January Press Release

This last year for the NRCC has seen some real positives. Our first race on the program is from Dunbar where we had an increase of 384 in birdage from 1,676 in 2023 up to 2,060 in 2024, with a total of 41 more members across the sections, putting their pigeons through the various marking stations. Thurso proved to be another really good choice of race point with the members, seeing a healthy increase in numbers, with Sections F and H showing the biggest rise in members sending. In 2023 143 members sent 1,113 birds whereas in 2024, 194 members sent 1,573 birds. That’s was an additional 460 birds loaded on to the transporter which can’t be bad! Although there wasn’t as big an increase reflected right across the race program throughout the rest of the season, there was still a healthy number of members sending a respectable amount of birds, showing that the NRCC is in a good position with both its membership and birdage.

Membership was 417 last year and going by current figures, on the way to exceeding that this year, with 394 so far at the last count. As well as the this.

The AGM saw some organisational changes within the committee with a restructuring of responsibilities. Long standing President Roger Sturges decided to step down Roger is one of five presidents from Leicester and has served in office for thirteen years, during his time he has sponsored a Gold Medal and stood guarantor for the £100 trophy nominations. Roger is not going far and remains on the committee for section ‘D’ and was voted in as a ‘Life Vice President.

he NRCC’s long standing and well-respected weather advisor, who has played a vital and challenging role for many years and who the NRCC thanks unreservedly for his freely given time and leaves big shoes to fill is Brian Garnham who has also taken the decision to stand down and will be replaced by Ray Luffman from Section H.

Ray Knight, who stepped in as secretary in 2015 stood down, 2025 sees him take on the role as President and a few other responsibilities which are yet to be defined. During his tenure as secretary Ray was the driving force behind the NRCC obtaining its own transporter and the introduction of the Day of Campions and wore many hats during the early days. Ray has always said ‘he is not an envelope shuffler’. Ray added, ‘the club had between 250 -275 members at our lowest and now we are at almost 400. Ray believes, that with the ‘right team,’ the club should continue to grow.

Ian Bellamy will remain in post as the NRCCs valued and well- respected Race Secretary with Steve Howells in a supporting role doing the race results for sections F, G, H and I. Both of these committee members are keen advocates of the TPRS software that the club uses and are looking to get more clock stations using this so that we can streamline the results and get the full completed result online as soon as possible.

Paul Crooks remains in post as Chairman and will be the liaising with all section and open winners. Christina Norman will now be in post as Administration Secretary. A whole lot of things will be coming under this banner for Christina, we won’t say too much yet all we will say is that she will be kept very busy!

The AGM also saw some changes on the management committee and for those that have stepped down, we thank you for your time and support and for those who have stepped up and those who remain in post, your support is greatly valued and we look forward to another year of working together for the membership.

Your current section committee members are; Section A: Roger Hallsworth and John Parker. Section B: Roger Buckley and Hubert Walker. Section C: Russ Skinner and Brian Garnham. Section D (E,) Graham Britton and Roger Sturgess. Section F: Steve Howells and James Howells. Section H: Ray Luffman. Section I: Robert Smith.

In addition to these changes, we are also very pleased to welcome Dave Pettitt to the NRCC who has been successfully appointed to the role of convoyer. Dave has a great deal of experience and has been convoying the Thames Valley birds since 2010. As well as this, Daves dad, Peter was also a convoyer who had over 40 years convoying service under his belt before retiring.

Another person standing down from his duties is our long-term driver Merv Greatrix, who wants to spend a little more time with his vintage tractors at the many rallies that are held throughout the summer. Merv has taken the NRCC pigeons to the race points since when Catterall’s ceased trading. He has always looked after the maintenance of the current transporter since we acquired it, taking it over and collecting it from Geraldy when we had the body fitted. Merv is not disappearing from the scene though, as he will be on board when we go to Lerwick this year as his experience on the islands will be most welcomed by Dave the new convoyer.

Driving our lorry will fall to Rob Kitchen and his father Ken. Rob runs his own fleet of trucks and the transporter has now moved to its new home at Robs haulage yard in Sleaford. The committee are very much looking forward to bringing the best possible season of racing to its members which we hope will continue to grow.

A full chart with the change of posts and restructuring will be available on-line to members in due course with the relevant contact information so that any enquiries may be directed to the right person in the first instance.

Moving onto futurity race news, in 2023 the NRCC held its first futurity race. With the rings selling at £5.00 each or, maximum five rings per person for £25.00, many members and non-members alike took the opportunity to enter, with the money raised from the ring sales and auctions totalling a healthy £24,000. This was split into two sections, an East Section and a West Section, with each section flying for £12000 made up of twelve prizes ranging from a first prize of £1,750 each for the breeder and buyer of the YBs down to the twelfth position where the breeder and buyer achieved £125,00 each. In 2024 the ring sales and money raised from the auctions totalled a whopping £32,000. Unfortunately, the 2024 futurity race was not to be with the weather not being favourable for a liberation. The difficult decision was made by the committee to bring the birds back and, after much deliberation, the prize money element of the race was divided by the 132 birds that were entered into the race and split 50/50 between the breeder and the buyer of each bird. The current ring sales for 2024 are going well and currently stand at 298.

The sale dates for futurity rung babies are every Tuesday evening starting at 7pm from the 18th February right through to the 13th May with the race taking place from Dunbar on Saturday, September 6th all being well and weather permitting. Should there be excessive numbers of YB’s available for the sales then other midweek sale dates may be added. Fanciers are advised to join the NRCC Watts app group to be able to watch the sales progression and participate.

If you have not yet joined the NRCC would like to do so an application form and details of the 2025 Futurity race can be found here or feel free to contact contact Ian Bellamy direct. If you are an existing member you can pay your subs or place your order on the web portal Pigeononline Members wishing to contact Christina may do so by emailing her at lincolnshirelondoner@gmail.com