NBRA | Constitution & Fly Rules

THE CONSTITUTION:

ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
The following will be elected at the AGM: President every Three Years, Chairperson every Two Years, Secretary/Treasurer Annually
The chairperson shall be responsible for the smooth running of the AGM. The chairperson shall have NO vote, but retains a casting vote to decide votes without a clear majority.

FREQUENCY
There will be three National Championship competitions held each year. This will normally commence the last week of September each year. To determine, using the current best standards available, the National Championship Kit for Old, Yearling and Young birds from within the affiliated clubs. To nominate the best individual Old, Young and yearling bird champion.

ELIGIBILTIY
All Bona fide Roller Clubs affiliated to the NBRA will be eligible. Each club shall be allowed to nominate their entrant BUT clubs are respectfully advised that NORMALLY the club winner will be the automatic nominee. Any club wishing to be affiliated to the NBRA shall be scrutinised and vetted by a representative of the association who will draw up rules guaranteeing that only Bona fide clubs and no single individuals are affiliated. Any affiliated club member qualifying for national championships will not be allowed to compete if they are found to be a member or part of any other National or federation (NFBR)

The NBRA definition of a bona fide club is as follows:
• The club will agree to abide by the NBRA Constitution
• Hold 3 flying competitions a year All of which have to be flown to National fly rules without exceptions
• Hold an annual general meeting of which the minutes must be sent to the secretary before the National Championship take place (names and addresses of qualifiers only, NOT full memberships)
• The fly validation sheets must be completed and returned to the NBRA secretary by the last Sunday in August
• The results of these competitions will be sent to NBRA secretary and then forwarded on to the NBRA website
• At least 5 members of the club must be flying in the club competition for the Old Bird, Young Bird, and 3 For Yearling,
• Demonstrate that the club is of a nature and standard suitable for entry into the association and the national competitionInitially, and if necessary, subsequently, the club will be vetted and supported in a report submitted by a committee member to the NBRA. AGM
• All secretary’s must attend the NBRA. AGM or a send a member to represent the club failing to do so will result in the club been fined £35 to be paid before the national championships take place.

None compliance to any of the above will result in an instant disqualification into the National Championships and be referred to the disciplinary committee

EXPENSES
Each club shall be responsible for the expenses of the National Judge. All clubs must pay cash a cash deposit to the NBRA on entering the competition and the remainder promptly upon receipt of a bill from the NBRA secretary. The NBRA allocate a judges fee of £300.00 plus expenses to allow the National Flies to be judged over a one week period. A time keeper/score may accompany the judge on the fly and if the judge wishes to do so they may share the judge’s fee.

TROPHIES
The NBRA will be responsible for the presentation of a trophy for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in the competition for old, young and yearling kits. Additionally, a trophy will be presented for the champion young /old bird and yearling individual performer. If they are a joint scores, then trophies will be awarded to both flyers. The judge, at his discretion may award runners up trophies in exceptional circumstances. The cost of engraving, insuring and replacing the main trophy is the responsibility of the NBRA.

JUDGING
The secretary of the NBRA is responsible for supplying proposal forms for clubs to nominate persons who they consider capable and willing of judging a National Fly. It is also possible that an overseas judge may be approached to judge the National Fly. The winners of the previous year’s fly along with any nominations to judge should be considered at the AGM. The judge is normally appointed at the AGM, although this responsibility can be delegated to the secretary by the approval of the AGM. The judge CANNOT be a current competitor.

ADMINISTRATION SECRETARY
The secretary of the NBRA will normally be the administrative secretary for the competition. In the event the NBRA secretary is indisposed, he/she will in the first instance pass the responsibility on to any member of the committee. Should no member of the committee accept the task, the secretary may nominate any person he/she feels capable of administering the competition, to do so.

The responsibilities of the administrative secretary are as follows:
• Ensuring Judges, competitors and club secretaries are aware of the current judging rules.
• Circulating application forms.
• Publishing results.
• Engraving the main trophies.
• Ensuring ring manufactures send out the right colour ring.
• Keep the records of all results.
• Selecting Judges in accordance with the constitution.
• Contacting the flyers that have been entered into the national championship and furnishing them with a structured fly schedule.
• Bring to the attention of the disciplinary committee any breach of the constitution or competition rules.
• Ensuring only eligible clubs compete.
• Invoicing clubs for judges fees.
• Keeping accounts on behalf of the NBRA.
• Presenting a report of the competition and financial state at each AGM.
• Ensuring judges fees are paid properly.
• Receiving complaints about the conduct of the competition and convene a disciplinary or extra-ordinary meeting as appropriate.
• Organising the Annual General Meeting (May).
• Furnishing club secretaries with proposal forms for election of officers and names of possible judges for the National Championships by the 1st October each year.
• Notifying clubs of results, time and date of AGM.
• Organising the presentation of the main trophies at the AGM.

FINAL DATES
The competition MUST be completed before the last day in December. All nominees MUST be received by the NBRA secretary along with the completed validation sheets by the last Sunday in august each year. Any proposals to be considered by the AGM must be formally submitted to the secretary on the form provided two month before the meeting. (The secretary will supply forms to all clubs by the 31st October, and return complete list of proposals for the club perusal by the 31st March)

DISPUTES
All disputes should be forwarded to the secretary who will convene a disciplinary committee to decide action.

MEETINGS
Meetings occurring between AGM’s
The quorum for all meetings should consist of a minimum of 5 associated club secretaries or association officers. The appointed chair of the meeting having no vote, but a casting vote in the event of a tied vote.
The decisions of the meeting should be decided on a straight majority vote.
The association secretary will normally be responsible for calling and convening extra meetings, otherwise meetings can only be called by any of the elected officers of the association i.e. President, Chair, or Treasurer, and with 2 other associated club secretaries.
The secretary will normally convene these meetings after a dispute or irregularity has been notified.
Note Meetings, other than the AGM, can be convened by physical or electronic means (telephone, phone app, conference calls etcetera).

Extra-ordinary meetings can be called for the purpose of urgent decision making which cannot wait for the next AGM.
For example:
• Settling associated club disputes.
• appointing a replacement officer of the association.
• An urgent need to negotiate temporary flying rule or constitutional changes.
• Appointing a replacement judge.
• Allocating funds for extra-ordinary circumstances.
• All decisions made by extra-ordinary meetings must be ratified by the next AGM if it is proposed for them to become permanent changes.

Disciplinary Committee:
The committee shall consist of association club secretaries or association officers who have no vested interest in the subject for discussion. The meeting may be called for any disciplinary reason, however for example:
• A club suspected of cheating e.g. rings issued before 1st January, or whatever date is set by the association.
• Sanctions may be imposed on individuals or associated clubs according to the decision of the committee.
• A member of a club reported to the association for breach of rules.
• A club, or member of a club bringing the hobby into disrepute.

However for guidance only these may be, for example:
• Suspension for a set time period (1 year, 5 years etc.) from entry into the National Competitions.
• A monetary fine applied either to the club or individual.
• Blacklisted named individual circulated to all associated club for a specified time period.

CHANGES IN CONSTITUTION
The constitution can only be changed by 60% MAJORITY VOTE of Secretaries/Chairmen/Nominee (one representative per club) of all NBRA affiliated clubs present by the AGM. Proposals for the changes in the constitution must be received by the secretary no later than the 31st March.

CHANGES IN FLYING RULES
Flying rules may be made by SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE of secretaries/Chairmen/Nominee (one representative per club) of all NBRA affiliated clubs present at the AGM. Proposals for changes in Flying Rules must be received by the secretary no later than the 31st March. Temporary changes may be made in between AGM’s by an extra-ordinary meeting if considered urgent.

PUBLISHING CHANGES
It is the responsibility of the NBRA Secretary to publish any changes in constitution or flying rules at the earliest convenience, preferably in the current pigeon journal of the day, website, social media, or by email to all concerned organisations.

THE NBRA HALL OF FAME
The Hall of Fame is recognition of any persons who have contributed to the developing roller interest and helped establish it to the standard as it stands today. CRITERIA FOR THIS IS: They will have had to have been an active flying roller fancier for at least 10 years. Card vote to be used when inducting individuals into the NBRA Hall of Fame.

ISSUING OF RINGS
The NBRA secretary to instruct ALL ring manufacturers to send rings to clubs affiliated to the NBRA direct to club secretaries by recorded delivery, but not to arrive before December 10th each year.
NO RINGS can be issued to the club members until January 1st each year. If rings are being posted to members than they cannot be posted before the 1st January each year.
All rings must be R size closed plastic or closed aluminium/closed aluminium plastic coated NO other rings can be used all clubs MUST inform the NBRA SECRETARY WERE THEY WILL BE PURCHASING THEIR RINGS.
If clubs DO NOT abide by this rule, clubs WILL NOT be eligible to fly in the National Yearling or Young Bird Flies, and the matter will be brought before the disciplinary committee.
All affiliated clubs will be issued with the same coloured rings. The ring manufacturers work on a 6 year colour cycle. The secretary will contact the ring manufacturers to furnish them with an up to date members list.

REWARD FUND
Only clubs that pays into the NBRA/AERC reward fund be entitled to use it, subject to a prosecution and the birds being returned.

FLY RULES

OLD AND YOUNG BIRD FLIES
That 5 KITS must be flown in club competition for 1 KIT to go forward in the National Championships Young and Old. Then it will be 12 KITS for 2 to go forward to the National Championship and then 10 thereafter.
E.G: 5=1, 12=2, 22=3, 32=4 etc, etc

YEARLING FLIES
Clubs must have at least 3 minimum fly entries in local club competitions to put one yearling kit forward to National Championships. Then for 8 entries it will be 2 kits to go forward and and 10 thereafter.
E.G: 3=1, 8=2, 18=3, 28=4 etc, etc

COMPETITORS ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO FLY A MAXIMUM OF 2 KITS PER AGE GROUP AND NO MORE
ANY COMPETITOR WHO HAS QUALIFIED WITH 2 KITS AND IS DUPLICATING BIRDS WILL BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A MINIMUM 24 HOUR GAP IF REQUESTED
IF A MEMBER IS FLYING MULTIPLE KITS IN THE FINAL THEY WILL BE ALLOWED THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLY THEM IN ANY ORDER BUT ONLY ON THE DAY. EXAMPLE: IF FLYING OLD BIRDS IN MORNING AND YOUNG BIRDS AT NIGHT ON THE SAME DAY KITS CAN BE SWAPPED OVER

1. The kit will consist of between fifteen to twenty birds, scored as a twenty bird kit, and the maximum kitting points will be the number of birds flown. Young birds must be rung with the current year's rings. Birds rung with rings issued by clubs before January 1st of each year will not be eligible for young bird contest. All old birds must be rung with rings other than the current year.

2. Before the competition the judge shall satisfy himself that all birds are properly rung and eligible for the competition. A list of ring numbers must be available to the judge, who is responsible for forwarding this list to the NBRA secretary for inclusion on the certificate. Birds must be the property of the competitor and rings transferred if appropriate, to club rules.

3. At liberation a reasonable time should be allowed for birds to become airborne. There should be no restriction to the methods employed to ensure birds become airborne, BUT positively no interference will be allowed once the birds are on the clock.

4. Duration of the fly is twenty minutes, although there will be no penalties or disqualification once the birds have flown for 15 minutes.

5. Any attempt to distract a bird from settling during the duration of the competition will result in disqualification of the kit. Any bird rolling down before 15 minutes of the fly will incur a 25 point deduction. Any bird landing for whatever reason before the fifteen minutes, minus 25 points per bird, max two birds. Any birds dropping after this, kit disqualified.

6. In the event of the kit splitting into two, the biggest number shall be judge, or in the event of an equal split, the competitor may choose which half is to be judged.

7. If a kit should fly out of the sight of a judge, the birds may be taken off the clock for a total aggregate time of TEN MINUTES at the judges' discretion. Any time off the clock will be counted in the duration of the fly time; i.e. bird having flown for five minutes and also ten minutes off the clock have flown the minimum fifteen minutes to avoid penalty points.

8. If during the competition, additional birds join the kit, the judge should stop judging the birds until the foreign birds leave the kit or as in rule seven, after ten minutes the entire kit should be judge including the stray birds.

9. The kit should fly in a compact formation and the beginning and end of the roll should be tight and not sloppy. The birds should satisfy the judges' concept of a Birmingham Roller BEFORE any points are awarded. An addition of up to a maximum of 200 points can be awarded for overall quality of the kit.
THESE POINTS ARE AWARDED AT THE JUDGES DISCRETION BUT IT SHOULD BE POINTED OUT THAT THESE SHOULD BE THE MOST DIFFICULT POINTS TO EARN.

10. Up to 20 points can be awarded for kitting.

11. Scoring of points shall follow the accepted norm. i.e. :
5 - 9 birds rolling spontaneously together 1 point per bird.
10-14 birds rolling spontaneously together score 2 points per bird.
15-19 birds rolling spontaneously together score 3 points per bird.
FULL TURN = 200 POINTS ....ALL BIRDS ROLL SPONTANEOUSLY

12. Judes should judge kits from a position offering most advantage to the competitor. However, the position adopted by the judge should neither distract the kit nor compromise his/her safety. The judges decision on the matter is final.

13.The judge shall leave a copy of the score with the competitor and the NBRA secretary will furnish full results to all Affiliated club secretaries.

14. No competitors are eligible to judge.

15. The judge shall submit a complete list of results to the NBRA secretary at the end of the competition. (The duplicate result sheets.)

16. In the event of a Hawk Attack, the judge is to make sure it is a definite hawk attack. The judge has to be flexible with reference to the kit being taken off the clock when the kit is attacked by a hawk. (30 minutes maximum for birds to regroup after the attack). If all birds drop as a result of hawk attack the kit is not disqualified and the score at that time to stand. If near the end of a fly a hawk attacks the kit, the score to stand. If the hawk makes a definite kill, no kitting points deducted, due to the hawk taking a bird or birds.

17. When a member is flying more than one kit, the second kit is to released 45 minutes after time is called on the first kit. Failure to do so will incur disqualification to the second kit.

SUMMARY:
DISQUALIFY CRITERIA: INTERFERING WITH THE BIRDS WHILST ON THE CLOCK.
PENALTY POINTS: BIRDS ROLLING DOWN BEFORE 15 MINUTES - MINUS 25 PTS.
BIRD DROPS BEFORE 15 MINUTES - MINUS 25 POINTS PER BIRD (2 BIRDS MAXIMUM) ANY BIRD DROPPING AFTER THIS, KIT DISQUALIFIED.