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sale starts 7pm.
2009 champions
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| MIDLANDS NATIONAL FLYING CLUB |
Throughout Scotland many fanciers, for various reasons, became disaffected with the SHU, but having exercised their right of choice and transferred to membership of other Unions due to an archaic rule they then found themselves effectively denied the right to fly in the SNFC.
Although unanimously recommended by the SNFC Management Committee to their membership at the 2005 AGM, the meeting narrowly failed to give the required two-thirds majority in favour of changing Rule 3 of the Constitution. This would have allowed membership to “a member of any recognised Union” instead of only to “a member of the SHU”. The votes were for the status quo 128 (38%) for the amendment 208 (62%). The consequence of this was that hundreds of respected distance fanciers were effectively barred from participating in national racing. Many of these had been life-long members of the SNFC, contributing in no small way to the strong financial position the SNFC was in and, in many ways, the backbone of the club.
With many Fanciers unable to compete in national racing a group began to explore the possibility of forming a new national club in Scotland. On the 3rd February 2005 a meeting took place and agreement was reached on a Constitution and Rules and the new Scottish National Racing Pigeon Club was formed. A series of informal meetings took place to promote the club, explain the workings, and listen to the concerns of prospective members with an Inaugural Meeting taking place on the 27th February 2005. Over 150 members attended and elected to office were; George Wilson – President, and John Baillie - Secretary, together with a strong, experienced committee.
The committee wasted no time in getting down to the business of organising the club and the first season’s race programme. Over the ensuing months many donations were received in cash and kind: computers, transport, stationery, time and expertise, along with one other very important ingredient – Goodwill.
With over 400 members and an extremely successful Young Bird Sale in addition to the above donations, the fledgling club was on a strong financial footing from the outset and well placed to achieve its goals.
The 2005 season race programme consisted of 5 races: Newbury, Alençon, Cholet, Falaise and Leicester YB. These produced many marvellous performances from the cream of Scottish national distance pigeon fanciers. At the end of the season 150 members & guests attended our inaugural Dinner Dance & Presentations, a marvellous evening held at the Cairn Hotel, Bathgate.
Not everything has been plain sailing – there has been continued opposition to our considerable success. Despite this, much has been achieved in our short history, through honesty and integrity coupled with our mutual desire to promote national pigeon racing in Scotland.
There is no point in looking back at what might have been – we must look to the future at what can be achieved. The Scottish National Racing Pigeon Club is the only national club in Scotland open to every fancier in Scotland regardless of which Association they are members of, and we look forward to welcoming many more nationally minded fanciers in the future.