General Rules of the BICC (2023)                                      Download >> Here

1. The organisation shall be called the British International Championship Club, with its Headquarters being the address of the elected secretary.

2. The club’s membership shall be open to the whole of the British Isles and all Ireland, but to exclude the Channel Isles

3. The Members’ annual subscription will be set every year during the October committee meeting by the elected Management Committee, for the following year. The annual subscription amount will be advised to the membership via the club’s web site, and the Fancy Press as soon after the meeting as possible and printed in the member’s handbook. If the subscription fee is not paid prior to March 31st, a further late penalty fee as advised** will be applied. The entry fee for new members applying to the club will be £5.00

4. All resolutions for alterations to the rules to be submitted to the membership for a card vote.

5. The object of the club is to organise a number of National and International races each year, after taking into account the feelings of the membership as a whole; and such races to then be decided by the Management Committee of the club

6. That the club is assumed to include all current R.P.R.A. rules

7. That members be reminded of all non-payments prior to the Annual General Meeting

8. A Management Committee will be elected annually, consisting of all elected officers with powers to co-opt. It will be responsible for the running of the club including all fund raising. All committee members will be notified in writing within thirty days of election.

9. In an emergency, the Management Committee shall have the power to resolve the emergency

10. All racing activities concerning the BICC will be governed by the rules of the RPRA.

11. The BICC shall be compliant with the legal requirements of General Data Protection Rules (GDPR) at all times, and register with the Office of the Information Commissioner, (ICO) and appoint a Data Controller. The ICO registration number is to be printed in the member’s handbook, and a Privacy Statement to be published annually on the club’s web site.

12. Life Vice Presidents are not deemed to be a member of the committee by virtue of their Life Vice Presidency. They may hold a position in addition to being a Life Vice President.

13. Officers shall be elected annually and will consist of: – President; Vice Presidents; Chairman; Vice Chairman; Treasurer; Auditor; I/C’s of Marking Stations, and a Publicity Officer.
14. All paid-up members will receive a yearly BICC handbook; this book to also contain a printed version of the current rules. This book to also contain a list of all the marking stations detailing whether they mark pigeons for International races, or National races – or both, with the name and contact details of the I/C and also which manual and/or ETS clocks will be accepted. Marking times to also be printed which must be adhered to by members. These details, along with a list of all past British Section winners in the International races, together with a lists of the previous year’s Open and Section winners in both International and National races to be displayed on the club’s web site.

15. All section boundaries to be decided by the elected Management Committee.

16. Unless very clear and extenuating circumstances are notified to the club secretary by the member, then all prize and pool money will be paid directly by bank transfer from the BICC’s main account, directly to the member’s bank. The onus is entirely upon the member to provide a sort code; an account number and a title to the account to the secretary and to ensure these details are kept up-to-date year on year. These details will equally be kept entirely confidential to the Secretary and Treasurer alone within the club and never passed to a third party.

17. The BICC will have and create an annual award for an ACE Pigeon compiled through the use of coefficients, and in the following categories and conditions.

One ACE International Pigeon ~ a pigeon may compete in as many International races as the owner wishes but with a minimum of two races. The addition of the coefficient from the best two race results added together to produce a total.

An ACE National Pigeon ~ split into a North and South regions, defined by the 52 Latitude.  A pigeon can be entered into as many races as the owner wishes, with a minimum of the best three race coefficients added together to produce a total. (Thus a North and a South ACE pigeon)

One ACE Young Bird ~ as above with a minimum of two Young Bird races (should there ever be more than two races) with the best coefficients from these races added together to produce a total

The coefficient is the race position X 100 divided, by the number of pigeons in the race, which will be the UK entries for all International races.

** Re: Rule 3 …… The committee have made the decision that the penalty fee in 2023 will continue to be £10.00 (Ten Pounds)

For Information only: The BICC will be sectioned within the following latitude and longitude coordinates: –

The East Section: Members flying east of the 00.00 longitude and no further north than the 52.00 latitude

The Centre Section: Members flying west of the 00.00 longitudes and east of the 2.00 west longitude and no further north than the 52.00 Latitude.

The West Section: Members flying west of the longitude 2.00 west, and no further north than the 52.00 latitude.

The North East Section: Members flying east of the 00.00 longitude, and north of the 52.00 latitude.

The North Central Section: Members flying west of the 00.00 longitude and east of the 2.00 west longitude, and north of the 52.00 latitude.

The North West Section: Members flying west of the longitude 2.00 west, and north of the 52.00 latitude.

Ireland: All members flying to either Eire or Northern Ireland.

Please note that although not a rule, it has been agreed that should the weather be unsuitable to allow the Irish birds to be jointly released at any given race, then the Irish contingent will be held and released separately at such time as the weather allows, and our Irish members will have their own race and not be included within the overall result.