies: Unikon, Belgica UK, the Racing Pigeon, PJ Lofts, Osmonds, Bamfords Top Flight and Aviform.
Other trade stands and studs were also present.
Top photographer, Peter Bennett, one of the NRCC’s long-time sponsors, was also present to capture the occasion.
Thirty-five of the possible 42 section winners from 2015 were on show in the Champions Row along with three previous King’s Cup winners, a fine array of top-class racing pigeons.
The idea of the Day of Champions came from Ray Knight after he had witnessed a similar event in Holland. The success of the first such venture by the NRCC suggests that it could become an established part of the calendar for a long time into the future.
Winners of all the races, and Diplomas of Merit, all received bouquets.
The Day of Champions was not the only success of the weekend.
On the Friday evening, a moot was held at Spalding Football Club, chaired by Ray Knight.
Fanciers of the highest repute, Bob Fenech and Les Green, were on the panel and some 50 people attended. You could have heard a pin drop through the whole evening and it had to be wound up by Ray at 11-40pm or else, according to words issued by Stuart McCurry, double Midlands National Flying Club winner, “we would have still been there.”
That is how good, and informative, the evening was.
NRCC AGM 2015
There was a positive air about the annual general meeting of the North Road Championship Club, coming, as it did, a week after their highly successful inaugural Day of Champions.
The feel-good factor which was the legacy of this new-style prize presentation was very much in evidence as the committee planned for the future in a refreshingly positive manner.
The 2015 AGM was held at The Farmers, Yaxley, Peterborough, and the only reminder of the difficulties of the recent past was that there were no minutes of the previous annual meeting forthcoming from the former secretaries, and so these could not be approved or rejected.
The remainder of the business on the agenda was, however, dealt with as follows:
Balance Sheet
The 2015 accounts were presented to the members by the club’s auditor.
Proposed that they were accepted by J Saunders, seconded J Shelley; carried.
Resignations
The club had received 54 resignations, some of these being down to clubs turning to south road. Accepted with regret, proposed J Saunders, seconded L King; carried.
The secretary pointed out that he was not too concerned with this number as it was pretty much the same last year when, in fact, new applications did outweigh the resignations in the end.
Mr D Brackenbury proposed that a vote of thanks should be recorded for the work that Ray Knight had done in the previous year, and with the Day of Champions as he had made the club a serious amount of money, seconded J Shelley; carried.
All positions on the committee were then declared vacant.
Election of Officers.
Mr Roger Sturgess took the chair and invited nominations for the position of Chairman and Brian Garnham was re-elected, proposed L King, seconded D Brackenbury; carried.
Other officers elected were:
President - Roger Sturgess, proposed I Bellamy, seconded J Saunders, 9 for 1 against; carried.
Secretary - Ray Knight, proposed R Sturgess, seconded B Garnham; carried.
Race Secretary - Ian Bellamy, proposed J Saunders, seconded Jack Shelley; carried.
Treasurer - D Brackenbury, proposed R Knight, seconded R Sturgess; carried.
Vice Presidents - T Skoulding, B Garnham, J Shelley, L King, R Manning, J Shelley, proposed R Knight, seconded R Sturgess; carried.
Committee - Section A, Paul Crooks; Section B, M Lewis; Section C, T Winterton; Section D and E, G Britton; Section F and G, D Fox, J Shelley; Section H, J Saunders; Section I, L King; carried.
Auditors - Brook Accountancy, Boston, proposed R Knight, seconded G Britton; carried.
Bank - Yorkshire Bank.
Finance Committee - L Manning, D Brackenbury, R Knight, R Sturgess, I Bellamy, G Britton; proposed J Saunders, seconded L King; carried.
Press Officer - George Wheatman; Proposed B Garnham, seconded M Lewis; carried.
Propositions.
A) Rule 19 Master Timers.
General Rule 19. Delete and replace with: “All clocks used in connection with any race must be set and checked by a master timer which will display and leave a permanent printed record in days, hours, minutes and seconds; and all master timers shall be set and checked by a master timer that shall be set and checked by ‘master timer’ which shall be ‘Greenwich time’ taken from the last pip of the BBC Time Signal or Tim.”
Proposed J Saunders, seconded Mr & Mrs Shelley; voting - 50 For, 15 Against; carried.
B) Rule 21 Hours of Darkness.
Hours of darkness delete and replace with: “The Hours of Darkness shall be from 21:30hrs on the day of liberation until 04:45hrs the next day for races taking place in May and July.
“22:00Hrs on the day of liberation until 04:30hrs the next day for races taking place in June, and 20:00hrs on the day of liberation until 06:15hrs the next day for races taking place in September.”
Proposed I & S Rich, seconded W & H Attlesey; 44 For, 25 Against; Carried.
C) Rule 23.4 Sections.
Sections all races Delete and replace with
“23.4 Sections all Races includes all lofts which are located South of a line:-
23.4.1 SECTION 1 includes all competitors whose lofts are situated between South of the club boundary from Lerwick, North of a line 500 miles from Lerwick, and West of Longitude 00° 30’ 00” W.
23.4.2 SECTION 2 includes all competitors whose lofts are situated between South of the club boundary from Lerwick, North of a line 500 miles from Lerwick, and East of Longitude 00° 30’ 00” W.
23.4.3 SECTION 3 includes all competitors whose lofts are situated between South of a line 500 miles from Lerwick, North of a line 530 miles from Lerwick, and West of Longitude 0° (Greenwich Meridian).
23.4.4 SECTION 4 includes all competitors whose lofts are situated between South of a line 500 miles from Lerwick, North of a line 530 miles from Lerwick, and East of Longitude 0° (Greenwich Meridian).
23.4.5 SECTION 5 includes all competitors whose lofts are situated between South of a line 530 miles from Lerwick, North of a line 560 miles from Lerwick, and West of Longitude 0° (Greenwich Meridian).
23.4.6 SECTION 6 includes all competitors whose lofts are situated between South of a line 530 miles from Lerwick, North of a line 560 miles from Lerwick, and East of Longitude 0° (Greenwich Meridian).
23.4.7 SECTION 7 includes all competitors whose lofts are situated South of a line 560 miles from Lerwick, and West of Longitude 00° 10’ 00” E.
23.4.8 SECTION 8 includes all competitors whose lofts are situated South of a line 560 miles from Lerwick, and East of Longitude 00° 10’ 00” E.
23.5 A diagrammatic map showing the extent of the various sections shall be included as an appendix to the rules of the NRCC.”
Proposed J Lensen, seconded T Winterton; 21 For, 51 Against; failed.
D) Rule 23.4 Sections
Delete Rule 23.4.5 SECTION F Rule 23.4.5 SECTION F to read:
“Includes (i) all competitors whose lofts are situated South of Latitude 52* 40’ 00” N, North of Latitude 52* 20’ 00” N, and East of Longitude 0* (Greenwich Meridian), and (ii) all competitors whose lofts are situated North of Latitude 52* 40’ 00” North and East of Longitude 00* 40’ 00” E.”
Delete Rule 23.4.7 SECTION H Rule 23.4.7 SECTION H to read:
“Includes all competitors whose lofts are situated South of Latitude 52* 07’ 00” N, North of Latitude 51* 22’ 00” N, West of Longitude 00* 19’ 00” E, and East of Longitude 01* 45’ 00” W.”
Delete Rule 23.4.8 SECTION I Rule 23.4.8 SECTION I to read:
“Includes all competitors whose lofts are situated South of Latitude 52* 07’ 00” N, North of Latitude 51* 22’ 00” N, and East of Longitude 00* 19’ 00” E.
All other sub sections to Rule 23 to remain the same.”
Proposed J Buckle & Son, seconded Buckle & Carter;
25 For, 38 Against; failed.
Rule 3.3 Election and Conditions.
Delete in its entirety “E) Rule 3.3.3 The President, unless re-elected, will be selected from the retiring Vice-Presidents.
Proposed R Knight, seconded Mr Mrs Guilford; 53 For, 8 Against; carried.
Delete in its entirety “F) Rule 3.3.4 Vice-Presidents will have served at least three years as a Committee delegate immediately prior to a nomination for President, should they be proposed when this office becomes vacant.”
Proposed R Knight, seconded, Mr Mrs Guilford; 58 For, 7 Against; carried.
Delete in its entirety: “G) Rule 3.3.6 Nomination for Life Vice-President will only be accepted for members who have held the office of President, or served on the Committee for 10 consecutive years.”
Proposed R Knight, seconded Mr Mrs Guilford; 58 For, 6 Against; carried.
Update from George Wheatman
