Central Midlands Federation.

(Founded March 2025)

Inaugural Rules for 2025

1.The Central Midlands Federation shall be affiliated to the NWHU and shall consist
of clubs and their individual members that are within the boundaries of the WV, ST,
DY postcodes, all applications to be subject to the Management committee’s
decision.

2. The CMF Management Committee are required to be nominated by their
respective Clubs and assume independent control of all issues in the best interests
of the CMF and it’s affiliated clubs.

3. Clubs eligible for affiliation must be members of the NWHU and comply with rule 1
of the CMF and race to a uniform system of distances either current distances they
hold as issued by the RPRA or distances issued by the NWHU.

4. Affiliated Clubs to pay an annual subscription based on their membership
numbers which will be decided upon annually by the committee, fees must be paid
by 14th February each year.

5. The object of the CMF shall be to economise in convoying birds for the purposes
of Inland and Continental racing, furthermore it’s requested that clubs wait until they
receive their Invoice from the CMF and make payment by Cheque or Bank Transfer.
If paying by Cheque or Online please indicate which race the payment covers,
Invoices to be paid within 14days of the Invoice.

6. Any Club wishing to resign must do so before the A.G.M. or they will be held liable
for the ensuing year’s subscription, any Club resigning will forfeit all claims on CMF
assets.

7. The CMF shall not be dissolved except by a two thirds majority vote of the voting
member clubs only present at a special meeting called for the purpose and of which
14days notice (minimum) has been given to all Clubs in writing either by Email or
Post.

8. A further meeting shall be held to confirm such resolution. In the event of the CMF
being disbanded under the rules, the assets of the CMF shall be realised and the
proceeds divided equally amongst the then active member Clubs convoyed by the
CMF.

9. The Management Committee shall consist of 1 delegate from each affiliated Club
selected from within their own membership, each Club shall have 1 vote. Posts to be
filled will be as follows: President, Vice President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Admin
Secretary, Race Secretary, Treasurers, Auditors.

10. The entries administration of the CMF be vested in the Management Committee
for the time being, who shall have power to make such levies, regulations and
conditions as they may from time to time deem necessary, and will communicate to
all clubs following said decisions.

11. Matters of urgency shall be dealt with by the Management Committee (as per
rule 9).

12. The CMF committee to act as transport committee and to be responsible for
anything concerning Convoying and the business side of the road transport as part
of the convoying responsibilities for the CMF for Inland/Channel racing.

13. The CMF secretary upon receipt of a requisition, or copy of a resolution, passed
by a majority asking for a special meeting to consider any specific subject, must call
a meeting within 14 days giving the subject to be dealt with and no other business to
be dealt with.

14. Should any dispute arise on any matter connected with the CMF the aggrieved
party/parties shall follow a standard Grievance procedure.

15. The CMF Secretary has authority to place items on the agenda of any meetings
which he/she thinks will be of benefit to the CMF and its members.

16. The Race Programme meeting: Will take place at a general meeting of the
CMF Management Committee.

17 Race Programmes and Rules to be decided by the CMF Management
Committee, however Overseas races will be on an Open race Basis.

18. The Balance Sheet Meeting: The Balance Sheet will be sent out to all member
Clubs secretaries giving at least 14days notification of the meeting to discuss said
Balance Sheet.

19. The Annual General Meeting: For the election of officials. Propositions to alter
or amend CMF Rules, propositions to be in the CMF Secretary’s hands (in writing) at
least 28 days prior to the A.G.M. The same shall be shown on the notice calling for
the meeting, notice of the Impending AGM shall be communicated to all clubs at
least 6 weeks prior to the meeting taking place.

20. The Clubs individual members clocks must be set and rechecked against the
same club master clock, (Except ETS). If this is not adhered to, all CMF Honours,
Championship Honours, Golden Ring Honours, or similar honours will not be
entertained.

21. During the time a clock is under seal, the CMF Secretary shall have the power to
examine and check any clock or send a representative to do so. A note of
introduction made out by the CMF secretary will be given to his / her representative,
all members on production of this note must allow this representative to examine and
check their clock(s), a report of such examination must be handed to the secretary
and committee.

22. The club clock Committee of any Club shall have power to detain any clock of
any of its members if they consider it unsatisfactory and immediately inform the CMF
secretary giving cause for complaint.

23. Should any clock be tampered with in any way, such clock shall be disqualified,
and any member party to this act shall be liable to suspension or expulsion.

24. Result of Races from Clubs to be the first 30 and all pigeons eligible for CMF
positions must be on the clubs race result sheet and be sent to the CMF Secretary
via email/Whatsapp within 24 Hours after the close of the race. Any claims for an
CMF positions will not be entertained unless this rule is strictly complied with.

25. CMF secretary shall place 50 positions on the result sheet and only the first 20
shall be awarded diplomas.

26. No objection will be entertained by any individual competitor unless it is lodged
firstly with the individual competitors club, and if the club supports the objection then
the club forwards said objection to the CMF Secretary.

27. Where possible, Clubs will organise amongst themselves centralised marking
stations for Overseas races, Individual clubs will take their birds to one of the
marking stations, to reduce time taken to pick up the crates.

28.. The CMF shall provide sufficient pigeon crates to accommodate the average
number of birds sent by each Club. Not with-standing unforeseen additional birdage.

29. Basket sheets must be used for all racing, (to indicate the name of the sending
club, number of birds in crates and sex of birds in crates, plus seal numbers) these
sheets to be handed to the driver when loading the crates on marking night.

30. All crates must carry a label indicating the sex and quantity of birds in each crate,
labels to be provided by the CMF, the CMF secretary will email all member Clubs
asking how many labels will be required, this will be done at least 2 weeks prior to
the races.

31. CMF Convoying costs will be determined by the CMF committee and agreed by
the CMF annually. An additional 20 pence will be added to the cost of convoying to
form prize money for the CMF Channel races. Each race will be run on a self -
supporting basis.
The prize allocation will be as follows:
1st place 35%
2nd place 20%
3rd place 15%
4th place 10%
5th place 10%
6th place 10%
Only 1 (one) Prize/Diploma per bird allowed, no duplications allowed for
Prizes/Diplomas at CMF level such Prizes/Diplomas will be awarded to the individual
member at the club where the birds were marked.
If insufficient birds are timed in, then the money will be shared on a pro rata basis to
the birds recorded.
If no birds are timed in, the money will be returned pro rata to the competing Clubs.
(Less any expenses)

32. No birds to be raced marked unless at least three club members are present and
no individual member be allowed to mark their own birds. Basketing / Marking
officers to sign the dispatch form provided by the CMF

33. All Pigeons on CMF races must be the property of and come from the individual
members loft, and shall be liberated in one (1) batch only, should the pigeons be
held over from the fixed date they shall be liberated as early as possible on the next
day, in the event of a further holdover they shall be liberated as soon as possible on
the next day. If it is not possible to liberate on the third day by 11.00 am the birds
will be brought back to a liberation site confirmed by the CMF officials.

34. Should a member club of the CMF wish to hold a breeder buyer or gold ring race
where individual members are not members of the member club within the CMF
requesting a separate liberation, this will be allowed. (Subject to the CMF
Committee’s agreement).

35. The hours of darkness will be 22:30 hours on day of toss until 04:30 hours the
next morning and the race shall end at 22:30 hours on the second day, except where
the race is over three days, when the end of the race shall be 22:30 hours on the
third day of the race. Young bird channel hours of darkness shall be 20:30 hours on
the day of toss until 06:30 hours the next morning and the race shall end at 20:30
hours on the second day of the race.

36. That the CMF birds shall be liberated as soon as possible for all races at the
discretion of the convoyer after taking into account the opinions of the race advisors.

37. Under the power of rule 199 and in accordance with the terms of appendix G to
the rules the CMF reserves the right to carry out tests for banned performance
enhancing drugs and substances, on any competing member loft of a club in the
CMF.. Furthermore, an affiliated club can request that a test be carried out on any
competing member loft in the CMF on payment to the CMF of the necessary fee.

38. In the event of a deficit on the year’s workings, the CMF management committee
shall be empowered to make a levy on each Club to cover the deficit, not with-
standing any Club having sent in their resignation.

39. All Clubs shall provide the CMF Secretary with an email address so that he / she
can send CMF results direct to the Club via e-mail.
Championship Races:

40. CMF Championship races will be run on the old bird channel races only. Entry
forms as supplied by CMF via the Clubs must be used and completed and delivered
to the CMF Secretary by no later than Friday by 12 noon .The cost of entry is £10 for
three birds, (Multiples of 3 are accepted) which will be paid to the club secretary who
will then forward it to the CMF secretary by way of a cheque (NO CASH), all entry
forms must declare which Club they are competing with.

41. All birds velocities from each competing club must be phoned or emailed or
texted into the CMF Secretary by the relevant Club’s official between the hours of
8pm and 10 pm on the day of clocking. The details to be given are Ring Number,
Velocity and Competing Loft. The winning birds could be verified the following day.

42. Any situation not covered under these CMF rules shall be decided on by the
CMF Management Committee whose decision shall be final and binding subject to
the right of Appeal to the NWHU.

CLOCK RULES
The Standard Clock Rules as laid down in the current NWHU Rules, shall apply at all
times when racing under NWHU rules/competition.