Section 1 – WCRA Constitution

1.1Aims and Objects. The aims of the Whippet Club Racing Association (hereafter called the WCRA) are to co-ordinate and promote the sport of pedigree whippet racing and to maintain the purity of the breed.
1.2Committee. The affairs of the WCRA shall be controlled by twelve elected members, plus the Registrar, the Chairman and Secretary of the Whippet Club who are ex-officio members of the committee. Any member of the Whippet Club committee may attend WCRA meetings, but in any case the Whippet Club committee may have only two votes. Any person who is currently suspended or who’s dog s passport have been withdrawn, shall not be eligible to stand for election to the WCRA committee. Members of the Whippet Club Committee may attend WCRA committee meetings in a non-voting capacity. A non-voting President, Vice President and advisory members may be appointed.
1.3Registrar. The Registrar shall be appointed by the Whippet Club committee as a permanent member and must be a person with deep knowledge of the breed.
1.4Committee Elections. Officers: The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected or re-elected annually from within the existing WCRA committee by the WCRA committee at their first meeting after the Annual General Meeting. Committee: Three of the elected members shall retire by rotation each year and shall be eligible for re-election. Existing members of the committee who are desirous of continuing in office are not required to be proposed or seconded. Any new candidate for the committee must be proposed and seconded by the 15th January each year by fully paid-up members with voting rights, in writing to the Secretary of the Whippet Club, in accordance with Whippet Club rule 4b. It is the duty of the Secretary of the WCRA to notify the Secretaries of all affiliated clubs of the date of the AGM and at the same time advising the clubs of all elections which will take place. The WCRA committee shall have the power to co-opt members onto the committee in the event of positions becoming vacant between General Meetings in accordance with Whippet Club rule 5.
1.5Committee Meetings. Meetings of the committee shall be held as often as deemed necessary. A quorum shall consist of no less than five members plus a least one WCRA officer. A record of the proceeding as such meeting shall be recorded in a book kept by the Secretary, such record to be read at the next meeting and if approved signed by the Chairman.
1.6Banking Accounts.

  1. Banking accounts shall be held in the name of the WCRA, into which all revenues shall be paid and from which withdrawals shall only be made on the joint signatures of the Treasurer and either the Chairman or Secretary.
  2. The financial year shall be from 1st January to 31st December.
  3. The WCRA Treasurer shall provide the Treasurer of the Whippet Club with audited accounts by the 31st January in each year, prior to presentation to the Annual General Meeting and inclusion with the Club’s returns to the Kennel Club.
1.7Suspensions

  1. If in the opinion of the WCRA committee a WCRA committee member’s behaviour is incompatible with membership of the Whippet Club, and on investigation, explanations are to be found unsatisfactory, the WCRA committee may appeal to the Whippet Club committee to investigate the matter under Whippet Club rule 9, and if appropriate, to bring into effect Whippet Club rule 10.
  2. Any member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings without reasonable excuse being offered shall cease to be a member of the committee. A notification shall be sent to this effect to such committee member by the Secretary of the WCRA.

1.8The general rules of racing shall be implemented by the WCRA, without need of recourse to the Whippet Club. Should a dispute arise Rule 1.11 shall be brought into effect.
1.9The Association can only be dissolved at a Whippet Club General Meeting by a majority vote. In this event the Whippet Club will become the legal trustee and the Whippet Club rule 6 will be brought into effect.
1.10No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the committee or hold any office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society.
1.11In the event of any dispute over the interpretation of these Rules, an appeal may be made to the Whippet Club and the WCRA committee to initiate the Appeals Procedure. A copy of the Appeals Procedure may be obtained from the Whippet Club Secretary upon request.