DEFRA Meeting
At long last we have been informed of the Stakeholders meeting with DEFRA to discuss racing in 2007. It will be on 14th December in London and Pat Mitchell and I will attend from the RPRA. The first thing to say is that I do not expect any firm decisions to be made by DEFRA on that day and I’ll tell you why. I have been busy over the last couple of weeks collating information from various sources and will have prepared a briefing document for DEFRA which will be presented to them a week or so before the meeting. In short it will indicate the problems we had in the 2006 season both financially and operationally, the contradiction in their policy to only let us race 400 miles from the south coast, a copy of the very latest AI Pigeon research and our considerations on what we would like to see in the 2007 licence. I have mentioned in previous Views that the rationale they gave for the 400 mile limit was because if pigeons landed on an infected French farm the pigeons could bring the disease back to the UK mechanically. However, this seems to contradict other advice on the DEFRA website about how long AI remains active and I am hoping that my argument will blow theirs for a restriction on distance out of the water. Coupled with that the fact that there were no outbreaks of AI in France after the spring and certainly whilst we were racing it also makes their restriction of no young bird racing rather implausible. Pat and I, along with Presidents of the other unions will do our best for you but I do feel that we are in a much stronger position than we were last year. I would expect to hear from DEFRA sometime early in the New Year about how they anticipate the licence to go. I am sure that we all respect the fact that should there be an AI outbreak then stricter restrictions would follow. The crux is that the RPRA cannot take another racing season as we have had and I know that organisations face the same financial problems. I have already had to take measures here at the Reddings with staff considerations.
Lobby, lobby, lobby!
I was privileged to attend the Midland National’s recent prize presentation and it was a splendid evening. As is the case when you present the prizes, one normally has to ‘sing for your supper’ and so I did say a few words. All gathered did want to know what the latest was on continental racing and of course there was little progress to report other than to say, with earnest, that I would try my very hardest to get things returned to some normality for 2007. What I did say however was that it is everyone’s responsibility, everyone that is in fact reading this View, to make representations to their MP to tell them the difficulties you have had as individual flyers and as clubs. Pressure your MPs to pressure DEFRA. Before the meal Dr Geoff Richmond told me that he had recently had the opportunity to go to a meeting attended by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown. The meeting was ostensibly about training in the workplace but Geoff managed to hand Mr Brown a letter with his concerns about pigeon racing and the DEFRA restrictions. Mr Brown agreed to read the letter later. Well done Geoff is all I say, there is nothing like grasping the nettle when you have an opportunity.
Me and 2 legends
The previous weekend I was invited as a guest to the Lancashire Social Circle’s Centenary dinner at Southport. It was a truly splendid evening and my thanks to the Committee and members there for the invitation. Some genius placed me between 2 real legends at the dinner table. I was sat between Guy Barrett, always good company and a young man called Joe Haworth. Joe had me in stitches for most of the evening, he has a very infectious laugh and I couldn’t quite believe how much his son Spencer was like his Dad, even down to the same laugh. I was sorry to hear that John Archer was not well. I met John at a previous LSC dinner and we got on really well particularly as I learnt that he used to play soccer for my team, Bristol City. I hope you are feeling better soon John.
Alvin Langham
It seems we had no sooner bid farewell to one member of Council in Bill Peacock when we received the news that Alvin Langham had also died. Alvin had been on Council for only about 3 or 4 years, taking over from Dennis Read as an East Midland region representative. His quite persona at the Council meeting did not however replicate into the sort of worker for the pigeon world that he was. I know that he worked hard as secretary of the Leicestershire NR Federation as well as other clubs, so a stalwart. We shall miss Alvin and our thoughts are with his family.
DDA/ETS
There is no doubt which topic seems to be on everyone’s minds at present, that of ETS and whether this will be accepted, must be accepted or will never be accepted. It is good to bring these issues into the open and the debate appears to be healthy. I reiterate that we (you) need to address the issue of the Disability Discrimination Act so whether ETS will fit the bill remains to be seen. It truly is an emotive issue but as I said in response to a letter recently, I am yet to see any plausible alternatives from the anti ETS brigade as to how we can meet the remit of the DDA amendment. We must do something. I have said previously that without such alternative the only solution I can see is the introduction of ETS but perhaps with a 10 or 20 second penalty for anyone using it, disabled or not. I am sure that these comments will cause further debate so if you are going to disagree with me please be constructive, tell us what you would do to fulfil the DDA.
RPRA 2007 One Loft Race
I have just received the open race licence numbers and so the 2007 One Loft race will be advertised in the BHW shortly (probably the week of 8th December). The entry form will also appear from this date on the RPRA website. We are in the process of revamping the RPRA, BHW and 1LR websites, they will soon all appear under the RPRA banner but I cannot confirm exactly when that will happen so the rules will go on the RPRA website just to make sure. Our loft managers Jeremy Davies and Paul Stocker will also be at Blackpool to sell the remaining spaces so you will find them in the ballroom next to the RPRA stand. We sold out by February this year so if you do not want to be disappointed then don’t delay to get your deposit in. If you are not in it then you cannot win it! What a great Christmas pressie an entry would make!!
More Publicity
I am pleased to say that we continue to receive good publicity for the sport. After the press release on our financial losses Gerry Francis eventually appeared on Radio 4. I also wrote to the Guardian about the DEFRA culling policy, or lack of one, after I read that goats in Snowdonia were to be culled. We almost got a slot on the Today problem about predation. Anyway there is positive news about pigeon racing for 2007. I was in touch with a television production company earlier this year who wanted to do something on our One Loft Race in conjunction with the South African one. I did suggest that I thought it would be better to do a whole season rather than just come in at the end for the final race. Well the production team went back to their backers who have now given them a contract to produce 4 films so they will be covering the Blackpool Show, the Olympiad in Ostend the following weekend, then off to South Africa for the million dollar race, and covering the RPRA and Europa one loft races. All in all some good anticipated coverage.
Peter Bryant
General Manager
The Royal Pigeon Racing Association
