“REGIONAL DIRECTOR HANDBOOK”

Guidelines for Regional Directors

By Cliff Ball of Oak Ridge, North Carolina

Former NBRC National Fly Director and NBRC Regional Director

The National Birmingham Roller Club would like to extend a warm welcome to you, and thank you for volunteering to take responsibility for coordinating the activities of the roller men in your region. Serving as an NBRC Regional Director is rewarding in many ways. It will help you get to know many of the NBRC members and flyers in your area, as well as many NBRC members across the nation. It will also help to establish your dedication to the NBRC and your commitment to the hobby, as a roller man. Over the next couple of years, you will gain valuable experience and insight into the organizational structure of the NBRC. The Regional Directors are the backbone of the NBRC and its competitions, as you will see.

The RDs work closely with local clubs and other elected officials in determining the future course of the NBRC. This could include critical evaluation and potential changes to fly rules, by-laws, or policies. The Regional Directors are elected to represent the majority opinions of the flyers in their regions in these decisions. They must communicate with, and work closely with, the men in their regions who are interested and who express their opinions on the issues, in order to see that their vote reflects the majority opinion of the region. There may be times, when certain issues come before the Executive Committee, where your personal opinion differs from the majority opinion of your region. In these situations you may be forced into a position that puts you at odds with any differences that may exist between how you feel, personally, and how your flyers feel.

This is a representative political office, and you must be aware of this fact in deciding to volunteer your time. In order to improve your effectiveness in your new position as Regional Director, these suggestions and responsibilities are provided to help you better understand your position:

1) Get acquainted. As RD for your region your first responsibility is to personally go meet as many of the NBRC members as you can, paying particular attention to the active members who participate in NBRC-sponsored flying events. Get to know the flyers in your region. For the smaller regions, this may not be as big a chore, as it is in larger regions with greater land mass. Some areas of the country, such as California, have a much higher flier density than do other regions, such as Texas and Montana. In fact, some regions may encompass several states and still not have as many flyers as can be found in a single region in California. Whatever the geographical size of your region, computers and cell phones will help you communicate with, and maintain an active relationship with, a majority of NBRC members in your region.

No doubt, you have already gotten to know many of the flyers in your region, but please utilize the NBRC membership roster to introduce yourself to as many members/flyers as you can. Let them know that you will be in communication with them and would like their input on issues that require your vote. Offer to keep them in the loop to the extent they wish to be included in the political issues. Some do, some don’t. You are the key link between the NBRC members in your region and the NBRC Executive Committee.

The voice of the NBRC is the bulletin. Almost everything of interest that happens in your region should be submitted to the bulletin for publication. There are, of course, time-sensitive deadlines that must be observed, so it is important that you get organized and plan ahead. Familiarize yourself with the NBRC by laws. Know the fly rules and how they should be applied, so that you may answer any questions your flyers may have. Undoubtedly, issues will surface during your term in office. Be prepared to direct the dialog with the members in your region in the direction of positive change when the need arises. Use the input from the NBRC members in your region, as well as the Executive Committee, as resources to help you find solutions. It is important that you recognize and accept that it is impossible to satisfy all the members all the time. Your communication skills, your attention to the issues, your attention to detail, and your “people skills”, will be your greatest assets, and all of them will be vitally important to the success of the NBRC National Championship Fly and to the smooth operation of the NBRC Executive Committee.

2) Promote the NBRC. For all the members, but especially the new flyers and the less-active members, let them know that the NBRC is their club, and it has their best interests at heart. Inform them about the promotional items available through the NBRC Accessories Department, such as automobile window decals, hats, books, bands, etc. Encourage their participation in all aspects of the roller hobby; especially the National Championship Fly sponsored each year by the NBRC. Ask if they have friends that may be interested in rollers, and in the NBRC, and encourage them to join.

3) Participate on the Executive Committee List. The ability to access the Executive Committee List via computer is vital to your success as Regional Director and will help ensure that you become aware of all issues that come before the NBRC, and of all items of business that are addressed. Though not absolutely necessary, without a computer and Internet access, your effectiveness as an RD will be diminished. Again, we come back to communication.

Communicate with the members in your region, and advise them regarding any and all business issues that are brought before the EC. Get their opinions and input before you vote, and then vote to represent the consensus of opinion of the members in your region (which may sometimes be different from your own personal opinion.) As an additional responsibility to the members in your region, it is important to bring their more significant concerns and issues to the EC List for consideration and discussion. You are their voice and their connection to the NBRC. Plan to check the EC List daily for information and decisions on the issues.

4) Educate the flyers in your region. Especially for the new competitors and new members, you will want to take the time to discuss the NBRC fly rules, provide tips on breeding, training, flying, nutrition and feed, illnesses, etc. and direct them to resources such as the NBRC website. Participate in local club meeting and flys throughout your region. Use that opportunity to meet the men, discuss issues, and encourage participation in the NBRC competitions. Consider the possibility of your region forming a fund-raising organization to help cover any shortage of funds that may be incurred during your regional competition for the National Championship Fly. Lawn shows, bird auctions, club flys, sales of hats and tee shirts are all potential ways to help raise money to cover the expense of bringing in a judge (his travel, food and lodging) in order to keep the entry fees from escalating in your region.

Keep an eye out for trouble-makers. Learn which members work for the good of all the members in your region and which ones are motivated primarily by self-interest. Let the members of your region know that if they are not pleased with the way things are being done, or if they have unresolved issues, such as personal problems with individuals in the region, that a written grievance filed with you, the RD, the Fly Director, or the NBRC President may be the best option for resolving it when all else fails. The success of your region may depend on your sense of fairness, and your sense of diplomacy. Know in advance that you cannot make everyone happy all the time; you will not please all the members of your region all the time.

It will also be very helpful to you to help the members in your region distinguish between the World Cup and the NBRC as two separate entities; the differences between the geographical regions in the two organizations, and the men who hold the positions in the WC as RDs and LADs. There seems to be a great deal of confusion among many NBRC members regarding the differences between these two organizations.

5) Take an active role. Regional Directors may need to take an active role in resolving disagreements and conflicts that can arise between NBRC members, especially if problems arise at NBRC-sponsored events. Though rare, unresolved problems and grudges can exacerbate into a confrontation that may have a significant negative impact on the individual, the region, and the NBRC, with implications for all concerned. By promoting communication and serving as an unbiased mediator, most of these issues can be resolved easily. When it is apparent that problems persist; encourage the parties involved to each file a written grievance with the NBRC Executive Committee to assist in the resolution of the problem.

THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FLY

The Fall Fly and The James Perri Memorial Fall Fly are other names that we have called our National Championship Fly in the past. One of the major responsibilities as the Regional Director will be the planning and implementation of the fly competition to select the kit or kits that will represent your region in our National Championship in the 11-bird kit and 20-bird kit venues.

a) Promote participation in the fly by contacting as many of your region’s members as you can, paying special attention to the men that have participated in the past. Winning is fun and can represent the culmination of many years of dedication to the breeding and flying of competition rollers. But the vast majority of participants are involved, primarily because of the friendships and camaraderie that exists between members as they visit each other’s lofts during the flys; but also because of the learning experience they receive about the success of their breeding programs through the feedback of the judges and other flyers who watch and evaluate their birds. The entry forms for the national championship are printed in the NBRC bulletin each year. Encourage your flyers to use these forms to simplify your job. You may find it effective to poll your region’s flyers to get their input as to the best fly times, preferred judges, etc. (A sample is enclosed, which you may use, “as is”, or in developing one of your own.) Find out what dates for the regionals and finals have worked well in the past, in the opinion of your veteran flyers.

b) Schedule your regional fly. Using the information you have received from your flyers on the recommended forms, as well as your personal conversations regarding when each flier will be available to release his birds, to make it as convenient as possible for as many flyers as possible. Some may be off work only on weekends, while others are available during weekdays. Everyone needs to know that fairness is one of your main priorities. Check in with each flyers to see if the fly schedule was well-accepted in previous recent flys. Find out how it was set up and see if a similar schedule might work well again, or if changes need to be made. Discuss any problems that occurred during the last competition fly and determine how to avoid these specific problems and organize this fly even better. Start by identifying all the problems; determine which ones are actual problems and which ones may be personality conflicts; poll your region’s flyers as to possible solutions for the good of all the flyers, and the majority rule will usually be your best solution. If you run into issues concerning the interpretation of by-laws or fly-rules, use the NBRC Fly Director or the EC as a resource for resolving them.

If things have worked well in the past, continue with those successes. You and your flyers will have to make some difficult decisions. Should the best kits get the best fly times, based on previous performance in the competitions, or should the fly times be rotated equally among all the flyers alphabetically? Or should the man who transports the judge around the region get to pick his preferred fly time; or should new competitors get the best fly time to encourage participation? If your region has multiple qualifiers for the finals, on what basis should the RD make the decision as to the order of the finals fly? Does the high score have priority? Or the closest qualifier to the airport pick up point for the judge? These discussions and making those difficult decisions will avoid hard feelings and frustration based on allegations of prejudice, favoritism, etc. on the part of the RD in scheduling flyers.

Once the fly is scheduled, be sure that you have planned ahead sufficiently to give your flyers at least a 30-day notice of the fly schedule. This cannot be over-emphasized. Nothing is more destructive to participation, nor frustrating to flyers, than the feeling that they were not given sufficient time to prepare their birds.

c) Select a qualified judge to score the kits entered in your regional competition. This is also a very important step in ensuring the success of your fly. Plan ahead! Many of our most competent judges get booked early. Waiting until a month before your fly to get a commitment may not be your best course of action. Get your commitment for judging as early as possible. Select a qualified judge from your own region or a bordering region, preferably within driving distance. As a last resort, and only then, the Regional Director may have to judge his own region, but he may not participate in the competition if he does so.

The need to purchase airline tickets for a judge will increase the overall cost of the fly in your region. and can result in an increase in the entry fee to the point that it becomes prohibitive for some flyers to participate. This may have the negative effect of reducing participation, and could jeopardize your region coming up with enough kits for a qualifier in the finals. On the other hand, the lower your costs, the lower your entry fees can be, which may lead to an increase in participation in your region’s fly, which is a very good thing!

….

d) Establish the entry fees for your region. Start by chatting with the previous RD and the flyers from the last fly. They will be able to tell you about how many kits were entered, how much money was needed to pay for expenses the previous year, and what those expenses were for. These expenses could range from a few tanks of gas and a few burgers, to motel lodging and airline tickets. This should assist you in determining what expenses you will incur and in predicting the necessary regional expenses that must be covered by the entry fees.

Basically, there are a couple of ways to organize a regional fly. #1 One option is for the RD to put the judge up as a guest at his house, and take the time necessary to transport the judge around the region from loft to loft; doing most of the work and incurring most of the expense. The RD may or may not request compensation from the region, and he is certainly entitled to cover his reasonable expenses. Some regions get along fine with this type of organization, but it requires a level of trust and trustworthiness between the flyers and the RD.

#2 A second option, which is especially attractive in regions with large geographical areas to cover, is for all the flyers to participate in housing, feeding and transporting the judge. Again, the region may or may not decide to compensate the flyers for gas expenses. This type of organization spreads the financial burden over all the flyers, as well as providing the flyers with personal time with the judge, which can be an educational and rewarding experience in many ways. It works quite well in some regions. Remember, your entry fee must be sufficient to also cover the expenses incurred for the NBRC’s portion of the fee (which covers the expense of transporting the finals judge to your region). It also needs to cover any expenses that will be incurred for the housing, feeding, and transporting of the finals judges throughout your region to score each qualifier in the finals. Your best chance at success with keeping your region’s entry fees low is to avoid airline tickets and motel accommodations for the judges.

e) Get your flyers registered and submit the forms, along with a check for the NBRC’s portion of the fee, to the National Fly Director with a report on the total number of flyers and the calculated number of qualifiers in each of the 11-bird and the 20-bird contests. This should be completed 30 days before the date that the final judge is scheduled to judge the qualifier in your region. Getting firm commitments from flyers can be a daunting and frustrating task, indeed. Many are prone to giving only a verbal commitment. It is a wise practice to depend, primarily, on the men who commit by way of a check or cash for the entry fee! The decision whether to front fees for flyers out of your personal funds, is inadvisable and may result in hard feelings if it falls through. It is not expected that the Regional Directors invest their personal financial resources in order to carry the region’s expenses, though it is not an uncommon practice. Many times, this is necessary because of poor planning. By planning ahead, enlisting the support of veteran flyers and NBRC members, and using your collective ingenuity and creativity, you have the ability to structure the activities in your region in such a way that the financial burdens and time commitment will be spread over amore members to make things more efficient and less burdensome…or you can do it all yourself! That is not, however, the recommended practice, but it is your personal decision.

Be sure to communicate to all those who register, especially any that are particularly remote, that they must be willing to share in driving the judges between lofts in the regional fly, and to share in driving to pick up the judges at other lofts, airports, etc. when necessary.

f) Communicate with your judges. Once a judge has agreed to score your kits, you should have an open and honest discussion with him concerning what you expect from him, what your standards are, any input your flyers would like to receive, if any, etc. This can be done verbally, or in the form of a written policy developed by the flyers in your region.

g) Communicate with the National Fly Director. Especially during the competition fly for the national championship, it is imperative that the Regional Directors be available by cell phone and e-mail to coordinate the scheduling of the finals, picking up the finals judge at the airport, transporting the judge between flyers in your region, and returning the judge back to the airport when he is finished in your region. Though it is, primarily, the responsibility of the RD to arrange for the judge to be picked up at the airport, in many cases it is more convenient for the qualifier to pick up and deliver the judge at the airport. (This, of course, needs to be discussed ahead of time.) Throughout the competition, the RD must be ready to respond to emergencies that arise, and to alert the region’s qualifiers to make adjustments, in the event of flight delays, canceled flights and last-minute schedule changes that may or may not affect the fly times. It is also the Regional Director’s responsibility to file a complete fly report with the National Fly Director, including each flier’s name, raw score, quality and depth bonuses and multipliers (20-bird) and final score, listing the qualifiers for the finals and the judge who scores the regionals. This report should be filed immediately, upon the conclusion of every regional and finals competition in your region. The National Fly Director will make sure the information is forwarded to the appropriate individuals for posting on the NBRC website, for publishing in the bulletin and for awarding Master Flyer points. Many NBRC members track the competition and are eager to see new scores posted as the flies are completed.

REGIONAL DIRECTOR NCF CHECK-LIST

______ 1. In early Spring, have a regional/club meeting to determine interest in the 11-Bird

and 20-Bird regional flys.

______ 2. Determine dates for your flys. Usually, the months and weeks for each will

correspond with previous years flown.

______ 3. Once fly dates are determined, immediately begin your search for a judge.

______ 4. Contact all interested/prospective flyers and form a fly list.

______ 5. Determine the costs for the fly. Include the estimated cost of the

judge’s visit. Include his travel costs to and from the region, the gasoline cost

required by the judge and RD to drive to each flier, and the costs of housing and

feeding the judge. Keep in mind that you will also need funds to house and feed the

final judge.

______ 6. Determine the cost required for each individual flier. Each flier will need to pay the

NBRC kit fee plus an additional equally divided charge towards meeting the overall

judge’s costs (total costs divided by total # of flyers).

______ 7. Inform flyers of the total cost to fly and a firm payment date.

______ 8. Develop a fly schedule as soon as possible and inform flyers. Some adjustments may

be needed, but a firm schedule should be in place well before the fly.

______ 9. Payment to the NBRC and a list of flyers needs to be delivered to the National Fly

Director no later than two weeks before the regional fly. All flyers on your list must be

current NBRC members on fly day. (this information can be found on the website).

Score Pads (if needed) and pins will be sent to the RD upon receipt of entry fees.

______10. A regional report must be sent to the NFC within a week following the completion of

the regional fly. The fly report should list all kits flown in the order of finish. All DNF’s

should also be listed at the bottom. The Region, RD and the judge should be listed at

the top. Qualifiers for the finals should be indicated.

______11. As a courtesy, share your report with those who flew in your region.

______12. Determine your Finals schedule and communicate this to those who will want to

support your qualifiers.

______13. Make arrangements to house, feed and transport the finals judge during his stay with

you in your region.

______14. Make arrangements to exchange the judge with the regional RDs who fly before and

after you on the NCF Finals schedule.

______15. The judge will report your finals fly to the NFC, but you should share the information

with those in your region.

Regional Director Fly Directions

The NBRC shall sponsor an annual flying competition, known as the National Championship Fly (NCF) consisting of two separate championship events – an 11 Bird Competition and 20 Bird Competition available to all current members. Membership must be current at the time the kit is flown in the regional competition, as well as the time the competitor’s kit is flown in the Finals for those who qualify. The competition will consist of qualifying competition for each participating region, followed by a Finals competition. Members must notify their Regional Director (RD) of the event or events they wish to enter in order to assist the RD in scheduling fly times to accommodate the judge and to coordinate a smooth itinerary. The official NBRC National Championship Fly Rules will govern the competition. The rules will be available to be viewed on the NBRC website and will be published in the NBRC Bulletin. Participants are requested to review and familiarize themselves with the rules so as to avoid confusion and controversy during the competition.
In order to verify eligibility, the names of all fliers and entry fees must be received by the National Fly Director a minimum of fourteen days before the region conducts its qualifying fly. Regions who have not sent in the NBRC portion of the fees, and they have not been received by the NBRC Fly Director two weeks prior to the proposed date for their finals fly, will forfeit their finals fly and the finals judge will not be scheduled for their region.
In order to arrange travel to the region for the Finals Judge, the regional competition should be completed a minimum of 14 days prior to the scheduled Finals date for that region. Should a region face challenges meeting this requirement, due to coordination of NCF and World Cup schedules within their region, they are to notify the National Fly Director for consideration of the timeline of this requirement.
Region Directors must submit fliers names and addresses along with $20 for each kit to the current flier director, no later than 2 weeks prior to the start of their qualifying round for their region.

Fly director:

John Kelly PO Box 840, Bullard, Tx 75757

Check or money order for $20 per kit being flown. If you need score pads, you must also include that when sending your fliers names. NO scorepads sent unless you request it.

Paypal: [email protected] select “Friends and Family”

Those wanting to buy extra scorepads can buy them through the fly director at a cost of $15 per pad which includes the mailing cost. Be sure if mailing or paying by paypal that you include a note requesting which pads and the amount.

National Championship Fly Policy with 11 & 20 bird rules.

NBRC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FLY POLICY – NBRC 001

Policy Title: NBRC National Championship Fly

Policy Number: NBRC 001

Effective Date: April 11, 2007

Last Revision Date: July 8,2023

Introduction

The NBRC shall sponsor an annual flying competition, known as the National Championship Fly (NCF) consisting of two separate championship events – an 11 Bird Competition and 20 Bird Competition available to all current members. Membership must be current at the time the kit is flown in the regional competition, as well as the time the competitor’s kit is flown in the Finals for those who qualify. The competition will consist of qualifying competition for each participating region, followed by a Finals competition. Members must notify their Regional Director (RD) of the event or events they wish to enter in order to assist the RD in scheduling fly times to accommodate the judge and to coordinate a smooth itinerary. The official NBRC National Championship Fly Rules will govern the competition. The rules will be available to be viewed on the NBRC website and will be published in the NBRC Bulletin. Participants are requested to review and familiarize themselves with the rules so as to avoid confusion and controversy during the competition.

Each NBRC region may earn one qualifier in the finals for every ten kits entered in either or both of the 11-bird and/or the 20-bird competitions. Out of respect for the World Cup Fly and our members who participate in that fly, the region must conduct its NCF qualifying fly in a manner that does not conflict with that region’s World Cup Fly qualifying and Finals fly dates.
In order to verify eligibility, the names of all fliers and entry fees must be received by the National Fly Director a minimum of fourteen days before the region conducts its qualifying fly. Regions who have not sent in the NBRC portion of the fees, and they have not been received by the NBRC Fly Director two weeks prior to the proposed date for their finals fly, will forfeit their finals fly and the finals judge will not be scheduled for their region.
In order to arrange travel to the region for the Finals Judge, the regional competition should be completed a minimum of 14 days prior to the scheduled Finals date for that region. Should a region face challenges meeting this requirement, due to coordination of NCF and World Cup schedules within their region, they are to notify the National Fly Director for consideration of the timeline of this requirement.

2. In the event of a tied score in any NBRC NCF competition, both kits shall be declared winners and shall receive the same ranking and Master Flier points. If the tie occurs in the qualifying slot in any NBRC NCF regional competition, both kits shall be entitled to be flown in the NCF finals round and to receive the same regional ranking and Master Flier points.
3. In the event of a tied score for the first-place position in the NCF finals, any financial incentive that is usually awarded to a single winner will be awarded to both winners.
4. In order to qualify for the finals or to earn any Master Flier points, a flier (kit) must score at least one break in the 20 Bird Fly and/or 1 point in the 11 Bird Fly. Fliers (kits) with a score of zero, DQ, or DNF are ineligible for Master Flier points or for participation in the Finals of the NBRC National Championship competition.
5. The National Fly Director shall, on behalf of the NBRC and within ninety (90) days of the completion of the competition, award a suitable plaque or trophy to the following:
- a) The National Championship Fly winners in each of the 20-bird kit and 11-bird kit competitions.
- b) The Regional Qualifier(s) in each of the 20-bird kit and 11-bird kit competitions.
- c) The National Championship Fly Finals Judge.
- d) Various and sundry achievements by flyers that are deserving of a special recognition award, as determined by the National Fly Director and approved by the NBRC President. In the event that the same flier wins more than one qualifying spot in the finals, the flier is entitled to fly both kits in the finals if he so desires. In the alternative, he may choose to defer one of his qualifying spots in the finals to the flier with the next highest score.ly rules will be promulgated by the Executive Committee and published in the NBRC Bulletin prior to the fly and published on a continuous basis on the NBRC website. Any changes to the fly rules proposed by the Executive Committee must be approved by a majority vote of the previous NBRC National Championship Fly participants. Violations of the NBRC Fly Rules will result in the suspension of the flier from the NBRC competition for a period of three years. Second offenders will be banned from all future competitions in the NBRC and all accumulated NBRC Master Flier Points will be revoked.
- 001.02 Any rules or procedures for managing the NBRC National Championship Fly which is not directly related to the flying and judging of the kits being flown, will be classified as part of the NBRC National Championship Fly Policy. Additions and changes to the NBRC National Championship Fly Policy shall take effect upon approval by a majority vote of the NBRC Executive Committee. The NBRC National Championship Fly Policy shall be published annually prior to the NBRC National Championship Fly in the NBRC Bulletin and shall be published on a continuous basis on the NBRC website.
- 001.03 All NBRC National or Regional sponsored competitions must be judged by the most experienced Judge available. The NBRC shall appoint a Club member to judge the finals round of the NCF competition. Judges of the NCF regional rounds need not be Club members.
- 001.04 A flier may enter a maximum of two kits. Any two kits flown in the same competition, either the 11-bird or the 20-bird competition, may be composed of the same birds; however, the birds must land and trap before being re-released. In his discretion, the judge may confirm the composition of the kits by any means he deems appropriate under the circumstances. Judges are cautioned to avoid handling the pigeons entered in competition prior to their being liberated. Competitors that refuse to grant visual access and proximity to the kit boxes by the Regional Director and Judge for the purposes of validating when rollers or kits have landed, will not be scored and the kits will be disqualified.
- 001.04 Last Revision Date: February 3, 2022(a) Participation of Flyers under NBRC Family Memberships. Each named member of the household that is eligible for a family membership is eligible to participate in the NBRC National Championship Fly competitions the same as any standard club member (per Article III, Membership and Dues, Section I), subject to the following guidelines:(i) Each region must fly a minimum of 50 percent of the kits entered for each qualifier into the NCF finals round. Two DNFs for a single flier may be counted towards the first qualifier only. Only one “DNF” may be applied per family membership, or in any other situation where multiple entries are flown from the same location to earn more than one qualifier. If a region is unable to earn a qualifier as a result of multiple DNFs, the NBRC share of the entry fee (minus any expenses paid by the NBRC for fly pins and score pads for the region) will be refunded to the Regional Director, but only if the final judge’s airline ticket to the region has not yet been purchased by the National Fly Director.(ii) multiple kits entered by the same NBRC member and flown from the same location (Individual Membership or Family Membership Plan) will be allotted a maximum time on the regional schedule to be determined by the Regional Director. such as a total of one hour per kit entered (two hours for two kits flown, three hours for three kits flown, etc.). The allotted time on the schedule for multiple kit entries must be announced by the Regional Director at the time the schedule is released to the region. The Regional Director (or the judge in the absence of the RD) may extend the competitor’s time, on an as-needed basis during the competition, in the event of unforeseen delays, severe weather conditions, or in the event of interference from a bird of prey. In cases of kits being flown back to back- each kit, subsequent to the first, may be released at any time at the discretion of the flier as the kits fly their time, land, and trap in, whenever the judge and scribe have announced that they are ready for the next kit. Kits that fail to land within the suggested limit may result in the release of a second kit, at the discretion of the flier, which could result in the two kits joining together at some point. The second kit released will be scored only until such time as the judge determines that any of the birds from the two kits have become intermingled to the point of causing the 2nd kit to be not judgable. At that time, the judge will announce the cessation of scoring of the second kit, and the second kit’s score will be tabulated and recorded for the time flying up to that point.
  001.05 Ties in NBRC Competition
  - 1. In the event that the same flier wins more than one qualifying spot in the finals, the flier is entitled to fly both kits in the finals if he so desires. In the alternative, he may choose to defer one of his qualifying spots in the finals to the flier with the next highest score.
  - 2. In the event of a tied score in any NBRC NCF competition, both kits shall be declared winners and shall receive the same ranking and Master Flier points. If the tie occurs in the qualifying slot in any NBRC NCF regional competition, both kits shall be entitled to be flown in the NCF finals round and to receive the same regional ranking and Master Flier points.
  - 3. In the event of a tied score for the first-place position in the NCF finals, any financial incentive that is usually awarded to a single winner will be awarded to both winners.
  - 4. In order to qualify for the finals or to earn any Master Flier points, a flier (kit) must score at least one break in the 20 Birds Fly and/or 1 point in the 11 Birds Fly. Fliers (kits) with a score of zero, DQ, or DNF are ineligible for Master Flier points or for participation in the Finals of the NBRC National Championship competition.
  - 5. The National Fly Director shall, on behalf of the NBRC and within ninety (90) days of the completion of the competition, award a suitable plaque or trophy to the following:

a) The National Championship Fly winners in each of the 20-bird kit and 11-bird kit competitions.
b) The Regional Qualifier(s) in each of the 20-bird kit and 11-bird kit competitions.
c) The National Championship Fly Finals Judge.
d) Various and sundry achievements by flyers that are deserving of a special recognition award, as determined by the National Fly Director and approved by the NBRC President.

001.06 Each flier shall receive one fly pin for every kit entered. Revised on 02-27-27 to “Each flier shall receive one fly pin for participation in the National Championship Fly.”

001.07 Competing in Neighboring Regions

A. In the regional phase of the NBRC National Championship Fly competition, Regional Directors shall include any and all NBRC members residing in their region who: (a) advise the regional director of their intention to compete and (b) timely pay the required entry fees. Regional Directors may impose a reasonable mileage surcharge to cover the cost of transporting the judge to remote locations.

B. If any particular region lacks sufficient qualifying participants in either the 20-bird or the 11-bird venues, then members of that region may petition to participate in an adjacent regional competition in that particular venue.

C. Members may petition to participate in either the 20-bird or the 11-bird regional competitions of an adjacent region, as provided in paragraph B. The petition shall be delivered in writing or by email at least 14 days prior to the home region’s regional competition and the adjacent region’s regional competition, whichever first occurs. The petition shall be submitted to the National Fly Director and the Regional Directors of both affected regions (the home region and the adjacent region in which the member seeks to compete). After consulting with the Regional Directors of both affected regions, the National Fly Director shall approve or deny the member’s petition in writing or by email delivered to the petitioning member and the Regional Directors of both affected regions, within 7 days after receipt of the member’s petition. Section C was removed in 2023-007.

D. Members may petition to participate in either the 20-bird or the 11-bird regional competitions of an adjacent region, as provided in paragraph B. The petition shall be delivered in writing or by email at least 14 days prior to the home region’s regional competition and the adjacent region’s regional competition, whichever first occurs. The petition shall be submitted to the National Fly Director and the Regional Directors of both affected regions (the home region and the adjacent region in which the member seeks to compete). After consulting with the Regional Directors of both affected regions, the National Fly Director shall approve or deny the member’s petition in writing or by email delivered to the petitioning member and the Regional Directors of both affected regions, within 7 days after receipt of the member’s petition.

E. The member shall be authorized to compete in the adjacent region’s 11-bird or 20-bird competition for that year’s competition only and must re-apply through the same process set out in paragraph E for permission to compete in adjacent regions in future competitions to be held. No region shall be compelled to accept additional fliers from adjacent regions.

F. For purposes of NBRC elections, members may vote only in their home region (where they reside) without regard to the regions in which they may compete.

001.08 Flying Competition Kits in Remote Locations

The National Championship Fly (“NCF”) is a competition among roller fliers. Accordingly, each kit shall be entered in the name of the Club member who routinely trains and flies the kit, irrespective of who may have bred the pigeons in the kit. NBRC awards and Master Flier points shall be awarded to the kit’s flier/trainer, even where the pigeons in the kit may be owned or may have been bred by others.

Any NBRC member entering the NCF may fly his own kit(s) from his home or from a “remote location” such as a place of business, home of a friend or relative, or elsewhere within the boundaries of the member’s NBRC region, but not from a remote location outside the region where the Club member resides. Where the kit entered is housed and maintained at a remote location on premises owned by another pigeon fancier, the owner/flier may fly the kit as his own only where he represents that he has personally been training and caring for the pigeons in the kit, and only when:

The owner/flier has notified the Regional Director of this intention at the time he enters the kit in the NCF:
The owner/flier is present at the remote location on the fly day to personally inform the judge of the number of birds in the kit, to personally release the kit from the loft, and to call “time in. “The Regional Director may make exceptions to the requirement concerning the flier’s presence at the remote location on the fly day due to circumstances beyond the owner/flier’s control, but exceptions shall not be employed in successive years and may be disallowed by the National Fly Director in his sole discretion to prevent abuse of this policy.
001.09 The NBRC President and the NBRC National Fly Director will each contact the winners of the NBRC National Championship Fly Finals, in both the 11-bird kit and the 20-bird kit competitions, by telephone in order to notify and congratulate them within 48 hours of the completion.
001.10 The Finals Judge for the NBRC National Championship shall compose a written fly report of the Finals Competitions, to be submitted to the National Fly Director within 30 days of the close of the competitions, for publication in the NBRC Bulletin and Websites.
001.11 The National Fly Director, within 30 days of the end of the competition, will conduct an interview of the winners of each of the 11-bird kit and 20-bird kit competitions to be submitted to the NBRC Publishing Editor and the NBRC Webmaster for publication in the NBRC Bulletin and posted on the NBRC website. It is suggested that the interview should provide such information as the number of years of experience of the flier, the family of birds flown, the sex and age of the birds that comprise the winning kits, feeding regimens, etc. as the winners are willing and able to provide.
001.12 The NBRC shall, through its National Fly Director, invite the Finals Judge to the next NBRC Convention for the purpose of acknowledging his or her accomplishment in the presence of their colleagues in the sport. If this invitation is accepted, the NBRC will pay the expenses incurred for transportation to and from the Convention site and lodging at the designated hotel. These expenses are limited to, (3) nights at the Convention-specific hotel and Airfare to and from the Convention and the nearest regional airport servicing their residence. If the recipient chooses not to attend the convention, the housing and travel expenses will not be paid to the recipient. If the recipient chooses to attend the convention, but travel or utilize housing of his/her own choosing, the NBRC will provide financial payment equivalent to the proposed airfare and or housing to the recipient. The NBRC shall not be responsible for any other cost associated with this invitation.
001.13 The Regional Director is responsible for reporting the scores for the regional competitions to the National Fly Director within one week of the close of the competition. The report should include the following:
1. a) The judge’s name
2. b) The names of the flyers
3. c) The total score, depth, and quality multipliers
4. d) The name(s) of the qualifier(s)
The judge is responsible for notifying each Regional Director of the scores for the Regional competitions within 72 hours of the completion. The Finals judge should report scores directly to the National Fly Director on a daily basis and provide a final report at the end of the competition. The National Fly Director is responsible for submitting all reports to the NBRC webmaster, the NBRC Publishing Editor, and to the person responsible for recording Master flier points within 48 hours after completion of the competition.

001.14 The Regional Director is primarily responsible for the proper conduct and compliance of any NCF fly competition held in his region until “time-in” is called, at which point the judge assumes primary responsibility while each kit is being judged. During the judging period, the Regional Director (if present) and scribe are expected to assist the judge in his duties, as the judge may request.

The RD and scribe are also expected to notify the judge, immediately, of out birds, down birds, or other events affecting the judging if it appears that any such event may have escaped the judge’s notice. No judge shall judge his own kit in any NBRC National Championship Fly competition. In the event that a judge is judging his own region, he may enter a kit in the specific 20-bird or 11-bird competition format(s) he is judging. However, rather than judging his own kit, the judge’s kit will be awarded a DNF; meaning ‘Did Not Fly’. Alternatively, a panel of two or more judges may be appointed by the Regional Director, solely to judge the kit of the appointed judge, or a panel of three or more judges may be appointed by the Regional Director to judge a region, with each of the panel judges excusing himself from judging his own kit.
001.15 Regional Structure

A – The basis of the NBRC regional structure for the NBRC National Championship Fly will be defined by the US states and/or counties and their permanent boundaries. Existing regions that do not comprise an entire state must redefine their boundaries based on counties and their permanent boundary lines, and maybe re-structured (merged or split) in the best interest of the NBRC National Championship Fly, based on a majority vote of the NBRC Executive Committee.

B – States or counties with low flier populations may be merged together into groupings of states and counties to form a larger region in order to facilitate conducting the competition in that region or to accommodate NBRC members who wish to compete. This requires a 2/3 majority of the voting members of the NBRC Executive Committee in order to become effective.

C – States or counties may wish to merge with other states or counties, as a region, and may do so in order to comply with NBRC regulations; or when they lack sufficient numbers of competitors to earn a qualifier on their own; or to facilitate conducting their regional competition. This must be approved by a majority vote of the NBRC Executive Committee; a majority vote of the fliers in the region; or a signed petition by a majority of the fliers in the region. Specific zones or groups of fliers from the state may not be merged with another region if it leaves other NBRC members in the state or region stranded with insufficient numbers of fliers to earn a qualifier in the original state or region. Individual counties or groups of counties in an adjacent state that lie in close proximity to another adjacent state may, thus, be merged with the state upon the approval of both Regional Directors and the NBRC Executive Committee.

D – In general, regions may be considered for splitting into smaller regions by a majority vote of the NBRC Executive Committee only when: 1) their flier numbers have reached the point where the region generates 4 qualifiers in NBRC competitions for two years in a row; 2) it does not leave other NBRC members in the state or region stranded with insufficient numbers of fliers to earn a qualifier in the original state or region; 3) the new regions have been clearly defined by the specific counties or state lines to be included in each region; 4) an individual has volunteered for the position of Regional Director of each region, and 5) a majority of the voting members of the region has approved the split through a formal vote conducted by the NBRC National Fly Director. Any region that secedes or splits off from an existing region, but is subsequently unable to earn a qualifier for two years in a row, will be merged back into the former region or some other region at the discretion of, and upon a majority vote of, the NBRC Executive Committee.

E – Entire states may secede from merged regions and become independent regions at any time when they, as a state, are able to demonstrate that they have sufficient fliers to earn at least one qualifier as provided in the NBRC Fly Policy, and only if it does not leave other NBRC members in the state or region stranded with insufficient numbers of fliers to earn a qualifier in the original state or region. Any state that seceded or splits off from an existing region, but is subsequently unable to earn a qualifier for two years in a row, will be merged back into the former region or some other region at the discretion of, and upon a majority vote of, the NBRC Executive Committee.

NBRC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FLY

OFFICIAL 11 BIRD COMPETITION RULES

1) Kit Size. The kit size shall be 11 birds.

2) Time-in. The flier shall have up to five minutes from release of the first bird to declare “time-in”, after which scoring shall commence. Prior to time-in, the flier can make whatever adjustments to the kit he deems necessary. At time-in there must be at least 11 birds in the air or the kit will be disqualified. At time-in, all birds in the air, which were released by the flier, shall be considered part of the kit.

3) Fly time. The kit is “in judgment” for 20 minutes after time-in or until the second bird is down and out, whichever occurs first. If any bird lands or crashes, for any reason, it shall be given up to 10 seconds to resume flight, or else it shall be considered down and out of the competition. The kit shall be disqualified if more than one bird fails to fly for at least 15 minutes after time-in unless driven down by a bird of prey or extreme weather.

4) Time-Out. Upon the flier’s request, the judge may call a single discretionary “time-out” for up to 5 minutes in case of an attack by a bird of prey, blow-away, or other whim of nature. The judge shall resume judging when the flier requests or when the 5 minutes has expired, whichever occurs first. The duration of the time-out extends the 20-minute judgment time but has no effect on the 15-minute minimum qualification time.

5) Out-Birds. Scoring shall be suspended but timing shall continue if 2 or more birds are out. Although it cannot score while apart from the kit, a pigeon shall not be considered out if it is returning directly from a roll, has been separated by extreme weather, or has been chased off by a bird of prey, even if the pigeon lands or is captured. “(Clarification: where pigeons are chased off by a BOP with no time-out, scoring continues, judging only the largest kit remaining.)”

6) Extra Birds. If additional rollers join the kit and are indistinguishable, a penalty of 10% per bird will be deducted from points scored while the extra birds are in the kit. If the roller can be distinguished by the judge or is determined not to be a roller by the judge, then no penalty will be deducted from the scored points. If more than 11 birds are released by the flier and are in the air at the start of time-in, a penalty of 20% per bird over 11 will be deducted from the final score. If a bird is substituted for and becomes airborne after time-in it will be considered an extra bird and a penalty of 10% per bird will be assessed to the points scored while in the kit.

7) Judging Standards.

The bird must turn over backward, spinning quickly like a ball.
The bird must fall vertically with the appearance of a straight line from start to finish.
The bird should finish cleanly and not tail ride or plate roll at the end.
Loose, slow, sloppy, and/or plate rollers should not be scored.
Birds that roll less than 10 ft. should not be scored.
The bird must roll from the kit and must return to the kit before it can be scored again. If the bird rolls prior to rejoining the kit it does not score and is considered an out bird until it rejoins the kit.

8) Scoring. It is preferable for the region to furnish a timekeeper/scribe for the judge. If only the flier and judge are present, the judge should keep score. Birds can score individually or collectively. Simultaneous performance is not a requirement. The judge shall estimate and record the number of birds rolling adequately according to the rules for this contest. Each category should be recorded separately to show the profile of the kit. The raw score shall be added first then combined with the bonus score for the total score. The judge shall announce the final score before leaving. Points should be awarded as follows:

10 to 19 ft. = 1 point
20 to 29 ft. = 2 points
30 ft. plus = 3 points
Bonus Points: Exceptional speed = 1 point
Bonus Points: Exceptional depth (45 ft. plus) = 1 point
An exceptionally fast and deep pigeon could receive a maximum of five points.

9) Interference. Any interference with the kit after “time-in” may lead to disqualification. Attempts to ward off birds of prey are allowed, but any directly related kit activity shall not be scored.

10) Integrity. The judge shall NOT score anything that does not meet his standard for adequate quality and depth or duration of the performance. This competition is for ROLLERS and not tumblers! Roller flying is a subjective sport and the judge may have to make allowances for extraordinary circumstances. In any case, the judge’s decision is final and anyone verbally or physically attacking the judge will be disqualified from the fly and may be banned from future NBRC events.

NBRC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FLY

OFFICIAL 20 BIRD COMPETITION RULES

1) Kit size. The kit size may range from 15 to 20 birds.

2) Time-in. The flier shall have up to five minutes from release of the first bird to declare “time-in”, after which scoring shall commence. Prior to time-in, the flier may delete from the kit, or release additional birds as substitutions for any birds that land, crash, or are captured by predators. Upon declaring time-in, the flier shall also announce the kit size. At time-in, all birds in the air, which were released by the flier, shall be considered part of the kit. Any birds over 20 shall be considered “extra birds” and their number shall be discounted from all kit turns whether they are in or out of the kit during such turns.

5) Out-Birds. Except for a 15-bird kit, scoring shall continue if one bird leaves the kit (“out bird”). Scoring shall be suspended but timing shall continue if 2 or more birds are out. Although it cannot score while apart from the kit, a pigeon shall not be considered out if it is returning directly from a roll, has been separated by extreme weather, or has been chased off by a bird of prey, even if the pigeon lands or is captured. “(Clarification: where pigeons are chased off by a BOP with no time-out, scoring continues, judging only the largest kit remaining.)”

6) Extra Birds. If additional Rollers join the kit, a simple discount for the extra birds shall be made for each turn involved. If the extra birds can be distinguished from the other birds in the turn, by the judge, then the discount should not be given. For example, if 2 indistinguishable extra birds were in the kit and 7 rolled together, the judge would score 5.

7) Scoring. It is preferable for the region to furnish a timekeeper/scribe for the judge. If only the flier and judge are present, the judge should keep score. The judge shall estimate and record the number of birds rolling adequately in unison for each break involving 5 or more. No waterfall action should be scored. Afterward, the judge shall multiply those numbers by 1 for (5-9), 2 for (10-14), 3 for (15-19), and 5 for 20. Those results shall be added together to produce a raw score. Next, the raw score shall be multiplied by a quality factor of 1.0 for “adequate” to 2.0 for “truly phenomenal” based upon the judge’s overall impression of the average quality exhibited in all of the turns scored. Likewise, a depth or duration factor of 1.0 to 2.0 shall be multiplied to produce a final score. A group of 5 birds is the minimum number that can score if the remainder of the kit is returning directly from a roll, has been separated by extreme weather, or has been chased off by a bird of prey. The suggested minimum depth for scoring is 10 feet. The judge shall announce the final score before leaving.

8) Interference. Any interference with the kit after “time-in” may lead to disqualification. Attempts to ward off birds of prey are allowed, but any directly related kit activity shall not be scored.

9) Integrity. The judge shall NOT score anything that does not meet his standard for adequate quality and depth or duration of the performance. This competition is for ROLLERS and not tumblers! Roller flying is a subjective sport and the judge may have to make allowances for extraordinary circumstances. In any case, the judge’s decision is final and anyone verbally or physically attacking the judge will be disqualified from the fly and may be banned from future NBRC events.

IMPORTANT REMINDER:

PARTICIPANTS IN THE NBRC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FLY ARE REQUIRED

TO BE MEMBERS OF THE CLUB WHOSE DUES ARE CURRENT

20 Bird Excel File

This is the link for those using an excel file to report their regions fly results. By clicking the link it should give you a blank form to be filed out. Be sure to save the file using your region’s designation upon completion . After saving the file be sure to email the link to the Fle Director. This needs to be done within a week of completing your regional fly.

Region 20 bird report.xlsx

11 Bird Excel file

11 Bird NBRC Regional Scores.xlsx

NBRC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FLY

OFFICIAL 20 BIRD COMPETITION RULES

1) Kit size. The kit size may range from 15 to 20 birds.

CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL DIRECTOR TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR REGIONAL ACTIVITY

IMPORTANT REMINDER:

PARTICIPANTS IN THE NBRC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FLY ARE REQUIRED

TO BE MEMBERS OF THE CLUB WHOSE DUES ARE CURRENT

Regional Director Guide

THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FLY

National Birmingham Roller Club. All Rights Reserved.