Racing from France
It was with mixed feelings and stilted jubilation when the news came through that DEFRA would licence us to race from France and Belgium. I know that the vast majority of south road racers will be pleased but the 400 mile limit from the south coast of Britain means that we can only race from as far south as Bordeaux and Bergerac. Clearly that is not good news for organisations like the BICC and the BBC whose premier races take place from more southerly race points. I am still trying to work things out with DEFRA on this but they seem pretty adamant that 400 miles is the limit. The other fly in the ointment was the 7 days isolation period of all birds racing from the continent. DEFRA were insistent on some form of isolation period and we had hoped that this would be a 5 day period. Despite challenging this the 7 days sticks. This ultimately means that if you send a pigeon to a continental race it cannot be raced the following weekend either on a continental race or within the UK. If it arrives home more than 72 hours after liberation this isolation period rises to 3 weeks. The onus will be on individuals to toe the line here as clearly it will be impossible to police this. The new General Licence can be found at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/ani.../genlicence.htm

A Team Effort
I am very grateful to the many fanciers and friends that have called, written and e mailed thanking me for my efforts in achieving continental racing. Your comments are much appreciated but I will say that this was very much a team effort and we should not underestimate the role that the WHPU, NEHU and NWHU representatives also put into the meetings. Indeed there was also a very persuasive veterinary document submitted on behalf on the NFC. What I did feel was very important was to keep the fancy informed and this has been possible through the assistance of the editors of the BHW and Racing Pigeon (thanks guys), updates on the RPRA website and of course the AI email update that is going out to over 200 people now. This has ensured that the news as and when has got around the houses as soon as we have had it.

Next Phase
Racing might well be secured for the summer (please note the new licence is only current until 31st July 06) but I must now start renegotiations on the showing and sales side of things for the autumn. I reckon it is a good bet that AI is not going to go away over the winter and off course whether it is racing, showing or selling we must expect some disruption and revocation of the licence conditions if there is another outbreak. We send our trade stand packs out for the Blackpool Show in September so there will be no peace for the wicked this summer.

A Great Privilege
On Saturday June 10th I was privileged to attend Peterborough Cathedral for the 40th anniversary of the charity ASBAH, the charity for spina bifida and hydrocephalus. I was invited on behalf on the BHW Show of the Year Committee as a VIP guest, as the Show is now ASBAH’s single largest supporter with over £400,000 over the last 34 years. This was commented on by several of the other VIPs at the service and also by their patron HRH the Duchess of Gloucester to whom I was introduced after the service. She knew all about the show, our donations and the Royal loft at Sandringham. After the luncheon several people spoke about their experiences of ASBAH, and how they had supported their families when the chips were down, faced with a child with spina bifida or hydrocephalus. It was heart warming to know that the donations we have made over the years really have made so much difference to so many families and individuals. You the fancy are held in great esteem.

Factoids
I don’t know if you listen to the Radio 2 Steve Wright Show on weekday afternoons. Steve has a sidekick on the show called Tim Smith. Well Tim was sat on my table for lunch. His sister had for many years been a fundraiser for ASBAH. Anyway, I mentioned to Tim that I had a bone to pick with him. On the weekday show they give out short but interesting facts (factoids) about all sorts of things. I told him that about 3 years ago I sent him some about racing pigeons, thinking we might get a free plug but they hadn’t used them. Anyway he has promised to have a look at them when I send them through again so listen in and see if we get a mention. I understand that even on Ann Robinson’s the Weakest Link there was a question recently. ‘Who has the most members, the Conservative Party or the RPRA?’ Yes folks, it’s us!

Ring Lists Please
There are still some secretaries from whom we awaiting their ring lists. It is very important that we receive these as a matter of urgency now and certainly before you start training those youngsters so if you still have not sent the ring list in for your club please do so urgently.

Distance Applications
If club secretaries have distance applications that they require back by email they must ONLY be sent to mel@rpra.org. Due to the high volume of e mails it would assist us greatly if you were to put the club number in the ‘subject’ line of your e mail.

Manchester Peregrines
I was recently sent a link from the Manchester Evening News from B Ashcroft and also had a call from Albert Langlsow both telling me about the peregrines on a building in the centre of Salford. After Albert’s call I searched the web and found several sites in Britain where peregrines have set up home on church buildings, tower blocks etc in places like Exeter, Bath, and Brighton. It makes me laugh that DEFRA and the birdy people made this great play during the 2000 Raptor Working Group report that we should have race routes to avoid peregrine areas but how can urban fanciers avoid the darned things if they are smack bang in the middle of a town or city? I shall be writing to DEFRA’s Minister Ben Bradshaw to see what response we get because they seem to be hypocrites, telling us one thing and condoning another.

Peter Bryant
General Manager
The Royal Pigeon Racing Association