
Race Rules
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1. All lofts competing in races with Club, Federations, National and Combines under the auspices of the Welsh Homing
Pigeon Union shall have their loft positions determined by the Global Positioning System (GPS). All distances thereafter
to be calculated to the latitude and longitude of the loft position obtained.
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2. All Welsh Homing Pigeon Union Members, Clubs, Federations and Combines must have all race distances calculated by
the Welsh Homing Pigeon Union Global Positiong System (GPS)
(b) The Welsh Homing Pigeon Union disallows duplication from races flown under auspices of any other regulatory body back into the Welsh Homing Pigeon Union, Affiliated Clubs, Federations or Combines. In the event of simultaneous liberations, arrival times will be accepted from outside Organisations, but results must be calculated using WHPU measurements.
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3. In produce races and stakes flown on similar lines it shall be deemed to be the RING and not the BIRD that is entered.
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4. No unringed bird shall be flown in any race or exhibited in any show held by or under the Rules of the Union. Split rings
are classified as unrung.
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5. It shall be the duty of each Affiliated Society to ensure that each Member's birds when entered for any race are either
wing stamped with the Official Club stamp, a personal stamp or a closed name and address ring/telephone number split
ring/ETS sticker. Disciplinary action will be taken against individual Members and any Society not complying with this
Rule. SPOT CHECKS BY EXECUTIVE MEMBERS OR FEDERATION OFFICIALS MAY BE CARRIED OUT AT MEMBER SOCIETIES
TO ENSURE ADHERENCE TO THIS RULE.
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6. All birds competing in a Race will be race marked with rubber rings approved by the Union. No Member shall be allowed
to race mark or basket his own birds and a minimum of four (4) Member Lofts must present at race marking and
basketing of birds. After baskets have been sealed there must be a minimum of two (2) Member Lofts to ensure control
and security of birds until despatch.
7. Birds competing in races must be ringed with recognised Union rings and registered in the books of the appropriate
Union and must be the bonafide property of the Members entering them and registered with the appropriate Union in
his/her or their names. All birds must fly to a Member's loft and be shown, if requested, to two (2) Members of the
Committee at any time within three (3) days of the race date. Said parties to have the right to toss the birds 100 yards
from the loft and to see if it re-enters the owner's loft.
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8. All birds will be conveyed at Owner's risk and no bird suffering from disease, disablement or vermin of any kind will be
allowed in basket. The decision of Basket Committee as appointed at the Annual General Meeting to be final.
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9. Prizes will be awarded on the system of velocity proper. The bird flying the greatest number of yards or fractional parts
of a yard per minute shall be declared the winner.
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10. In arriving at the best average velocity, the total distance flown and the total time occupied by each competitor's first
bird in each race to be taken, and the average velocity calculated from such time and distance. Any competitor failing to #
time in from any one race cannot qualify for Club Averages except in the case of a race where no competitors time an
arrival, in which case the race will be disregarded for average purposes. When a programme cannot be completed
through unforeseen circumstances, this Rule is to be applied. All average trophies and special prizes unless otherwise
stated to be flown in accordance with this Rule.
11. Only Members entering birds for competition in every declared race of that category of the race programme (i.e. Young
Birds, Old Birds, Scottish, Land Average, etc), shall be entitled to compete for average prizes on the basis that the only
races in which he has failed to enter pigeons have subsequently for whatever reason been declared void.
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12. In the event of there being fewer birds timed in than there are prizes, the prizes not won shall be equally divided
amongst the birds timed in.
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13. Any objections to the Race Result must be made to the Secretary in writing within seven (7) days of publication. Where
prizes or pool money are paid out and errors are discovered, all monies thus paid out must be refunded.
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14. Should any bird arrive without a Race Rubber the bird will be disqualified from taking any position in that Race.
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15. All Race and Pool Sheets must be written in ink or indelible pencil stating full ring particulars, colour and sex.
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16. Club Secretaries unless otherwise stated shall retain under seal all Race Sheets and Race Ring Duplicates with the
exception of their own, which shall be held by the President or other nominee of the Club appointed to do so.
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17. Race to close when velocity reaches 220 yards per minute.
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18. Federation and Societies must insert on Race Sheets, outside number of rubber ring or rings.
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19. Duplicate of rubber rings shall be retained until the Annual General Meeting of the Union.
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20. Federation and Societies shall be responsible for retaining race sheets for a minimum period of one year.
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21. In races of two or more days, Federations must declare "Hours of Darkness". Old Birds: 10.30p.m. to 4.30a.m: Young
Birds: 8.00p.m. to 7.00a.m. Race to close 8.00p.m. on the first day. Race to open at 7.00a.m. on the second day.
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22. The Queen's Cup, Prince of Wales (Best Performance Cup opposite route to Queens). T G Buffet Trophy (runner up to
Queens), W G Bowen Sprint Cup (races flown up to 300 miles) J O Davies Cup (Young Bird cup), selection of the Winners for the aforementioned Cups be carried out by an outside body. All performances for the Union Trophies must be flown
under Welsh Homing Pigeon Union Rules. With regard to the Queen's Cup, T.G. Buffet Memorial Trophy and Prince of
Wales Trophy, performance qualification must be races of 300 miles or over. Queen's Cup -sent performance(s) over 300
miles under WHPU miles. Winners of these Cups and Trophies are responsible for their return to the Secretary of the
Welsh Homing Pigeon Union on or before the first day of October following the presentation. Failure to do so will result in
the cost of collection (in the sum not exceeding £25) being charged to the Member failing to return the same in
accordance with the provisions of this Rule, and in the event of such sum not being paid within twenty-eight (28) days of
demand being made, the Executive Body shall have the right to suspend such Member from the privileges of the Welsh
Homing Pigeon Union until such time as this sum shall have been paid in full.
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23. That all Member Organisations i.e. Federations, Amalgamations, Combines, etc., Affiliated to the Welsh Homing Pigeon
Union must submit to the Welsh Homing Pigeon Union Secretary not later than 1st March, each year a full race
programme. This to include proposed sites, dates and times of liberation, as well as a contact telephone number of
Secretary/Race Controller. Failure to do so could forfeit the Organisation's right to compete in the said season until such
time as the afore-mentioned details are provided.