By Janet Hull

The North West Classic Club held a committee meeting on Sunday 4th February 2007 at the Boars Head Hotel, Middlewich. All members of the committee were in attendance and even though the Avian Flu outbreak had been confirmed that weekend all were upbeat and positive with regards the 2007 Racing Season continuing as normal.

Last year many organisations including the NWCC spent hours in meetings discussing and implementing contingency plans in case Continental racing did not progress. As the situation was fluid and ever changing this led to much confusion and resentment by Fanciers countrywide as Organisations changed their race programmes on numerous occasions over the first five months of 2006. Having learnt from this the NWCC committee decided that no contingency plans would be discussed at this stage and that they would look to the 2007 Season positively and plan for the years racing in this vein. The committee had agreed at the previous meeting a race programme in principle which would include 3 old bird land races, 4 old bird channel races, 1 young bird land race, 1 young bird open race and 1 young bird channel race. The members of the committee had been working hard to secure transport for the Club on the required dates since the last committee meeting and a number of options were put forward to the meeting. RPTS have transported the NWCC birds for the past two years and the committee members were extremely pleased that RPTS would continue transporting the Club for the 2007 Season. The NWCC will have its own transporter for Fougeres, Messac and St Nazaire plus the three old bird Portland races provided by RPTS at a very competitive rate. Space may be available for other small Specialist Clubs on the transporter please contact Andy Galley for further details if your organisation is interested. Bookings have already been received from Middlewich Two Bird Club and Bamfords Old Bird Channel Challenge Race.  

Race Programme 2007

26/5/07 Fougeres, 02/6/07 Portland, 09/6/07 Messac, 16/6/07 Portland, 23/6/07 St Nazaire, 30/6/07 Portland, ? /7/07  Niort (Will be liberated either 13/7 or 15/7 no Saturday Liberation due to Bastille Day in France), 01/9/07 Swainswick, 08/9/07 Portland ( Open Race), 15/9/07 Picauville incorporating the NWCC Gold Ring Race 2007.

North West Classic Club Awards 2007

A number of years ago the North West Classic Club moved away from Club Averages and introduced a number of Prestigious Awards that Fanciers could aspire to winning based on coefficients. The coefficient takes into account the number of birds competing in a race as well as finishing position and they are used by many organisations particularly on the Continent to provide a fairer and truer result. These were introduced into the NWCC to offer the small flyer equal opportunities in gaining recognition for their racing abilities and to reward Fanciers that consistently compete in the Club races. For the 2007 Season all winners of these Awards will receive a memento of their achievements due to Sponsorship having been secured.  

Championship Loft 2007 Awards are sponsored by Elimar Pigeon Services www.elimarpigeons.com . For the Championship Loft Awards only the first five entries listed on the competitors entry form qualify for inclusion in the Fanciers overall coefficient. One of these five birds must be timed in the specified races which are for 2007 Season Fougeres, Messac, St Nazaire, Niort and young bird Picauville. Thus every member competes for these awards with a maximum of five birds regardless of how many they send overall. There will be three Section Championship Loft Awards plus an overall Open Winner.

Championship Sprint Loft 2007 Awards are sponsored by Roger and Pat Sutton of Astbury Pigeon Supplies www.elimarpigeons.com/AstburyPigeonSupplies.htm For the Champions Sprint Loft Awards only the first five entries listed on the competitors entry form qualify for inclusion in the Fanciers overall coefficient. One of these five birds must be timed in the specified races which are for 2007 Season are the three old bird Portland races and young bird Swainswick. Thus every member competes for these awards with a maximum of five birds regardless of how many they send overall. There will be three Section Championship Sprint Loft Awards plus an overall Open Winner.

Ace Pigeon Awards 2007 are sponsored by Elimar Pigeon Services www.elimarpigeons.com. The Ace Pigeon Awards pitch individual pigeons against each other and are awarded to the pigeon with the highest coefficient at specified races, which are for the 2007 Season Niort and either Messac or St Nazaire. There will be three Ace Pigeon Awards one for each Section plus an overall open winner.

Ace Sprint Pigeon Awards 2007 are sponsored by Roger and Pat Sutton of Astbury Pigeon Supplies www.elimarpigeons.com/AstburyPigeonSupplies.htm. The Ace Sprint Pigeon Awards pitch individual pigeons against each other and are awarded to the pigeon with the highest coefficient at specified races. The specified races for the 2007 Season are the three old bird Portland races. There will be three Ace Pigeon Awards one for each Section plus an overall open winner.

Hall of Fame 2007 Award is sponsored by Elimar Pigeon Services www.elimarpigeons.com. The Hall of Fame Award pitches individual pigeons against each other and is awarded to the pigeon with the highest coefficient at specified races, which are Messac, St Nazaire and Niort for the 2007 Season. The bird must be clocked at all three races and the pigeon with the highest coefficient will win this highly acclaimed Award. In order to recognise the achievement of winning The Hall of Fame Award the Fancier will receive a framed photograph of the bird and the photograph will feature on the Clubs prize cards courtesy of Elimar Pigeon Services.

Website

Secretary Andy Galley has a serious interest in building web sites and is a computer and Internet whiz kid. Andy felt that the existing NWCC web site was out dated and far too complicated so he has developed a new fresher looking site. Andy will endeavour to keep developing the site throughout the year so keep a check on this exciting new site for all the latest Club information, liberation times, race reports, sponsor profiles etc. The new web site address is www.northwestclassicclub.com.

Sponsorship pledged for 2007

The NWCC has over the years become renowned for the amount of Sponsorship it attracts. This is due to the amount of publicity the Sponsors receive throughout the year both in the Fancy Press and on the Club's paperwork. A number of Sponsors are already on board for the 2007 Season with some sponsoring races and others sponsoring the prize night, i.e. Replicas, Awards etc. The race sponsors are Fougeres – Club President Derek Woodward, Messac – Gary Spavins Herbal Teas and Tinctures for Racing Pigeons www.spavinsherbs.co.uk, St Nazaire – Phil Brown of RPTS, Niort – Geoff and Paula Bebbington, Swainswick – pigeon chat www.pigeon-chat.com, Picauville – Gem Supplements www.gemsupplements.com. The Prize Presentation Sponsors are as follows; Replicas for section and open winners in the four old bird channel races – Harrison and Hull www.harrisonhullracingpigeons.co.uk, Open winners in all old and young bird land races – Bamfords Top Flight www.bamfords.co.uk, Championship Loft, Ace Pigeon and Hall of Fame Awards - Elimar Pigeon Services www.elimarpigeons.com, Championship Sprint Loft and Ace Sprint Pigeon Awards – Astbury pigeon supplies www.elimarpigeons.com/AstburyPigeonSupplies.htm. Pigeon chat www.pigeon-chat.com is also sponsoring the NWCC stand at the BHW Show of the Year 2008 by contributing three quarters of the Club’s stand costs.

Sponsorship Opportunities 2007

There are still a number of sponsorship spots available and anyone wishing to get on board will be welcomed. The three old bird Portland races, the Portland Young bird race and the Picauville Gold Ring Race are still available as is a prize night sponsor for replicas for all old and young bird land races. What do you get in return for sponsoring? We can offer at the NWCC an excellent sponsors package which includes a sponsor profile and website link and/or contact details on the Clubs website, an A5 flyer or such (provided by yourself) included in the Members Race Pack, your details on Club Literature, inclusion of your logo if required on race results, sponsor profile included in race reports published in the Fancy Press, race or award will be named after the sponsor.  Anyone wishing to get involved in this fantastic package please contact Andy Galley by 21st March 2007 so that your details can be included in the Members race pack

Marking Stations 2007

There will be three marking stations for the coming season. Preston station at the Anchor Inn, Croston Road, Lostock Hall at Old Lodge HS Headquarters remains the same, marking station officer Janet Hull. Marking station officer Jeanette Taylor and her team of helpers will run the new Manchester station at the Failsworth Liberal Club. The Middlewich station at the Boars Head Hotel has a new marking station officer Rita O’Hare who will I am sure run this marking station exceeding well with the support of the existing marking and clock team. Thanks Rita for stepping in.

Gold Ring Race 2007

The 2007 Gold Rings are available from Andy Galley, Janet Hull and Roger Sutton. They are priced at £10 each and members can purchase up to a maximum of 20 rings. The Gold Ring Race for 2007 will be flown from Picauville on 15th September in conjunction with the members Picauville race.

Subscriptions and New Applications 2007

Subscriptions of £15 for the 2007 Season are now due and should be forwarded to the Secretary Andy Galley, 16 Hibbert Cres, Failsworth, Manchester. M35 0RQ Tel 0161 657 1897, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The Classic is open to lofts flying at least 407 miles from Nantes within the radius of 2.00.00 W on the eastern boundary and Open on the Western boundary. There are three corridor sections each with prize monies and pools as well as open prize money and pools; the NWCC paid out nearly £23,000 during 2006. The NWCC is unique in that offers specialist racing both on land and channel thus catering for all Northwest Fanciers. Members wishing to join the NWCC should contact Andy for an application form, subscriptions for 2007 are £15 and the joining fee is £5. Come on get your applications in and compete with the best this year. Existing members, please forward your 2007 subs of £15 to Andy Galley as soon as possible.

My contact details. Janet Hull 205 Brownedge Rd, Bamber Bridge, Preston, Lancs PR5 6UT

Tel. 01772 467882 or 467794 Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website  www.harrisonhullracingpigeons.co.uk

15/2/07