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National Pigeon Association GB

NPA Challenge Certificates

NPA Challenge Certificates have been issued by the NPA since the 1950’s. These certificates are the fabric of our shows and they form part of the reason we compete at our Championship and Breed/Umbrella Club shows throughout the season; October to January.

Our committee and our members cherish these awards and seek to make our prize pigeons into an NPA Champion. To become a Champion pigeon, a bird needs to win 5 certificates from 4 different judges and only two certs as a young bird.

How do we become a show that can issue NPA Certificates or achieve Championship Status?

There are many expectations of Clubs and Societies in order to gain and maintain Championship Status; we will outline the basics here.

Challenge certificates are mainly issued at our recognised Championship Open Shows, in addition to this Championship status may also be granted to specialist or Umbrella shows which elect to hold their Annual Club Show away from these recognised shows. (see Rule B2)

Once approved; applications for Certificates should be made at least 3 months before your show date. You should notify the secretary of your proposed show date, enclosing a draft schedule. Each year every championship show must submit these details and any change of date must be applied for, giving reasons.

Your schedule should contain your choice of judges, to maintain a high standard these should come from the breed club, either via the secretary or taken from our judges list. For those clubs that struggle to get judges within their area then the two from one section rule can be used, as can the judge’s guidance form which can all be found on our website. You should also state on your application if there is to be a limit to the number of entries you can accept due to venue restrictions.

Certificates will not be approved in the absence of this information, if approved you will receive notification from our secretary along with a show pack containing your Certificates, Withheld forms, Rosettes and NPA return sheet.

Championship status comes with a level of expectation of your show;

  • Applying for a DEFRA License and meeting all regulations.

  • Advertising the Show in our Journal Fancy Pigeon World (B3 d)

  • Make Food & Water available for all exhibits (B3 f)

  • Backing Materials to all pens including ends of pens (B3 g)

  • Produce a Catalogue of entries in sufficient number for judges and exhibitors (B3 j v)

These conditions and rules are taken from our Rules & Constitution which have been formulated over the years by you the members, these apply to all shows being held under NPA Rules.

To assist and help with this process we have reintroduced, over the last two years, NPA Show Reps, these are either members of the committee or long standing NPA members. These people are there throughout the show day not only to check that our requirements are being met but also to offer assistance with any matter which may arise throughout the day. We are there to help and support our Championship Show secretaries so if there’s anything we can do, please do make contact.

NPA MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

Judges List

NPA CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW SECTIONS

BLOWER

Holle Cropper

All Spanish blowers

Norwich

Pigmy

Brunner

Voorburg

English pouter

Horseman

Pomeranian

Ghent

Hessen

Stellar

Reversewing

Silesian  

COLOUR

Archangel

Ice

Fairy swallow

Thuringian Breeds.

Saxon Breeds

TUMBLER

LFCL Tumbler

Muffed Tumbler

SF Tumbler

English Nun

English Show Tippler

Mookee

SHORT FACE

African Owl

Oriental Frill

Turbit

English Owl

Turbiteen

STRUCTURE

Chinese Owl

Jacobin

O.D Capuchine

Indian Fantail

Exhibition Fantail

Frillback

TRUMPETER

All Trumpeter Varieties

 

FORM

King

Modena

Lahore

Runt

American Show Racer

HEAD & WATTLE

Genuine Homer

Exhibition Homer

Show Homer

German beauty Homer

British Antwerp

British Antwerp Smerle 

English Barb

Carrier

Scandaroon

Dragoon 

English Magpie.

RVPC inc AOV and Owl German Owl

Colour

Starling

Nuremburg lark

S/G blassen Priest

Suabian

Gimpel

S/G Moorhead

S/G shield

Lucerne

 

Tumblers

Volga

Lf Viennese

Vienna Whiteside

Dutch Highflier

Old Dutch Tumbler

Helmet

Oriental Roller

Cologne Tumbler

Ancient

Portuguese

Posture Tumblers

Amsterdam

Danzig H/F.

Kormoner

Felegyhazer

German Nun

Stargard Shaker

Limerick

 

Form, Structure & Owl

German Modena

Spanish Figarita

Polish lynx

Strasser

American Giant Homer

Coburg Lark

Nuremburg Lark

Egyptian Swift

Syrian Swift

French Bagdad

Mondain

Italian Owl

Dewlap

FLYERS

WEFT

Show Roller

Comp Roller

Wolverhampton

Exhibition Tippler

Competition Tippler

 

GUIDANCE FOR SELECTING A SECTION JUDGE

Blueprint for running a show by Mark Rudd

                                 
1. Find a suitable venue.

2. Arrange a date with venue and inform other show secretaries/NPA if required.

3. Invite judges (by letter, email or telephone).

4. Produce a classification including judges’ names, times and dates, plus limit if required (may need NPA approval).

5. Send out schedules and apply for DEFRA licence.

In the meantime:
Requirements: pens/penning contractor, pen numbers, prize cards/rosettes.
Helpers required to put up pens/help run show etc. on the day.

6. Receive entries, enter into ledger/computer. Keep a running total of entries received.

7. Close entries and complete ledger/computer register.

8. Number judges books and add prize cards/NPA slips to judge’s pack.

9. Send each exhibitor a copy of entry form with pen numbers, keeping a copy of each for reference on show day.

10. Produce a catalogue of entries.

11. Set up show.

12. Receive exhibitors and birds and deal with any problems i.e. pen numbers/wrong classes etc.

13. Receive judges’ returns of winners and NPA’s if applicable.

14. Provide catalogue for judges/exhibitors either free or for sale.

15. Present awards/cups/prizes then close show and dismantle.

16. Complete NPA return sheets (can be done on day or after show is complete)

17. Send NPA returns plus marked up catalogue to NPA secretary.

18. Publish results in Fancy Pigeon World/NPA website.

Start cycle again and enjoy

Guidance for Judges

1) Please ensure that the white NPA slips are sent in to the office as soon as they have been completed in order that the certificate cards may be written out in time for your signature and then affixed to the pens before the closure of the show.

2) If your name as the judge is not the same as the one on the white slip, and it has not been corrected, please amend it as the certificate writers may not be aware that a change has been made.

3) Could we also suggest that these slips are completed as soon as you have judged the classes for which the certificate applies. For example, complete the slip for the blacks before you move on to the blues or other colours.  Experience has shown that some judges wait until they have finished judging a complete breed – or even a section.  This only results in delays when a whole batch arrives at the office in one go.

4) Please ensure that the information regarding, Ring Number, Pen Number and Colour is correct.  (Please Note: AOC is not a colour).  Any error or adjustment afterwards to the white slip or the actual certificate itself only adds to the workload of the secretarial staff.

5) Please do not leave the hall, or the show itself, without ensuring that you have:-

(a) checked that the information on the NPA certificate card is correct, and

(b) that you have added your signature.

6) A helpful judge would be happy to affix the NPA certificate cards on the appropriate pens after he/she has signed them, after all he/she would know only too well where they were situated in the hall.

7) Finally – and most importantly – if you feel that your chosen winner is not likely to end up as a champion one day, then do not give it the benefit of the doubt.
Thank you for your co-operation
John Elsdon

Bird gatherings: licences

All information taken from;

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bird-gatherings-licences

All links can be followed from the above website to the required documents

You need a licence to hold a bird gathering to hold gatherings of poultry and other captive birds (any bird kept in captivity, including pets).

Gatherings include birds being brought together:

  • for fairs, markets, shows, sales or exhibitions
  • in vehicles used for pigeon racing

You don’t need to apply for this licence but you must follow licence conditions.

Conditions of the bird gathering licence

You must get a risk assessment carried out by a vet to use this licence. The risk assessment must say that there’s no increased risk of avian influenza (bird flu) spreading if licence conditions are followed.

You must also follow all of the conditions in the Bird fairs, markets, shows and other gatherings - general licence (PDF, 29KB, 4 pages) as amended by Bird fairs, markets, shows and other gatherings - general licence (amendment) .

If the risk of the spread of bird flu increases, Defra or the Animal and Plant Health Agency (AHPA) may withdraw the licence immediately.

If there is an outbreak of bird flu, the licence will be withdrawn if the bird gathering is in the restriction zone. Find out more information about avian influenza (bird flu).

Notify APHA

You must notify your local Animal and Plant Health Agency Office at least 7 days before the event, including the following details about the gathering:

  • date
  • place
  • your name, address and contact number
  • type and number of birds

Records you must keep

You must keep a record of the:

  • name, address and contact number of anyone moving birds to and from the gathering
  • numbers and types of birds exhibited, raced, bought or sold at the gathering

Records must be kept for at least 3 months after the event.

Prevent the spread of disease

As a condition of the bird gathering licence you must try to prevent the spread of disease by:

  • making sure any containers you take to gatherings haven’t been contaminated with material from birds that aren’t at that gathering
  • dispose of (or treat to remove the risk of disease transmission) anything birds had access to, including:
    • feed
    • bedding
    • droppings
    • any other material of bird origin
    • anything left at the gathering which has been contaminated by the birds
  • clean and disinfect parts of the premises contaminated by birds or materials (apart from areas covered by grass)
  • make sure any containers left at the premises are cleaned and disinfected as soon as possible and before they’re used again

Penalties

You can be prosecuted if you hold an animal gathering without a licence or fail to follow the licence conditions. You may also have your licence suspended or withdrawn.

Contact Details

Animal gatherings and shows: licences

Telephone: 03000 200 301
Email: customeradvice@apha.gsi.gov.uk
For customers in Scotland and Wales, contact your local Field Services Office