Severn Valley Federation Rules 2026
The Severn Valley Federation observes the RPRA Part O: Standard Rules for use and compulsory adoption by all organisations affiliated to the Association Rule 146.
- This Organisation shall be called the Severn Valley Federation with its headquarters at the Gloucester Farmers Club, Agricultural House, Greville Close, Sandhurst Road, Gloucester GL2 9RG. The lofts of all members must be situated between longitudes 1.35.00W and 3.00.00W and between a line of the original M4 motorway in the south and latitude 52.24.54.90N plus any fancier with a BS postcode who is a member of Wraxall Flying Club and any member flying within the radius of Redditch RPC. Should any member remove their loft to a place outside those areas so defined, the members competitive membership shall cease.
- The main objective of the Federation is to provide south road racing for its members. Should Government restrictions make a full programme impossible, the Management Committee, by majority, may alter the route.
- R.P.R.A Standard and Clock Rules shall be strictly enforced.
- General Rules
4.1 The affairs of the Federation will be dealt with by a Management Committee meeting at appropriate intervals. The Committee will consist of the Officers of the Federation, plus Club Secretaries and one mandated member from each affiliated club. The conduct of the meetings shall be in the hands of the Chair. At least 14 days’ notice shall be given for Management Meetings.
4.2 In the event of an emergency a quorum of 5 drawn from the Management Committee including the Chair shall meet or otherwise liaise to resolve the emergency.
4.3 The Annual General Meeting of the Federation will be held as soon as possible after the end of the racing season.
4.4 The Chair has the right to use his casting vote when required.
4.5 In the event of a delegate misconducting him or herself at a meeting of the Federation, the Management Committee shall have the power to reject him or her as a delegate for his/her club and shall require that club to nominate a replacement.
4.6 When using the Federation social media platforms i.e., WhatsApp and Facebook, members will be respectful and considerate to both the Federation and its members with their posts. Any member contravening this rule and deemed to be posting anything that could be found offensive or negative to either the Federation or a fellow member will be suspended from the platform for a period deemed suitable by the Management Committee who reserve the right to impose a permanent ban on said member if the behaviour persists.
4.7 Any affiliated club wishing to resign from the Federation must do so at or before the Annual General Meeting or be liable for all dues.
4.8 The Annual Subscription shall be £35 per loft.
4.9 All Subscriptions to be paid to the Federation by 31 March each year.
4.10 Should the Federation be at any time in debt, each affiliated club should pay a proportion to the number of its members a sum that would clear the debt.
4.11 Honoraria should be reviewed annually in order to reflect the work conducted.
4.12 In the interest of clarity, the secretary may alter the number of and regroup rules in the rule book at the time of publication.
4.13 To save costs the rules will be published on the website and a paper copy will be made available to members who do not have internet access by request.
- Racing Rules
5.1 The Management Committee has the entire responsibility of managing the races and in any case the decision of a majority of the committee shall be final, subject only to the right of appeal to the RPRA.
5.2 Each club member shall be charged .90p per bird.
5.3 Any member can make an upfront payment of £240 to send an unlimited number of birds to each race or £105 to send 15 birds per race excluding Guernsey which are transported by the Heart of England Combine. Any member wishing to make an upfront payment for old birds or young birds only or any member joining before the young bird season will be charged pro-rata. Upfront payments to be paid to the Federation by 31 March each year.
5.4 All members shall pay a £1 liberation fee when sending to a race on marking night.
5.4a Birds that are picked-up from the clubs will be charged £5 per pick-up. Clubs feeding in will not be charged
5.5 Independent members can send their birds from any club of their choice by prior arrangement.
5.6 Each club shall send its race birds in crates provided by, or on behalf of, the Federation. Each club must correctly seal each crate with R.P.R.A. approved seals. In the event of the convoyer receiving the crates the seals of which have been broken, removed or otherwise incorrectly applied, all birds in those crates to be stamped with a Federation stamp.
5.7 All member clubs will be responsible for cleaning, disinfecting and maintaining allocated crates.
5.8 All crates shall be filled to capacity as per R.P.R.A. rule 127(b).
5.9 Any individual interfering with the convoyer will be dealt with by the Management Committee.
5.10 Affiliated clubs to be responsible for ensuring the fitness and health of all birds sent for convoying.
5.11 All birds convoyed to a race point must be electronically tagged or race-rubbered and vaccinated as per M.A.F.F instructions whether sent as a trainer or not.
5.12 The Federation will have a Race Controller with the assistance of three people who are members of the Severn Valley Federation based on short, middle and long distance from the race point. The Race Controller will be responsible for collating the necessary information and advising the Convoyer. The Race Controller will inform the Secretary of liberation details and other relevant information concerning liberations or otherwise whereupon the Secretary will inform by telephone the Club Secretaries as soon as possible as well as update the Federation social media platforms.
5.13 All liberations to Race Controllers/Convoyers discretion.
5.14 All races will be of one day duration except in adverse weather conditions or unusual circumstances and in consultation with the Management Committee. In these circumstances the races will close at 220 ypm.
5.15 The races to be flown on the system of ‘velocity proper’ hours of darkness will be 10pm – 5am for old birds and from 8pm – 6am for young birds where applicable.
5.16 All competitors’ distances must be measured under one system – viz the R.P.R.A – and if necessary, measurements will be checked.
5.17 Any competitor not providing their distance on entry forms may forfeit all entry fees.
5.18 If a race point is unavailable a mileage equivalent from the race programme is to be used.
5.19 Clocks to be read on the same day as the completion of the race.
5.20 Club Secretaries are required to fill out SV1 in duplicate with one copy to be handed to the Convoyer on marking night together with members entry sheets.
5.21 Federation Secretary to receive the result sheet via email or text from the Club Secretary as soon as possible after the club result is produced. Form SV1 and SV2 to be submitted to the Federation Secretary with members clocking sheets in the week following.
5.22 Any bird raced in the Federation may be verified and the right is reserved to toss said bird from the competitor’s loft.
5.23 Any pigeon taking any of the first three positions in any Federation race involving money prizes will be verified by a Federation official by its ring number, colour and sex. The pigeon to be released 100 yards from loft by Federation Official.
5.24 All competing members in Federation races will have a timing clock set for their use as a competing member in that particular race. One member one clock to be used but in the case of a faulty or stopped clock the relevant R.P.R.A rule to be invoked.
5.25 The Federation shall purchase three drugs testing kits to be used as and when required.
5.26 The Management Committee shall formulate the following year’s race programme after canvassing each member club for preference. Taking the preferences into account together with site availability and suitability the race programme will be formulated by Management Committee votes.